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.
