R.I.P. Posts

Synchronicity in Action: How I Met the Late Ralph Abraham

Oct 12, 2024 No Comments

Among the mind-blowing coincidences of my life is how I met the countercultural chaos mathematician Ralph Abraham, who died on September 19. He was a huge influence on me and the moment we met was extraordinary.

Coincidence is not technically the same thing as synchronicity. To believe in synchronicity, you must believe in meaning. And I did.

It was the 1990s and I was a young hippie newlywed in Bonny Doon, the backwoods of Santa Cruz, California. Like a lot of folks, my wife and I lived at the end of a long winding dirt road at the end of another long winding road. It was like a miles-long driveway. People with land out there had sprinkled the place with trailers and shacks, and they let people rent them cheap on the down low. One of those shacks was home sweet home. You could hear the ocean in the distance. The outhouse had no walls or roof, it was just … out.

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R.I.P., Random ,

R. I. P. Florian Chmielewski

Apr 29, 2024 No Comments

Florian Chmielewski, leader of the Chmielewski Funtime Band and a Minnesota state senator from 1971 to 1976, died last week at his home in Sturgeon Lake at the age of 97.

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Music, News and Current Affairs, Politics, R.I.P.

R.I.P. Viking Lounge & Liquor

Mar 22, 2024 No Comments

Fox 21 reports crews were demolishing the Viking Lounge & Liquor building in Superior yesterday. The bar at 1501 N. Fifth St., and its upstairs apartments, were condemned after a Thanksgiving Day fire.


News and Current Affairs, R.I.P. ,

MPR Archive: Crew Jones in 2004

Feb 17, 2024 No Comments

As Duluth mourns the loss of Ben Larson, aka Burly Burlesque of the bands Crew Jones and Southwire, we point to a nearly 20-year-old Minnesota Public Radio piece that introduced listeners to the hot new “north woods rap” group. The segment was produced by Chris Julin and features Chris Godsey interviewing Crew Jones.


History, Music, R.I.P.

R.I.P. Burly Burlesque

Feb 17, 2024 2 Comments

Rest in peace Burly Burlesque, aka Ben Larson, one of Duluth’s best vocalists, lyricists and performers. According to the comments on the Facebook post which broke the news, he died in his sleep. He was newly a father, and a Go Fund Me has been set up to help support his family during this terrible time.

Burly and I weren’t friends but there was a time when we were friendly and familiar in the arts and music scene. I remember seeing him perform for the first time circa 2003. He comprised one-third of the band Crew Jones, and when they hopped up on stage at Pizza Lucé I was like, “Who are these weirdos?” But then they showed me and everybody. Their album Who’s Beach dropped around then; everyone I know from those days speaks of it in reverent tones as a work of genius. A firehose of creativity, the band (Burly, Ray the Wolf, and Mic Trout) all brought their A-game. Their live performances did no less. The album became a must-have and their shows were a must-see. No one could believe these white dudes rapping about life in northern Minnesota could be so legit but there you have it. Like all of the band’s lyrics, Burly’s writing was something great; he was also a master freestyler with an outsized stage presence.

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Music, R.I.P. , ,

Last Video Vision store to close

Dec 29, 2023 1 Comment

The Video Vision movie rental business at 1418 Belknap St. in Superior is holding a closeout sale. Owner Brian Augustine expects most of the DVDs will be gone before winter ends and his indoor tanning business, Superior Tan, will expand.

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R.I.P.

R.I.P. Rex Bar at Fitger’s

Aug 17, 2023 No Comments

Patrons gathered at the Rex Bar Sunday for its last night in business. (Photo by Mike Creger)

Rex Bar at Fitger’s closed Sunday after nearly 15 years in business. It opened in 2008, following a brief period when the bar was called Lido. Prior to that the space operated as the Fitger’s Tap Room.

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Music, News and Current Affairs, R.I.P. ,

R.I.P. Diona Johnson / Di Jay / AfroGeode

Apr 13, 2023 No Comments

Diona Johnson, leader of the Duluth band AfroGeode and the Gemstones, died on Monday at age 35. The Duluth News Tribune reports that the cause of the sudden death remains unknown pending the results of an autopsy.

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Music, R.I.P.

R.I.P. Dave Hill

Mar 04, 2023 1 Comment

Legendary sound designer Dave Hill passed away recently. Driving by his humble-looking shop/studio in the East End of Superior, few would guess that an electronics genius was in there designing high-end audio equipment and selling it to the stars. More at fohonline.com.


Music, R.I.P.

Amazing Grace Café and Grocery closing

Feb 17, 2023 No Comments

Amazing Grace Café and Grocery in Canal Park will close on Feb. 27 according to a news release from owner Connor Riley.

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News and Current Affairs, R.I.P. ,

Obituary of Peter S. Svenson, Minnesota’s Rogue Historian

Feb 04, 2023 6 Comments

August 23rd 1947-January 24th(?) 2022. The historian Peter Sven Svenson died without heirs sometime last week according to his autopsy. He will be buried in Forest Hills cemetery in Duluth after the spring thaw. Speaking as one of his only friends, I have penned this obituary.

A document hoarder, Svenson was practically the state’s analog back-up brain for decades, and its conscience.

He was a popular history professor at UMD from 1973-2002. However, he tussled with the university over the legitimacy of his sources. Then they disavowed his work altogether when issues arose about his statistical analyses. Under pressure, he took early retirement, but sued the university for defamation. He lost.

Svenson went on to self-publish books, monographs, and articles, but struggled to find a paying audience. His most important work was produced during this period. Being his friend enabled my access to his research and unpublished manuscripts.

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History, R.I.P. ,

Miller Hill Mall Perkins leads list of 2022 restaurant closings

Dec 27, 2022 No Comments

The Miller Hill Mall Perkins closed in March after 37 years of service. The national chain still operates at two other Duluth sites. (Photo by Mark Nicklawske)

Restaurants come and go all the time but some seem like they will be around forever. The Miller Hill Mall Perkins is a perfect example. The naugahyde booths, chrome-plated tables, gigantic breakfast menu and sweet pies made each visit feel like the one before — like eating in a time machine that would never end.

But then it did end.

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News and Current Affairs, R.I.P., Restaurants

Duluth Central High School aerial demolition video

Dec 23, 2022 1 Comment

The former Duluth Central High School on the top of the hill was demolished at the end of November. The video above is by Doug Johnson.

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R.I.P., Videos

Demolition of hilltop Central High School underway

Nov 22, 2022 No Comments

Northern News Now reports demolition of the former Duluth Central High School on the top of the hill began this week. The 55-acre property was sold in August to Chester Creek View, a New York developer, for $8 million.


R.I.P., Videos ,

One more tribute to Low

Nov 10, 2022 No Comments

Rick Beato on Low.

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Music, R.I.P.