The newly free former (and future?) Club Kid Michael Alig is an object of fascination for many, despite (and in many cases because of) the fact that he murdered his friend Andre "Angel" Melendez using a hammer and Drano.

Today, the New York Times ran an Alig profile. Consider the following when considering Alig, especially if that consideration contains any degree of hero worship.

Did Mr. Alig find redemption and God in prison? Not exactly. In the months leading up to his release, Mr. Alig had been plotting his return to the New York scene, with plans to create a series of reality TV shows, write a memoir and blogs, mount an art exhibition and, of course, hold a few parties — all by trading on his notoriety.

That's one thing.

...He is writing a memoir with [friend and publicist, Esther Haynes], cheekily titled Aligula, chunks of which he has scribbled with pen and paper (and even toilet-paper rolls). Sample chapters have been sent to two literary agents, but no deal has been signed. The agents were concerned that the chapters didn't express enough remorse, Ms. Haynes said.

That's another.

So does he think of himself as a murderer? "No," Mr. Ailg said the other week before his release. "I think of myself as a drug addict who made some really, really, really poor choices, like the worst choices ever. But I wouldn't say I'm a murderer because we didn't wake up that day and say, 'Let's go kill Angel.' " He laughed at that. "I mean, you know, the distinction, it's very slight. But in another way, it's like night and day."

He still blames the drugs mostly but, when pressed, places some blame on Mr. Melendez himself. "He focused on money," Mr. Alig said. "There were layers of animosity because he was profiting on our downfall, on our addictions. And we really resented him for that."

And look, there's a third. Have fun revisiting Party Monster and the good old days of nightlife.

[Image via Alig's Twitter]