Every picture tells a story

Detail: Pat Works and Tom WardThe Cyndie Jaynes photo collection poses a curatorial challenge: There’s so much marvelous stuff here, it’s hard to decide how to slice and dice it.

Here’s another set of portraits designed to tickle the Proustian memory banks of anyone circulating in this corner of the early-’80s San Diego underground. Plus, they’re lovely photos in their own right. Help fill in the narrative blanks!

Detail: Alena TuscherDetail: Jill Ruzich, Suzie Goddard, Kathy (photo by Cyndie Jaynes)Detail: Pat after a long day (photo by Cyndie Jaynes)Detail: Lou rocks out at Murphy’s house (photo by Cyndie Jaynes)Detail: Tony and Claudia at Presidio (photo by Cyndie Jaynes)Detail: Ted and Leighton at Balboa Park (photo by Cyndie Jaynes)Detail: Claudia Brandes and Wendy Gibler (photo by Cyndie Jaynes)Detail: Jerry’s handiwork (art by Jerry Cornelius)Detail: Jerry at his finest (photo by Cyndie Jaynes)Detail: Eric and Alena (photo by Cyndie Jaynes)Detail: Chris Negro (photo by Cyndie Jaynes)Detail: Lou Damien (photo by Cyndie Jaynes)

17 thoughts on “Every picture tells a story

  1. Hey Matt -- I actually have photos of that Chesterfield Kings show that I haven’t scanned yet (but not of the party). Do you guys remember that gal who ran the vintage clothing store downstairs from Murphy’s and lived in the apartment next door? If I remember rightly (and there are no guarantees) she was in her late 30s/early 40s. She used to come over and teach us how to do the “mashed potato” the RIGHT way. I ended up with a gun in my face one time from her boyfriend, but that is another story altogether…

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  2. Wow. Once again, another great set of photos--please keep them coming. You know, I was always hanging out with you Cyndie, but I don’t remember you toting a camera everywhere. I’m glad you did.

    That party at John and Matt’s house after the TTH/Chesterfield Kings show at the Backdoor in 1985 was off the lanyard. I drove over with a couple of the Kings and we hung out on that rickety staircase, which I recall almost broke from the weight. This was on Normal Street, right? I think I confused it with Bobby Lane’s house, where there were a number of late night parties, too.

    P.S. he spells her name Alena.

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  3. Matt: I’ve said it before — the total meta-weirdness of an African-American guy rolling under the name “Chris Negro” quickly convinced me there were wheels within wheels turning in his head!

    Patrick Works provided a ton of info I never knew about Christopher DeWayne Mathes.

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  4. Hey Cyn…the woman in question was named Charlene, and I’ll never forget her arriving for the final Dave Fest (at the CHE CAFE) making a grand entrance…waving to one and all with her left hand as she finished stitching the dress she was WEARING with her right.

    Nobody knew she was doing the most last minute alteration ever…and of course it fit like a glove. If I remember it was a red sequined number…I really liked Charlene. She had class and humor….and yeah, she could dance.

    Yeah…her BF was a total psycho. I hate guns.

    Patndhat

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  5. Or was it Life’s Little Treasures (?). Charlene was a gem. Her boyfriend, Scott, was a good friend/role model of Tommy Clark’s.

    That’s right, Ray, Normal Street. With the gas station on the corner, and the Liquor Barn across the street!

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  6. Charlene! God, she rocked. She asked me to go upstairs one time to get something from her apartment, so I walked in and Scott freaked, which is how I ended up with a gun in my face. He was a little…ah…jumpy. I’m so glad my mother doesn’t know how to access the Internet 🙂

    Does anyone remember stealing the numbers off of the gas station price board so we could put “1313” on the back steps of the apartment so that it would look cool? Don’t know what we were thinking, ’cause the gas station guys figured it out pretty quick. Gas was probably about 1.13 back then. Sigh.

    About six years ago, I was in SD with the family and we went by Normal St and I couldn’t find the apartment. From what I could tell, it is a car wash now. Nobody could figure out why that depressed me so.

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  7. OK, was this Scott good buddies for a while with Dave Hinge?

    If so, I remember some fun times he told me about — involving Scott and Dave calling in certain debts with a pistol and a MACHETE! Damn.

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  8. I have a photo of Susie Goddard, me and Megan Schade from around this time. Susie had a brother who hung out, too. I have got to get more photos out of storage!

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  9. We’ve commented on the two Tonys, and now we have the the Toms. Let me be the first to point out the the abundance of Pauls here, including those as of yet unaccounted for: Howland, Bruin, Kaufman, Allen, Hokeness. Any more?

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  10. I left SD in Aug ’83, so I’m guessing lots of these photos are later -- but Claudia Brandes’ photo rang a bell. In ’80-’81 we had Geometry together at Point Loma HS -- before I moved North to San Dieguito HS. I recall she liked the Supremes and had that style thing going on that was otherwise absent at that school. Since leaving that school I don’t recall seeing her at all. I doubt she would remember me, but if she is your sister, Ray(?) please send my regards.

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  11. Hi Hobie,
    That is indeed my sister Claudia. I didn’t know you went to PLHS, as did Bill Calhoun, who was her boyfriend for many years, Carl Rusk, Ron Silva, Peter Miesner, Keith Fisher, John Stoup, Carl Schneider (Black Market), Kristin Schwartz, myself and others. She’s doing well, married to Craig Packham of the Unknowns and the Unclaimed. I’ll give her your regards.

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  12. I remember Charlene…wow great memories!!!! There were times when she would let us look at the new clothes that just arrived. She would find us some cool stuff, lots of $ going to clothes not to mention records.
    Cynthia you are awesome, please myspace me, I would love to chat!!! My girls are getting a kick from the pics:)…I as well have some in storage, I will have to look for them.
    As far as the Paul’s there was also Paul Phipps, however he was out of the scen early..I have pictures of him on his scooter at the Jam show in Pasadena.

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