NeW YorK NeW YorK!!
A first visit to NYC during college included a trip to the WTC in 1977. More on that later here.
Fast forward to the late 80s and 90s there were frequent trips, probably 20 or more, resulting from a newly minted entertainment career that sprung up in Dallas in 1986. In NYC the Dallas crazies connected the Apple with our pond in Dallas to help invent The Third Coast in Big D for music, art and fashionistas. Many contacts were made and enriched in early visits to New York before the era of email and cell phones via - banging on doors of record labels, talent agencies, promoters, magazines and other contacts in the old school way. Shoe Leather. Many high-level brilliant connections ensued and will be celebrated in NYC August 2025 as we gather again.
The early 1985 warehouse parties in Texas morphed into that international hotspot Club Clearview and also served as the gritty sister to the then emergent designer Phillipe Starck’s Starck Club. These two clubs and some others transformed Dallas from the BFE country western image it held in the 70's and early 80's to going full throttle into the racing 80's ala London, Paris, Tokyo, LA, SF and of course NYC.
The club as a platform afforded New York flings with privilege, including regular attendance at The New Music Seminar, The Independent Feature Project as well as a VIP regular NYC’s Club Area, The Tunnel, The Limelight, Studio 54 and Visage hanging out with Rockstars and scene makers too many to mention. That all snowballed into being featured in NYC magazines where we hosted parties in Dallas for the likes of Andy Warhol's Interview, Steven Saben's Details, Bob Guccione Jr's Spin, Taxi and Women’s Wear Daily amongst others.
After the sale of the Club Clearview in the 90's trips became less often but noteworthy. A visit in summer of 2000 to hang out with my friend Forest at his offshore boat race on the Hudson resulted in a ride back from the Jersey shore to LGA in the crew's rented shadowing helicopter. (At those speeds with the boats over 200 mph on the water a chopper with frogmen followed and oft times saved lives in event of a crash)
As I boarded the gleaming metallic green chopper for LGA, I couldn't help but notice the leopard print interior which I asked the pilot about.
"Ohhh you didn't know this is Geraldo Rivera's (the long time TV personality) rig. He rents it out when he's not using it. It's an exceptional machine. If you have time, I can show you what it can do. Don't worry I'm a highly trained guy from Nam so I can rockit good and safe."
"Well then hell Yes plenty of time - let her rip."
And what a ride. We buzzed up Super close to the Statue of Liberty (I could see faces in the crown), the WTC, The Empire state and all the rest......wasn't for the faint of heart and now after the very next year 9-11-2001 with the toppling of the WTC - those rides will never happen again.
And neither will this one. A random elevator ride at the old Essex House ( now JW Marriott) on Central Park South where I had connections made for a serendipitous blow away. While on the elevator with a dear friend I met "Trouble". This was Leona Hemsley's dog that received a $2 million stipend from Leonas estate years later (Leona inked in $15MM but the judge thought that was silly hence the paltry $2MM).haha
So in New York ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN - AND WILL!
We want to see you out in The City so please check our schedule for Events on the website Aug 9-11 there. (No pun w the 9-11, that would be in the Poorest of taste!) Haven't been back since 2000 but will make a Big Splash this week! My kids first time there - and.... keep rocking this summer and bring the love!!
Come see us and hang at our Events starting SOON! at JEFFSWANEY.COM
Feel free to email me at: JEFF@JEFFSWANEY.COM
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