Not too long ago, a man named Hilly Kristal died of complications from lung cancer. Though his name might not be a household one, his creation certainly is.

Krystal founded and managed the club, CBGB, the undisputed mecca of punk. If it were not for Hilly Kristal, punk music wouldn’t be even be close to where it is today.

The state of music in the mid-1970s evolved into a social tool, and bands like Television, the Ramones, and the Velvet Underground were making a statement, and oftentimes, their pulpit was the stage at CBGB. That stage broke bands that would eventually change the conception of pop music.

In the heart of New York, for over 30 years, groundbreaking music shined at Kristal’s club. When hard core punk broke in the 80s, CBGB held matinees that would eventually become legendary.

The bands that played the midday shows would eventually revolutionize the way hard music would be perceived. Eventually, Kristal put the nix on these “Thrash Sundays” due to the violent crowds that showed up, and the ban held strong for decades.

Unlike other popular clubs, like 942 Gilman St. in California, CBGB only booked bands that wrote their own material, a trend that would eventually decline in the music industry. Kristal’s belief in the power of music led his club to be the most legendary venue in a country filled with great places to see a show.

At a time in America where punk has become a marketing angle to sell shoes, Mr. Kristal’s impact can not be overlooked. The CBGB logo can be found on shirts anywhere from malls to high schools to skate parks, and the cultural importance it achieved as just a club, is the thing of legends.

New York City eventually closed down the doors of CBGB, claiming thousands of dollars in back rent, despite Mr. Kristal’s objections that he was not informed of a rent increase.

And when the club had its last shows in 2006, the house was packed with influential artists who were impacted by shows they had seen or played at the infamous bar.

Anybody who listened to the Ramones or Red Hot Chili Peppers on the way to class today or has ever owned a pair of Chuck Taylor high-tops they bought at a shoe outlet should take a moment and acknowledge the passing of a man who truly revolutionized music and our perceptions of it.