Gary Kurfirst is dead, ... Options

[The Quebeker]

http://www.canoe.com/divertissement/musiqu...8038351-ca.html

It's in french but they say he's dead...

[ShadowStormEK]

http://www.canoe.com/divertissement/musiqu...8038351-ca.html

It's in french but they say he's dead...

Gary Krufist Death

That's an article in English.

KURFIRST PASSES
Longtime Manager for Talking Heads, Blondie, Ramones, B52s, Eurythmics and Chris Blackwell Partner Dies While in Nassau, Bahamas

January 14, 2009

Longtime manager and label executive Gary Kurfirst passed away while on vacation in Nassau, Bahamas yesterday (1/13).

Over the course of four decades, Kurfirst has been involved with groups generating record sales in excess of 100 million units worldwide. He first opened the doors to the infamous Village Theater, later known as the Fillmore East, in 1967, where he promoted the East Coast debuts of Jimi Hendrix, the Doors, the Who, Janis Joplin, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page's Yardbirds.

In 1968, at 20 and a year before Woodstock, he created the model for the contemporary music festival by producing and promoting the legendary New York Rock Festival at the Singer Bowl in Flushing Meadow Park, featuring shows by Hendrix, the Doors, Joplin, the Who and the Stooges, among others. He also managed Mountain from 1967-'75.

In 1971, Kurfirst signed the Brazilian artist Deodato and helped guide his album to gold status with a #1 single. In 1975, he helped Chris Blackwell introduce reggae to America with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh.

In the '70s and '80s, Kurfirst helped usher in the punk and new wave era in music by managing punk icons the Ramones, art-rockers Talking Heads, the B52s, Blondie, Deborah Harry, Annie Lennox's Eurythmics and Jane's Addiction. He had two of his management clients, the Heads and Ramones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, the only manager to have that distinction.

Kurfirst also produced three feature-length films in the Heads' critically acclaimed and award-winning concert film Stop Making Sense, directed by Jonathan Demme; the quirky satire True Stories, directed by David Byrne; and Siesta, directed by Mary Lambert and featuring an all-star cast including Jody Foster, Ellen Barkin, Isabella Rossellini and Martin Sheen, as well as a soundtrack by Miles Davis.

In 1990, Kurfirst joined forces with MCA and launched Radioactive Records, with the band Live. The band has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide, which include two chart-topping albums. Kurfirst also signed Shirley Manson in 1991 and then brokered her deal with Almo as the lead singer of Garbage, who went on to sell more than 10 million albums.

In 2002, Kurfirst and longtime friend Chris Blackwell launched two new music ventures: a talent management company, Kurfirst-Blackwell Entertainment, and Rx Records.

This post has been edited by ShadowStormEK: Jan 16 2009, 11:58 am

[Gertjan]

It's a sad day. Gary was the one who signed Live at RadioActive when they were still Public Affection. Under his guidance they produce Mental Jewelry which sparked their carrier. Enough to say he was a very important force behind the success of the our favorite band.

This is what Ed said about his passing:

"In my view, Gary's greatest strength and the thing I will remember most about him was his unwavering loyalty. When he fell in love, whether it was an artist, a song, a painting or a grandchild, he did it totally and joined with what he loved completely. He literally became one with the things he loved. I used to joke with him that when I got kicked, he screamed out in pain. To say that I will miss his guidance, his wisdom and his love is an understatement to the maximum degree."

This post has been edited by Gertjan: Jan 16 2009, 3:02 pm

[Existentialist]

Maybe he saw their performance on Ellen.

[SinfulEyes]

Maybe he saw their performance on Ellen.

I just about died myself when I saw that performance.

[WaiterAtCliftons]

Sad day....who knows if Live would have had all their success without this guy. I doubt it.

[SJN1279]

Touching tribute from Chad:

Thursday, January 22, 2009
Respect and Honor

I heard Hilly Krystal, despite God’s displeasure was opening C.B.G.B.’s in Heaven (honestly, what other club would be worthy of the Heavenly gates). It turns out that the real estate was much cheaper than the Bowery in lower Manhattan and the lease, more favorable. Joey and Johnny Ramone couldn’t agree on the set list for the grand opening, henceforth, various actions were put into play to recall lifelong manager and Godfather, Gary Kurfirst to resolve the ongoing conflict.

When I landed in Los Angeles and learned that the Godfather has passed away I was as shocked as anyone, he was only 61! Gary burned bright and hard, he would have signed Live at right around the age I am now. He seemed much older to me but I was only 18, so everyone seemed old. So many of his peers had already passed on, the list reads like a who’s, who of the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame; Keith Moon, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Joey Ramone, Johnny Ramone, Dee Dee Ramone and these are only a handful of the artists, not to mention the business associates like Bill Graham that had passed before him.

Live’s one time co-manager was no doubt at the gates to greet Gary and continue what seemed like a lifetime battle over who was making the “right” managerial decisions on behalf of ‘my band’. That’s what they both called Live, ‘my band’.

How one band can outlast two managers in one lifetime is amazing to me. Peter and Gary had more passion in one finger than most have in their entire body. I was extremely lucky to know each man and to have his loyalty and guidance from such a young age. The fact that either of them valued our art, our opinions and our friendship says a lot about who they both were.

Think about Gary’s legendary run working with Jane’s Addiction, Talking Heads, The Ramones and Mountain and in walks four boys from York, PA without a clue of how to operate in an industry full of sharks. He protected us from the business as we became successful and even from ourselves at times. I am so very proud that we were the last act of his legacy but there will be an empty void in my life as nearly no one could speak the truth like Mr. Kurfirst.

Gary loved rock n roll, maybe even more so than me at times. He never wanted me to apologize for who I was, from smashing a guitar or for fighting on behalf of what I believed in. He always had our back. He listened to his artists too. When Ed and I told him that Lighting Crashes was the centerpiece of Throwing Copper, he told us that it wasn’t right for radio at six minutes long. After a year of non-stop touring, Lighting Crashes, before it was released to radio, was the centerpiece of the show. At the Academy in New York he told me backstage that it was time to release our signature song. He told me we would have to play it for the rest of our lives. Who knew we would have to play it on national television one day after losing him. I miss you Gary (and yes, I did think about launching into White Discussion in your honor and stomping the hell out of that studio set). Thanks for the run. Love Chad.

PS. I’m still following your advice about taking more pictures of the kids.