99% Invisible by Vivian Le

In 1991, after featuring bands like REM, Guns N' Roses, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Madame Wong's West closed its doors. Esther Wong died from emphysema in 2005 at the age of 88. Even though her legacy was disputed over the years, the LA Times eulogized her as the godmother of punk. These two rock clubs meant so much to people in the punk scene but to someone like Ken, there are just a couple of stops on a walking tour of Central Plaza.