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- CLUB KIDS by NICKY LONDON

The Club Kid phenomenon began back in the late 80’s. Articles like the one in New York magazine fueled interest in club freaks and their party. At that point in time the media had interest in pop culture and the underground. People were looking for the next big thing in fashion and trends. Clubs and club promoters willingly gave interviews to the media about club kids and self-expression. Local news and international news magazine programs began doing segments about club kids and there culture. Some of the segments were colorful and funny. On one morning talk show Joan Rivers interviews Leigh Bowery, Amanda Lepore, James Saint James, Earnie Glam and Michael Alig. Leigh Bowery at that time was at the height of his celebrity club status and mentioned his performance art enema piece while Amanda Lepore discussed being thrown out of Disneyland for wearing a revealing boustierre. It was a very light and happy show thanks to Joan Rivers who really seemed to like the club kids. Other shows and interviews were not as light hearted. Ecstasy, at that time, began to get lots of attention from the media. Stories in the press started surfacing about club drugs like Ecstasy and it’s association with club kids. There were segments on the news of people dancing intensely and a reporter claiming this was ecstasy behavior, club kids were exploited. Not all of the clubs were about drugs, in fact, one promoter’s parties were about energy, flirting and dressing up. Susanne Bartsch started the real club kid craze with her extravagant parties, which included the best freaks from all over the world. She brought British eccentricity to the downtown scene with her European flair. Her Vegas showmanship created a visual treat of club beauties like Pearl, Kenny Kenny, Kabuki, Mathu, Zaldy Perfidia, Olympia, Madam and the House of Field. Her exotic locations & great dj’s fueled many memorable nights in New York and abroad. To this day she still remains a positive figure in club history.  Her yearly Halloween party at Copa is still the best. The East village has always paved the way in new concepts and trends. Most of New York’s cutting edge creations still come out of the East Village and Greenwich Village. Black Lips, a cult performance art production group created some incredibly wild musicals. Antony from Antony and the Jonsons, Kabuki and others are emerging talent who have roots in Black Lips and started at Pyramid night club on Ave A between 6 and 7th street. Wigstock originally began in Thompson Square Park incorporating talent and drag acts from all over the world. Most notably is Lady Bunny, its creator. Wigstock featured Lipsynka, Joey Aries and many others that have reached cult status recognition. In recent years many books have been written about this point in time from the late 80’s to mid 90s, dubbed the club kid days. Lies and truth be told this was a very decadent time in history. Acid House and ecstasy were introducing drugs to many a clubber. A new generation of drag was born with talent like RuPaul and films like Too Wong Foo, Wigstock and Priscilla that soon followed. The media had a field day with all the club kids who wanted only to be famous and party. The Limelight scandal and Club Kid murder were heard about all over the world. Many people said this was the end. Still to this day there are some who still consider themselves club kids and rule club land. Text By Nicky London

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