Back To Hell

Danielle "Hell" Willis is practically Urban folklore. People ask, "where is she?" and "Is she alive?".

This prolific writer and performer was one of those big characters that took a corner of my life and remains a kind of ghost.

Read up on her life and work here....




When I first met Danielle she was dressed as her male alter ego Damien Stark, accompanied by her 7 foot tall drag queen wife ( at the time) Brigit Brat of God's Girlfriend in San Francisco's Tenderloin. She had luncheons with " Doctor" Anton LaVey in his home. She dressed me in risqué 1970's poly-blend and read my future with Tarot. We drank Absinthe in her mirrored sex show cubical. She pissed off ( and on) local officials and dared murderers like Jim Mitchell to fight back with pointed stiletto at the ready.

I was lucky enough to see her perform earlier work, such as the brilliant and hilarious 'Breakfast in the Flesh District' and readings @ London's Smut Fest. She introduced me to the The Goethe-Institute and to Goddess, Nina Hagen.

Last I heard she WAS alive and off drugs. She has no moral hang up over using, but decided after 20 years it got in the way of her writing. I want to see more Danielle. More of my friend. I want everyone to know how extraordinary her talent is. I want her to land some obscene deal with Disney and make millions just so I can come over to her sprawling Baroque den and hear her say " Karen Greenlee is coming over for some beers, want one?".
Those of us who knew her well still have our copy of "Dogs in Lingerie" somewhere, a keepsake now, of something....everybody does. All of us.