He passed away last year, but had ceased throwing his parties several years prior. Widely recognized as bringing the S&M lifestyle and aesthetic above ground, promoter James Stone (Club Fuck) and The Fetish Ball (with Joseph Brooks) is often cited as its first and foremost champion in Los Angeles. While fetishism has been around for decades (Bettie Page being one its biggest stars in the '50s), it wasn’t until around the early '90s when its presence in the nightclub scene became prevalent.
