Richard Hell, Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, More to Play Benefit Shows for Voidoids’ Ivan Julian

Ivan Julian is a founding member of ’70 punk group Richard Hell & the Voidoids. He was diagnosed with cancer last year and has since undergone radiation and chemotherapy. Although effective, the treatment has been quite expensive; the cancer has left him unable to work, too. In addition to a GoFundMe page set up to help cover the cost of Julian’s treatment, Richard Hell and other musicians will throw a pair of benefit concerts. The first will take place on Wednesday, May 4 at New York’s City Winery and feature Richard Hell, Debbie Harry, Vernon Reid, Ian Hunter, Lenny Kaye, Willie Nile, Garland Jeffreys, the Dictators, and the venue’s house band. It sold out quickly, so there will be a second concert at the same venue on Saturday, May 7. The lineup includes Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, Arto Lindsay, Matthew Sweet, Vernon Reid & Burnt Sugar Arkestra, Ira Kaplan, and the Dictators. Tickets go on sale and the full lineup will be announced next week.

Read Richard Hell’s statement about Ivan Julian, and watch Julian’s thank you message to fans below. Donate to the GoFundMe here. 

I’ve known Ivan since he was 21, in spring 1976 (40 years ago), when Bob Quine and Marc Bell and I were auditioning people to become Quine’s Voidoid co-guitarist. Bob was so impressed by Ivan’s chops, he copped the slot on the spot. He’s only gotten better, year after year, as a player and all around monster of goodness, and that’s the truth. I love him. It’s horrible that he has to suffer some terribly painful, life-threatening illness, and have it ravage him financially as well. American barbarism. What’s left are his friends, admirers, and sympathizers. Please contribute to his fund if you possibly can.

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