MSFT SPOTLIGHT: PUNK-ROCK ROYALTY JIMMY WEBB (RIP!!) -

BE STILL MY HEART

Today, we’re honoring the one & only patron saint of rock & roll: Jimmy Webb.

An icon, a legend, punk-rock’s unofficial shop keeper, mayor of St. Marks Place, manager/buyer/stylist of famed rock retail destination Trash & Vaudeville – whatever you call him, Jimmy was obviously a lot of things. And unfortunately it’s been confirmed that he passed away on Tuesday at the sadly young age of 62 after losing a bitter battle with cancer.

Perhaps you’ve heard of him. Or maybe you haven’t. But either way it’s a fact there will never be anyone like him.

From arriving New York City as a runaway teen in 1975, to working in bars, hitting clubs like Studio 54, living in a cardboard box in Tompkins Square Park & eventually kicking a gnarly heroine addiction, it was in 1999 that he cleaned up his act & got a long-sought after shot to work at T&V (after having plead to the shop’s owner, Ray Goodman, for a job years before). Within a single year, he rose to become the shop’s top employee & as time went on – it’s heart & soul as well.

Whether it was the gutter punk kid from around the corner, or big-name stars like Iggy Pop, the Ramones, Debbie Harry & even Beyonce, he had a keen eye for style & loved every minute of helping everyone look & feel their best. Being the first store in America where Dr. Martens were ever sold & largest retailer of the Tripp brand period, T&V is legendary in & of itself. But armed with its most charismatic, talented & full-of-heart fixture Jimmy, there was nothing better. Or more authentic! Even in a world where you can buy a New York Dolls t-shirt at the mall & can’t do anything without being called a sell-out.

After an almost 20-year career with T&V, Jimmy then took his “stage dive of faith” earlier this year to open his own rock boutique, I Need More, were he worked until his death.

So whether or not you follow Iggy, Debbie, Henry, Billie Joe, Sebastian, Duff, Mick, Joan or any of the other countless souls he touched throughout the years, there aren’t enough tribute posts in the world that can do justice to Jimmy’s impact on every single person that walked through his doors.

Nonetheless – here’s to Jimmy! May we forever wear our lowest, tightest & fiercest leopard print pants in his honor.

xxAA

(( Images within feature image from @jimmywebbNYC & Vogue ))