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Disco Bloodbath
Murder Was Never So Much Fun! When Disco Bloodbath was first published, it created a storm of controversy for its startlingly vivid, strikingly fresh, and outrageously funny depiction of the hedonistic world of the New York City club kids, for whom nothing was too outré -- including murder. Nominated for the Edgar Award for best true-crime book of the year, it also marked the debut of an audaciously talented writer, James St. James, who himself had been a club kid and close friend and confidant of Michael Alig, the young man convicted of killing the drug dealer known as Angel. Now the book has been brought to the screen as Party Monster, with Macaulay Culkin playing killer Michael Alig and Seth Green as author/celebutante James St. James.
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First published January 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 692 reviews
July 7, 2018
It's a story that everybody knows. Remember that time Michael Alig killed a guy? It's a tale told at every afterparty, an Aesopic fable about the dangers of excess - the final hurrah of the Club Kids.
In Party Monster (originally published as Disco Bloodbath), James St. James (one of the infamous Club Kids) recounts the murder of Angel Melendez whilst also spoiling us with many tales of the late 80s/early 90s New York club scene. This book is officially classified as true crime, but calling it a memoir would work, as much of Party Monster is dedicated to St. James' life and times.
Anyone familiar with James St. James' YouTube series 'Transformations' will be familiar with his personality. He's full of stories, many of which he likes to recount at 90 mph only a few inches from your face. Reading this book is no different. St. James' style is truly unique, at least in the true crime genre. In that much of the book reads like St. James talking directly too you, very quickly, and rarely shows signs of stopping. He makes full use of BLOCK CAPITALS and BLOCK CAPITALS IN ITALICS and BLOCK CAPITALS IN ITALICS AND BOLD when relaying his many scandalous stories. It's a writing style that may put people off - having to sit there as you can practically feel St. James spitting at your face - but I found it totally enlivening and I doubt this story could be told any other way.
Then of course there is the fact that much of the gruesome murder is recounted with an almost startlingly blasé attitude. Both St. James and Alig were not fans of the deceased Angel, and even after his murder St. James describes him as just another drug dealer. It's the attitude which really typified the Club Kids and it was one of the reasons for their downfall - Warholian indifference in a k-hole.
Party Monster really is one of the wildest entries in the true crime genre. It's something of an unstoppable ketamine-fuelled juggernaut. It's a hilarious and often outrageous portrait of a monster. And James St. James tells it all so, so well.
In Party Monster (originally published as Disco Bloodbath), James St. James (one of the infamous Club Kids) recounts the murder of Angel Melendez whilst also spoiling us with many tales of the late 80s/early 90s New York club scene. This book is officially classified as true crime, but calling it a memoir would work, as much of Party Monster is dedicated to St. James' life and times.
Anyone familiar with James St. James' YouTube series 'Transformations' will be familiar with his personality. He's full of stories, many of which he likes to recount at 90 mph only a few inches from your face. Reading this book is no different. St. James' style is truly unique, at least in the true crime genre. In that much of the book reads like St. James talking directly too you, very quickly, and rarely shows signs of stopping. He makes full use of BLOCK CAPITALS and BLOCK CAPITALS IN ITALICS and BLOCK CAPITALS IN ITALICS AND BOLD when relaying his many scandalous stories. It's a writing style that may put people off - having to sit there as you can practically feel St. James spitting at your face - but I found it totally enlivening and I doubt this story could be told any other way.
Then of course there is the fact that much of the gruesome murder is recounted with an almost startlingly blasé attitude. Both St. James and Alig were not fans of the deceased Angel, and even after his murder St. James describes him as just another drug dealer. It's the attitude which really typified the Club Kids and it was one of the reasons for their downfall - Warholian indifference in a k-hole.
Party Monster really is one of the wildest entries in the true crime genre. It's something of an unstoppable ketamine-fuelled juggernaut. It's a hilarious and often outrageous portrait of a monster. And James St. James tells it all so, so well.
August 28, 2024
Great true crime story that takes place in the 'glitter-cone' of the New York City club scene of the early 90's. 'Club-kids' played into the fears of the public; wanton, oversexed and on drugs. This book is a cautionary tale; the line between non conformity and crime can be crossed when drugs are involved - then the monsters in the party show their true faces.
September 24, 2012
This was so catty and so trashy and decadent, how could I not love it? I could NOT put this down, even for a bunch of important shit I was supposed to be doing.
If you're looking for a true crime novel, you will be disappointed, but if you're looking for a snap shot of a unique time and place, as taken by a one of a kind and vital character who was deeply enmeshed in that subculture, you've picked the right book. St. James' voice is not quite like anything else; he's amusingly catty, and seems quite egotistical, but there's something more; it's easy to write him off as totally superficial, but then, he tips you the tiniest of self-deprecatory winks, gives you the smallest of nods saying "yeah, this is totally insane, and I'm just as bad as the rest of them." This is his saving grace as a narrator, because without it, he would become far too alien, too strange to identify with in any way.
The structure of the book is a bit wonky, it isn't chronological, but it still makes a strange sort of sense, even with all of the side-tracking and digressions. Hell, half the book was digressions and asides and "Oh, but first I just have to tell you about" 's but I was enthralled. The author did a wonderful job of really putting me there, and letting you see inside the head of someone who lives to party and go on drug benders and is obsessed with making their own stylistic splash, and the somewhat scattered style just added to the surreal, vital feel of the whole thing.
In all, I found it a hilarious, horrifying, and highly entertaining drug fueled romp.
If you're looking for a true crime novel, you will be disappointed, but if you're looking for a snap shot of a unique time and place, as taken by a one of a kind and vital character who was deeply enmeshed in that subculture, you've picked the right book. St. James' voice is not quite like anything else; he's amusingly catty, and seems quite egotistical, but there's something more; it's easy to write him off as totally superficial, but then, he tips you the tiniest of self-deprecatory winks, gives you the smallest of nods saying "yeah, this is totally insane, and I'm just as bad as the rest of them." This is his saving grace as a narrator, because without it, he would become far too alien, too strange to identify with in any way.
The structure of the book is a bit wonky, it isn't chronological, but it still makes a strange sort of sense, even with all of the side-tracking and digressions. Hell, half the book was digressions and asides and "Oh, but first I just have to tell you about" 's but I was enthralled. The author did a wonderful job of really putting me there, and letting you see inside the head of someone who lives to party and go on drug benders and is obsessed with making their own stylistic splash, and the somewhat scattered style just added to the surreal, vital feel of the whole thing.
In all, I found it a hilarious, horrifying, and highly entertaining drug fueled romp.
July 22, 2024
reading vlog: https://youtu.be/2czBHMjbPJk
i think the fractured writing style of this was both it's strength and it's weakness. it is a fascinating look into club kid culture and the events that led to this murder, but sometimes I found the tangents it went on uninteresting to the cohesive book.
i think the fractured writing style of this was both it's strength and it's weakness. it is a fascinating look into club kid culture and the events that led to this murder, but sometimes I found the tangents it went on uninteresting to the cohesive book.
February 5, 2019
3.5-
Disco Bloodbath, aka Party Monster is the true (and highly opinionated) story of the late-80's NYC club kid movement and it's leader, Michael Alig. It is quite a conundrum of a book. This saga is told from St. James's perspective, who was at the center of it all. His catty and biased attitude makes him the perfect unreliable narrator- something I've rarely seen published in non-fiction. The murder plot is definitely a big chunk of the book, but the crazy personalities, parties, and drug use are the main storyline.
St. James paints himself as an unsung and battle-scarred hero, while pretty much everyone else is the worst person you've ever met. It is altogether assinine, hilarious, and an unequivocal page-turner. This is not the great American novel, but it is a perfect, sickly sweet guilty pleasure that I would recommend to fans of true crime or quirky New York history.
I mean... if a person commits a crime, and no one cares- can we all just adjust our lip liner?
Disco Bloodbath, aka Party Monster is the true (and highly opinionated) story of the late-80's NYC club kid movement and it's leader, Michael Alig. It is quite a conundrum of a book. This saga is told from St. James's perspective, who was at the center of it all. His catty and biased attitude makes him the perfect unreliable narrator- something I've rarely seen published in non-fiction. The murder plot is definitely a big chunk of the book, but the crazy personalities, parties, and drug use are the main storyline.
St. James paints himself as an unsung and battle-scarred hero, while pretty much everyone else is the worst person you've ever met. It is altogether assinine, hilarious, and an unequivocal page-turner. This is not the great American novel, but it is a perfect, sickly sweet guilty pleasure that I would recommend to fans of true crime or quirky New York history.
August 28, 2007
Okay, so I have the "Party Monster" paperback - less than $300 - version, but still. Mine is corrected on the inside cover by James St. James; he hates that they changed the title. I agree, it is WRONG to take an author's title away from them. Oh well, if you enjoyed the movie, this is almost better. well, more detailed, but there's no Seth Green & Macaulay Culkin so it may be a wash. Very interesting info on how to make Special K, and my favorite phrase for months after reading this was "bump of K" even though I've never done drugs. :)
November 22, 2010
I first saw a movie about this topic starring Seth Green and Macaulay Culkin, not realising it was a true story. Straight away I was googling the 'club kids' and watching their appearances on Donahue and various other talk shows. Even tracked down the documentary which is very telling.
Essentially this is a tale about a murder. It's the story of young nightclub entrepreneur, Michael Alig, and his celebrity rise and fall in New York, thanks to a disregard of anyone but himself and by taking a s**tload of drugs.
What's interesting about reading about it is that this book is written by his best friend, well best friend up to the point where the author realises that the killing Michael hinted at actually happened.
But his friend is just as shallow, so by reading it you get a perfect sense of how both Michael Alig and author James St James got to this point. Their contempt for all those around them is truly unsettling. There's only one chapter toward the end I skipped after a few paragraphs. In it James tries to distance himself from Michael, pouring out what he'd like to say to him face to face. For me it didn't wash. All through the book James says nasty things about the people they partied with (albeit with true wit), so this last attempt to redeem himself felt false.
All up it was a book I couldn't put down. Like watching a car crash about to happen but not being able to look away.
Essentially this is a tale about a murder. It's the story of young nightclub entrepreneur, Michael Alig, and his celebrity rise and fall in New York, thanks to a disregard of anyone but himself and by taking a s**tload of drugs.
What's interesting about reading about it is that this book is written by his best friend, well best friend up to the point where the author realises that the killing Michael hinted at actually happened.
But his friend is just as shallow, so by reading it you get a perfect sense of how both Michael Alig and author James St James got to this point. Their contempt for all those around them is truly unsettling. There's only one chapter toward the end I skipped after a few paragraphs. In it James tries to distance himself from Michael, pouring out what he'd like to say to him face to face. For me it didn't wash. All through the book James says nasty things about the people they partied with (albeit with true wit), so this last attempt to redeem himself felt false.
All up it was a book I couldn't put down. Like watching a car crash about to happen but not being able to look away.
January 24, 2021
I really wanted to like this book...I did.
I already know the “characters”, the scene and about the murder of Angel. I’ve gone down many a rabbit hole and became so intrigued by “club kids”. I gobbled everything I could; old Donahue, Giraldo and Rivers tapings, Vlogs done by Nelson that give the viewer first hand looks into Christina Superstar and her bizarre accent, Christmas Eve dinner at Aligs and Keokis, watched “Party Monster” both the movie and “shock-u-mentary”....you get the picture.
So I expected James ST James catty, extravagant, disgusting humor. I don’t think I was expecting anything new in regards to what I had already learned but I was curious I guess due to all the hoopla about it for decades.
I held off on reading this book for a long time- searching used bookstores for a copy to no avail. I didn’t want to contribute any money to James St James. But unfortunately I broke down.
I decided I didn’t care for James when I watched “Glory Daze: the Life and Times of Michael Alig...their behavior together made me cringe, especially when they joked while looking into the River about it “being a great day to throw a body.” So again, I thought I knew what to expect...but surprise! I didn’t.
Totally honest... I did like the style in which James wrote. It was like he was talking, yelling, confiding in the reader. I enjoyed the parts where he admits (in his self-depreciation way) that he is just as much as a cretin as the people he describes. I also was glad to be able to connect some of the conflicting stories from former “club kids” when they’ve been interviewed. Such as Astro claiming he was at a party where they put drinks on the box Angel’s body was in.
But I was wholly unprepared for the Pedophilia in this book.
James glazes over these stories. Calling pet names and how beautiful they were. Sick! I don’t understand why nothing ever was done about any of these people being involved with “12-years-old”. How someone like Jennytalia who now is a role model to so many young girls (the girls project she is involved in is pretty spectacular) hasn’t ever spoken out as far as I know. It makes me wonder about other “club kids” that I kind of like based off interviews, like Walt Waltpaper Cassidy.
As someone who loves sociology that’s why I was so intrigued by their scene. But I’d never recommend purchasing or reading anything that glorifies pedophilia.
I already know the “characters”, the scene and about the murder of Angel. I’ve gone down many a rabbit hole and became so intrigued by “club kids”. I gobbled everything I could; old Donahue, Giraldo and Rivers tapings, Vlogs done by Nelson that give the viewer first hand looks into Christina Superstar and her bizarre accent, Christmas Eve dinner at Aligs and Keokis, watched “Party Monster” both the movie and “shock-u-mentary”....you get the picture.
So I expected James ST James catty, extravagant, disgusting humor. I don’t think I was expecting anything new in regards to what I had already learned but I was curious I guess due to all the hoopla about it for decades.
I held off on reading this book for a long time- searching used bookstores for a copy to no avail. I didn’t want to contribute any money to James St James. But unfortunately I broke down.
I decided I didn’t care for James when I watched “Glory Daze: the Life and Times of Michael Alig...their behavior together made me cringe, especially when they joked while looking into the River about it “being a great day to throw a body.” So again, I thought I knew what to expect...but surprise! I didn’t.
Totally honest... I did like the style in which James wrote. It was like he was talking, yelling, confiding in the reader. I enjoyed the parts where he admits (in his self-depreciation way) that he is just as much as a cretin as the people he describes. I also was glad to be able to connect some of the conflicting stories from former “club kids” when they’ve been interviewed. Such as Astro claiming he was at a party where they put drinks on the box Angel’s body was in.
But I was wholly unprepared for the Pedophilia in this book.
James glazes over these stories. Calling pet names and how beautiful they were. Sick! I don’t understand why nothing ever was done about any of these people being involved with “12-years-old”. How someone like Jennytalia who now is a role model to so many young girls (the girls project she is involved in is pretty spectacular) hasn’t ever spoken out as far as I know. It makes me wonder about other “club kids” that I kind of like based off interviews, like Walt Waltpaper Cassidy.
As someone who loves sociology that’s why I was so intrigued by their scene. But I’d never recommend purchasing or reading anything that glorifies pedophilia.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2011
This book reads about 35% Michael Alig/the Angel Melendez murder, 25% a random look at a not so necessary VH1 behind the music of Freeze's life (accompanied by some random chick named Mavis), 20% wacky random drug use and repetitive descriptions of binging and spiraling out of control, 15% snark, mudslinging, leading, and bragging, and finally, about 5% surprising empathy and warmth. It wasn't what I expected, nor was it as salacious as I had hoped, but I still enjoyed the ride. I am not the first -or the last - to describe the writing of James St. James as campy, but I expect that if I spent 10 years in a k-hole and woke up to find that my best friend/sometimes worst enemy (c'mon, we've all got one of those) had murdered our drug dealer pal, then this is exactly the kind of book I'd write. Tearing Michael down only to build him right back up, make no mistake - James St. James tells it like it is. I like how he makes no apologies for his opinions of Angel - "lets speak ill of the dead" - and how he tried to make sense of the complexity that is that love/hate relationship with one of those toxic kinds of people. Michael Alig's scene has always fascinated me, what can I say - I would have so been a club kid.
July 24, 2017
Mentioned in passing in Moby's book I got this as a remainder to get the back story of the Club-kids murder hoo-hah. And wish I hadn't. I had assumed this was written by an impartial observer, but is actually written by someone who was in the middle of it and has just used the commission to write about himself incessantly. Endlessly narcissist, it would have been OK if he has something to say, but behind the bright colours he is just a boring, self-obsessed, drug addict. The main saving grace is it doesn't take long to read.
August 30, 2010
I really enjoyed this book. It's a true story of drug addiction gone unchecked and true madness. The style isn't literary, but I must say that this book really disturbed me, not only because it was based on a true story but because it smacks of a sad reality and the darkness in the human heart. This is also a story of deep alienation. Definitely not a "feel good" book, but a memorable one nevertheless. Recommended for unconventional and non-mainstream readers. In fact, I would place this beside another recent book I enjoyed, PERMANENT OBSCURITY by Richard Perez, which is funny and bleak and more than a little wild.
February 6, 2022
Spectacular and queeny and fagified and everything it promises and more. Thank Christ Almighty that James St. James was there for all of this and so graciously chose to be our Faggot Virgil through 90s NYC Club Purgatory. Absurdly entertaining, and just so fucking funny. As well as being, of course, SHOCKING AS FUCK!!! I really think this is one of the best stories ever told. It's like sitting with your good judy and her telling you the absolute most batshit thing you've ever heard in your life. And you're higher than you've ever been the whole time.
May 30, 2022
Saw an episode of “American Justice” discussing the case and didn’t realize that this paperback book I’d seen at the free stand at my public library was the same topic as this book. Decided to give this book a shot and I remember it was really good. I haven’t seen the movie and kind of wished I had kept this book instead of returning it as it was a free to keep stand. Might see if I can find another copy to reread and see if I enjoy it still.
April 24, 2020
Videorecensione: https://youtu.be/DOuuicWZxZg
May 2, 2011
I no longer review "norm" books but this one straddled the line between norm true crime and truly odd true crime. So I won't review it, but because it was such a fantastic book, I'll share some of the best quotes. St. James really does have a fascinating capacity to be glibly deep and deeply glib.
"There is no mystery to death. No complicated pattern, nothing difficult. They are no special. It could happen again. Anytime. Anywhere. Of course. A slight miscalculation, a simple mistake - it didn't take a special kind of person. Death was easy. A piece of pie. That is the true horror."
"If somebody asks you for a quote about your mortal enemy, simply drip with sincerity as you gush: "I worship him." And leave it at that. IF YOU ARE CORNERED AND YOU HAVE TO TELL THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH IS, WELL, SLIGHTLY BITCH, put a positive spin on it, then quickly follow it up by giving three reasons why you're even worse. FOR EXAMPLE: "Sure, Michael is a monster - but look at that flawless eyeliner. How many monsters do you know that can wield liquid liner LIKE THAT? Besides, I have anal fissures. And I just love Captain Lou Albano. Oh, do I have bad breath? Here, smell..." Works like a charm."
"But it's those seemingly normal exteriors (the beehive hairdo, the pennyroyal house dress, the stubble beneath the pancake...) that hide TRULY DERANGED minds. Watch out for the average - they're usual hiding something big."
"Suddenly Jenny did what Jenny was sometimes prone to do in those days: she ran out of the house, in a blind panic, into the cold autumn night without a jacket. She was just lost in the sauce, poor dear. Of course, it broke the monotony and everybody ran after her to give her the attention she was demanding. She might end up at the Russian Tea Room or she might end up in a crack den, who knew? Jenny's freak-outs were periodic, intense, and always anybody's guess.
These incidents were important, in that they showed her and us that the drugs were secondary, that we were a family first and foremost, and we would be there for each other, always.
She wasn't really craving butter beans that night in the trash can. She needed to know that we cared enough to drop the torch and find her a can opener...stop the madness and look for her shoes,,,thank her for her money and her support...
Give her a big kiss."
"But before the curtain falls, let me leave you with one question - ponder it as the events unfold, then riddle me this:
If one day, Mother Teresa was out weed whacking and accidentally chopped odd Hitler's head - WOULD THAT NECESSARILY BE SUCH A BAD THING?
I mean...if a person commits a crime and no one cares - can we all just adjust our lip liner?
Look, I'm just being honest here. I think that the whole point of my story is that nobody ever implicated Dorothy in the double witch homicides of Oz because, well... you know... She's Judy Garland, for God's sakes, and Louis B. Mayer forced her into a life of drugs at such a young age, poor thing..."
"I needed my K. My lightly toasted animal tranquilizer. My own personalized Prozac, if you will. (I'd have tried the actual stuff, but Prozac is SO, like, '91.) Oh, I needed that K badly, no doubt about it.
And nothing could be right until I got it. And God help the poor roommate or friend who didn't move heaven and earth on my behalf. I made Nancy Reagan seem positively CUDDLY in comparison.
"SOMEBODY FIND SOME GODDAMN K FOR ME! I DON'T CARE IF YOU HAVE TO SUCK IT OUT OF A SICK CAT'S ASS AND PUT IT THROUGH A DISTILLERY! Just... do it"
"Funny, that no matter where you are in the world, there's always someone eager to help you destroy yourself."
"But you failed.
You had so much inside of you and yet you threw it away. You hadn't finished changing the world, yet. You should be plotting corporate takeovers, making million-dollar deals, directing feature films, starting your own religion - not sitting in some overcrowded prison cell!
And if YOU failed, how on earth are the rest if us supposed to succeed?
What are we all supposed to do now?"
"There is no mystery to death. No complicated pattern, nothing difficult. They are no special. It could happen again. Anytime. Anywhere. Of course. A slight miscalculation, a simple mistake - it didn't take a special kind of person. Death was easy. A piece of pie. That is the true horror."
"If somebody asks you for a quote about your mortal enemy, simply drip with sincerity as you gush: "I worship him." And leave it at that. IF YOU ARE CORNERED AND YOU HAVE TO TELL THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH IS, WELL, SLIGHTLY BITCH, put a positive spin on it, then quickly follow it up by giving three reasons why you're even worse. FOR EXAMPLE: "Sure, Michael is a monster - but look at that flawless eyeliner. How many monsters do you know that can wield liquid liner LIKE THAT? Besides, I have anal fissures. And I just love Captain Lou Albano. Oh, do I have bad breath? Here, smell..." Works like a charm."
"But it's those seemingly normal exteriors (the beehive hairdo, the pennyroyal house dress, the stubble beneath the pancake...) that hide TRULY DERANGED minds. Watch out for the average - they're usual hiding something big."
"Suddenly Jenny did what Jenny was sometimes prone to do in those days: she ran out of the house, in a blind panic, into the cold autumn night without a jacket. She was just lost in the sauce, poor dear. Of course, it broke the monotony and everybody ran after her to give her the attention she was demanding. She might end up at the Russian Tea Room or she might end up in a crack den, who knew? Jenny's freak-outs were periodic, intense, and always anybody's guess.
These incidents were important, in that they showed her and us that the drugs were secondary, that we were a family first and foremost, and we would be there for each other, always.
She wasn't really craving butter beans that night in the trash can. She needed to know that we cared enough to drop the torch and find her a can opener...stop the madness and look for her shoes,,,thank her for her money and her support...
Give her a big kiss."
"But before the curtain falls, let me leave you with one question - ponder it as the events unfold, then riddle me this:
If one day, Mother Teresa was out weed whacking and accidentally chopped odd Hitler's head - WOULD THAT NECESSARILY BE SUCH A BAD THING?
I mean...if a person commits a crime and no one cares - can we all just adjust our lip liner?
Look, I'm just being honest here. I think that the whole point of my story is that nobody ever implicated Dorothy in the double witch homicides of Oz because, well... you know... She's Judy Garland, for God's sakes, and Louis B. Mayer forced her into a life of drugs at such a young age, poor thing..."
"I needed my K. My lightly toasted animal tranquilizer. My own personalized Prozac, if you will. (I'd have tried the actual stuff, but Prozac is SO, like, '91.) Oh, I needed that K badly, no doubt about it.
And nothing could be right until I got it. And God help the poor roommate or friend who didn't move heaven and earth on my behalf. I made Nancy Reagan seem positively CUDDLY in comparison.
"SOMEBODY FIND SOME GODDAMN K FOR ME! I DON'T CARE IF YOU HAVE TO SUCK IT OUT OF A SICK CAT'S ASS AND PUT IT THROUGH A DISTILLERY! Just... do it"
"Funny, that no matter where you are in the world, there's always someone eager to help you destroy yourself."
"But you failed.
You had so much inside of you and yet you threw it away. You hadn't finished changing the world, yet. You should be plotting corporate takeovers, making million-dollar deals, directing feature films, starting your own religion - not sitting in some overcrowded prison cell!
And if YOU failed, how on earth are the rest if us supposed to succeed?
What are we all supposed to do now?"
May 7, 2017
I dunno how I never saw this movie until a few weeks ago. I think I kept forgetting about it, but I have the sound track and love it. After seeing the movie, I thought it was the most disjointed, manic, confusing mess and could not wrap my head around the cast... it had a good cast, the movie felt like a hot mess.
Decided, okay, I need to get the book, I felt like I missed some key element to connect all these scattered pieces.
Nope. The book was just as much out there, random pieces attempted to be put together into a cohesive recollection of events. Now I have a better appreciation for the movie and how well it portrayed the key 'characters' in this story. What a cluster. I'm glad I was too young for this in the 80s because the music, the lifestyle, the ambiance was something I always felt drawn to, still love the music to this day, love to observe , but never ever would want to be in it at that depth since I don't get the point of rampant drug use.
I am interested to see a follow up (I believe one is in the works) now that Alig has been out of prison and seems to have quite the cult following again.
Decided, okay, I need to get the book, I felt like I missed some key element to connect all these scattered pieces.
Nope. The book was just as much out there, random pieces attempted to be put together into a cohesive recollection of events. Now I have a better appreciation for the movie and how well it portrayed the key 'characters' in this story. What a cluster. I'm glad I was too young for this in the 80s because the music, the lifestyle, the ambiance was something I always felt drawn to, still love the music to this day, love to observe , but never ever would want to be in it at that depth since I don't get the point of rampant drug use.
I am interested to see a follow up (I believe one is in the works) now that Alig has been out of prison and seems to have quite the cult following again.
October 30, 2010
In tone and sense of humor, this book reminded me a lot of Permanent Obscurity by Richard Perez. I haven't seen the movie, but I can tell you this is a book worth owning. A black comedy if ever there was one, told in short bites. I was fascinated by how far the story goes, how badly people behave. A trip down the rabbit hole ... or should I say K-hole?
March 3, 2017
Beautifully disgusting.
July 22, 2024
I was curious as to how I was going to rate this book. I remember several years ago I was obsessed with the movie. I am not even sure why. I can't even remember if it was a good movie. I just remember watching it any time I came across it. I think I found the whole culture fascinating. I never wanted to be like these people. I have plenty of wild stories, but nothing like this, and I don't do drugs except for alcohol, and even that is very limited to about maybe a drink every month or two these days. But, for some reason, I have never taken the time to read the book, until now.
I settled on 4 stars because it was interesting to glimpse what it would be like to be in the head of someone who lived this life and came out on the other side. This book is not for everyone. At times it felt like reading a drug-induced fever dream. But, it was fascinating to experience the tremendous rise of the man who put the club kids on the map and the dramatic and intense fall that often comes for people after such a meteoric rise. Also, murder is bad people! The fact that the murder went ignored by law enforcement for many months because the victim wasn't ideal and they had bigger fish to fry wasn't exactly revelatory because I would argue that happens today. It is crazy to think that you have all these people telling you someone committed a murder but you don't investigate until you absolutely have to. All in all, though this book was an interesting, eye-opening experience.
I settled on 4 stars because it was interesting to glimpse what it would be like to be in the head of someone who lived this life and came out on the other side. This book is not for everyone. At times it felt like reading a drug-induced fever dream. But, it was fascinating to experience the tremendous rise of the man who put the club kids on the map and the dramatic and intense fall that often comes for people after such a meteoric rise. Also, murder is bad people! The fact that the murder went ignored by law enforcement for many months because the victim wasn't ideal and they had bigger fish to fry wasn't exactly revelatory because I would argue that happens today. It is crazy to think that you have all these people telling you someone committed a murder but you don't investigate until you absolutely have to. All in all, though this book was an interesting, eye-opening experience.
September 17, 2025
Drugs, Sex, Money, Power, decadence, fab-u-lous-ness!
June 15, 2021
I like a madcap drug-fueled tale of gruesome murder as much as the next child of the eighties, but I was distracted by so many misplaced apostrophes. James thanked his editor in the acknowledgements, but for what? This is not only a paperback edition but a renamed movie tie-in; lots of time to remove apostrophes from simple plurals and maybe rethink writing about that horrible n-word incident in Denver, which nearly bothered me more than Angel’s dismemberment.
The book came through cargo at the library and I remembered reading about Michael Alig when he was released from prison. Googling his and James’ current whereabouts, I found that Michael died of a heroin and fentanyl overdose on Christmas Eve, just a few months ago, which is probably why someone requested the book. Sad that he died but predictable, and sort of fitting I guess. James is doing well in LA, and I’m glad. Overall it’s so hard to know what to make of the tone of the writing as as it alternates between sincerity (admittedly there’s not much of that) and extreme, bitter irony.
I did get a kick out of the two Macaulay Culkin mentions, since he ended up playing Michael in the movie. And so it goes.
The book came through cargo at the library and I remembered reading about Michael Alig when he was released from prison. Googling his and James’ current whereabouts, I found that Michael died of a heroin and fentanyl overdose on Christmas Eve, just a few months ago, which is probably why someone requested the book. Sad that he died but predictable, and sort of fitting I guess. James is doing well in LA, and I’m glad. Overall it’s so hard to know what to make of the tone of the writing as as it alternates between sincerity (admittedly there’s not much of that) and extreme, bitter irony.
I did get a kick out of the two Macaulay Culkin mentions, since he ended up playing Michael in the movie. And so it goes.
March 17, 2025
Honestly this was a mess but still fab.
May 12, 2025
I read this bc it was a source of inspiration for Charli xcx’s brat album, and that sounded like fun to me. And it was. Crazy true crime, written by a previously-addicted drag queen. A rollicking ride and very brat 💚
December 17, 2009
After finishing this novel about the drug fueled world of the club kids that James St. James describes with great detail I almost felt like I'd overdosed on his writing. A little past the half way mark his constant descriptions of their hedonistic world and the ever-changing group of so-called friends exhausted me. It was an interesting book at turns hilariously funny and yet depressingly melancholy. The lengths these kids took to be the center of attention and fill their lives with excitement was devastating. The backstabbing and bitter resentment of each other and the utter lack of any sort of real connection with others besides the surface was what saddened me the most. It was an interesting, quick read and James St. James has a wonderful sense of humor.
October 15, 2022
I had a hard time rating this book. The story is certainly interesting and the writing style is unique, but I had serious difficulty not judging the author. I don't understand why he's not in jail himself as an accessory after the fact. And then there was the child trafficking. And the cavalier way he referred to the overdose death of a friend as "whoopsie." I had a really hard time with his tolerance of racial slurs and his ablism. I understand the book was written years ago, but the N word wasn't okay in the 90s either. I understand that when you are in the midst of active addiction, morals get blurred, but James St. James showed no signs of remorse or comprehension that he played a roll or did damage. He made money off a sensational story. I felt a little tainted reading it.
January 11, 2017
Wowza.
I have been meaning to read this for so long! The movie has always fascinated me and I find James St. James terribly interesting. I always thought that Seth Green did an amazing job at portraying him and now after reading this, I'm so captivated by how well he captured James!
Anyway, on to the book....
I experienced so many emotions reading this. One moment I would e giggling and the next, I would be terrified. James St. James has such a way with words, it felt like
I was listening to him tell the story in real
Time.
If you're a fan if true crime and pop culture, you need to read this. An interesting study in human nature and excess!
I have been meaning to read this for so long! The movie has always fascinated me and I find James St. James terribly interesting. I always thought that Seth Green did an amazing job at portraying him and now after reading this, I'm so captivated by how well he captured James!
Anyway, on to the book....
I experienced so many emotions reading this. One moment I would e giggling and the next, I would be terrified. James St. James has such a way with words, it felt like
I was listening to him tell the story in real
Time.
If you're a fan if true crime and pop culture, you need to read this. An interesting study in human nature and excess!
November 17, 2007
Anyone who was into the rave scene, or was a club kid in the early 90s needs to read this book. It's everything that the time was about. Drugs, partying, music, DJs and more.
St. James writes about death in a way that is both disturbing and at times funny. It's weird to say that a book about a ghastly murder had me laughing out loud at parts.
St. James writes about death in a way that is both disturbing and at times funny. It's weird to say that a book about a ghastly murder had me laughing out loud at parts.
July 17, 2016
Delightful
April 1, 2022
Really 2.5. I wasn’t bothered by the subject material, but the writing itself was just too chaotic for me.
February 23, 2024
I liked this but the writing style stressed me out
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