The Suicide Club was a secret society in San Francisco, which lasted from 1977–82. It is credited as the first modern extreme urban exploration society, and also known for anarchic group pranks. Despite its name, the club was not actually about suicide. Rather the club focused on people facing their fears and engaging in daring experiences.

History

The club was founded by Gary Warne and three friends: Adrienne Burk, David Warren, and Nancy Prussia. The first Suicide Club event occurred on January 2, 1977 during a winter rainstorm in San Francisco, when the four founders met at Fort Point under the Golden Gate Bridge at the top of a wall facing the Pacific Ocean. Waves from the storm were crashing on the rocks below the wall, going up the wall and then crashing on to the top of the wall, soaking the chain. "The four friends took turns grabbing the chain and holding on while the freezing water hit them." After surviving the ordeal, the founders started the Suicide Club.

The club became public in Spring 1977 as a course that Warne taught at the Communiversity in San Francisco (part of the Free School Movement and formerly a part of San Francisco State University) and it lasted until shortly before Warne's death in 1983.

Events generally started and ended in Warne's used paperback bookstore, Circus of the Soul, 451 Judah St near 10th Ave, shared with San Francisco Roommate Referral Service, and next to an Eckankar Center.<!-- https://www.librarything.com/venue/96896/Eckankar-S-F-Center https://eintaxid.com/company/237321420-eckankar-san-francisco-satsang-society-inc-group-return/ https://eintaxid.com/company/237321320-eckankar-sierra-pacific-satsang-society/ --><!-- https://www.flickr.com/photos/10111/371058156 https://www.hummelfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/Jonathan-Koosed https://www.sfgate.com/cars/article/Soul-mate-found-through-personal-ad-ended-up-3281205.php --> The name of the Suicide Club was inspired by three stories written by Robert Louis Stevenson, where men who want to die belong to a club, where each evening one of them is randomly selected for death.

Warne was influenced by dadaism and surrealism. He introduced members of the group to the concept of synesthesia, and he aimed to create experiences that were fantastical and boundary-pushing. As explained by John Law, "The Suicide Club could create an other-worldly, surreal environment. Getting naked on the cable cars was a surreal experience. He wanted a disconnect with 'reality' and a connection with 'super-reality.' 'Cuz knowing you could fall off the bridge and die is a super-real feeling."

Membership

The concept of membership was entirely a fiction that meant no more than participation. There was no membership list, only a mailing list. Initially, there were so-called 'initiation' events, but these had no specific nature or ceremony, they were just adventures intended to bring alive the spirit of the group in each participant. In that respect, every event served as a potential initiation for any newcomers. John Law explained, "The Suicide Club was a secret society, but it lacked any dogma that you had to adhere to (except secrecy)."

The Chinese New Years Treasure Hunt was created by Gary Warne and Rick Lasky in 1977 and continues (albeit in a different form). The Cacophony Society was founded by ex Suicide Clubbers in 1986. Members of the Cacophony Society organized San Francisco's first SantaCon, adopted later and spread throughout the world by the Cacophony Society,

Members

  • Susan Block
  • John Gilmore, co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation
  • John Law

See also

  • The Suicide Club stories by Robert Louis Stevenson
  • Situationist prank

References

  • Suicide Club Official Web site
  • Robert Louis Stevenson short story
  • SF Chinese New Year Treasure Hunt
  • Don Herron
  • Billboard Liberation Front