New York native Hilly Kristal had booked jazz acts at another NYC music landmark, the Village Vanguard, before opening CBGB ("Country BlueGrass Blues ") in 1973. From that point on he became the patron saint of punk. CBGB launched the careers of the Ramones, Talking Heads, Blondie, and Patti Smith, among others. The club also had some pretty punk bathrooms - if punk means dangerously filthy. CBGB was forced to close on October 15, 2006, over a rent dispute. Kristal died from lung cancer less than a year later. The location is now a very un-punk John Varvatos clothing store. Although the graffiti in the bathroom has been preserved.