Terry Ork-R.I.P.

[schwenko]

Terry Ork, a seminal figure in the NYC punk/post-pumk/new wave scene has died. The following is from the Richard Hell website: Bob and Lizzy refer to Robert Quine and Lizzy Mercier Descloux, 2 other movers on the scene who also passed away this year:

We're very sorry to hear of the death on October 20th, in San Diego, of Terry Ork. He'd been ill with cancer for a while. Richard says, "Good grief. That's three this year. What is up? We're not that old. I saw Terry a couple of years ago when he was in New York for a little show of some art he'd made. He was laughing a lot, as always. Terry Ork, ca. 1971He's about the only person I can think of who whenever I think of him it's with a big smile on his face. I actually got a longish email from him the day before he died. I'd written inviting him to speak at the Quine memorial. What to say about Terry? He was a troublemaker, and some of the trouble he made was the band Television--he suggested his blond boy Richard Lloyd as second guitar which made the live band possible, and he gave us his loft to rehearse in which made it probable. He had lots of shady dealings. He ended up in jail for a while. He was a movie freak. That's how Verlaine and I got to know him -- he was managing Cinemabilia in New York when we worked there. Godard was his main man, and Guy Debord. When I left the Heartbreakers he brought out my first music release, a three song EP featuring 'Blank Generation,' on his new Ork Records. He'd started the label one EP before that, with Television's 'Little Johnny Jewel.' It's a big drag never to be able to talk to him -- or Bob or Lizzy -- again. And they all fucking suffered going out too. And my shoulder hurts. Well, this stage of life is interesting." There is some further information regarding Ork at a recent Forum thread, including this link to recent pictures of Terry with his adopted son, Lucien.