Aside from rock-‘n’-roll music and tattoos, flyer art was one of the highest forms of expression in our circle. Today, the Che Underground flyer gallery welcomes new show pieces from the collection of Dave Fleminger.
“The Greenwich Village West one is a Kristen Tobiason work (including initials),” Dave writes, “the Che is Kristin Martin’s (initials again), the Pandoras gobble is mine, and the Rain Parade/Tell-Tale Hearts is certainly one of the most inscrutable of Jerry Cornelius’ flyers.”
Flyers are important both as artworks in their own right and as maps to the gigs of our lives. Let’s talk about the artists behind these pieces as well as the concerts that inspired them!
Bonus question for flyer artists: Who were your influences?
I love how Jerry’s says “1966”.
No mapquest -- no problem! I forgot how many of Dave’s flyers had intricate little maps in them.
Nice! these latest additions are all new to me. I am impressed by the care, time and skill that went in to these. A short time after these flyers were done, the computer was to have a major effect on the art form. By 1985 I was making flyers up at Humboldt State all with an early macintosh using mac paint -- while those early mac flyers took very little time -- they also took very little artistry and thought (at least mine did). Nothing near on the level of these intricate hand made ones. Although by the time I became more adept in photoshop and got access to color macs and printing, the computer created flyers started to look a bit more impressive. Still, there is no “undo” with these hand drawn ones! Matthew, I just found 3 more Che flyers as yet unposted here and sent them to your email.
Influences? I thought everyone was striving to keep up with Lee Ellingson, Shaun Kerry and Pushead. Most of us didn’t realize we weren’t even on the same playing field.
This is one I did in 83:
I was thinking comic book cover when I did it, but I didn’t have a lot of time. Lloyd told me the wrong band, and at the last minute I had to go through and hand write TSOL 200 times.
There was a guy named Ron who hung out with Lee Ellingson, Carl (Black Market) Schneider and Rude who upped the ante and screen printed some of his fliers into posters.
That doesn’t look real comfortable, printing on the ground in knee high engineer boots. The sacrifices we made for fashion. (Like leather Jackets on hot summer days!)
And the coveted personal note from Glen Danzig:
Total artifact there- what with the topic and the Rude tie in. There are kids today who would give their left arm for a hand written note from Danzig. I don’t know how the Danzig of 1982 ever turned into the buffoon he seems to be today. Sort of casts a positive light on dieing young. 😉
Quote- Matt M’berg: Toby: “Do we know what became of Ron?”
Ron lives in Minneapolis, does web design, maintains a local Twin Cities punk archive/website/message board and presently is involved with something akin to Illegal Soapbox Racing- high speed downhill gravity bikes. I believe Ron was the original creator or a partner in the creation of the mid-Wests “Your Flesh” Fanzine. Also possibly had something to do with “Ferret”.
Silk screen poster guys are artists- creatively OCD. They’d do it even if there wasn’t a band or a show.
And I agree- you really had to work for stuff back then- hand lettering, cut and paste and mimeograph, hand distributing flyers at record stores across the county and at shows, selling fanzines the same way- between the internet and the computer I think things got better and worse, depending on how you look at it. Nowadays if you make a flier or a zine it better be top notch graphically as ten year olds can produce professional looking graphics no problem.
I feed my creative bent these days by creating chapbooks with gritty, urban fiction and my photography in them- but I purposefully try to keep the raw feeling of an old zine in them, which is sometimes a challenge using a computer- stuff just comes out too perfect on it’s own. (A funny aside: if you google “urban fiction” today all you get is hip-hop type black oriented stuff. Anyone want to tell me when “urban” became a color? What do we do with “Urban Cowboy”? I now am having a hell of a time finding a place to fit in, as I dislike most hip hop as much as I do bad country.
Wow! I just read the fine print on that Pandoras flyer, and there’s a whole wealth of forensic evidence of the game of musical chairs we were playing at the time.
“… with What was called, and for the time being still referred to as, … THE ANSWERS, consisting this time of 3 Daves & a Jeff … we’ll see!”
Matching this with my own memories from the time, I conclude that the evening’s Answers lineup was to include Dave Rives from Noise 292 as well as Dave Fleminger and Dave Anderson and Jeff Lowe. Did Rives actually appear on stage that night with the Answers as well as Noise 292? And where was Sergio? I thought he’d started singing with the Answers before Dave Rives joined on guitar … And of course, Dave Fleminger played guitar with Hair Theatre for a while there, too …
Time to get that family tree published!
Anyone go to that Misfits show at the Lions Club?
I did
I haven’t seen that artwork in over 20 years. It’s strange what is resurfacing on this blog --
My biggest art influences were the talented guys that were a bit older than me -- namely Jerry C. and Eric Bacher, both great illustrators with rapidiograph pens.
I was also into Max Ernst and the collage style of surrealists, the Tenniele drawings in Alice in Wonderland, HP Lovecraft book covers…
I think this flyer was largely influenced by something going around at the time called “roadblock”.
Quote: : Mark Mullen: Anyone go to that Misfits show at the Lions Club?
Photos are Carl Schneiders. I don’t think I was there.
http://blackmarketmagazine.com/BlkMktMag_Default.asp?AreaType=STUFF
Kristen: I don’t remember Eric Bacher as a flyer guy …
Eric et al.: Show us some Bacher creations!
Toby
Great pics. Wish it was clearer I think I see myself in the shot.
Flyers
I have hundreds.
“Abstract Doodleism” is my thing although I never used it for flyers, I wasn’t nearly organized enough….Kristen, thanks for remembering and I’m happy to be an influence. I still love to draw…although I’ve left the gosh darn cloggy Rapidographs behind. I’m into fine tipped disposables now…
Shiite…I can’t give you guys copies ’cause I never saved a damned thing…but I can tell you the secret of Dave Fest as a snowballing phenomenon was the flyer art.
We decided early on a basic workflow…
Get a room full of people and a lot of coffee. Swear that’s all.
Get about 10-15 copies of “The Weekly World News”.
Lots of glue and scissors.
Everyone is responsible for making a different flyer for the same event and has to finish that night. That way we had as many as 8 different flyers for the same show by morning. Distribute them all over hell and back but don’t forget to glue them to the fronts of newspaper vending machines. That one makes EVERYONE look at it. Particularly those who usually have no interest whatever. For those who do…(ever been the freak/punk/mod/whatever at the bus stop with nothing to do or look at for 1/2 hour?) when you’ve got ’em glued down somewhere real public it makes the flyer collectors really gaga about finding a loose one they can keep.
So more people show up at your gig. And the band gets paid. And you get paid. And competing gigs don’t screw with your turnout.
This worked so well we were getting free radio plugs as far north as SF and LA for Dave Fest II and had bands calling us from LA begging to play.
This was for a freakin’ house party!
The flyers made those events happen.
I still drink too much coffee.
My last vice.
Pat
Eric B. -- Saw your artwork when you were living on Florida -- we were on Mission/Meade at the time. Very intricate work. I have many good memories of hanging out over there with you, Pat and Jerry -- oh! and Rick Wilson! where is he? The last I saw of him, he was working at Henry’s in the old Liquor Barn location on Park Blvd. -- I think it was around 1996. Anyone heard anything?
Rain Parade w/Tell-Tale Hearts at SDSU’s Back Door: This was one of a quick succession of what I thought of as the heavier “Paisley Underground” (sic) bands at the Back Door — I know Green on Red played there, and didn’t Dream Syndicate do a show as well?
At UCSD, we hosted the Pandoras, Three O’Clock and the Unclaimed at different shows at the Rec Gym, but I’ve always felt a little bummed that I didn’t score one of those SDSU opening spots! 🙂
I was at that Misfits show at NPLC. If I didn’t include it as one of my favorites on an earlier thread, I will now.
I think I see the top of my head and my nose.I was smashed in between Marc Rude and Henry Rollins,if that was the October show.If it was the April show I’m in the maelstrom someplace.My fliers got a bit psychedelic by around 83-84 due obviously to some of the same influences.I did some I actually couldnt use because I overdid them to the point of being illegible.I used to stare at the white paper until I could see what it wanted me to draw,so different from how I do things today.Go ask Alice.
Matt and Marky, I was at that Misfits show at the NPLC. I was right up in front (I think I was there with Paul Howland -- we defintely went up to Hollywood about a year later and I wanna say we saw Discharge, Misfits and 45 Grave). I loved the Misfits since their very first tunes came out on Cherry Red. You remember their early singles like “We are 138” and “Bullet”? And of course “Last Caress”! What a band.
After that show at the Lion’s Club, if I remember correctly the whole band went over to Marc Rude’s house and he made a big huge spaghetti dinner. Yum, pasta with the Misfits!
Hell Dave…who made all the spaghetti? I remember a spaghetti thing being a regular part of that early scene. Was that Mark’s bit?
Things you stir up when you start remembering.
I remember there being lots of spaghetti. Nobody ever went away hungry, but it was sticky. I got a girl once ’cause I licked a sticky bit off her arm without warning…they kinda like it (sometimes) when you surprise ’em…
Pat
So I’m old…F*ck Henry…who remembers Des?
Pat
or Chavo? Chavo was a demi-god as far as I was concerned. He’s the one to inspired me to cut my very long hair.
Pat
no I’m punchy…it was Des…had a voice but what was more to the point at the time was he was a star of sorts who was outside radio. Stardom outside radio was a revelation and meant we had a world we could create. Can I get a witness on this one? So we did. Created. Made a world and then we lived in it.
I hate to be hyperbolic but that’s the point of this whole freakin’ blog ain’t it? We MADE something.
Far as I was from being any kind of punk, (slammin’ in a suit with Christopher before there was any Mod scene all aside) I must tip my hat and thank my stars in memory of Black Flag.
Black Flag kills ants on contact!
(remember THAT?)
and I hate bugs.
Pat
>>Black Flag kills ants on contact!
>>(remember THAT?)
Patrick: That’s still my favorite graffito! (It took me five full minutes to explain the context of those six words to my kids.)
Here’s a 1981 interview with Black Flag that cites that slogan:
C.C. Does Black Flag stand for anarchy?
Chuck Yes, it does.
C.C. Bug spray?
Dez We have a new thing now; Black Flag Kills Ants.
Chuck Antpeople!
Unidentified Antcreatures! And roaches--they’re like roaches.
I went to an early Misfits show in Watt’s and it was at this African American Legion Hall place.
Hung out in the band room with the Misfits, it was a trip with all of the big jugs of wine and the pictures of the Legion dudes hanging on the wall. Never will forget that night.
Henry is such a tool. Anything good he’s done has been offset by his blatant self promotion and for doing a gig on MTV. Some punks could get away with that. He’s not one of them.
I think Keith Morris was my favorite Black Flag vocalist. I always liked whiney punk vocals- that worked for me. Too bad I never got to see them live with anyone but Henry, though those were memorable shows and in Henry’s defense at least he tried real hard.
Hey Dave -- I remember Burt. I used to drive him and Darrin and some kid we called Monkey around in my mom’s black Pacer before I got my slammin’ orange VW Scirrocco.
HA! Bert is up in Huntington beach. I contacted him through a friend of this scene. He and Shauna are still together. I have more to add but gotta run. I wanted to jog people’s memory about Bert, Darren, dave Anderson, Rich Walker and I’s tapes. will continue.
Tony, we need those people here ASAP.
Also, Paul Hopeless and even Dave Akampura (what the hell…)
I’m the onliest one I know who had an Adam & the Ants patch on my parka. I also had a huge crush on Anabella Lwin from Bow-Wow-Wow. Kristi alluded to it in her “it girl” post elsewhere, but I think more people than would like to admit were influenced by the New Romantic (“new-ro”) movement, right? Studio 9 and Club Zu did a brisk business in those days. I didn’t go as far as all the make up and stuff like many. I also can’t think about those times without hearing Kurtis Blow’s “The Breaks” or Grandmaster Flash’s “The Message” and “New York, New York” in my head. Everything got really jumbled up during that period. New Order, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Heaven 17, Japan, Visage were in heavy rotation for many in “the scene” long before any of that stuff made it onto the radio in S.D. (that would be when I moved back from Colorado in late ’84. Interesting time in music. 91X ruined it. How many of us took from those times an inherent distaste for anything “mainstream”? It’s taken me years and I’m still not totally over it, much like my disdain for the wealthy, or anyone who hasn’t dealt with adversity. Dammitt, we had to get chased all over creation on our skateboards by rock and bottle-throwing rednecks in jacked up trucks (not to mention 5-0 “there’s been a burglary in the area and you fit the description” how many of us have had that bashed into our psyche?) so todays pierced and dyed-up kid’s can hang out at Hot Topic without so much as a sideways glance. Not to mention every (boy) kid who is old enough to speak wanting their hair “spikey”. That’s how it is in the Imperial Valley and Yuma, anyway.
Tony Suarez: You are of course referring to the infamous Big Bad Bubba Bert and the Freaky Four. I had a tape which included such treasures as “Banus” (to the tune of “Lola” by the Kinks), and another one with some european guy (Ule?) on the Casio. Classic material.
Matt: I too remember a window of — what, three months, or was it a little longer? — when the term “New-Ro” was acceptable to the older trendsetters I knew … Who remembers when the jury was out on whether we approved of the term “New Wave”?
I like plenty of stuff from that period, and Anabella was smokin’!
P.S.: I learned this from the New Romantic entry in Wikipedia: “In the mid-1990s, New Romantic was revived in England as a movement called Romo (romantic modern) in clubs like Club Skinny. Orlando is generally seen to have been the most successful Romo group.”
I must have missed those years … Romo? I remember Robo from Black Flag, but Romo?
P.P.S.: Lester Bangs was listening to “Dare” by the Human League when he died in April 1982.
Dave Acampora is a friend of Darren Grealish’s on Myspace. You can find him there. I might have heard Paul Hopeless past away. That’s not true is it? He was sorta an ass when he was young. I’m sure he’s got it together now.
Piece out,
Lola
Is “Paul Hopeless” a nom de punk for Mr. Hokeness? If so, he’s very much alive and kicking … On e-mail, anyway, even if he hasn’t posted to the blog.
Its a nickname/commentary of Dave R’s…
P.S. Tony Suarez -- Big Bad Bubba Bert and the Freaky Four pre-dates most of the hip-hop mentioned on this blog (e.g. by Pat or Paul on the “Both Sides Now” thread (I’ve yet to post,… weighty topic)), maybe with the exception of the two I mentioned above (Kurtis Blow and Grandmaster Flash). My take is that the primary influences were The Sugarhill Gang (loved hearing that on the Jr. High schoolbus on 13K) and Blowfly. Tony? And who was the Scandanavian Casio player? Oh, I just remembered another track,… “Freak Out” kinda psych/rap, n’est pas?
I just talked to Paul H about two weeks ago. I’m pushing him on here.
Anna Bella was a fox!
Ray: Matt Johnson mentions “Banus” (sung to the tune of “Lola”) higher in this thread. Dare I ask?
Hey Ray, I remember alot of “abazaba” this and “abazabazazabba” that (from Darren especially). Their smartass click was funny as hell but somewhat inpenetrable.
More grist for the lexicon!
Darren G. produces reputable artwork as well -- and still is going strong to my knowledge. High five to Darren…
Been trying to find an addy for Greenwich Village -- other than 5th & Market. I found this quote from the New York Times regarding the area:
“LIKE New York City’s gritty but fast-gentrifying neighborhood of the same name, San Diego’s East Village was until a few years ago a crime-ridden district of sleazy bars, drug addicts and artists.”
Yeah.That’s how I remember it. Tom Waits and the Chee Chee club -- ugh..the Chee Chee is still around. The flies crawling on the flies of the barflys…..
Alcoholics Unanimous.
The “rulers of the wasteland”.
“Banus is the unfortunate nickname given to a heavyset kid who tagged along with the Mira Mesa contingent. It is a combination of his given name, “Brian” and “anus”. Clever fellas, those Mira Mesans, I used to hang with all of the above mentioned quite a bit. Fellow hopeless alcoholics, we clicked. From what I remember, Banus is best known for trying to entice people to his parents house with the promise “dude, they’re making fajitas!”
Hi Matt: is “banus” Brian Peck? also called “bane”….
Big-boned blond guy? That’s him. BTW, he doesn’t like to be called “Banus” anymore (if he ever did).
>>BTW, he doesn’t like to be called “Banus” anymore (if he ever did).
Hard to imagine ever growing weary of such a sobriquet!
Brian Peck: Come join the trust circle! You’re probably earning more than all of us in compensation for this childhood punchline. 🙂
Last I heard Brian Peck went to New Orleans to sidekick chef with Emeril.
wow, this post is in response to the Mira Mesa boys. I went to school with these guys, along with Beth Harris & Jenny Bescher (I wonder where they are now?) Do you remember Big Bad Bubba Bert and the Furious Five? Wow, they were so funny, yet their tunes always contained insults. I can recall a song composed about me. It was sung to the tune of Lowrider, and it went something like this: Lo-ri Shouldice gives the guys a boner, blah blah. Never knew if it was meant to be a compliment or a dig…I remember Banus too. My pal Nina Berry dated him. They tortured him. He was always such a good sport about the insults. Come to think about it, they had a song for Nina too, that was none to nice…I also remember his pal Dale Corbin, wonder where they all are? I so remember Presids and Balbs, and getting Schaffed…These guys were jerks at the time, but clever jerks.
Thanks Matt, for the note about Paul Hokenes being a live and well…
This is so fun!
yeeeah! Lori. tell it like it is. They used to try and light the go-go girl’s butts on fire. Or maybe that was Jeff and Leighton. More guys afflicted with the cleverness.
Word:
looking back-- Darren G. always treated me like a friend -- not like a “scammable betty” or some chick. I appreciated that.
>>They used to try and light the go-go girl’s butts on fire.
Not sure what this means, but it doesn’t sound very nice!
Literally means holding a bic lighter up to the skirt hem. ah. the pranks of youth. pretty innocent in comparison to today.
Brian Peck does indeed live in New Orleans and owns his own restaurant there.
Chris Squire worked there for a while.Brian set chris up in a house he owns when chris first got to town.
I talked to Brian on the phone maybe 6 months ago and saw him pretty frequently during the last 15 years.
Anyone remember Granny’s? In about 95,Brian set up the kitchen there for owner Chris Henry.He,Chris Squire,Paul Howland and I all worked there and Leighton and Darren were regular patrons during those days.I also saw the Evil Eyes,one of Mike Stax’s bands play there a couple times.
Anyway’s Brian’s doing real good these days from what I understand.Keep an eye out,he’s the kind of guy who could show up unannounced at any moment.
>>Literally means holding a bic lighter up to the skirt hem.
Ah! These Mira Mesa courtship rituals are too subtle for me. Did they get many girls this way? I should’ve brought a propane torch to more dances!
Bobby: Good for Brian! I’ll be sure to let Dan Hammond know as he and Brian were buddies.
I knew Brian Peck from the Granny days. He put together the bar’s menu (as he was training to become a chef) and Paul Howland worked in the kitchen. Chris Henry and his wife Lana were the owners and were gracious with their “tab” limits.
Brian was living with Chris Squire on Howard/Texas St. There was this shed/garage in back with a sofa where people socialized til the wee hours. I remember doing shots and playing Jenga, which takes talent.
I think we’re going to have to do a post on SD rockers-cum-chefs. … Jason Seibert, Brian Peck, the elusive Tommy Clarke … Who else? I know that’s not the whole list.
That one vocalist guy from the Nutrons- what’s his name?
George and his girlfriend at the time were good friends of Al Brown. So, when I was living with him at the Brown Ranch (behind the SDG&E motrpool) they often came over and made hot wings. They (well, she) wanted to charge me! I was broke. But they smelled really good. Tangy and frickin’ habanero spicy! No reflection whatsoever on George, who was always the nicest guy. In fact I’m sure he arranged for me to get some free wings.
Speaking of lighters -- my fondest memory of the MM boys was Darrin and Bert (or two of them -- they could be interchangeable at times) lying on the floor in somebody’s hallway repeatedly setting fire to their farts. They were so drunk that the smell of burning fabric on their posteriors didn’t faze them at all.
They were hilarious as long as it was aimed at someone else.
Funny about the MM crew.
Some how some way I was there too. We moved to Mira Mesa when I was in 10th grade. Spent 2 years with those yo yo’s in MM. Darren would hang with my crew and I would hang with his, it was worlds colliding some times but always fun. I miss Darren.
Marky: Darren Grealish walks among us!
I’ve been waiting for him to chime in here.
Cynthia (Cyndie) Jaynes wrote:
“Speaking of lighters -- my fondest memory of the MM boys was Darrin and Bert (or two of them -- they could be interchangeable at times) lying on the floor in somebody’s hallway repeatedly setting fire to their farts.”
Shaefarts!! The worst kind!
Glad to trigger some Mira Mesa memories. I´m laughing so hard I´m crying right now. Brian Peck was more than a good sport, he deserves a medal for the shit he put up with, graciously and without complaining. Whatever happened to Richard Walker after he joined the Air Force? He was responsible for a lot of the annoying noises those guys made. Anyone heard from Beth Harris or Jenny Bescher? I had a thing for Jenny for a while. When I met Beth, though I fell hard. That must have lasted a couple of weeks at least! I have a lot of great stories from hanging out with those guys. One of my favorites was when Paul Hokeness was trying to give up drinking, and he said he was going to pour his beer down the toilet and eliminate the middle man!
Oh yeah, and Matt, please create a Mira Mesa boys thread!
One more thing: Lori, giving guys a boner is meant to be a compliment. Just in case there was any doubt.
I prefer: “You look lovely tonight” instead of “you’re giving me a boner.”
Clearly. That was, unfortunately a little too much to expect from a 16 year old whose idea of a good time was described above by Cyndie. And of course, Lori always looked lovely.
>>Mark Mullen says:”I went to an early Misfits show in Watt’s and it was at this African American Legion Hall place.”
I was at that show…it was scary all the cops and gunshots.
Cant believe you remember where it was.
Jerry C. and Mike S. made my favorite fliers however, I love the diversity of all the different artwork.
Jerry, do you remember the painting you made of me? I wish I still had it….:(
The Mira Mesa boys were very fun and responsible for the fun nights at “Balbs” and “Presids” and sometimes Ski Beach as you all know. As I remember the MM boys would mostly compliment the girls and say who they looked like. “Goddess” was the word they used for the girls listed above.:)
Beth Harris we saw at Bodies on 5th and F in 1996….she had many leather gal friends with her.
Back in the day she was SO cute but cared nothing for ANY boys except Dave Acampora. I love the way she was able to up and leave a guy w/no emotion. Paul P. is right next to me and he remembers that the most…he actually told me to write that…cause how would I know.
Has anyone heard from David A? Paul called him in 2002 in NY and made a meeting place (Time Square) and he never showed up.Dirk (who is in the Misfits pic above) had the same experience.
Jerry C, Paul Phipps says “hi” and has some good memories of the season you all lived at Dirks house in Point Loma.
She was a fun friend to me.
In case I wasnt clear Lori you were one of the girls thy called Godess.:) Kristen T, Denise B, Wendy, Claudia, Cythia, Beth, Jill, Susie G. her friend Krista and I am sure there are more gals that I just can’t remember this late at night.
Kristen, thanks for the plug! Here’s some of my work if the link works. I do Rock poster art for a living and have since 2000. My first influences were of course Mad Marc Rude, Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Roy Lictenstein and BOB ROSS© Hahaha (Happy little trees).
I’ve done a ton of work for Leighton and The Morlocks over the years but that first batch from Jerry C and Steve Gariss and Bobby Lane blew my mind and got my head ticking.
http://www.darrengrealish.net
>>>“Goddess” was the word they used for the girls listed above.
I’d like to be one of those kick ass goddesses like Artemis or Athena. 🙂
Tony, how did you put in the pictures on your comment? I tried the normal way using Imageshack and dropping in the code but just my message worked. I had dropped on some posters I did.
I had a mad crush on Artemis … I clipped all her pictures out of Bullfinch’s Mythology and pasted them on the wall of my temple.
Mark Mullen! Where are yooooo?
Mork calling Orson, come in Orson!
>>Tony, how did you put in the pictures on your comment?
Darren: That was some weird HTML you were trying to post! E-mail me the links you were trying to display, and I’ll try to hook you up. 🙂
Hey Darren!
Another hilarious post. I was lobbying a long time for a separate thread about you guys, but no one would listen. Those were some of the most fun times of my life. Some of you, however, were wittier than others. I never found Leighton to be reallyside-splitting--his humor was mostly about bodily functions--but you were and still are one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. Bert was more of a straight man--always there to laugh and repeat what was said. One underrated wit was Richard Walker, with his goofy braces grin and his unusual noises. I’ll never forget that trip a bunch of us took up to Los Angeles when we played a show at the PVTV03. Richard talked some kid in one of his classes at Mission Bay into lending him his family’s van! I innocently said “That’s cool” to Richard on the way home and I thought he was going to cry! You had to explain to me what that expression meant to you guys.
I’m shocked and saddened to hear about Jenny Bescher’s death. She was a beautiful girl, inside and out. There was another girl named Jenny (Bengal?) who used to hang out with everyone who also died in a drunk driving accident. She lived in Mission Beach and had a parties a couple of times. I remember certain friends of ours leaving the house with items shoved into their parkas and jackets. I saw someone with a telephone, and another with several cans of beans!
I beg to differ about Leighton, he really came into his own at one point with the ripping. From that era until modern times I can’t think of anyone who could get the best of Darren or Leighton. Together you guys would be a force to be reckoned with. The veritable Marilyn Macoo and Billy Davis of Ripdom (Darren you being Billy Davis of course).
Eric! Let’s hang this weekend? Let’s get Ray, Eric, Denise, Alena, burt is going to be here so him, Mat Johnson if he can make it, Dave Klowden and whoever wants to go to Presids or Balbs or some dive and just have the Don Rickles hour! Let’s do it Saturday! Sean McMullen! Can you jive turkeys make it? Let’s do this like Brutus! Man, I still remember Dave Klowdens best line for the sensitive pony tail moment when your bird jusr dumped you “Girls are for fags”!!!! Hahahahahahaha! No offense to any gay people. Lighten up if it offended. I meant well!
I remember Leighton laughing so hard he couldn’t stop when this chick tried to talk some trash to my face at a party in front of everybody. The room fell quite, I quickly scanned my brain for a swift come back and I spit out “Simmer down Auntie Grazelda”!!!!
Hahahahahahahaha! The place erupted in laughs and the chick cried!
Dang.
My side hurts from laughing--“Simmer down, Auntie Grizelda!” I don’t even know what that means!
Nothing against Leighton--I just never got to hang out with him much, so I never saw that side of him. Burt would usually hold back, but when he did crack one, his delivery was the best.
Back to Richard Walker and his noises, he had one that sounded like a high pitched sigh. If you knew him and he did that to someone, it was the funniest thing ever. He could also turn a phrase like “thanks” into a humiliating experience. Remember: Are you leaving? Bummer!
Hey Darren,
Remember that time you were wearing your peg-legged plaid mustard colored pants, and you got depressed because a guy at the liquor store had told you, “Jeez! I haven’t seen pants like that since Room 222!”
>>Eric says:I beg to differ about Leighton, he really came into his own at one point with the ripping. From that era until modern times I can’t think of anyone who could get the best of Darren or Leighton.
I agree with Eric, Leighton did come into his own and actually you two worked quite well together, especially at the 25th street house (basement).
Ray I know you didnt hang out out w/Leighton much however, he is super funny. Definitely not all about bodily functions.
A reunion sounds fun and we had some great times! I dont know about us all getting together in that way….however a show would be cool to catch up and see people. To be real I am sure many people had their feelings hurt or some lies told to them….if this hits home to anyone, please join me in releasing the stupid resentments we should all let it go and enjoy this website that is such a blessing!!!! Therefore if there is a reunion, show etc….it wil a blast.
By the way, if I was ever rude, cady or just straight crazy and selfish, I humbly ask that you forgive me. If anyone wants to txt me about something, I am on myspace and we can talk about it.
This website has warmed my heart and I love the fuzzies. I miss you all! Take care. 🙂 <3
You guys crack me up!
Not having yet received my own Che Underground-sponsored celebrity smackdown, my rose-colored glasses remain uncracked. Unbloodied, I am simply euphoric about blog-surfing rockers calling bullshit on our trademark wiseassery.
If I say something really catty about Lou Reed and John Cale, will they come by and egg my house? If so, I swear I’ll never power-wash it again! LOL
You know- it’s difficult to keep up with the joneses here- this place is fraught with everything from artists and writers, diplomats and music moguls. If I can’t actually BE a household name, at least I can get PUNCHEd by a household name.
yes alive in new Orleans own a restaurant in the bywater named Elizabeths.Wow just stumbled on this checking a miss spelled name Mine as it is here also.Fun times those were Mira Mesa high what little time we spent there Another mera mesa boy was Andy gillan Whats up with him. got to go will check this out later as im sure i couild add some more great stories.
Please do, Bryan!
I’d totally forgotten about this thread. I’m going to have to revisit it every couple of months when I’m having a bad day.
Oh yeah, Manilla Mesa! Man, I remember Duffy’s Records and Tapes and buying Philipino bread for ten cents. I remember Jeff Lucas taking the bus from like Santee I think it was all the way to Mira Mesa to hang with us. He’d bring like a 40 of COlt 45 or a half pint of whiskey! We’d have a party! Tom Johnson would do that drive also! Andy became a Mormon and travels the earth on a ten speed! I remember that Misfits show at The Lions CLub. Didn’t The Skull Busters open? That little kid scared me I remember. He was drinking in the alley and the Misfits were were all hanging in the parking lot. I was a Mod and pulled up on my scooter. EVERYBODY stared at me when I arrived. I felt like a turd in a punch bowl. Damn the Misfits were HOT back then. Did the Battalion of Saints play that night also? Back to Mira Mesa….WHAT A TIME!!!! All we wanted to do the second we had an opportunity was to split to NORTH PARK OR GOLDEN HILL! MIRA MESA SUCKED but it was the best time of my life!
# matt johnson Says:
July 10th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
i forgot about this thread. To answer Matt’s inquiry about Big Bad bubba Bert:
P.S. Tony Suarez – Big Bad Bubba Bert and the Freaky Four pre-dates most of the hip-hop mentioned on this blog (e.g. by Pat or Paul on the “Both Sides Now” thread (I’ve yet to post,… weighty topic)), maybe with the exception of the two I mentioned above (Kurtis Blow and Grandmaster Flash). My take is that the primary influences were The Sugarhill Gang (loved hearing that on the Jr. High schoolbus on 13K) and Blowfly. Tony? And who was the Scandanavian Casio player? Oh, I just remembered another track,… “Freak Out” kinda psych/rap, n’est pas?
Yes, These were recorded by all the Mira Mesa Mini mods, plus me, David Anderson with INgo the keyboardist from I Spy in my parent’s garage or Davids living room. Using Kevin rings digital delay and microphones, a Kiss alive record for the “audience” background, a Dr Rhythm drum machine (from Gonzalo Manuel) and a tape recorder; we made about 7 Big bad bubba bert recordings (i have them on a CD, thanks to Ingo) and about 4 other recordings of parody songs of folks we knew and loved.
Perhaps we can have 15 minutes as the opener at the next reunion? We’ll need a dr. Rhythm by boss for that 1982 drum machine sound, if any of you have one laying around.
Darren: My younger brother kept all the written lyrics and i have them , if you can’t remember yer raps.
Darren,
I LOVED Duffy’s as I lived in Mira Mesa until 7th grade. I also LOVED the candy counter at Newberry’s. Plus, that is where I puchached my
Bonnie Bell (sp?) 7up flavored lip balm.
Also,LOVED Millers Outpost where I bought my Dittos.
Mandarin Garden had the BEST egg flower soup and spring rolls.
Darren, PLEASE call or email me!!! I have alot of news I want to share with you.
Which Newberry’s?
I might have that Big Bad Bubba Bert… tape. I think Tony Suarez sent it to me or made it for me to listen to on the road trip when I moved to Tennessee.
Once again, please excuse my spelling errors. As I previously stated,I
am a dedicated follower of spell check.
Matt, is there a way to spell check when making comments on this blog?
Newberry’s in Mira Mesa. However, the Newberry’s in Mission Valley was the bomb!
Ha, Robyn, you’re killing me with the stories! (keep ’em coming)
Modernist, but never modest, ha!
Tony, c’mon and share one of those BBBB&TFF songs on this blog. Please? I will die if you don’t!
I worked at the Mission Valley Newberry’s candy counter 1979-80. Bulk Boston baked beans. Bridge mix. Nonpareils. Seems likely we ran into each other once or twice. Either listening to Hendrix guy at Straita Head or while I was weighing out bulk candy at MV’s finest discount department store.