Against his better judgment, Australian novelist Bruce Russell signed up for a sublet at the Chelsea Hotel. His interview gives us some insight into why Stanley Bard dislikes sublets. We had better luck with ours, thank heavens. We were also interested to learn that the Chelsea is not a family friendly place.
What do you do? I'm a novelist and university teacher.
When did you stay at the Chelsea? 1999 - 2000
What inspired you to move into the Hotel Chelsea?
I already knew about it from a previous stay so when my family moved to NYC and were looking for suitable accommodation in Manhattan, that was one place to rule out! Naturally, after finding a sublet advertisement in the Village Voice, the temptation was irresistible, although you'd have to say it's not exactly family friendly. We sublet from a guy called Joe Blow, paid him a lot of money and then found out he was behind in his rent.
Do you think the Chelsea has a creative spirit?
Absolutely. Apart from all the usual stories (Syd and Nancy, Brendan Behan, Arthur Miller et al) we discovered that an eccentric Australian woman had once lived in our apartment with her fox. Ethan Hawke was making a film in the corridor outside our room for God's sake. The place reeks of creativity.
Has Your Writing Been Influenced by Any Former or Current Residents?
The lady with the fox, Tony, the concierge, the owners, Patty Hearst, Nick Cave are all in my 3rd 
novel, 'Channelling Henry'. So is the room, which turns out to be a central setting in the story. My character Jeremy Moon, a young writer, stays at the Chelsea and meets a street vendor around the corner who gives him a manuscript to read. The vendor's story is set in the same room Jeremy is renting. My previous novel, "Chelsea Manifesto," also has a number of chapters set in the Chelsea and was named for it.
Who are the contemporary authors that you most admire?
Philip Roth for sheer intellectual power, Anne Tyler for dazzling realism, and Saul Bellow for unforgettable portraits of men struggling with family life. Henry Miller, spurned and spat upon by the establishment, was my hero and central inspiration for my last book. He should have lived at the Chelsea. Then perhaps he would have felt better about New York. Miller writes about desperation, love, struggle and life in a language all his own. Don't get me started.
What is the best/worst thing that happened to you while staying at the Chelsea?
Worst: when we discovered that the cool photographer we had sublet the place from hadn't paid his rent, although he did collect a large amount of money from us in advance. We thought we'd be on the street, but the owner's son was gracious and understanding.
Best: my wife rushed in and said 'I just came up in the lift with Kris Kristofferson!' 'What did you say to him?' I asked. 'O nothing, I didn't want to act like a groupie'.
Did you meet any other famoust people while staying at the Chelsea?
Ethan Hawke allowed us to watch a scene from his movie in the making, right outside our door. He apologized to my then five-year-old because the actor/policeman had to swear and curse.
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