My Close Encounter With Chelsea Royalty: Patti Smith Record Release Party at the Star Lounge

Patti came walking down 23^rd Street and entered the Chelsea Hotel unnoticed because legendary Stonewall activist and drag king Stormé DeLarverié and Vogue fashion news directorr/model Sally Singer were posing for the cameras and all eyes were on them.  Patti ran into Warhol superstar Rene Ricard coming out of the hotel and they stood in front of the door and had a nice long chat.  Out of respect to Rene, I did not take their picture because I know that Rene does not like his photo taken.  (Later he said it would have been OK to take his picture with Patti!)  I did however snap a picture of Patti entering the Star Lounge in the hotel basement. (That's her in the hat)

I didn’t have an invitation but I hung around with painter Michelle Zalopany and her friends and they graciously allowed me to slip in with their party.  It was so dark that I couldn’t really see the décor, so I don’t know to what extent it changed from when Serena’s was down there.  It was hot and crowded, plus some awful red lights kept blinding me so I left before Patti performed.  However, Michelle and her friends said Patti played an awesome acoustic set with her band.

At 9:30 Patti came out of the club and I took her picture again.  On her way to the cab, Michael Maher from Australian Broadcasting Company asked her what the Chelsea meant to her, since she had lived there for so many years.  Patti looked right through him and kept on walking to the cab.

Oh well.  With that kind of attitude, I don’t suppose we’re ever going to get our interview with Patti.  Maybe Chelsea historian Sherill Tippins will have better luck.

Debbie  (Photos:  Michelle Zalopany & Friend, The guys from El Quixote who offered us free drinks if we couldn't get into the basement; Patti Smith with her eyes closed)