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People often ask about Post Guliani NYC, can you describe a bit of ?Post Koch NYC??

Koch was Mayor from 1978 -1989. For our gang that was an amazing time
In New York. I can’t comment too much on post 89 because I moved to London in 89 but the years that preceded were very fertile for the clubs and all the artists who made them there home.

That era was so much more raw, uncharted and deteratorialized.?? Danceteria was an important spot for nightlife and new music. It was ?like a clubhouse or meeting ground for new ideas and different ?influxes of culture. What was special about that place to you???

Danceteria will always hold a special place in my heart because of all the fun we had there. Haoui Montaug nurtured the scene with his “No Entiendes” cabaret
And hand picked the crowd that would go on to be some of the great creative people of our generation. He would pay us 20 bucks each to come up with a new idea each month. We were a country and western group, Doo Wop, The Baad breakers, and of course the 3 bad Jewish Brothers. All this would be sandwiched between a couple in leotards dancing with razor blades in there hands called razor dance and they weren’t kidding or Madonna’s first performance.
I was also a bus boy there and ran the elevator sometimes. Imagine a huge building run by artists and kids. It’s worth noting that we were all underage but no one seemed to care. We wanted to be involved and they let us. Great bands played on the first floor and their was a dance floor upstairs and a video lounge above that. This was before MTV. It was an amazing place. They have re unions now like it was a high school, although I haven’t been.

Do you think your life would of unfolded in the same way with out ?“the scene” back then? As well can you describe what the scene was ?for you??? Too be continued....

I’d have to say I don’t think I would be who I am without the experiences
I had in the city during those years. Everything was wide open so if you showed some creativity you were in. If you wanted to get involved in the scene you chose your weapon, be it a guitar, spray can, camera or microphone and just got on with it. Now everyone asks “How did you know that what you were shooting was gonna be so important”, ie: worth money, everything is commodified. Kids need to make money now, we didn’t, the city was cheap.
I wasn’t thinking about any of that I was just in the moment. I knew something was happening and I wanted to be a part of it, photography was my way. Anyway since when did rich people become cool? As I remember it we made fun of them. Our New York was for everyone.