Legendary CBGB Founder Passes Away

Hillel Kristal, the founder of Bowery's own CBGB, passed away due to complications from lung cancer yesterday. Kristal moved from New Jersey to New York City at 18, singing in the Radio City Music Hall chorus and managing the Village Vanguard. He opened the doors to CBGB & OMFUG in December 1973. Standing for "country, bluegrass, blues, and other music for uplifting gourmandisers," Kristal's doors were open to any band or performer, many of whom had a hard time finding a place to play due to their music genre.

Kristal and CBGB are famous for getting bands such as The Ramones, Sonic Youth, Talking Heads, and the Patti Smith Group off the ground in a time when few venues catered to such artists.

Kristal became involved in a heated real estate battle with the Bowery Residents Committee, which was the club's landlord. The committee claimed that Kristal owed $75,000 in unpaid rent increases and he was eventually forced to shut down the club. Patti Smith played the final show on October 15th, 2006.