Music manager Gary Kurfirst, whose clients included acts such as The Ramones, Eurythmics, Talking Heads and Jane's Addiction, died earlier this week at the age of 60.
From his youth, Kurfirst was involved with the music scene in New York, opening the Village Theater in 1967, later known as the Fillmore East, and facilitating Big Apple debuts of the likes of Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Janis Joplin and The Who, all of whom appeared at the New York Rock Festival he staged in 1968 when he was just 20 years old.
It was at this point that he went into management, and over the course of the next four decades was involved in record sales of more than 100 million units worldwide. During his career he also produced a number of music related films.
Sire Records founder Seymour Stein, who signed both The Ramones and Talking Heads of course, has paid tribute to Kurfirst, saying: "Gary was brilliant in his ability to spot changes in music ahead of most people and had the courage to act on his instincts. Gary was tough, but not cut-throat in business. He could fight hard, but fair and never held grudges. Gary had great style".
Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads said in a statement: "Gary Kurfirst has been our manager since 1977. He never failed to take care of business for us. He protected us. He allowed Talking Heads to be Talking Heads while he took the blows that the music business dealt us. Gary truly was the fifth Talking Head. We were very close friends and we will miss him terribly".