TRISTAN EGOLF R.I.P

i came across my old blog while googling for criticism of Tristan Egolf's last book KORNWOLF. i'd totally forgotten i was writing that little blog 4 years ago. but i was chuffed to remember the below post. i wrote it immediately after getting home from Tristan's memorial. its so fuct to think of how early he took his own life. could he have been one of those authors with 10 or 20 more novels in him? or hundreds more stories? we'll never know. his oeuvre consists of just 3 novels and a messy, sad ending.

***
i just got back from Tristan Egolf's memorial service in lancaster, pa.
it was a beautiful Indian Summer day in that cool, little and old city center. it was a perfect fall day.
lots of peeple were there. lots of peeple from almost all areas of Tristan's life and historical trajectory.
i hung with my friends from philly, representing the Friz scene which existed in 'PhilthTown' from 1993 maybe to 1994? i mean the first Friz scene which was centered around the Friz on 13th and walnut above that liquor store next to the Indian joint on the south east corner of walnut and juniper.
the stuff that went down there and was created there and was said there was totally bitchin' usually. on afternoons in Art's stewdio in front of windows open, letting the sound of philly in the early 90s wash over us and go thru us. or late nights in the big room hanging out and doing stuff like listening to records or watching something or cooking or watching art cook or simon eat. or talking. always talking about all of the above. or late at night watching bands play and watching the scenesters of the early 90s philly scene do their thing. (i got a big lump on my forehead from a big mug some one threw during a kitschchao show at the friz.)
i knew Tristan within this millieu.

and i knew and cared about almost nothing else but this millieu for a long time.

within this scene most everyone was committed to living the life.

he was crazy good times and smart. he was determined and fearless. and he was mellow, physical and bouyant.
we were friends and co-conspirators.
kitschchao were fierce and tristan was funny and terrifying as their singer.
i did the cover of their 7".

this afternoon i saw peeple from this ancient era all together in one place for the first time since those times. it was not unlike a show at the friz or a late afternoon lounge out on the Friz's roof, a football field long and wind swept within the caverns of original early 20 century skyscrapers up walnut street, hair always blowing in the sun; or the rare hang out in Big Greg's room. or sitting together drinking & talking in the big room or around the 16 track recording board. always talking about everything.

but this afternoon it was way more sad and sedate and brightly lit.

***

click the below for part of an interview we did when he was in KITSCHCHAO. man, how messy those times were...

check out DTO, which is the band Tristan was singing with when he decided to call quits on life. they feature Jason from KITSCHCHAO. theyre pretty excellent. Jason owns Trinity Framing in philly. give them yr business.
Dave from KITSCHCHAO runs the KC myspace. go listen to the jams by clicking here.
the last time i saw those 2 ex-KC dudes was at Tristan's memorial. how are you guys doing?

and check out KITSCHCHAO's 'peter stumpe' 7" on compuliv. thats song is the first manifestation of tristan's kornwolf compulsion. he had its since childhood. i did the cover. that was so long ago now...