Our Blow Out

Detail: Our Blow Out cassette coverPersonal Conflict bassist Toby Gibson and I have been corresponding about a seminal document in the history of San Diego punk: the “Our Blow Out” cassette. Released in 1983 under the Slow Death label, this compilation featured 34 tracks from 14 bands, including some we’ve discussed before (5051, Personal Conflict, Social Spit, the Injections, Sacred Lies) as well as Battalion of Saints, Manifest Destiny, Moral Majority, the Skullbusters, Men of Clay, Black Tango, the Front, Catch 22 and District Tradition. I remember this tape well as the definitive snapshot of a major slice of SD underground history.

Toby’s a far more acute observer, however. Here’s what he has to say: “I posted this on Dave Klowden’s thread but rethought that, both because ‘Our Blow Out’ will make a decent topic on its own and because I didn’t want to detract from the topic of how great 5051 were. But District Tradition were pretty great in their own right, and I think Tommy Rulon could have taken that thing a lot farther. Musically speaking.

“As much as 5051 reminds me of everything great about tight, fast, crisp-sounding bands like the Adolescents, I think District Tradition could have shared a stage with TSOL any day.

“I also really dug the Front, after the fact. I actually think I only saw 5051 twice; District Tradition once (on an afternoon in Mission Beach, playing in an empty house); and as far as I can remember, I never saw The Front.

“San Diego was pretty well represented on this compilation all the way around, I think- The Skullbusters, Injections and Men of Clay … I also thought the North County bands held their own: Manifest Destiny, Sacred Lies and Moral Majority.

“Here’s the stuff:”

Battalion of Saints: Witch World

District Tradition: Our Blow Out

The Front: Throw Away Your Youth

District Tradition: Psychedelic

Black Tango: Ritual

District Tradition: Voices from Below

Battalion of Saints: Modern Day Heroes

Manifest Destiny: Circumstantial Evidence

Men of Clay: Why Can’t They

Men of Clay: Ban Religion

Manifest Destiny: Ku Klux Kompany Man

Personal Conflict: Step Too Far

Moral Majority: Internally Swimming

Moral Majority: Pop Factory

Manifest Destiny: British Mess

Personal Conflict: Rich

Manifest Destiny: Null

Personal Conflict: Won’t Do It

Moral Majority: Well Fed

Sacred Lies: Sound the Siren

Skullbusters: No Comment

Social Spit: Kids from Nowhere

Injections: Panther Anthem

Injections: Jimmy Hoffa

Injections: Police Attack

5051: El Salvador.

Catch 22: Room 23

5051: Target of Insanity

Skullbusters: Rat Race

Sacred Lies: Bored with the 80s

Sacred Lies: Fuck the Public

Social Spit: Media Maniac

Social Spit: Reagan Gun Club

Catch 22: Last Breath

143 thoughts on “Our Blow Out”

  1. Oh shit- the stuff you leave out, y’know?

    Not to detract from bands like the Brood, Blood Lake (Escondido?), Ministry of Truth (?), Diatribe, and any others I left out and or who weren’t on that compilation.

    Also several people have commented over the years about Dave Sharp’s seminal presence in the San Diego Punk Scene- he was there super early on with the Executives (among any other projects he may have been involved with) and was always game to play, record, perform- whatever- he was just all about playing music. I also have heard from a couple people that he had built a studio and had recorded quite a few bands over the years, and probably has a pretty impressive stash of old S.D. punk masters. Dave was also always game for some action.

    Dave Sharp (Playing Guitar) and Mike Jenks as the Executives- North Park Lions Club- 1980
    Dave Sharp- Executives

    Can anyone help me out with who that is singing?

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  2. I loved Dave Sharp — he was one of the coolest, happiest guys around. I’ve tried to e-mail him to come visit us here but haven’t heard back … Who’s got a copy of the Executives’ record?

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  3. BTW, who here interacted with Milo Aukerman when Milo went to college at UCSD? I remember he had some nice things to say about Noise 292 after seeing us play the Che. But I was never clear on how much he interacted with the local music scene during his San Diego education.

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  4. That’s mike jenks of the executives.the first time I saw them they were called Conflict,august of 1980 at the blind center on Park Blvd.social Spit opened,it was their first show with scabs(Bruce Atwell) on vocals,Dave Fleminger and Squirrel on guitars,Squirrel’s brother Scott on bass and Brian the surfer on drums.This was my first show,scabs recruited me from the Pop Shoppe in tierrasanta where he worked and I went there every day after school in tenth grade for candy or microwaved stewart sandwiches.Remember the pizzarino?i do.anyway I digress and devolve… The Nutrons had second billing,definitely a great band to see for my second show,and the Stingerz from LA headlined.I had hair down to my shoulders but went on the dancefloor anyway,lucky I didnt get beat up just for that,some dirtheads talkin shit in the park that night did,some punks chased them down Upas street hill and put the boot in as it were.Next time i went out with Scabs we went to a party in Bonita wher I saw Dave Rinck get his first haircut(i think) from Kim Hideous.After that,the next weekend I believe,I asked Scabs to cut my hair.My dad was a little uncomfortable when he woke me up the next morning and all my hair was gone.Ha Ha!That was just the beginning though.I cant thank you enough for posting these tracks,if ther are more please post those too.Milo was in a band called Milestone,I believe 89-91 or somewhere there abouts,also playing a lot of che shows and house parties.They were a damn good band,I sang in a couple of bands back then,Bizarro Sun and Dog,I believe we played a few shows and parties with them,along with bands like Pitchfork,Crash Worship,Plum Daisy and daddylonglegs,crankshaft, nightsoilman,Fishwife and some others.That was a great scene too,in a way it gave birth to the whole Casbah scene,as Tim wasnt sure he wanted to do anything besides acoustic shows when he first opened.I suggested he do a show with some bands from this scene which was an all ages scene at the time,I believe the first one he did was maybe pitchfork and fishwife,and from there it just kept going.

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  5. By the way,I wrote the lyrics to Media Maniac by Social Spit,it went uncredited on the album and I’m sure on this tape too.I saw them play about 4 years ago and they played it that night,Cliff gave me a shout out when they played it,so I now have been credited.

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  7. Ahhhh…. Those were transferred for me by a mutual friend of ours- Ron Clark from Minneapolis. The tape I sent him wasn’t labeled and he just transferred them real quick as a favor and posted them on a share account for me. I wondered where the Black Tango track had gone.

    The Poppe SHoppe! I forgot about that weird quirk in american culture. I used to frequent the one in Tierresanta also. I won a case of soda from there on a KGB call in, as well as a 10CC record. It had a guy and a fish on the cover. I dont think I ever actually listened to it. As far as Milo and me, I only ever saw the Insolents once- at Che Cafe.

    Thanks for identifying Mike Jenks for me. I’m trying to label as many photos as I can.

    Another photo of Dave Sharp, suitable for hanging:

    Dave

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  11. In the second video, about 2/3 of the way through (right after closeup of the guy with his eyes shut tight) there’s a close up of a girl with short blond hair and bangs and a big smile…is that Pam Palmer?

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  12. Okay- first video by order of appearance (except for the crowd shots)

    Leigh Snyker (Blonde) with unidentified brunette
    Shelby Solbieu (Blonde) (Lloyd’s girlfriend- personal conflict)
    Kim Lewis (Blonde-seated)
    Dave Hinge (Making Face)
    Greg Pirtle (from Moral Majority)
    Greg getting in a fight with unidentified hispanic looking guy.
    Backlit Silouettes
    Jason Seibert (Poway punk- now famous chef)
    (Couple from I.B.- ran with Men of Clay)
    George Anthony
    John Tonere aka Testiclehead
    Chris Smith from Battalion of saints
    Dan Mehlos (Personal conflict, The Front, Men of Clay) and Sheri Fredriks
    Me making face
    Barry Farwell
    Lloyd Masing (personal conflict)
    Dan Mehlos
    Testi
    Band playing, Dave Sharp on guitar, Lloyd singing, Sherri Fredriks on Bass, Dan playing drums- the last lineup of Personal Conflict (I think- John Murray played bass at one point towards the end) Around October of 83.

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  13. The girl with the blonde hair who appears right after Mike Woods flashes a peace sign (oh the irony) is Kasey Mccarthy from Cardiff.

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  14. The connection with Milo and the Insolents is that he lived with them in an apartment on campus at UCSD. I “interviewed” the Insolents when I was like 15 or 16 and I remember they were more interested in talking about what a genius Milo was than talking about themselves.

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  18. Yeah, Cliff’s checked us out and has said he’ll contribute … He hurt his wrist a while back and said he had to heal up to type.

    Last I’d heard — looooong ago — Lou was back here in NJ. Can we lure him on?

    Casey McCarthy! Cool … I need to invite her brother Mike on board.

    This is a wonderful film, Toby. Were you the shooter? The little bit with Dave Sharp doing the Charlie Chaplin tip o’ the hat alone is worth the price of admission.

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  19. I recognize a lot of the people on those videos, but dont know who they are. I guess they were just people I used to see around at shows.

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  20. Ok I guess I should follow through with the dirt. Don’t get me wrong because I’m certainly not out to paint Dave as a shady character. I’ve always liked him and I remember him as one of the older punks who always remembered my face and was really nice when I was just a runt, but this is the story as I remember Joel telling me at mesa college 10 years ago;

    Personal Conflict had played a gig with Dave’s band somewhere in SD. After the show Sharp ended up with Personal Conflicts guitars and amps somehow. Basically Joel said Dave had stolen the gear. Lioyd and Joel figured out that Dave had their stuff and where he lived with his mom in north county. They drove to his house to confront him and his mom answered the door. She told them he wasn’t home and Joel politely explained that Dave had somethings of theirs and that he wasn’t leaving until it was returned, at which point he walked past her into the house and found Dave’s room with their guitars and amps inside it. Upon further inspection they found Sharp hiding in his closet. Instead of beating him up they got him to play in the band.

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  24. Thanks so much, Toby for posting those videos. It’s one thing to see still photographs, but a film tweaks the memory in incredible ways. Was this Super 8? God, I miss that format.

    It’s amazing how young everyone looks. As a teacher, I spend a lot of my time around high school aged kids, and know that nowadays they do not spend nearly the same amount of time unsupervised, roaming the streets as we did.

    There are some great shots here, as Jerry pointed out, of Garris and Terry Marine, who are both looking pretty good. I did a double take at Greg Pirtle. He went to Dana Jr. High School with me in Point Loma, and made my middle school years a living hell! I never did see Moral Majority play, but the tracks here are great, kind of British punk influenced. Thanks again.

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  25. When I was in 6th grade Clay from Men Of Clay was a student teacher in my class. All my surfer friends thought he was a “punker weirdo”. I thought he was cool. Ten years later he was a roadie for my band, Tit Wrench.

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  26. On the topic of Milo at UCSD. Before Bobby sang for Bizarro, we used to have these rogue practice sessions where we would just find an empty study room in a bungalow at UCSD. Milestone had just formed and were without a singer up until that point. Milestone had actually come out of my first band, PG13 (which had future Rocket From The Crypt alumni, Pete Reichard on bass and Sean Flynn on drums, and future Morlock Rob “Leroi” Neafke. Also, the band’s early practices were in the garage of Tomy Suarez’s parents house, and his brother, Didiet, was the first drummer), when I introduced our guitar player Chris Maggio to Jovi Butts and his friend Bob in the hopes that they would become our new rhythm section. Anyhow, Milestone used to practice in the same room as Bizarro. We show up to practice one evening and there’s this guy who looks like Charles Manson with long hair, a beard, and Buddy Holly spectacles drinking a large cup of 7-11 coffee by himself in the room. He introduces himself as Milo and says he’s waiting for Jovi and Chris cuz he’s gonna watch them practice. I didn’t put two and two together until the next time I saw Milestone practice and this guy was singing for them. They were a great band. I have a cd somewhere of the only existing recording of them from a radio spot at KSDT. When I dig it up, I’ll post mp3s. I remember one show e played with Milestone where Milo was running late for the gig. They asked me to fake my way through their set and sing for them in his place. I went for it and it was pretty funny and humbling about halfway through the third song when I get a tap on my shoulder and Milo’s standing there looking pretty amused. I handed him the mic and let him do his thing. I’m pretty sure I introduced him to the woman he’s married to to this day.

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  28. Whose house/yard is this, Toby? I don’t remember any captive raccoons!

    (All this stuff is pure gold … I’ve been listening to selections from “Our Blow Out” compulsively every time I sit down at the computer.)

    Let’s get Lou on here … We’ve been trying to track down Joanne, but no luck so far. (I adore her and hope she surfaces.)

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  29. The first part is 365 Sunset in Encinitas, Lisa Miller’s parent’s house (my ex and ex-in laws). Lloyd found the raccoons under a mobile home that was going to be fumigated and Lisa’s mom had them for like 14 years.

    The party is somewhere on Cherry Street in Carlos Malo (bad carls). Some guys that Lloyd worked with lived there.

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  30. Toby: While we’re mapping North County hot spots, where’d you live in Encinitas? I remember a couple of amusing/alarming episodes in your kitchen … IIRC, you were pretty near the beach.

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  31. I lived with Max Brown and Dugan Dimmet at D street when I first got there, then I lived wherever I could crash for quite a while. Then I lived with Jeff and Doug Gudgeon for a month or so. After that I rented a room from the Donnellys (Stella Donnelly was a punk who lived up in Venice with Jennifer Clark, Bruce Donnelly hung out with Jake Decoux ffrom Sacred Lies and some of the foreign exchange mods- ceryl and Jeuban and those guys- there were a couple more donnelys- I can’t recall the girl’s name but she was mentally fragile, and the oldest brother Mark was an old D-street local and kind of a bad guy- I recall Doug Naggy and Joey Carter and the rest of the Bad Co guys being wary of pissing him off.)

    After that I lived in a camper behind Lisa Miller’s parents house (365 Sunset). I had finished school right around then and so I went to work on her dad’s fishing boat. Our house was way mellow- not a hot spot per se. Kasey and Mike Maccarthy’s house was a popular mod/punk crossover hangout, along with Lous Records, the Alligator Pit, Billy Bob’s Wood Pit BBQ (Above Moonlight, next to Moonlight Glassing and the La Paloma- where a big shopping center the Rotcheks put in sits now). And of course the Alligator Pit. Prior to me getting there there was the Red House on D Street (above the railroad tracks across from Value Fair) and the Ragpile (on the street that parallels the beach, like four blocks south of D street.)

    The Demise of the Alligator Pit:

    Alligator Pit

    There was a band that was very clean and tight that has never gotten any recognition because they barely played out at all. In Cardiff there were some brothers who’s last name was Macfarlane, and they lived nearly right above Sanoland (the skate spot.) They played stuff that sounded clean and tight like Agent Orange and they were really good. They were really young and way mellow and apparently just weren’t into self promotion.

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  33. I ran into Bobby lane at the Swami rekkid swap at the bar Pink elephant, and we both talked about this blog, and how the points between people, events all have some degree of connectivity. I mentioned C. squire and Bobo. I mentioned remembering that my brother played in some version of Milestone and going to Bobo parties and how squire hung out at the suarez garage of practice. And sure enough, he mentions it! small world! Squire: if you go to the oak st cafe in Carrolton, say Hi to Brad Wilkins. He was the drummer in Manual scan and he owns the cafe! He spent way too much time in the suarez Garage.

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  34. Talk about small world- my sister lives in New Orleans and called me back about six months ago to ask me if I know him. Apparently she has breakfast there all the time, and they had just figured out that they’re within the six layers of separation.

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  36. That photo is of Bob Satterlee,he was the singer for Men of Clay,we were on the Coronado High track team together in 1979.That girl was his long time girlfriend and I am embarassed to admit I cant remember her name,because we were actually friends at some point.Bob’s Dad was the coach of that track team by the way.

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  40. Thanks! I’m trying to identify everyone in the video. Any help is appreciated. I have all the easy ones. (Garris, Terry Marine, Chris Nutron, etc…)

    I was actually after Bob Saterlee’s name. I knew his name was Bob but (oddly enough) for years I mistakenly referred to him as Bobby Lane. I’ve always sucked at remembering names.

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  41. That’s just plain wierd.I read a comment on some blog somewhere where the person had mentioned my name in relation to men of clay and the weathermen.musta been you,Toby.

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  45. That is the late Gary Vitalis (Goode) with the combed back blonde hair and sideburns in the last 2 films. These are great! Have you given copies to Eric Rife for his documentary?

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  47. If anyone can help me with any information on the Executives like pictures, stories, movies or whatever, I’m Mike Jenks daughters boyfriend and I’m trying to put some stuff together for him. He has more music shit than anyone I know except his own. If anyone knows Mike or about the Executives anything would help. My email is [REDACTED]

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  48. Thanks a lot I appreciate that. I will have Mike check this out I’m sure he has plenty of things to share.
    This site is rad looking forward to hearing back!

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  50. Dominic -- I’ve got a fold-out picture sleeve from the Executives EP that has pictures of the band. Is that something you already have? If not, I can scan it for you.

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  51. Dean that would be awesome Ive never seen it! I really appreciate it. If you could send it to Mmrothenberg’s email they posted above they can forward it to me. Thanks soo much! Dom

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  54. the photo above is myself, and BOB Common, then singer in MEn of Clay! Ahhhhh to be young and drunk and dancing to punk! Those were some fun fun days. Lisa Love is well and Marl has passed away. What happened to Dan Mehlos???

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  58. I can send Dan your email. Send it to Msr M’berg and he’ll send it to me. This is all very formal and top secret. I’m sure Matt could send your email to Kevin Chanel- I don’t think I have his but I do think his myspace is Scheming Intelligensia Records? Is that correct? I’ll look and see if I have his email when I get home from work.

    I slept on your couch once- After a FEAR show at fairmount hall. I think Lloyd convinced you to let me stay there because I needed to be in I.B. that weekend. I was told FEAR and Dave Sharp came over and played quarters on your living room table with me sleeping beneath it. I was a nomadic bass player couch surfing through life. Sometimes I missed shows because no one could contact me to tell me we were playing. All the time random people would come up to me and tell me that Lloyd said we were playing somewhere on such and such a date. Blissfully free of cel phones.

    We played at Lisa and Marl’s house in I.B. that weekend and the cops came three times, and every time they arrived we hid all the instruments in Martha’s room and told them we didn’t know what they were talking about.

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  59. Lisa “Love” Is now Lisa MacDonald, married to the guy she was with right before the late Marl, John “January” MacDonald, Men o’ Clay guitarist and one-time Front guitarist…I think.

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  60. That would be Marl Mckracken (sic?). I still talk to his brother Bill via email sporadically. Jeff Marino and I stayed with him in the Haight in 82 on our Fear and Loathing inside an overheating Volkswagen trip. Today Bill plays in a pretty likable band in Grand Junction the name of which now escapes me.

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  61. Right on, You guys are all up to speed… I hadnt gotten to the Bill story or the John and Lisa story yeteither, but I am happy that its all gettin out there. YEa, Bill and his bride Robin are kick ass musicians, in 2 rockin bands. Bill has a my space gig. check it out! Sorry bout the quarters….we shoulda drug ya to a bed or sumpin. I am sure we have become better hosts.
    kevin, above, is that you Chenel??? its your den mother, the brownie maker! write me , at the addie above.
    ( its me , gave the ‘Satterlee name back to Bob…) trix

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  62. I have some epic photos and a video of Men of Clay , when they were on the mexican Tv show ” Juan Luis Presents”…Classic stuff to share if you let me know how…

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  65. Trixie- no worries about the quarters- your place was one of the nicer (and safer) places I slept at that time. Way better than on a school roof or in a Goodwill bin.

    I’m sure Eric Rife would be ecstatic to borrow your Men of Clay footage for his documentary on earlier San Diego punk (though I don’t know where he’s at on that.) Film footage of that time and place is so rare.

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  68. Toby, thats why they called me the den mother. I always had a safe lil campsite for wayward musicians, and strays. NIce to know that Imy home rated above the good~will bin. I am flattered.

    What a time huh!!? We saw Tons of bands, in a bunch of cool venues, for little or no money. Both in the US and Mexico…those were some lucky days for music and dancing and stage diving, with maximum hair products and young punks perfecting projectile vomit…( after playing quarters , perhaps…? ) 0utside the lions club….lots of expression goin on then.

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  69. Yes- prior to 1978 I don’t think projectile vomiting was considered performance art. The world is a better place for our contribution.

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  70. It’s all true! I’m alive and well livin’ in the lusty dusty crusty west. good stories about the parties,projectile vomiting etc…it seems eko/trixie has all the memorabilia. Lets have it girl, do share, i have had several inquiries about those probably hundreds of pics i know you have.

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  71. “EKO”. See- that’s a name I remember. No fair operating under the nom du pleur!! (says the guy with like at least four commonly used names.)

    I remember Eko- she was cute and larger than life and upbeat and confident and way out of my league. The couch is where a guy like me sleeps in that environment (until he’s shoved under the coffee table by FEAR)(and of course seminal good guy Dave Sharp). Geez- my memory- I couldn’t remember three letters? Two vowels and a consonant? Such is life.

    Bob Saterlee- Aloha! You were also always super pleasant and a really agreeable guy, despite my penchant for Chaos and wreckage. Plus I called you the name of a respected SD Flier and tattoo artist for about Twenty-odd years.

    Cheers and Aloha and HI!

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  72. Toby

    I’m pretty sure I can name the unamed brunette at the start of the 83 punk video you posted above..in fact she was the one who told us about Matts Blog
    that looks a lot like our friend Eve

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  73. YOU are killing me Toby!! NO one remembers the Eko Zecutive but YOU!!! and Bob…of course. Never outa your league, I am sure…But it seems I was tooo busy goin to shows and hosting cool after parties and stuff….to even notice that there were “leauges” I guess.

    And just so you know, we flipped a coin to see who would get the honor of shoving you off the sofa and under that coffee table. I lost. And I am glad, for it makes a much more interesting story this way! dem were the days, my friend! Heck, I got to eat monster cereal ( frankenberry / count chocula ) with the Misfits , after a long night. They played Adams Ave ( I thiink..??) And then we went and partied at Marc Rudes . Til breakfast, obviously

    Bob, simmer down . I gotta get it ORGANIZED and then I ll get it out there.

    I gotta get back to the living room of JOY!

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  74. Gosh Toby,
    I hope that the coffee table of FEAR isnt the reason that you are a LIFE HATER! I glad that we didnt have an ottoman at the time, or you’d really be jacked UP!

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  75. re:
    the punk video
    and identifying people in it

    quote:
    “Greg getting in a fight with unidentified hispanic looking guy.”

    I’m not hispanic…but that guy is me
    I dont believe Greg and I ever fought btw

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  77. Nope- I got my LIFEHATER name from a guy who wasn’t even a punk- Mission Beach’s own Todd Bolt (RIP). He used to do transactions with swabbies out of a house in MB and those guys were usually fresh off the farm and in the city for the first time. I was on a year long binge and looked like death warmed over- mohawk, pale and gaunt, clad in torn jeans, combat boots, a torn up T-shirt and a leather. I walk into Todd’s house and he looks up and sees me and decides to play with the swabbie’s heads and says, “Hey Lifehater- how’s it going?” and I just rolled with it. Weeks later we were having the last week of pain (my last week in MB anyhow) before vacating MB for the Briton street house, and in a drunken night at Abbey’s house (unflatteringly impressed in my memory as “flabby abbey”- a name not surprisingly coined by Mike Woods and Wally) I got the LIFEHATER tattoo on my head. I found it more “core” than Thunderbird, and usually being the youngest and sparest guy around, needed the boost for my ailing masculinity.

    I’m more happy with the image of Fear and Dave Sharp and a few others palying quarters on the glass tabletop as I have a drunken snooze below.

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  78. An epistemological debate gone wildly awry!

    Do you remember the time Henry Rollins (visiting San Diego for the first time with Black Flag) was egged on by Art and Chuey about the nature of Plato’s Cave? We all know Henry was never afraid to engage in vigorous stageside debate, but even he has said San Diego had some of the most formidable rhetoriticians on the entire concert circuit.

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  79. toby, i love your stories. and i find it very cool that you came from such a distantly dark place to the really good life you now have. such is the path of someone who struggles with and then embraces their true self. you’re an inspiration to me.

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  80. Aw shucks… (Blushes.)

    Ava said: “Distantly dark place”

    Of my own making, possibly- we’re all from the same place- adolescence.

    From Repo Man:

    Duke: I know a life of crime led me
    to this sorry fate…And yet, I blame society- society made me
    what I am.

    Otto: Bullshit! You’re a white
    suburban punk, just like me.

    Duke: But it still hurts.

    Otto: You’re gonna be all right.

    Otto: Maybe not.

    My life isn’t really that great, but I work on stuff and get better every day. The last seven years have been much harder than the first thirty-six, on my own for the first time since I was 17 and all that includes- it’s been no cake walk, actually. But yeah- LIFEHATER was kind of a self-fulfilling prophetic joke. I was called “Toby Cat hater” for a time, though I had no axe to grind with the kitties. When I got the tattoo I was crazy, but really- I don’t remember a time when I experienced anything that resembled hating life even in an abstract way.

    Matt said: “Toby Oldladyacrossthestreethelper!”

    And yeah- I recall even back when I was 18 I remember my future ex-mother-in-law telling me a lady came by to return my jacket because I had stopped on the highway as she was trying to figure out how to collect the remains of her recently run-over and killed dog from the line of traffic. Even when I was Tobylifehater, I stopped when I saw her on my way home from work and rolled this dead dog into my surplus army parka and lifted it into her car and told her don’t worry about the jacket- I just felt bad for the lady being all distraught about her dog and at a loss for what to do.

    Despite some of the heinous shit I pulled way back, I was just lost and trying to find my way (and I had little tolerance for bullshit besides my own, and few resources to deal with that.) There came a time early on when I decided I’d never be on the wrong side again. And I suppose if it meant I might change some of the good stuff that has come to me in my life (my kids and friends, broken hearts and lost loves) if I had it to do over again, I wouldn’t do anything different.

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  81. there is 3 maybe 4 other faces in that video I can name the people..
    friends from Milwaukee
    it was a slow migration
    most of my friends who came to visit and ended up going to the shows with us were long haired stoner types
    ans inspired some vigerous yelling matches

    I remember the first time I met Art and Chuey at Cliff Cunninghams
    Chuey wanted to beat up my friend Steve..who had a baby face and already looked like a victim..lol
    I stood up for him
    and headed out the door first
    I didnt want to be put in the position of getting hit the second I walked out the door
    the second I waled outside
    Art pulles up..and my sister Shari..and Chris and George from Batallion of Saints
    all pull up in about the same time

    my sister can see what a disaster this is probably going to end up as and starts trying to tell Art and Chuey who we are and why we are there…
    long story short
    I think I earned some cred..for not backing down from an eminent beat down..
    and sticking up for my friends
    I ended up getting along with both Art and Chuey and the rest of the guys pretty well
    played softball with them on sundays in the park
    I never got my ass kicked though
    interesting times those were…

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  82. MadMike: I’m sad I never recognized this mini-Milwaukee migration! That town is kind of iconic for me … Not there long, but it was a crucial little fulcrum in my development.

    And I just really like and emulate that certain sharp but generous wit that savvy folks from that part of the country exercise: Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio. (Don’t know if I’ve ever met an Indiana rocker!) Everyone from Iggy Pop to Cheetah Chrome to Belushi to the Femmes to SCTV … Really an important creative engine, and I’m proud to claim even nominal citizenship.

    I’ve mentioned my wife’s from Grand Rapids, and her family represents everything I like best about that region. I felt at home as soon as I met them.

    PS: Of course I don’t know your friends … They might simply have wanted to kick my ass! 🙂

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  85. Wow! small world….do you remember me? Do I remember you?

    Does Shari remember me? Sorry, but what a blast from the past !!

    Did we live together for a short time…in another world.

    bruce

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  86. Bruce..didnt we change your clutch in a VW mini van..yes I remember you Lemon Grove wasnt it?

    if your The Bruce Smith…lol
    that was you wasnt it?

    how the hell have you been?

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  88. MadMike -- wrong Bruce. Ask your sister. Are you her younger brother?? I stayed with you guys for a while.

    She dated Chris Neutron, right??

    Bruce

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  93. Wow! I missed this thread before. very cool. Got listen to some of the tunes and will be back for more…and the video….
    Funny to see Chris Squire on here, we new each other as young punks, we are of the same generation.
    Funny also to read the stuff about Milestone, I saw one of my oldest frineds Tim King around christmas, we had not seen each other for like 20 years, well the funny part is Tim sang for Milestone for a few months after Milo left.

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  94. “MadMike -- wrong Bruce. Ask your sister. Are you her younger brother?? I stayed with you guys for a while.

    She dated Chris Neutron, right??

    Bruce”

    Bruce, yes I’m her younger brother..I know you stayed with us a while…”79: or so, wasnt it?

    yes she dated Chris neutron-batallion of saint Smith
    it’s been a while…
    the clutch must have been some one elses

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  95. Wow! this is crazy -- kind of like hearing from ghosts, to me.

    How is your sister -- How did Chris Die??

    It’s funny how your sister was indirectly related to a ton of posts on Injections thread. ‘splain later.

    bruce

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  96. Bruce..send me an E-mail..

    Matt..
    would you please give Bruce my E-mail?

    “Wow! this is crazy -- kind of like hearing from ghosts, to me.”

    no kidding…lol

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  102. “How did Chris Die??”

    Chris had an accident from what I head he slipped and fell in a bathtub
    I had also heard stories that he OD’d, but I believe the first story is closer to the truth

    I remember Chris mentioning more than once that he thought he would die in the shower…

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  103. Strange….I’m assuming your sister was no longer with him at this point ?? I guess you would no more.

    How is your sis, and does she remember me??

    I like Chris, although we almost had a real rumble once. Maybe I would have won?? Anyway, an angel stepped in and saved me……

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  104. your correct Bruce

    Shari and Chris were already broke up by then..Shari married Barry Farwell
    the bass player for the Saints..had a baby girl with him
    he is dead now

    I spoke with my mother last night, but wasnt able to get a hold of Shari. she is still in San Diego
    my mother said to say hello

    and to say hello to Joanne as well

    last phone number I had for Shari isnt working…when I talk to her I’ll let her know,
    or possibly put you in contact with her?

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  105. Chris might have acted all tough..but honestly I dont think he was much of a fighter

    brass knuckles eh?…lol

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  107. Thanks so much Mike -- appreciate all the news.

    Grandma…..

    Chris and I were equally matched then.

    Why are so many of us dead???

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  108. bruce, that’s because we were all of the live fast, die young and leave a good looking corpse persona. thank heaven i stopped when i did and got it together.

    the story that haunts me is chris who only rode a bike and his terrible end. we were hanging out only a month before that and i still wish that the justice system hadn’t failed him to the point where he felt he had no other choice but to take the law into his own hands.

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  109. “Chris and I were equally matched then.”

    yeah..as I remember it you werent much of a fighter either Bruce

    I dunno why so many of us are dead?
    I dont know why I’m not
    I dont know a lot of things…

    I miss those dead friends a lot though

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  110. >>take the law into his own hands

    Ava: Are you talking about Chris Jarhead?

    I think we have a two-Chris conversation happening here, or else I mixed up my dry-erase markers.

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  111. Bruce and I were talking about Chris Smith
    he died before Chris Jarhead

    Matt you got your dry erase makers,with the right marks on them

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  112. WAIT !! I’m getting confused. I’m talking about Chris Neutron. Dated Shari Fredericks. Almost got into big fight with me. Stopped by Robin.

    What’s that crack about me not being a good fighter. yo!

    Who took the law into their own hands.

    I don’t think I ever really had the live fast, die young, mentality. I just loved the guitar, girls, stage, drugs,…….

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  113. I had the live fast die youn leave a relatively good looking corpse thing. I’m such an underachiever.

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  114. Kind of a suburban Travis Bickle.

    I lead an interesting life sometimes. Was nearly attacked by a transvestite last night walking down Kapiolani Boulevard. Apparently when someone asks for a light “I don’t have one” is not the correct answer. She/he had a change of heart when I laughed and stood my ground. She/he had no idea that I was laughing at the absurdity of me wondering how it will look for me to be on the sidewalk there beating the ever loving shit out of this woman in a dress. Life is bizarre.

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  115. Toby: What should you tell a transvestite when she asks for a light on Kapiolani Blvd.?

    (Someone will Google this someday, and accurate answers may avert tragedy.)

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  116. The correct answer is, “But if I’d known you were going to be here, I would have brought one. Good luck.”

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  117. And yes- I still think of stuff like that as a laugh and a good time. The instances come up rarely, which is fine with me- I’m getting too old to do that stuff. It takes longer and longer to recover. But yeah- I’m permanently warped like that.

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  120. What an awesome little scenario !

    Mr Lifehater…you seriously crackkkkkkkkkkkk me up. I feel like the grasshopper next to you at times.

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  122. I am a bonafide psycho magnet- no shit. Historically, this has been true. I don’t mind so much really- though sometimes it’s kind of nice to watch when it happens to someone else.

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  123. the raciest thing i have done recently is… waiiiit for it…

    played war with cards with my kid in an ice cream shop.

    yeah. for real.

    but i’m still going to leave a good looking corpse.

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  124. “WAIT !! I’m getting confused. I’m talking about Chris Neutron. Dated Shari Fredericks. Almost got into big fight with me. Stopped by Robin.”

    Bruce

    Chris Neutron had a last name..it was “Smith”
    we were talking about the same person

    Chris Smith was also the Battalion of Saints lead guitar player..until his death

    “What’s that crack about me not being a good fighter. yo!”

    I didnt mean to offend you…

    let me ask you this

    if you felt you were such a good fighter..why would you need brass knuckles to fight Chris Smith?

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  125. I was not a good fighter … However, I was a really formidable staying-out-of-the-wayer!

    I trained for years, anywhere I could. (I’d regularly spend hours in a meat locker avoiding running into huge slabs of beef! A skill that served me well at countless shows and parties.)

    My thighs, buttocks and other moving-aside muscles were like iron bands — I was a jungle cat … a very elusive jungle cat that springs up the nearest tree as soon as it smells the guys with the machetes.

    My role model was Rocky … You know, the flying squirrel. And whenever I’d get anywhere close to a physical confrontation, I’d hear my sensei’s squeaky little voice: “Again?? … That trick never works!”

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  127. >I think the correct answer has to be to dance a bit of an Irish Jig and sing, “If I knew You Were Coming I’d have Baked a Cake” in your best Ethel Merman showtune voice.

    Yes. Yes, I think that is the correct answer to most questions. From now on when I am unsure how to respond, I will try this first.

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  130. for all his dangerous qualities….i still consider lloyd a HERO for helping me back then….almost 30 years ago.
    for doing the right thing.

    there’s one other true hero with a completely different story…and that was chris jarhead for taking out that heroin-dealer.

    they are or were amongst us.

    when is someone going to tell that story here?

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  131. as a footnote we all ended up back in pb where we’d met up.
    that was the last i saw of lloyd.

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  133. Hey y’all,
    I’ve just popped by the Blog after a long preocupation with all things Blues Gangsters! It is good to be back..I saw our pal Joey’s posting on the possible reissue of that San Diego punk compilation from 1983…and I’d love to see that come to fruition! And this thread is incredible! it just goes on and on, with interesting comings and goings that even though I know little about I still find completely engrossing. I’ve never see a thread sucessfully carry on for so long! Well done, everybody. Well done Joey
    I think it was quite possible that a number of the bands listed on the the compilation were one of the three bands who played at my house party in Del Mar, way back on the Summer of ’82. All I know us that some serious skinheads showed up at my little track home and trashed the place. I suffereres some serious PTSD after that night..and it took me a while before I even thought about returning to Wasbash or the Lions lub for a gig again. But I bounced back…eventually.
    Hey, does anyone know how Darren Licari, the drummer for The Skullbusters is doing or where he lives? He was my first real boyfriend, and took me to the recordiong of his record AND his Senior Prom! What a lucky girl!

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  134. I was at the alligator pit that night. By the way does anyone know what happened to Terry Marine and Testiclehead? Also any updates on SFG?

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  136. this is joe from taang records. we are trying to do a re release of the “our blow out” compilation. if any one has any information on how to get ahold of any of the members for any of the bands ont the compilation, i would really appreciate it. you can email me at shibs69007@yahoo.com or call me at 619 928 7419. thanks

    -joe

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  138. Terry Marine and Testicle Head aka John Toner, may be found on Facebook. Speaking of stolen equipment, does anyone remember Bobby X and the equipment stolen at his house party ?

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  140. Aw Kasey- you were the best! Who else would have let me into their family’s home when I looked like that, yeah?

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  141. I just rolled through this thread real quick- lotsa neat stuff- fun memories, lots of people recounting fun times and reuniting. But after reading the same word over and over, I figured I’d search it- and if you CTRL-F it for “fight”, I’m really happy I dont come up- thank you all and me for not offering mor info than is asked for (for once!). But what does come up is kind of not historically but rather just comedically sad. Weak. Shitty for calling shots on the already gone. Not my cup of tea. If I talk shit, I only talk shit about people who can actually come and find me. Kind of sad and very weak to call out the dead, yeah?

    And hey- I’m just back for a sec- maybe I’m wrong- I’m just reading history- perusing, writing, working- but hey- I live in Makiki- Honolulu- corner of Liholiho and Wilder- if you ask around, the kids know where I am. Anyhow…..

    Mad Mike- I dont really remember you….. which one were you again?

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  142. PS. Joe from Taang? Suck nuts- go steal someone else’s work. We’re with Cliff, asshat- have been since 81. 😉

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  143. P.S. Did you- in type- say “yo”? You didn’t, right? Seriously? And you didn’t want us to laugh? Okay- Will Smith. 😉 Aloha- Toby Gibson. 🙂

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