David died in 2009 after a most interesting life. A memorial service was held on Jan 2, 2010, fun was had! David would have approved.
Inspired by the Suicide Club, the Cacophony Society took its name from the Suicide Club’s motto of ‘entering into Cacophony’ More, faster, harder…. See: http://www.cacophony.org/
For 5 years from 1977 to 1982, the Suicide Club nooseletter rolled out every month and many events from mild to wild occurred. Go to the Events page for a complete list.
The Gorilla Grotto was a play space created by Gary Warne in 1979 as an experimental store-front café and “adult play environment,”. It was an ambitious attempt to engage thinking adults with their world and their fellow humans in playful and sometime shocking ways. Each night of the week, a different theme was presented. In-depth interviews of “experts” on a wide variety […]
John Law recalls: 16 people went on this climb. This was way too many. Dmitri said to me at one point: “Gee John. I almost passed out back there.” I reassured him & never got outside of arms reach all night. This was the largest group I ever lead on the GGB. Plenty of chills! […]
Aug 27, 1977 We ascended as a group of nearly 30 folks to a rooftop under a freeway bilboard, armed with materials required to modify the billboard. A group brainstorm resulted in a plan, and we created the modifications and applied them. We got arrested. “Free the Max Factor 26” !
Harkness Hospital was a former San Francisco hospital located in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, where many of us lived. We adopted it as a frequent destination for events such as dart gun games and climbing expeditions. Peter Field rappelling a wall, and Bob Campbell traversing between wings
John Law recalls: This event was in part (according to Gary) a welcome home to me upon my return from hitchhiking around the country (and Canada). This was the event where we had to threaten the guy (I forget his name) because he refused on principle to ditch his pot. We had to clandestinely park […]
This was a repeating event by Peter Field, and featured a collection of mini-events. Here is the announcement for PQ-II in Jan 78
Photographer Greg Mancuso captured the Suicide Club in a massive food fight that took place in a house rented by Pierre Barral in the Glen Park District of S.F. The house was to be torn down later that week; the opportunity to completely trash a house, Three Stooges style, was simply too great for the […]
John Law recalls: “I think the same day as naked cable car we did the Union Square Stunt. We parked on the bottom level of the parking lot (4th level?) in 2 or 3 funky vehicles (Dave’s beanbag seat Ford Galaxy 500, a hippy type van-Bob C’s?) There are 3 elevators. The scenes I recall […]
Scariest thing I ever did. Many of us spent the night at Nancy Prussia’s apt. (I was dating her at the time-2 mos+/-) We got on the very 1st (6AM?) car at the Cable Car Barn. 6-8 blocks later we stripped of all clothing and the grip and brakemen on the cable car just stopped […]
March 11, 1977 Baby Beautiful Contest Here is the announcement in the first SC nooseletter in Feb 1977 John Law recalls: Entered shill baby: Sweet Pea Sheffield: Ron & Shirley as folks, borrowed a real baby from someone. Dave W. Covered in pink Calamine lotion, paper mache head, big lolli-pop. Gary kept laughing so hard […]
John Law recalls: “We had refrigerator boxes which we cut up and used as sleds to go down the letters.” “This event was the capper of an incredibly arduous and mind bending, adventure weekend. Big fun. This night Gary & Ron showed North by North-West at Circus of the Soul. I experienced an extreme example […]
Rick Lasky recalls: “I was jogging in the Richmond District near where I lived when I had a flash of inspiration. Wouldn’t it be cool to organize a treasure hunt around the city? I knew just who to take this idea to: Gary Warne. So I went to Gary’s bookstore “Circus of the Soul” and […]
