Dean Johnson R.I.P.

Dean Johnson, of Dean and the Weenies and The Velvet Mafia, has died, according to a report at the WFMU website. The report is an excellent overview of a man whose work I barely knew, but whose influence and person were well-respected in some of the crowds I once hung with. I saw him around only a few times but will always remember those times well - an immense, bald, husky-voiced drag queen is not someone you are likely to miss or forget.

His "diary" page at the Velvet Mafia site is a great overview of NYC life at a certain time of vibrancy and glow and danger that may not come again - I was lucky enough to come to the city in time to catch a glimpse of a piece of that time, and have been at the wake ever since, spilling whiskey on the corpse when I can to see if the damned hunk of rotting meat will get up again for one last dance.

When I was in the Rocky Horror floor show at 8th Street, a favorite piece of pre-show music for the cast to perform to before the movie was Dean and the Weenies' classic song "Fuck You" from the awful film Mondo New York. It became a regular number and there was something wonderful about hearing hundreds of people join in on the final chorus, full of anger and joy and release.

So here's that song, as performed in the film - join in and remember how good it is to yell "Fuck You!" in the company of your friends at the host of your enemies . . .