Dave Rubinstein (September 5, 1964 – July 3, 1993)

Dave Rubinstein grew up in Forest Hills, Queens and co-founded the punk band Reagan Youth along with his friend Paul Bakija, who played guitar. They both attended the same high school in Queens (Forest Hills High School) as the Ramones did. Rubinstein later became better known for his stage name, Dave Insurgent.  After graduating high school, Reagan Youth released their first EP and toured the US with bands such as the Dead Kennedy’s, Beastie Boys, The Misfits, and Bad Brains on the Rock Against Racism tour. They were an influential band in the NY punk and hardcore scene and regularly performed at CBGB’s, even when they were still in high school. 

Their music was sarcastic and political; they used KKK and Nazi Party imagery on their albums and sometimes wore authentic uniforms from the two hate groups on stage. Rubinstein was quite vocal about his views about being anti-racist and anti-fascist. Several members of Rubinstein’s family were holocaust survivors. 

By the late 1980’s regular touring, lack of finances, and drug use began to wear them down.  When Reagan ended his presidency in 1989 Reagan Youth disbanded.  At this point Rubinstein was heavily addicted to heroin and occasionally sold it. Another drug dealer violently assaulted him with a baseball bat, putting him into a coma that eventually required him to receive a lobotomy in an attempt to save his life. The combination of addiction and his assault left him apathetic about his anarcho-punk beliefs and friends in the punk scene began to avoid a now disheveled Rubinstein.  

Rubinstein’s girlfriend Tiffany Bresciani worked as a stripper in various clubs in the city and as well as a prostitute on Houston Street (which, if you have been to this area in the last 15 or so years, is now difficult to envision).  Rubinstein would often wait for Tiffany while she went off with a john, and then afterwards purchase heroin with her. On June 24, 1993, Tiffany drove off with a regular customer on Allen St. and Rubinstein waited for her.  When she didn’t return, he looked for her in local hospital emergency rooms. Several days later her body was found by two police officers. She was murdered by the Long Island serial killer Joel Rifkin, who was later linked to murdering several prostitutes.  Despondent over the death of both his mother (who was killed in a car accident earlier that year) and girlfriend, Rubinstein committed suicide less than one week later by overdosing on anti-depressant medication at the age of 28.

Jump ahead to 3:10 or so to hear the music