Steve died the evening of 1/2/25 (aged 73) while strolling in his neighborhood; he had been recovering from his late June cardiac surgery and other complications.
Post on Facebook by Michael Balog The Rock and Roll World has lost one of it’s kindred spirits, a Chicago legend and original character of the nightlife, simply known as Crazy Steve….He worked for over 40 years for concert promotor JAM Productions as the backstage security ambassador….I inherited him at the Riviera Nightclub working a couple hundred shows with me. When I found out he was a fellow Hungarian, well our Rock & Roll gypsy bond was sealed. Crazy Steve meet every artist that ever toured and was a total confidant, local entertainment director and quirky soul of a man. He danced to the beat of his own drum in his leather clothes and captain hat. He was like a shaman in an egotistical World but without an ego. He loved the nightlife and was a fixture around town in the top clubs that pranced when he danced with a mythical whip, original AF. For 3 decades he made thousands in Chicago happy every 4th of July bringing to town a truck full of fireworks from Kentucky. Every July 4th by 8pm he would call me and inform that he had so many cases of left over fireworks, what’s the plan ? One year we took 5 cases of fireworks, a case of Champagne, 30 groupies and the Australian band INXS for a three hour bomb blast of Uptown from the rooftop of the Riviera, unlike anything in Chicagoland….one for the history books. Crazy Steve, Michael Hutchence and myself lite all the fuses to our extreme excitement. You hear about people that never had a bad word for anybody and that everyone liked him, well that was my friend Crazy Steve. My favorite memory with him was in London England were he hooked me up and we went together to the greatest Rock & Roll show ever, tickets and VIP backstage pass to Knebworth Castle featuring Elton John, Eric Clapton, Dire Straits, Tears for Fears, reunion of Genesis with Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel, reunion of Led Zeppelin, Paul McCartney & Wings and Pink Floyd, all in 12 hours. Crazy Steve was part of the Chicago entourage when The Rolling Stones came to town to add to his mystique and fellowship. When I heard he passed at 73 years old after recent heart surgery complications , I felt more earth shaking news of a loss of an era that consumed my early life. He will never be forgotten to many, especially me….may you Rest in Peace
To the ultimate master of merriment and troubadour of nightlife with a hint of madness, always at your service, Chicago style all the way, thank you Crazy Steve !
