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John Lurie (of the Lounge Lizards) and Michael Dorf (owner of the Knitting Factory) have gotten into a pissing match in letters to the New Times-L.A. Here's Lurie's initial letter from July 6:
Steven Mirkin's article says that I continue to play at the Knitting Factory but nothing could be further from the truth ("Smart Club?", Music, June 8-14). I've boycotted the place for years. I made the mistake of bringing my band, the Lounge Lizards, back last year for three shows, but I promise I won't make that mistake again.
It actually says in the article that Michael Dorf is respected! I'm flabbergasted! Did Mirkin really find someone who said they respected Michael Dorf?! Please, I beg you, find any musician, or for that matter, anyone in the music business, who respects or trusts the little fart because they can't know him very well. Take the time and actually call John Zorn, Marc Ribot, James Blood Ulmer, Steven Bernstein, Arto Lindsay, Elliot Sharp, Ann Magnuson -- anybody who helped the little creep get his club off the ground and ask them. These people that I've listed are the ones who got top treatment from Dorf because he needed them. The way he treats lesser-known musicians is criminal.
Not only will I not play at the Knitting Factory, I will no longer step foot in the filthy, uncomfortable excuse for a venue. And I'd like to know who thinks the Knitting Factory is "ultrahip." It's a hellhole that happens to be one of the few places to play in New York, so those musicians with nowhere else to play go there.
If Jimi Hendrix were appearing at the Knitting Factory, Dorf would rent him an amp with a blown speaker. If Coltrane were there, Dorf would overcharge him for Elvin's bar tab and then short him on the money from the door to the point that Coltrane would end up owing money for the privilege of playing at the Knitting Factory. If Miles Davis were there, Dorf would secretly videotape his soundcheck and then sell it on the Internet.
There's no controversy here: The guy stinks and he's gotten rich off the backs of a lot of musicians who, mostly, still can't afford to pay their phone bills.
If a musician gets screwed in New York, it's commonly known as getting Dorfed. Dorf is Frod backwards.
John Lurie
New York
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And here's Mike Dorf's response from September 7th (2000). Not surprisingly, Mr. Dorf manages to promote shows at his club in his response:
At first I felt silence was the strongest response, but after all the hoopla surrounding John Lurie's letter to the editor, I felt compelled to respond to both it and Steve Mirkin's inaccurate article ("Smart Club?" Music, June 8-14).
Lurie is a very talented artist whose band, the Lounge Lizards, was one of the reasons I went to New York to get into the music business. John has performed more than 30 times at the Knitting Factory or in festivals and events we have produced. I really like his music and have always appreciated his talent as a leading composer. Like other very gifted artists, John can also be difficult to work with and sometimes goes overboard with criticism. A few years ago he participated in our jazz festival and to a half-full theater he said, "Fuck the Knitting Factory and Michael Dorf." At first I was hurt, then shrugged it off as an eccentric genius who likes to complain, as he often does, but seems to smile and be my "friend" when we pay him (often at a financial loss) or go to lunch to plan the next gig.
His recently cancelled a JVC Jazz Festival 20th anniversary concert (on the heels of his cancelled Knitting Factory 20th anniversary concerts) and his cancelled tours have stung him. He is lashing out and it's no secret. And contrary to John's claim that he's "boycotted the place for years," there he was last Friday, shelling out his money to come to our Ali Farka Toure show so he could jump up and boo when the words "Knitting Factory Presents Hamza El Din" were uttered. The unfortunate part was that it appeared as if he were booing Hamza El Din's appearance on the following night.
With our new opening in Hollywood, I feel it is important to set the record straight. Respect is earned and I am confident time will demonstrate the two-way street we have built. We hope the Los Angeles community, both artists and music fans, will decide for themselves.
Please join us in welcoming Downtown pioneer (and former Lounge Lizard) Arto Lindsay as our Knitting Factory Hollywood grand opening party's performing artist on September 18; Elliott Sharp at KFNY on October 13 for his Terraplane record release party (on Knitting Factory Records); and Steven Bernstein's Sex Mob at KFLA in December, all of whom, contrary to John's claims, still work with the Knitting Factory, and we are very pleased to host these truly wonderful and innovative artists.
Michael Dorf
Founder and CEO
KnitMedia
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