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Dancing Skeleton scooter club co-founder- turned- Che Underground benefactor Elker deMello’s generous bequest of mod-themed photography continues to enrich our understanding of early-’80s San Diego’s scootering classes.
This photographs are far too small for my tired old eyes, but in that first picture I recognize Aubrey on the left, Elker on the right, and “Big Sarah” on the balcony above. That second picture was taken at the PB Denny’s, of course and you can see Crystal Pier in the background. The only other thing I can make out is Kathy Kennedy’s blue Knight Rider car in the sixth picture. I’m absolutely no help at all. The truth is, after all these years, I’ve never actually been on a scooter. No lie.
I think Kathy’s car was white, and it had to be an american-made car, per her father’s request. I spent a fair amount of time in that car going high speeds with the windsheild washer things spraying. (it was fun!)
Right you are, Megan. I remember it did look a little like the space shuttle.
yeah but you always had my dream car, that Valiant.
elker, whatever happened to aubrey?
Were these planned meet-ups before or after a scooter rally, or just informal gathering places to hang out? I missed most of these activities in the mid 80s because of a broken-down Lambretta (with a part needed that I couldn’t find), and later a lack of any scooter (after it was stolen). In the earlier 80s when the scene was much smaller we usually hung out in the day in small groups (at taco shops or at someone’s house) and at night at a party or at the beach (Ski Beach being the most popular destination).
So, I’m not much help here either.
Megan,
Was this the one?
Ava,
Aubrey’s around. I saw him at the Tell-Tale Hearts show at the Casbah last year.
next time you see him tell him to check in here. i’d love to catch up with him.
and yeah, that’s kathys car. space. ship.
Yep, Ray, that’s the one!
Perhaps we spent so much time in her car because this beauty was mine! It had an oil leak and no third gear, but man, what do you expect for $500!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0LdwvteXpQ
“we hope you enjoyed the neil diamond special…”
holy hell.
and megan, thanks a lot. now i will have that insipid jingle in my head for days!
Do you remember “More Meat, Produce, Gro-cer-ies, for Less, at Von’s”? That jingle still fires off in my brain.
Bum-bum-bum … “It’s Joe Albertson’s supermarket, but the meat department is MINE!”
ha! hey, i have one, what, pray tell, do the words cal and worthington inspire in you?
THIS!
there are so many cars i want in that ad. holy crap.
Yes, Aubrey is alive and well I will be seeing him in Las Vegas for the High Rollers weekend. If anyone is planning to be in Vegas or just wants to head out please do I will buy you a drink. We are shipping scooters from the Eastcoast and a few Bostonians will continue on to San Diego for some more events.
Yes the photos are small, if anyone wants more detailed images I would be happy to send them to you let Matt know via email and he can contact me or just find me on myspace.
The pics are of a few different rides. SuperScoot, SeaPort Village and some other LA ride.
Dean I remeber you had a friend I bought a Lambretta from he went to school with my older brother in Chula Vista what was his name?
Elker: I’m not sure. I can’t remember either.
Megan-
Ha! That 1967 Valiant was a great car, but unfortunately died in 1986 on the 5 coming back from Tijuana from a blown head gasket. I had very little money, so a friend of my sister sold me an orange 1970 Datsun 510 for 300! It also had an oil leak, along with a screwed up carburator and a host of other problems. I absolutely hated that car.
Maybe that would make a good topic: cars or scooters/motorcycles we drove/drive.
It’s all worth it to see a picture of Eric Freedom! I ran into him and his wife in SF about 10 years after this picture, and he was excitedly describing a mod/80s/SD history he was writing…never happened of course, but it was nice spending an evening reminiscing with him.
He’s in Seaport V. shot number 2 with the white bird on the back of his parka.
Patrick Works
Recovering Mod
I’ll be at the high rollers and would love to meet up with any old SD Mods. I’ll be on the p of c Alstate with no fenders cowls etc. belching smoke and drinkin Murphies stout.
Has anyone heard from Kathy Kennedy’s ??
She was so sweet and she had an unbalivably beatiful Corvar Manza with a turbo and sand blasted rose on the wind wings. Wind wings wislin as you drove down the road only shut up if you jammed a rolled up match book in just right.
See you there Mike. We crated and shipped scoots out yesterday.
its a Fiat X-19- my parents had the same model in orange- we called it the “Fix It Again Tony” since it was always breaking down. it was after the TR7 and before the Fiero. great site. love checking out different pockets of it every couple of weeks. im so glad someone documented it.
This is a nifty little slideshow of California mods:
That last still in the slideshow is a recent picture of the location of the famous Los Angeles ON Klub, unused currently.
There is a nice shot of some San Diegans at :32, including Simon, Mike Sherman and James Harrell. There are also some shots of the last Crawdaddys lineup with Jack Lopez at around 1:19.
Ray--Do you mean me or some other Simon? I don’t think I’m in there. The guy on the left looks like a youthful me, but I was never a smoker, and I was always a lot shabbier looking than he. Anyhow, my aging eyes can’t recognize anybody in there for sure, so maybe somebody else is me. Or maybe you meant some other Simon…
I did mean you, but apparently my aging eyes are worse than yours! Or perhaps you were holding the cigarette for someone else . . .
This is definitely you: http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=360627999&albumID=553259&imageID=3147509
Well, maybe, but I don’t see it as I’m not on MySpace…
>>Well, maybe, but I don’t see it as I’m not on MySpace…
Simon: Take our word: You look radiant in tassels! (How did you get the parrot to DO that?)
It IS me. And I AM radiant. Thanks, Ray! (I’m dead-center, partly obscured by hair-dos…)
Scott, My Dad drove a Fiat X-19 in the 70s/80s as well. He had the Bertone special in silver. My parents also had an orange Opel wagon, which I took on dates because it had plenty of room, haha! 😉 and a maroon Opel Manta Luxus! I loved Opels.