James St. James

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James Clark

Born August 1, 1966 (1966-08-01) (age 41)[1]
Sagamore, Michigan
Pen name James St. James
Occupation Party Promoter, Novelist, Short story writer, Reporter, Columnist, Actor, Producer
Genres Non Fiction, Drama
Influences
Official website

James St. James (born James Clark[1], August 1, 1966) was a Club Kid of the Manhattan club scene in the late 1980s/early 1990s and the author of Disco Bloodbath (now published under the title Party Monster). He was notorious for a lifestyle of excess that included heavy drug use, partying, and bizarre costumes.

Contents

[edit] Bio

James was born into a well-to-do family in affluent Sagamore, Michigan.[2], where he lived with his mother after his parents divorced. In the summer he would go and stay with his father in Fort Lauderdale, Florida[2] After reading Andy Warhol’s book, Popism: The Warhol Sixties St James decided to move to New York in 1984, where he studied performance art at New York University for two years before being absorbed into New York's club scene. St. James lived the high life as a celebutante after becoming a close friend of nightlife icon and columnist Michael Musto.

[edit] Club Kid Scene

Michael Alig before going to prison
Michael Alig before going to prison
Main article: Michael Alig

James became sort of a mentor to Alig, although at first he and the other Club Kids shunned the newcomer.[3] Undeterred, Alig soon created his own scene by gathering up other creative rejects of the nightlife world, copying St. James' flamboyant style with self-promotion and innovative, themed parties. Alig eventually grew on St. James, and St. James morphed from celebutante to Club Kid while helping Alig create the new scene. Alig and St. James threw many parties together, eventually setting up the Disco 2000 club night at the New York club The Limelight. St. James wrote several columns, most famously for the short lived New York City-based gay publication OutWeek during the magazines two year life span between 1989-1991. [4]

[edit] Disco Bloodbath

As Alig got more into drugs, his life spiraled further and further down until he infamously murdered his drug dealer roomate, Andre "Angel" Melendez. St. James' debut novel, Disco Bloodbath, documents the infamous murder. To avoid having to testify against Alig or club owner Peter Gatien, St. James fled to Los Angeles, where he presently lives.[2]

[edit] Post Alig

In Los Angeles St James is working for the production company World of Wonder Productions, makers of Party Monster. His new critically acclaimed book, Freak Show, was released May 17, 2007. In 2007 he was rumoured to have signed with nightlife promoters to do a national club tour.[citation needed]

[edit] Work

[edit] Books

  • James St. James. Disco Bloodbath: A Fabulous But True Tale of Murder in Clubland, August 11, 1999, Simon & Schuster, 2222. ISBN 0684857642. 
  • James St. James. Freak Show, May 17, 2007, Dutton Juvenile, 224. ISBN 0525477993. 

[edit] Movies

[edit] James St. James in popular media

The events of Michael Alig and James St. James rise to fame are portrayed in the:


[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Peter Rivendell (Wednesday, August 01, 2007 at 12:01 AM). James St James (HTML). gayfortoday. Retrieved on 2008-03-27.
  2. ^ a b c GERRY VISCO (Friday, May 25, 2007). A Guide Book for Teenage Freaks (HTML). nyblade. Retrieved on 2008-03-27.
  3. ^ Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato; (1998) Format:Documentary Party Monster: The Shockumentary
    Party Monster (1998) at the Internet Movie Database
  4. ^ outweek magazine (HTML). gabrielrotello (01/29/08). Retrieved on 2008-03-27.
  5. ^ James St. James. Disco Bloodbath: A Fabulous But True Tale of Murder in Clubland, August 11, 1999, Simon & Schuster, 2222. ISBN 0684857642. 

[edit] External links

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