Hilly Kristal, owner of CBGB, dies at 75.

Sad to hear about it, but not surprising. I met him in March of last year, and he was obviously a sick man.

I was in New York over St. Patrick’s day weekend to see the Pogues, and on Sunday afternoon I stopped in at CBGB to see the place one last time and pick up some T-shirts for friends at home. Hilly was sitting at his desk in the foyer, going over some spreadsheets with an assistant. I was an interruption, but Hilly shook my hand and chatted with me for a few minutes before letting me go back into the club for a last look around.

I know he’d been talking about reopening the club in Las Vegas, which probably won’t happen now. And that’s for the best. CBGB belonged at the corner of Bowery and Bleecker, and Hilly Kristal belonged at his desk there.