Punk rock icon Jimmy Webb of Trash & Vaudeville dies at 62, friends and fans remember him as a 'ray of light'

Jimmy Webb, the New York City downtown legend who is popular for his East Village rock n’ roll boutique Trash & Vaudeville, is no more. The stylist breathed his last on April 14, 2020, at the age of 62. 

Little is known about the cause of his death but tributes have been pouring in on Twitter. His close friend, Sebastian Bach, reminisced old days and wrote, “Jimmy Webb was a great friend of mine. I bought every pair of Cuban heeled boots that I wore from 1987 – 2011 at Trash & Vaudeville from Jimmy. Rest in peace brother we will miss you. You came from the time of true rock and roll.”

The store, Trash and Vaudeville, gained immense popularity for clothing punk rock stars, including the Ramones and Debbie Harry of 'Blondie' during the golden age in the 1970s and '80s. The manager and primary buyer at the store that opened in 1975, Jimmy called it “rock-and-roll heaven.” He once famously said, “It’s not rock and roll if your pants don’t hurt.” The store was one of the first to bring Doc Marten boots in style, the British boot which eventually went on to become an international symbol of rebellion.

He opened up his own punk rock boutique, I Need More, on the Lower East Side in 2017.

Legendary music photographer Mick Rock also posted on Twitter, saying, "The death of Jimmy Webb will be breaking many hearts today. He was a beautiful man of rare soul and grace with a huge heart. Unforgettable Character. Sweet Temperament. We will all remember!!" Maureen Van Zandt, wife of rocker Steve Van Zandt, shared a photo, saying, “Farewell, dear Jimmy. The sweetest, kindest, rock and roll soul. I’ll never forget you.”

Filmmaker Jeanie Finlay posted, "Very sad to read that Jimmy Webb of Trash and Vaudeville has died. I filmed with him for my @ifc film @GothCruiseMovie back in 2007. Cameraman Mark Bushnell took these photos after filming. He was an East Village legend. Go well Jimmy #jimmywebb #ineedmore."

Musician Dina Regine wrote, "NYC not only lost a #RockAndRoll fashion icon who dressed just about every artist you can imagine from his days at #TrashAndVaudeville to his LES boutique #INeedMore, we lost a beautiful soul, & I lost a buddy. Farewell #JimmyWebb, you will always be loved."

Fans are heartbroken and can't stop posting about their encounter with him. "I only met Jimmy for like 5 minutes. But in that 5 minutes you caught his positivity. He was a ray of light. Rock in peace!#jimmywebb," one wrote while another posted, "Thinking fondly today of 21 year old me buying a pair of red Tripp jeans to wear in Semi Precious Weapons at Trash & Vaudeville. They were sold to me by the one & only Jimmy Webb who even graciously gave me a discount. Rest in peace, Jimmy. You were real deal NYC RnR. #jimmywebb."

One fan wrote, "Farewell, #JimmyWebb. Such an Icon for the punk culture in NYC and loved by so many people in the music and fashion industry."

Another shared a note Jimmy sent him, "RIP #JimmyWebb you were one in a million! Here’s a note he sent me after receiving my book. #INeedMore@IxNEEDxMORE #ixneedxmore #nycicon."

One fan said, "Sad to hear of the passing of NYC legend #JimmyWebb (of Trash&Vaudeville and I Need More). One of the kindest souls on the planet who did nothing but spread love. I'm lucky to have met him through my friends and honored to call him a friend. An icon who will be sorely missed #RIP."

As a teenager, Webb ran away from home to New York with just one bag of clothes and the same year, Trash and Vaudeville, came into existence. In an earlier interview, he told the New York Times, “Coming into Trash and Vaudeville my first time, I knew I’d found a home and I wasn’t crazy.”

Some of his closest friends include KISS guitarist Ace Frehley, Blondie and Iggy Pop.