Anya Phillips

Who was Anya Phillips?

Anya Phillips was the manager and girlfriend of New York-based musician James Chance. She was also the co-founder of legendary New York nightclub the Mudd Club along with Steve Maas and Diego Cortez, Anya had an influence on the fashion, sound and look of the New York-based No Wave scene of the late 1970s that continues to be in vogue. She was a friend of Debbie Harry.

She was also involved in New York City's late 70s underground film scene, appearing in Amos Poe's The Foreigner in 1978.

She makes a rare vocal appearance in the recording of the June 1980, James Chance and the Contortions concert in Rotterdam, Holland, to introduce the band and as backing vocals on "I Danced with a Zombie" and "Melt Yourself Down".

She died of cancer in June 1981 in Valhalla, New York