James Kenneth Webb (August 28, 1957 – April 14, 2020) was a punk fashion stylist and the long-time manager of New York City's Trash and Vaudeville.[1] Webb worked at Trash and Vaudeville from 1999 until the store moved off of St. Marks Place in 2016. As a stylist, Webb helped to dress artists and musicians such as the Ramones, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Joan Jett, Sebastian Bach and many others.[2][3] On October 13, 2017, Webb opened his own rock boutique in New York City called "I Need More", named after a song by Iggy Pop, at 75A Orchard Street.[4] The grand opening was attended by Slash and Duff from Guns N' Roses.
Early life
editBorn James Kenneth Webb in Troy, New York, Webb grew up in nearby Wynantskill, New York.[1] Webb's father, William, ran a two pump gas station which was attached to their family home. Webb and his two younger brothers were all encouraged to learn how to dance by their mother, Nancy. Webb graduated from high school three years early, at the age of 16 and briefly attended a community college in Connecticut before leaving school to hitchhike to Florida and New York.[5]
Webb began living in New York in 1975 and developed a heroin addiction. He initially settled on Fourth Street and Avenue D and spent some nights sleeping in Tompkins Square Park or the St. Marks Baths.[6]
Death
editWebb was diagnosed with cancer in 2018 and died at his apartment in Manhattan on April 14, 2020. He was survived by his brother Ronald.[1] Musician, Iggy Pop wrote an Instagram tribute post for Webb in which he referred to him as "Proust in streetwear, showing his ass crack."[7] On hearing of Webb's death, Debbie Harry remarked to the New York Post and Rolling Stone, “We are all going to miss our wonderful friend Jimmy Webb. There goes a lovely unique NYC character. I feel lucky to have known him."[8][9][3]
References
edit- ^ a b c Green, Penelope (2020-04-16). "Jimmy Webb, Purveyor of Punk Fashion, Is Dead at 62". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
- ^ Allaire, Christian (15 April 2020). "Jimmy Webb, Trash and Vaudeville's Beloved Punk, Dies at 62". Vogue. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
- ^ a b Legaspi, Althea (2020-04-15). "Jimmy Webb, New York Punk-Style Icon Beloved by Rock Royalty, Dead at 62". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
- ^ Grieve. "Jimmy Webb will make dreams come true with new rock 'n' roll boutique I Need More". Retrieved 2020-04-21.
- ^ Wilkinson, Alec. "Anything Pink Rocks". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
- ^ Calhoun, Ada (2 November 2015). St. Marks is dead : the many lives of America's hippest street. New York. ISBN 978-0-393-24979-8. OCLC 927391902.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ "Iggy Pop Official on Instagram: "MESSAGE FROM IGGY: "Jimmy was a ragged ray of sunshine in a world that's getting darker. He became close with my wife Nina and I over the…"". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-26. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
- ^ Elan, Priya (2020-04-16). "'Proust in streetwear': punk rock stylist Jimmy Webb dies at 62". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
- ^ DeNinno, Nadine; Arnold, Chuck; Kaplan, Michael (2020-04-15). "Jimmy Webb, beloved eccentric of NYC's Trash and Vaudeville shop, dead at 62". New York Post. Retrieved 2020-04-17.