"If we citizens do not support our artists then we sacrifice our imagination on the altars of crude reality and we end up believing in nothing and having worthless dreams."
- Quote from the Life of PI, One of Hilly's Favorite Books
Matt Pinfield - DJ and TV Host:
I met Hilly when I was 18. He could sense my love and enthusiasm
about rock and roll. He said to me "Don't ever lose that passion
kid! People will try and steal it from ya. It's ok to be you!"
I didn't understand it at the time, but I do now! Never give
up on
the dream. Follow the road wherever it takes you! He was a bit
hard on me when I was a kid! 
But he always showed me warmth
and believed in the pure love I had for music! He always treated
me well. Years later he told me how proud he was of me!
Genya Ravan - Producer Dead Boys, Singer for Goldie & Ginberbreads:
I miss "The Deep Voice," "The Vision of Music," "The Heart-felt Roar of the Bowery King's Maddness and Laughter." It's the biggest Ozone Hole we have on this planet!!!! That's......'Hilly Kristal'. Gone but not ever forgotten.
Vernon Reid - Living Colour:
"Hilly was an amazing man, an institution unto himself. Without his unshakable belief in us, I don't see how my band Living Colour would have made it. I adored him."
Cheetah Chrome - Dead Boys:
I don't know what I can say about Hilly except that I miss him a lot. Him being gone is something that will still take time to heal; I can't count how many times I've wished I could call him to ask his advice, or just talk. NYC isn't the same place without him. I have a picture of him in my studio, and it's comforting to look up and see him at his desk, playing his guitar....it's the way I like to remember him."
Bob O'Gureck - Fossil:
CBGB Where dreams come true...
The first time I met Hilly I was auditioning with my band Fossil on Valentine's Day in 1992. I gave him a shirt. He gave me a characteristic Hilly gleaming eye grin and mumbled a "Thank you." We both then watched as his dog Dominique took a piss on the club's dilapidated hard wood floor. Attending the show that night was my future wife Sara. Our daughter Anna was born 15 years later on Valentine's Day.
Hilly ultimately made my dreams come true when he got us a deal with Seymour Stein and Sire Records. Seymour had signed many of my heroes including Talking Heads and The Smiths. I was in pretty heady company and it blew my mind.
The point of this rant would be that I emerged from the experience a changed man. Like many of the outcasts who passed through the club's doors I found validation. I am eternally grateful to Hilly Cristal and CBGB. Thank You Hilly for making me feel like I belong somewhere and that I am actually worth something. I think of you, as I'm sure many do, as a foster father and I hope that I still make you proud in some way. I hope the bathrooms are cleaner in heaven. Love, Bob
Richard Gelbstein - The Big Fat Pet Clams From Outer Space:
A day does not go by that I do not muse about Hilly. He was so huge in my life, not because he managed my band, The Big Fat Pet Clams From Outer Space, but because we became such good friends many years later.My wife Evelyn and I talk so lovingly of Hilly every night during our cocktail- reliving such incredible memories. Hilly's voice will never die in the Gelbstein family.
Mike Thorne:
Hilly came up to our place in CT maybe 15 years back. By the sunny pool, niece Katherine mentioned it was her fifth birthday. Such time scales are seriously important when you measure them in single digits. Hilly picked up his guitar and sang his song 'Birds And The Bees' as her present. 'I love you Hilly.' 'And I love you too, Katherine.' Not quite punk rock....
Bebe Buell :
Hilly will always be remembered as the man who brought us CBGBs- that's a given. But I too treasure his compassionate honesty, his friendship and his hugs. Hilly gave great hugs. They made you feel safe.
Louise Staley - CBGB:
I first met Hilly in 1986 when I was interviewing for an internship there. I walked in and he was at his desk. I introduced myself. He seemed somewhat confused by my presence and I reminded him why I was there. He looked up and asked me if I could drive a stick shift. I nodded and he told me to move his car. When I returned from parking it, he told me I was hired.
After working with him for 21 years, I thought of Hilly as a big brother, although sometimes a little more intimidating than my real ones.
When we were on the Bowery, it never seemed like "work"...more of a clubhouse; it was controlled chaos every day. Fun days were great, and even the bad days were okay because of everyone there, and of course Hilly.
The morning when I found out he died. I called my Mom to tell her. She said, "Don't you remember, your father died on this day almost 30 years ago, isn't this strange?"
And it is, in an odd and profound way.
The Good Shepherd:
Hilly Kristal opened the doors
of CBGB's to us all in 1974.
All who passed through the portals
experienced, as Arthur Rimbaud would
say, "new scenes, new noise".
He offered us artistic freedom and his
gruff yet unconditional love. We evolved,
we left and went out into the world like
prodigal children. When we returned
he always accepted us with open arms.
Once back in 1974, leaving the club after a
loud, raucous night, I noticed that Hilly had fallen
asleep on a cot. He was covered with a faded blanket
and his feet were sticking out. His mismatched socks
were also holy. Having holes that is. But perhaps holy
as well. I remember thinking he's just one of us.
I never really knew him outside of CBGB'S. But
he was always there. His door was always open. And
when he fell asleep we never had to be quiet.
Hilly Kristal was the good shepherd of a flock
of black sheep. We are forever grateful.
Patti Smith
A Long Story - Ron Ardito,
The Shirts, August 2007
Remembering
Hilly Kristal - Handsome Dick Manitoba, The Dictators, August
2007
Losing CBGB Meant... - Little Steven aka Steven Van Zandt, August 2007
One In A Million - Ryan Kaye, Elvis '77, September 2007
I'm here to meet James Osterberg
Jr. - Sarah James, September 2007
Those Damn Turkey Legs - Little Linda, September 2007
Being a Teen in NYC - Charlotte Slivka, September 2007
Goodbye Friend!
I'm from Buenos Aires, Argentina. I stayed in CBGB in march 2001. It was a dream. I was sad when the club shut the doors. And now I'm too much sad.
Goodbye.
Leonardo Larini
"Hello, I'm Antoni and I'm 25 years old. I write
this mail from Barcelona to say: thank you Hilly for all. Thank
you again."
Antoni Arribas Nunez
New
Year's Eve 1989 - Chauncey Hollingsworth, September 2007
Life at CB's - Tia Bonacore, September 2007
Growing Up Under Hilly's Wings - Marsha Hodgson, September 2007
My Home Away From My Home Away From Home - Scot Weiss, September 2007
What It Meant To Me - Michael Mohney, September 2007
Thoughts From A "Normal" Person - Dr. Jen Gelbstein MD, September 2007
He Was Just a Family Man After All - Mary Zadroga, The Wives September 2007
From Sara Landeau, CBGB's bartender from 1995-2006 - October 2007
"I'm Cristina de la Mata I'm from Valencia- Spain.Visiting cbgb's was an experience in New York in 2002 that I' never forgot. It was a wish for ages. Thank you."
I Remember You - Andrea Compagnin, October 2007
Tribute to CBGB (Written on Closing Night) - Moon (Sam) Rafferty, October 2007
I'll Never Forget Walking Through
Those Doors - Jerry B, November 2007
"It was a singular honour and a true highlight of my career to play CBGB's.
I'll never forget it. God bless you Hilly" --"Casanova" Kev Moore- The Gonads
Thoughts From Edinburgh Scotland:
I will always remember Hilly I met him at CBGB's in New York a
few years ago he is such a lovely guy we sat talking at the entrance
of CBGB,s he was having lease problems with the club and was facing
eviction.
I felt like a grandson sitting with a grand father talking about life the universe and everything we sat talking for hours he had his guitar close to him he was so generous with his time.
I just sat there and marveled how this guy had started so many music careers the like of Blondie owe him allot for giving them a big break.
I was really hoping he could have kept his special club maybe losing it did not help with his moral. What a great shame. But very glad to have met such a special person. - John Nicholson, August 2008
Tribute to Hilly - Now what do we do?
Hilly held down the fort, created an oasis for lonely bohemian,
out of step sometimes, with the rest of the universe. He held
out the lifeline for the rockers and punkers and expressives and
experimentalists..as a part of a generation of flippies who gave
strength and courage to the next...I was hoping for the promised
franchise, when Hilly would take CBs to Vegas, of all absurd places.
A franchise that would employ musicians, unlike the corny ass
Hardrock Cafe..that does nothing for the music community. When
we grew up and grew tired of the funky bathrooms, Hilly created
the Gallery next door..a clean and (relatively) quiet space...the
best curator the people's music ever had.
Peace, Joy Ryder, October 2008
