Los Angeles Punk Pioneer and Author Brendan Mullen Dies at 60
- Posted on Oct 13th 2009 10:30AM by Steve Baltin
- Comments (33)
Brendan Mullen, a hugely influential figure in the Los Angeles punk scene of the late '70s and early '80s, died Monday after suffering a stroke at the age of 60, according to the Los Angeles Times. As the owner of famed venue the Masque, Mullen provided the stage for the first shows for a who's who of L.A. punk bands, including X, the Dickies, Fear and the Go-Go's.Originally from Scotland, Mullen moved from London to L.A. in 1973. He opened the venue in 1977 on Hollywood Boulevard after reportedly looking for a spot to bang his own drum, and bells, gongs, and other percussion instruments. Though the club only lasted until '79, it became a part of L.A. lore, also hosting the Dead Kennedys, the Germs, and the Weirdos during its memorable two-year run.
After the club's demise, Mullen became a fixture in the L.A. music community, going onto DJ and book gigs at Club Lingerie and the Variety Arts Center. As impressive as the list of acts who played the Masque is, those he went on to book in subsequent years would make the greatest festival lineup of all time, including Hole, Guns 'N' Roses, Husker Du, Jane's Addiction, Black Flag, Sonic Youth and more. He also could lay claim to introducing L.A. to R.E.M., Soundgarden, the Replacements and the Flaming Lips, bringing all of them in for their debut L.A. gigs.
In later years Mullen turned his attention to chronicling and archiving the L.A. punk world, writing about his own history and that of the scene helped bring to life in 'Live at the Masque: Nightmare in Punk Alley,' 'We Got the Neutron Bomb,' an oral history of Jane's Addiction called 'Whores' and 'Lexicon Devils,' about the Germs.
He is survived by his companion, Kateri Butler, and three sisters. Plans for funeral services are pending.





Reader Comments(1 of 2)
mICHAELat 10-13-2009
Who are these people AOL keeps digging up I never heard of....they die and then they are to be remembered for being a Punk rocker pioneer....sorry about his death...but this is digging deep for news copy!!
Jonat 10-13-2009
Someday someone will say, "Who are The White Stripes"?
sherryat 10-13-2009
michael
why don't you change services or shut up....
sidzgurlat 10-13-2009
Punk in peace, Brendan. I'll always cherish fond memories of pogoing at your club to Pure Hell From Philadelphia.
Vitoat 10-13-2009
Absolutely no loss to the world.
kellyat 10-13-2009
Vito, not only do I not give a shit if you die, I could give a rat's ass if you live. Too bad there isn't a deadly disease that seeks out and only kills buffoons like you.
Shelliat 10-13-2009
Vito, I imagine we'll all be able to say the same about YOU some day. ;)
alan piersonat 10-13-2009
I definately will. probably leave a nice gift there too!
nickat 10-13-2009
Who gives a shit, I worry about the heros overseas protecting us, not slime like this and the liberal DEMOCRATS.
J@m3sat 10-13-2009
nick, why would you say this guy is slime, he come to america to achieve a dream and he did it, he had one of those dream jobs most of us will never have, owning our own little spot where we can listen to the music we want to listen to, and then he had a job booking bands. he has party with some of the greats and to you he is slime, trust me i support the troops with all my heart, my brother has been overseas many times, but this story has nothing to do with them and i kind of feel sorry for you cause evidently you always want to compare what people did to what is going on overseas. that isn't a way to live your life.
Johnat 10-13-2009
Are you really that F ing stupid? Why does everything that happens always hark back to politics and the stinking war? When you die, I will say, "Who cares about some war-mongering, moronic idiot Republican conservative!"
kellyat 10-13-2009
Dear Nick, You just demonstrated precisely what is wrong with conservatives - NO HEART! Be on your selfish, egotistical, bible driven way. You're the real punk.
alan piersonat 10-13-2009
I AM one of those heroes overseas jackass, and as much as i apprecciate your aculades, this man was a hero to many and still has family who are missing him. Show some respect.
johnat 10-13-2009
your an idiot
Rosemary Nicholsat 10-13-2009
Thank you Nick. I agree we need to worry about our true "Heros" protecting all of us, even sadly the pot headed slimes that seem bent on tearing down our Country and It's Constitution.
katat 10-14-2009
Nick-If you don't care, why did you read the article? & not only did you read it but you also felt the urge to comment. It is an obituary of sorts. The man was loved by many and had a large circle of people who cared about him, gone through tribulation with him, and will miss him. Have a little maturity Nick. Oh wait-you're republican. my bad.
Joel Lafargueat 10-14-2009
Kat, it's because even Nick has the unalienable right to be a brainless son of a bitch.
GG-at 10-13-2009
Nick then why read it? Let me guess you're one of those spoon fed, gotta shoot a gun cos your penis doesnt work, hailing all that is "ted nugent", "god fearing" homo phobes... You're the kinda slime your mama should've swallowed.
HankLydonat 10-13-2009
I am a republican and can still be sorrowed by the loss of a punk icon, Growing up in the 80's I loved punk and Regan. It is just a show of immaturity and education level to talk of a person loving guns because they can not get it up. Ted Nugent is a very learned man but so were the original punk's.
GG-at 10-13-2009
Doesnt mean all Republicans are bad... believe me i've smoked pot, and played golf with a quite a few. But you must admit some do walk the line of that stereo type.