Alan Uglow Exhibit in NYC Until March 23rd

A couple of weeks back we had the chance to attend the opening of the Alan Uglow Exhibit being held in the David Zwirner Gallery on 19th Street in NYC. 

In one of our most personal posts we have put on RTBE we talked about Alan's passing back in February 2011. He was a friend and someone we had the privilege to know, sure he was a world class artist, but he was also "Billy Idol" in the NY Blues realm and a real card of a character. 

It was great seeing a whole bunch of the NY Blues at the opening (and I am sure more came after I had to leave).  The main reason I got involved in the club was simply put, the people in the bar rooting for the team, not the players on the pitch. I have grown to love the squad and watch them non stop, but for someone entering this world fresh the vibe I felt from the supporters was my number one reason to support CFC.

This might sound sacrilegious to longtime fans but it is the truth, from my first match at the old Nevada Smith's I felt welcomed by the club (and Alan specifically) and I still do to this day. It is one of the things I try to help out new members with; NYC can be intimidating and one more place that you can call home helps.  Our wide range of fans also makes for some incredibly interesting conversations.  Just 2 weeks ago, after our Europa League match we had a heated conversation about manufacturing, workers rights, and globalization.  Alan would have been all over that.

We as a club have moved with Jack to The Football Factory, but the feeling is the same and Alan would have enjoyed the new space and people had he lived a bit longer.  He would have also loved winning the Champions League last year, but I am guessing he would have found one or two things to scream at the television about. We sang in his honor on that day and it was a joy to do so.

I have posted some pictures I took (poorly) of his work, but you should definitely make it out to Chelsea to see his exhibition as it runs until March 23rd. See the exhibit, then grab a few beers and argue about something you are passionate about in Alan's honor. I think he would have liked it that way.       

R.I.P Alan Uglow - Artist, Painter, Die Hard Chelsea Supporter, Friend

In the past when I have done a RTBE RIP posts they have been about silly actors, funky musicians, and some slightly forgotten rockers.  Unfortunately this time the passing was a bit closer to home, as Alan Uglow passed away recently from complications of Lung Cancer, he was 69.

 There is a really great piece here in the New York Times worth reading describing his life and his work so I won't go into that stuff, (Sidenote: if you want an interview with Alan about his work, read this!) but it also mentions his love for Chelsea FC and that is where I come into things.

I never knew Alan as a world famous artist, or as a photographer, I just knew him as Alan from the New York Blues who I joined up with in January 2007.  From that first match I met up with the crew down at Nevada Smith's (a shitty 2-0 loss at Anfield to Liverpool...fackers) on that frigid morning at the ass crack of dawn (7:30 if I remember correctly), Alan played a key part of me joining the squad full time.  He came over an introduced himself, and immediately started bitching about Chelsea and their lack of pace....and this was before the match even started!  He was a die-hard fanatical supporter and one of those who were never satisfied with the team until they reached their full potential.

Alan Uglow Backyard at Nevada Smiths Halftime during a Chelsea Match 4-26-08

As soon as the ball was in play he would be on the fellas from the front of the bar yelling "Wake Up Chelsea!" in full fighting spirit.  It would always bring a smile to my face and would inevitably lead to his own song which the NY Blues would sing to him often:  "There's only 1 Billy Idol!" the man's passion was through and through; bone solid.  He was a fighter and even through his sickness he was a tough SOB.   

There is no doubt he will be missed, when Chelsea won the double last year we were ecstatic and even though Alan was too ill to make it to the bar some of the Blues went down to watch the matches with him.  The rest of us called him and sang up a storm over the phone...it was always a blast to know he was joyous with victory after often wanting so much more from the squad.  When he was in good spirits, you knew it was a special day.

It is almost fitting that he passed away right at the end of the transfer season that saw his beloved team sign two new fixtures that will hopefully get us out of the doldrums of this horrific winter...David Luiz and "El Nino" himself Fernando Torres.

With rebirth on the horizon for the squad we bid Alan Uglow a fond fairwell...through his paintings he will be remembered by the world, but through his undying love of Chelsea FC he will be remembered by us NY Blues.  You will be missed chap, but never forgotten...

THERE'S ONLY 1 BILLY IDOL!!!!!!!!