Clayton Colgin continues to reimagine his formative Bamboohead ‘zine online. This week, Bamboohead 3000 touches bases with another historic figure of the San Diego punk scene: Terry Marine, founder of Be My Friend magazine and a familiar face to anyone who frequented the SD underground of the late ’70s and early ’80s.
“I was always fascinated by Terry because something told me he was crazier than most of us,” Clay writes by way of introduction. “Nobody ever told me to watch out for him, and I never heard any ugly stories about him back then. I never saw him needlessly brutalize anyone. I did see him rush to defend the ranks when particularly-ornery-crews of LA-punks would come to our shows for the purpose of flexing fear-and-intimidation. He never shied from these situations.
“Nearly 30 years later we’ve managed to become reacquainted through everybody’s favorite social-heroin … that magical vehicle of … Facebook. What’s immediately clear to anyone who remembers him is that Terry Marine has changed his outlook on life. What’s also evident is that Terry’s probably still as crazy as anyone out there. He and I do not agree on some things, but I admire him for his honesty.”
Click here to read Terry’s account of his life since Be My Friend and enjoy the first part of a dialogue between two formidable personalities who share a rich vein of musical and cultural history.
Thanks, Clay, for the interview, and for not condescending to Terry like I’ve seen so many others do on FB. I’ve always liked and respected Terry, ever since I met him through his write-ups on the Hedgehogs for Be My Friend back in 1981. He was much more open-minded and had much more catholic tastes in music than much of the crowd he ran with, and I was always surprised he gave us the time of day. Anyway, Terry’s zeal often reminds me of a quotation by Thomas Merton, one of my personal heroes:
“A life is either all spiritual or not spiritual at all. No man can serve two masters. Your life is shaped by the end you live for. You are made in the image of what you desire. “
>>I’ve always liked and respected Terry. … He was much more open-minded and had much more catholic tastes in music than much of the crowd he ran with, and I was always surprised he gave us the time of day.
Ray: “Same,” as my daughter and her middle-school friends say. 🙂
Humility is one of the things I do believe in strongly … But whatever shortcomings he identifies, Mr. Marine always demonstrated a keen, inquisitive mind and oodles of charisma.
I can picture him perfectly from back then.
Interesting reading. I think I will have my kids read the part about what he thought of himself back then compared to who we thought he was and more important who he thought he was.
I’ve always wondered how people can do the things they do and act the way they do. I wonder what is going through there mind. A little insight is cool, even 30 years later.
Thanks
Terry stuck to Lou and I like a brother. My favorite Injection song is “Letter To Terry Marine”.
He looked after us like no one else…actually, Terry, Mark, Cliff, Tony…all brothers from day one.
Reading Clay’s thing, I don’t think Terry gives himself enough credit. Everybody did inane things back then, but Terry did have something positive that was intangible. And I think he still does, and more. He’s at peace with who he is now, and if religion did that for him, more power to him. I’m just glad that he’s still with us and, presumably, happy & healthy.
There wouldn’t have been a scene without Terry, Charles, Fono, Front Street gang, Johni, Lori, Tracy, etc…
I gather from his comments in various forums that pride is not a concept with which Terry is comfortable. And he’s been admirably forthright about those things of which he’s not proud.
However, like Tom, I hope his faith permits him at least a little room for pleasure about the creativity his early-’80s work demonstrated and the esteem in which many participants hold him.
Friends , San Diegans and Countrymen, I come to bury Terry Marine (Snyder) not to praise him;
The evil that men do lives after them,
The good is oft interred with their bones,
So let it be with Terry !
“Be My Baby”…. we did that song many times live.
Yes, Ronnie Spector was a dream
Correction is a dream