Michael Alig was born in the city of South Bend, located in the state of Indiana. As a founding member of the infamous Club Kids, a group of young club-goers led by Alig and James St. James, he was instrumental in shaping the national underground club scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Throughout his rise to prominence, Alig was mentored by influential figures, including St. James, and played a significant role in promoting the careers of notable Club Kid personalities such as DJ Keoki, Jenny Talia, Freez, Richie Rich, and many others. The Club Kids' outrageous behavior and antics often resulted in their appearances on news programs and television talk shows.
Alig's most notorious parties were held at The Limelight, a nightclub owned by Peter Gatien. Despite being shut down by the police on several occasions, The Limelight reopened several times throughout the 1990s, with Alig's parties becoming the stuff of legend. In September 2003, the club reopened under the new name "Avalon".
The events of Alig's years as a club promoter, culminating in his arrest, were examined in the 1998 documentary "Party Monster" and recreated in the 2003 film of the same name, starring Macaulay Culkin as Alig and Seth Green as St. James. The events are also chronicled in St. James's memoir, "Disco Bloodbath".
Alig was eligible for parole in November 2006, but was denied. He was again denied parole in July 2008 and had his conditional release date set for March 2010. However, his release was delayed after Alig received another ticket for prescription drug use. He was eventually released on parole in May 2014.
