A Fabulous But True Tale of Murder in Clubland - Party Monster

Absolutely an amazing book! And im not a reader. I couldn't put it down! Naturally the movie and the book arent identical but..... I think between the two and hopefully the shockumentary im waiting to arrive I can put it all together with other details. Im so intrigued and James St James has a very unique writing style and way with words. I LOVE it! <Lynn Mcleod>

Read the great reviews. Wasn't exactly what I expected. I like a good true crime story. The writing style was entertaining but began to wear thin by the end and I found myself beginning to skim. Would I pass on to my friends to read? Nope.

This book was impossible to put down. The people were characterized so brightly that they seem to come up from the pages and find themselves next to you. It feels like you are getting to know so many people at once. A lesser tragedy is the subsequent death of this vibrant and exciting counterculture, but that was probably going to happen eventually. The murder of a known drug dealer, Angel Melendez, is dealt with harshly and but the same time so poignantly that not once do you think to yourself that this crook had it coming. You think-poor guy, he never stood a chance with this crew. I would say that this alone makes the book a success.

Haven't we all known people like Michael Alig? So intoxicating and fun, but reeking of danger, complete with hidden pockets of ugliness? You might be enjoying yourself at that moment...but have the sick fear inside that you must run far away as soon as you can before he sets your hair on fire for a cheap laugh.

There were so many sad moments. But hilarious, laugh out loud even more. However, here is a true triumph...Mr. St. James is miraculously ALIVE and a heck of a writer. One would not guess this watching his silly online interviews equipped with his brand of pleasant buffoonery. He is a remarkable wordsmith and I would love to see more of him in print.

If this does not become an American classic it would be a travesty.

A few months ago a rabbit hole of internet searching lead me to look into the movie Party Monster, which lead me to this book, that the movie was based on. Not sure exactly what I was getting myself into, but I enjoy true crime stories so I thought I'd give it a try.

The author, James St. James, a NYC celebutante in the mid 80's, was a cofounder of the Club Kids, a group of young clubgoers, with his friend Michael Alig, and is still in the news sometimes and was on a few seasons of America's Next Top Model. Though I gave a spoiler alert, the main plot point is spilled in the first few pages of the book. One day, Michael tells James that, under the influence of drugs, he, along with his friend, Freeze, murdered Angel Melendez. It supposedly happened during an arguments over a long-standing drug debt.

The story, told often in stream of consciousness, then goes back in time to tell of the arrival of Michael to the NYC party scene. James gives us a window into the inner workings of the club scene, how to get yourself known, and how to best work room. He introduces us to the who's who of NYC in the late 80's to mid 90's and presents the key players of the crime that unfolds.

What's really fascinating is what happens between the time of the murder and when Michael and Freeze actually get arrested. Slowly gossip columns and news articles start leaking the story of a missing drug dealer and hinting at who may be involved. Angel's brother comes to town looking for him, and eventually, eight months later, the body is found. The police, who have been accused of not caring about the death of a drug dealer, eventually arrest Michael Alig and Freeze, leading to their convictions.

One great thing about true stories is that you can actually watch the shows they reference in the book, so if you are interested in learning more, you can watch the Club Kids on the Donahue Show. Also, there is a Documentary, Party Monster: The Shockumentary, and the feature film Party Monster, based on this book.

While not a deep novel, it was facinating, and easy to read.

Laughter, melancholy, tragedy, and a whole slew of unbelievable events.
This book is filled with anecdotes that keep you reading and don't want to stop.
I DONT READ FICTION I just don't "get into it" but this... This was NOT fiction and boy, did I love it.
I wish there was more about Michael, but James did a fantastic job telling things from HIS perspective.
At times he seems to glorify the hot mess express they all were riding. Other times he was expressing remorse, guilt, and divine consciousness.

It was almost as though I was just as cracked out as some of the characters.

Far better than the movie. Many more details and a sense of actually knowing these people.

I wish it was longer, just couldn't get enough...just like a heroin junkie I just wanted MORE MORE MORE MORE!

Wow. What a pleasure! Everytime I picked up this book, I was completely transfixed. The way it was written and punctuated gave it a very distinct tone. I felt like I was in the room as the narrator, James, darling, told me the tale. Simply amazing. And dark. It's amazing, the way the fun, care-free tone remained intact as the material got darker. But that's exactly what gives the book it's eerie, creepy feel. The characters facing very real, sinister things with their "oh, isn't this fun?!" attitude more or less in tact.
Not to mention, if you get obsessed with history related to particular eras in america, there is plenty to be seen on youtube in terms of mini documentaries and talk shows where the whole gang would make appearances.

In Disco Bloodbath James St James brings to life a tale which I had already followed avidly since reading about Michael Alig in The Guardian newspaper in April 1997.
I immediately became fascinated by Michael, his friends and his life, perhaps because, as someone of the same generation I too was involved in the heady days of clubland during the 80s and 90s.
James St James makes every character live and must be praised for this! He sketches them beautifully and is also wonderfully gifted at representing himself. We realise that he can now in hindsight look back and laugh at the Club Kids and their antics whilst simultaneously admitting that at times he screwed up his life big style!.
Anyone reading Disco Bloodbath who has had any experience of this sort of life or environment or who has seen friends fall into the trappings of the associated lifestyle cannot fail but be moved by this story of a group of attractive hedonistic clubbers. They are all essentially likeable but moved to the more grotesque side of their characters. Their motivation to this end is their desperation to take one step further than is really possible or acceptable. Inevitably they crash.
At times it is almost too painful to read. Nobody could want Michael to fail. His success crumbling away before his eyes is tragic. The lustre of this glamorous life is eroded page after page. Angel's murder is made all the more horrific because Michael seems to be so much more superior to him even at this critical point. Michael's fall heralds the end of true genius. No-one can ever take his place in New York I'm sure.
James St James has not only written a touching, humorous, tragic and multi-faceted tale. He has also written a fantastically valuable document which catalogues a period in New York's history which must be remembered.
I do hope that there are more stories to be shared. I hope that James St James is allowed to tell us more tales of the Club Kids ! I'm sure there must be hundreds of them!

James St. James does such a wonderful job capturing the atmosphere of the fun, care-free, crazy club scene in the 90's. His description of some of the characters are downright unbelievable, and if I didn't know someone that had experienced the 90's club scene first hand, I never would believe these some of these tales! My favourite line:

"If one day, Mother Teresa was out weed whacking and cut off Hitler's head - WOULD THAT NECESSARILY BE SUCH A BAD THING? I mean... if a person commits a crime and no one cares - can we all just adjust our lip liner?"

I have read this book about three times, and I always feel the same way: I start by cracking up at all of the hilarious recollections, like the one of the drag queen that prances across the stag naked pulling a string of Christmas lights out of her butt, but you can always feel the the tragedy all around when it hits. Not just of the murder, but the club scene as a whole dying right along side all the burnouts that are dropping left and right because of overdoses. Michael Alig created the club scene, and James St. James makes it feel like Michael took the club scene down with him.

Very entertaining read!!

In the height of the Eighties, there were those who simply reveled in the silly outfits, the music, the drink, drugs, and disregard. It was fun to shock, fun to be a drugged-out mess, fun to cross-dress, fun to seek excess, just fun. And then reality hit and it was time for all the oh-so-hip casualties to leave their six city blocks of Eden. Basically, that's James St. James' story here, and it's a perfect little book to that purpose. Its scattershot, hiccupy, anecdotal style is just the one-on-one we'd expect if we got him on that couch at Nell's. And don't let it fool you. Just because St. James spent years drugged, shallow, and precious doesn't mean this is a stupid book. It takes a deft dish to fill the rest of us in on what we were missing and then, oh, almost offhandedly, point out that we all have to knock that silliness off sometime. Not for the straitlaced -- in fact, don't even wave it at them from a block away -- Disco Bloodbath is entertainingly shocking, a Valley of the Dolls for club wannabes.

This book is a breezy, entertaining read, full of dishy giddiness. St. James definitely has mastered the art of queeny commentary, rendering 'Disco Bloodbath/Party Monster' as enjoyable and decadent as cream puff with chocolate sauce.
If, however, you are looking for a meatier account of the Alig/Melendez fiasco, don't expect Disco Bloodbath to furnish it. This is an insider's glib take on the events, not a factual accounting, and for those who want to twist their minds around the 'why/how?' of the events leading up to the grisly murder, this book will prove unsatisfying. My advice is to treat it as the deliciously entertaining literary profiterole that it is.
I've just ordered Frank Owen's 'Clubland', which I understand is the yang to St. James' yin; clinical, factual, and stripped of glamour - I'm still out on this one until I read it. One wonders if one will ever be able to get to the bottom of the debacle - perhaps because there IS no bottom?
In any case, YOU ARE TOO MUCH, JAMES ST. JAMES! I concur with the reviewer who encouraged you to write about those Southern family roots, and I expect you could be a master of Southern Gothic with an acid twist. Fabulous!

Having recently seen the documentary 'Party Monster', I just HAD to read "Disco Bloodbath." Most real clubbers, including me, just dont have the education or vocabulary to write a book accurately describing their experiences. But luckily James ST James still has a mind left along with incredible experiences. I rarely laugh at anything anymore, being the critic that I am, but he retells it all with such wit, I sometimes wonder where he gets it all from. Michael Alig seems all too absurd. You wonder if he really is human. But James never demonizes anyone; he lets you do that yourself. WARNING: If you have never done a drug more than once and are deathly afraid of drag-queens, dont bother reading this, you JUST WONT GET IT; The people benefiting the most from this will be the true club kids, the queers (we just love this kind of stuff)and of course the all-knowing K-HEAD (You know who you are).

A cute little story. Nothing too heavy, a little goofily-written (St. James comes across like a pixie, a little too happy and flighty), moderately-exciting subject matter. Definitely an insider account, which I feel is unfortunately too rare in these true-crime stories. As for St. James and Alig themselves, their story (that of the Club Kids) is an interesting account of a group's rise to stardom (local stardom, anyway) and subsequent fall at their own hands. In no way does this book tie their experience to other events and attitudes prevalent during the 80's, in the fashion that similar accounts try to relate the particular events to a big-picture cultural Zeitgeist. Truly a story made for "Behind the Music" and "E- True Hollywood Story" fare.

Before reading the novel, I had originally previewed the "Party Monster: the Shockumentary." I had vaguely remembered Michael Alig and his club kids from a few television talk shows, which only made me want to read more, and learn more about the story and the lives which they all lead.

After much searching, (trust me, being from a mostly Catholic town in Iowa, there was a lot of searching) I finally found it, and brought it home to see if it would live up to my high expectations.

What I found surprised me, though I won't say entirely shocked me, and I found myself laughing out loud throughout the entire novel.

St. James not only paints such a vivid portrayal of what he lived through, but somehow manages to find humor within it. I couldn't help but stop my boyfriend from what he was doing to dish out the part involving Christmas lights through immense giggles.

He recollects and dishes out what many drug addicts and ex-drug addicts wouldn't admit to, including the large amount of nothing he had accomplished trying to become a writer while being continuously purged into a K-hole.

I don't want to talk too much about what St. James discusses in the novel, as I don't want to give some of the finer points away for anyone who cares to read it, but I must say it is a MUST READ for anyone who enjoys a little bit of comedy mixed into the horrific murder story of Michael Alig and Angel Melendez.

This book not only met my expectations, but it greatly exceeded them. I'm now buying the nonfiction novel written by Frank (who is mentioned as well in "Disco Bloodbath") to learn more about the times when the Club Kids were all the rage.

(I would just like to briefly add that many people think James St. James is profitting off of Michael Alig's story. Though much of the novel discusses James by himself, his emotions, and how he felt about things, and him recalling his own witnessings before Michael had even arrived in New York. Towards the end of the novel, you must read the "Letter to Michael" in which it also states of one of the last times he spoke to Alig, in which he states that he is writing the book because it "really, really upset him." After all, isn't that what many journals are about?)

After seeing the movie Party Monster, I decided to pick up a copy of the book Disco Bloodbath, which was featured near the end of the movie. The paperback edition has been renamed Party Monster, which I think is unfortunate, since this book is really more than just a paperback version of the movie. A quick, highly entertaining romp, this book is certainly not for everyone. It takes a certain amount of openminded acceptance to be able to read a book detailing the rise and fall of clubkid-turned-murderer, Michael Alig; however, if you can stomach the descriptions of rampant drug use and its aftermath, then what you find is a wholly engaging and addictive read.

This book surprises me because, being so anxious to read it and so much time passing before I finally got a copy, I figured I'd read it in one sitting. Turns out, over a month has passed and I'm still reading a few pages at a time just before falling to sleep in bed, somtimes being startled awake when it falls into my face.

James St. James doesn't write at all as he came off in his televised interviews. He writes with an obvious self-consciousness that works in his favor.

At times, it seems he can't decide if the book is a biography, a description of the Club Kid scene, Michael Alig, or a murder. But again, this somehow works. Sometimes he falls into writing in his Club Kid persona and seems almost apologetic for having a conscience and moral compass.

In the end, I am truly enjoying this book and will miss it as a sleeping aid when I read the last few pages tonight.

I hope his uncertainty continues to shine through in his next non-fiction book.

After finishing this novel about the drug fueled world of the club kids that James St. James describes with great detail I almost felt like I'd overdosed on his writing. A little past the half way mark his constant descriptions of their hedonistic world and the ever-changing group of so-called friends exhausted me. It was an interesting book at turns hilariously funny and yet depressingly melancholy. The lengths these kids took to be the center of attention and fill their lives with excitement was devasting. The backstabbing and bitter resentment of each other and the utter lack of any sort of real connection with others besides the surface was what saddened me the most.

This was quick read and James St. James has a wonderful sense of humor that I enjoyed reading despite some repetitiveness. I'd love to read more of his witticisms in a fiction novel someday.

Having experienced a great number of the things that are mentioned in this book, I could not put it down.
So many of the feelings, and emotions that one feels in the course of this book are not ones that one feels or experiences when reading every book. James St. James expresses what many people in his community feel can not be said, especially in print!
If you like ture stories, this is one that you are not going to want to miss.

The movie, "Party Monster", could easily be called one of my favorites. The book, however was much different than I expected it to be. Of course, seeing as how I picked up the book after I fell in love with the movie, my opinion may be a little bit skewered. I wasn't expecting the book to be composed mainly of wit and laugh-out-loud moments, a part of me wanted there to be some of the emotion that was created in the film, but all of that aide, the book was amazing.

James St. James wrote the novel with a tone that sounds like he is actually speaking to you. This is one of those books that you can't, or don't want to, skim over any small part of a page because the words are just that good. Though the overall topic of the story can be considered to be pretty serious, I couldn't get through a page without finding something to laugh at. Try sitting in a room filled with people while reading this book, I can guarantee that the chronic sarcasm and facetious metaphors will keep you from putting the book down.

Party Monster is the hilariously written, deliciously different, drug induced, true murder story written by James St. James. It has the perfect mix of glamour, humor, and drama. Michael Alig is the twenty-something gay boy from a small town who is new to the club scene and new to New York in general. James St. James is everything Michael wants to be. After Michael proves his brilliant party-throwing abilities to the other club kids, him and James St. James soon become inseperable. Together the two are a double threat, which brings national popularity, drugs, and power into the picture. Michael definitely isn't responsible enough to handle any of those things. This story takes you from Michael Alig's and James St. James' incredibly high points to their incredibly low points. The ultimate results end in death, broken friendships, and heart break. Party Monster is outrageously fun and disturbing to some. It's a must read for those who don't really take anything too seriously and love a couple laughs with a dose of murder.

If you like stories about completely narcissistic drag queens that prostitute themselves for drugs and seem to have no other purpose than to bad-mouth everyone and everything in the world, this is your book. If you like a cohesive, well-written story that gives us some reason sympathize with the characters, forget it. I imagine this book will appeal to anyone who has been involved in the club scene as most of the other reviews have shown, but for someone who has no idea about club life going in, the characters ALL seem like selfish, lazy, obnoxious dregs. The writing itself suffers from stereotypically gay overly-flamboyancy. I understand the need to express yourself creatively, but if you aren't versed in the culture, a lot of it just gets in the way of actually telling a good story. There were a few good stories in the book, but no real focus to the main point of the book. I didn't get that James and Alig were friends all that often, rather it feels like he wrote this just to capitalize on the murder. Overall the read is not really worth it if you are not familiar with the club scene.

This book tells it how it is. Written truthfully, and obviously from the heart, James St. James pulls you into the downward spiral of fabulousness known as being a Club Kid. I recommend this book to anyone who has ever been interested in the nightlife scene. This book was written by a true celebutant that experienced the insanity, and lived to tell about it.

This book tells it how it is. Written truthfully, and obviously from the heart, James St. James pulls you into the downward spiral of fabulousness known as being a Club Kid. I recommend this book to anyone who has ever been interested in the nightlife scene. This book was written by a true celebutant that experienced the insanity, and lived to tell about it.

Wow this story is so strange and unbeliveable! Its very well written and you cant stop reading untill youre done. There are some hysterical stories in here that make you laugh so hard you hurt. If you like real stories about crazy people, this is for you! If the new movie is half as insane and perverse as this, Im sure it will be awesome!

I should have known I was in for a disappointment when Disco Bloodbath wound up so quickly on my used bookstore's shelf. But, knowing some of the people in the scene in those days, I thought I'd give it a try. Lordy, what a mess this book is. St. James has all the insight and self-knowledge of a Right-Wing Bible-belter. His self-importance and shallow worldview wouldn't matter so much if he was actually funny, but he gives us the same tired drag queen jokes and movie quotes I've been hearing since the 70's. The Alig story is one ripe for a good book, but honey, this isn't it. I paid half price for this thing, and still feel my money and time was wasted.

I found Disco Bloodbath to be a perfectly accurate desciption of club life. Although the book, in the beginning, seems to be that of an odd murder mystery, it turns out to be a another story entirely. It tells of homosexuality, clubs, drugs, and all the little humorous and not so humorous things that go with them. I myself am a Club Kid and at the time I read this book I was far into the third trimester of pregnancy. It brought me back to the world I missed so much with the decriptive tellings of how things are in Clubland. I have recommended this book to every Club Kid I know and a few people who are not in the club scene. Everyone that has read it has come back raving about whether or not there is a sequel to this tale. Sadly there is none that I know of. In conclusion, I say that this book is a must read for anyone who is in the club scene or just curious about what really goes on there.

James St. James, do not listen to those negative naysayers who have nothing but nasty things to say about your book. I absolutely love it! Your book gives all of us who weren't there a colorful and vivid glimpse at the mess you all made and let me tell you, it had me rolling with laughter! I just watched Party Monster again and James, you are much cuter than Michael anyday! You are Beautiful! And no matter how shocking and outrageous your fellow club kids were, nobody had your cleverness and talent to live to tell about it. You have left your legacy...And you didn't have to kill anyone to do it!

this book needed pictures, all the freaky people and no pictures! the story was witty at times, but it never got in deep enough into the minds of the author and his "friends". its an easy read and there are websites if your interested in seeing the people described.

James St. James, do not listen to those negative naysayers who have nothing but nasty things to say about your book. I absolutely love it! Your book gives all of us who weren't there a colorful and vivid glimpse at the mess you all made and let me tell you, it had me rolling with laughter! I just watched Party Monster again and James, you are much cuter than Michael anyday! You are Beautiful! And no matter how shocking and outrageous your fellow club kids were, nobody had your cleverness and talent to live to tell about it. You have left your legacy...And you didn't have to kill anyone to do it!

this book needed pictures, all the freaky people and no pictures! the story was witty at times, but it never got in deep enough into the minds of the author and his "friends". its an easy read and there are websites if your interested in seeing the people described.

I wish the author would write something else. Who would have thought a vicious murder could be so funny? And drug addiction? I found out a lot about the gay camp culture in reading this book.

This book also makes you ask questions such as-are the police in New York as inept as they seem in this book?

After watching 'Party Monster', I fell in love with James St. James, and although I was slightly disappointed by his tweeny novel, 'Freak Show', 'Party Monster' ,the novel, delivers!

It is a definite page-turner and I don't think it took me more than two or three days to finish it. Book is packed with way more of James' humor and critique than we got from the movie. If you love the man, you'll love the book! Enjoy!

The book is soooo much better than the movie. The only downside to the book was the lack of pictures but an internet search can take care of that. I loved James writing style and wit. Wonderful read, can't wait for more.

This book is overflowing with drug use, self-indulgence, and bitchiness. It reveals what lurks behind the glamorous facade of club land... Whether that's good or bad is the question. The writing style gave me a headache, but the content was so hilarious that i put the book down only to grab some aspirin. Ironically, the amusement in the story is the self destructive behavior of the characters and the lack of seriousness about the crimes they commit. It's unlike any other book i've read and thoroughly enjoyed it because of that. After reading this book, very few will be curious about that bump of K at the next party.

I found this book to be pure hilarity, despite the obviously disturbing subject matter it dealt with. I had seen the documentary "Party Monster" (and loved it) months before actually reading the book, but I'm sooo glad I did read it. James St. James is a hilarious writer and I did catch myself laughing outloud at his sarcasm and wit. He has this ability to capture you with his writing in such a way that you seem to be falling into the strange K-holes he is describing. Oh darlings, you will absolutely enjoy this read.

This is a cute little read. Almost gives off the impression of a sick and twisted fable. However, James keeps it light (almost too light) and yet for some reason I enjoy his off-beat humour. A cute little read about a sad reminder of the sickness instilled in some people, amplified by the effects of drugs and alcohol.

I was absolutely stunned by the movie, then the book brought thoughts into my mind that I couldn't possibly put into words. The plot was thick, the characters were a trip, and to think - in the end, it all really happened. These people were real. James St. James had to put up with Michael Alig and the only way he felt he could get through it was to dig deeper K-Holes every day until he was out of his mind, and after all that managed to clean up. I have deep respect for James St. James' talent as a writer, and strength as a person.