A long-sought contribution from recent blog arrival Lori Stalnaker-Bevilacqua: a flyer that puts a date (Feb. 10, 1984) to the legendary Saigon Palace gig featuring the Rockin’ Dogs and Noise 292.
This show (which found Sam Wilson covering all Rockin’ Dogs vocals while Dave Ellison recuperated from laryngitis and 17-year-old Wendell Kling evading ID inspection in the men’s room until Noise 292’s appearance) was also photographed by Ms. Stalnaker-Bevilacqua. But this is the first time we’ve been able to put it on the calendar. Mystery solved — thanks, Lori!
Bonus artifact: an ad featuring a July 29, 1983, appearance by the Rockin’ Dogs at the Headquarters (with the Ripsaws and Jimmy & the Vandals). I’m afraid I didn’t catch this show; the Answers, Noise 292 and Hair Theatre were playing the Che Cafe that night.
Rockin’ Dogs MP3s:
Happy to oblige, Matthew! I’ll let you know if i uncover any more treasures. Being the sentimental sap/pack rat that I am, it’s safe to say that there’s more where that came from.
Lori: I would be so excited to take delivery of more ephemera from the Rockin’ Dogs! They’re one of my favorite bands and also one of the most elusive in the historical record.
Everything we’ve shared on the blog is courtesy of Cole. (I must effect a hand-off when we next lunch together in NY!) And there’s just not enough of it to satisfy my mania for this fantastic group.
I’m still hoping Jane Bunting makes it to the blog!! Sam’s been by, and it’s high time we collect the whole set! 🙂
Lori! Hey there… glad you found us here! Where are you these days?
This flyer had to have been Cole’s creation, judging by the line “unofficially endorsed by Pacific Tele”. In fact, I think there’s a reference to their “endorsement” of the band somewhere on this site.
The Ripsaws singer actually started out in the Rockin’ Dogs in our early days, before Cole joined. His name was Neil… we brought him in to play rhythm guitar and he tried to take over the whole band! … that didnt last long.
Do cover bands even exist anymore? It seems like every single band (with kids as young as 14) are using recording software to produce professional sounding demos of their original material and posting it on myspace. We had it rough back then! …haha.
Dave! Hi! Thx. Happy to have “accidentally” found this site. Thank Darwin for Google. Just happened to google my maiden name the other day…and voilà! Here we are. I am in SF (still). I did move to NYC and was there from 88-90, got married, and moved back here at the end of 90. You’re in LA now, right? What’s your story?
Recently, I found out that you were in a little garage band prior to The Rockin’ Dogs. It was something like The Elastics or The Rubbers. OH, I know! it was The Plastics, right? I have a pic. What’s your email? Are you on FB?
Yes, this flyer is Cole’s handiwork. I vividly remember him creating it. There was even a little spray-paint love given to Pacific Telephone on College Ave. 😉 Remember that too as I was the “lookout.”
Matthew: I love the idea of t-shirts with these little quips. Hmm…
Lori, can you send me a message though myspace? if you click on my name in the “blogroll” list it brings up my page… or Matthew could probably give you my email address.
Actually, the ex-Zebra Club/Saigon Palace has been refurbished as an upscale hamburger joint called Nicky Rotten’s. Same building, presumably with better plumbing. I called the owners a while back … The wife sounded quite excited to hear that their building had been such a hotbed of rock ‘n’ roll back in the day!
How come I never got my share of the money?
Just kidding 🙂
Endless sleep was actually a rockabilly song from the 50s, but we took our version from the TRex cover. I haven’t heard the song since then… after you posted this, I had to find it on youtube to remember how it went!
The money is a good point. Does anyone remember how much bands were getting paid for the shows we played?
>>Does anyone remember how much bands were getting paid for the shows we played?
Cole: When I was busking in Hamburg in ’87, my band would regularly be paid in tortellini by one of the Italian restaurants that liked to have us come by and entertain their customers. On a good day, I could collect about $50 in small change (in my hat).
I remember that seemed like a small fortune compared to the money I generally got from clubs in SD. Especially the tortellini.
Reminds me of Alice’s Restaurant… Arlo Guthrie gets paid in chocolate eclairs (or some kind of sugary pastery) for playing in a cafe. All he wants is something nourishing to eat at the end of the night after his travels and hard work, but that’s all the owner will give him. Musicians are underappreciated!
BTW, I dont remember ever getting paid for playing anywhere when we were in the Rockin’ Dogs. I dont know if the concept of getting paid ever even occurred to me back then. If we got to play, I was happy.
hahaha. I admit I noticed that too…
Ah Cole, I remember those “incidents.” The skateboard one especially. From what I recall, there was a wrench involved. 😉 You had it adjusted to the right size for the socket you needed. It was in your back pocket. The cop played it off like you had a “weapon.” Ha! I don’t know anyone who carries around a wrench for self-defense. 😛 Nah, it was blatant harassment of a young punk. Plain & simple.
Remember that time we were coming back from a day of surfing in my little orange Beetle and that cop pulled us over on the freeway? First thing out of his mouth was “So, what have you been drinking today?” To which you pulled out the Big Gulp and replied, “soda.” What an ass. He still tried to give us a ticket for something. Can’t remember what though.
P.S. Don’t be dissin’ SD. It spawned a whole lot of talented, colorful characters. :*
Note: A cover band is one that mostly or strictly plays covers. Paying homage to bands you like by playing their songs and not just to please the general populace and make some bux, is “ok.” (In my book.) 😉 <3
But then again, look at the Gimmes. They’ve made a career out of being strictly a cover band. And they’re cool. Come on, members of Swingin’ Utters, Lagwagon, NOFX, and the Foo Fighters. One of the best live bands I’ve seen.
the SDPD… we need a thread in honor of them.
Sam and I were pulled over one evening on our way back to Poway (probably after practicing at Cole and Lori’s house). I’d made an illegal lane change, moving over two lanes instead of one. The cop had us get out of the car, then wait around on the side of the freeway for 10 minutes or so until their reinforcements arrived…two other cop cars. They put me in one car and Sam in the other. I dont know where they drove Sam, but they took me about a mile away to a parking lot, where I was told to “shut up” and wait for yet ANOTHER cop to arrive to issue a “sobriety” test (I hadnt been drinking and showed no signs of being drunk). After about a 45 minute wait while the cop caught up on his paperwork, the next cop showed up, gave me the usual field test, then drove me back to my car. Sam and his cop showed up around the same time. There were at least 5 or 6 cops involved…a great use of taxpayers’ money. They didnt give me a ticket for the lane change at least.
Again, pure harassment. Scare tactics. Wonder if that is still happening with the youth of today. Or are they off tending to more important matters…like getting coffee & donuts.
I second that! (On the thread.)
I’m pretty sure we also played Just How I Feel, Candy Rock, Oh Well I Tried, Always on the Run, Back of Your Heart, Act That Way, Oh Sure Yeah Right, Here Comes the Boys, and Ballad of the Moonlight Ball. I also think we played another one of Jane’s originals, but I can’t remember the name of it. So the number of originals far outweighed the “covers,” which were fairly obscure songs to begin with.
I can’t remember if we played “Bye Bye Bye” (another great song by Mr. Ellison). Dave do you remember any specs on that set list?
I was just kidding -- I think most of you got that. I totally understand the statement on the flier though. Every band at High School dances in the 70s played strictly covers of “classic rock” tunes, and almost every band playing in a bar in San Diego in the 70s and early 80s played primarily covers of top 40 tunes. It was hilarious! Me and Mike Gomes liked to go to a regular bar (preferably in a hotel) to get drunk and yell things at the band like “play something original” or “you suck!”. One time he threw an ashtray and we ran like hell out of the place, haha!
Heck, one of my favorite bands EVER played almost all covers: The Crawdaddys! The same goes for the Nashville Ramblers. I think as Cole sayed, if the songs are fairly obscure it’s OK, and I agree with that.
Cole, I think a lot of the ones you mentioned were later on after I left.
My memory is really worse than I thought… there’s one song Im trying to remember that we played…it was one I wrote and sang…medium tempo. All I can remember is the bridge that went “well you ask me if I changed my mind… and you ask me how I use my time” …or something along those lines. I dont think it was a very good song, actually…haha. Sam used a slide on it, and he would do a really noisey thing over that bridge. Do either of you guys remember that song?
Other originals I think we were doing then were Loves You Still, Hurts So Bad, So Much Heart, Betty Jean, Wouldn’t I, I’m Not Gonna Try, Pushin’ Through, Hey Little Sister. Do those all sound familiar?
Im trying to remember the covers we did too… two I can think of were Baby Please Dont Go and Her Love Rubbed Off (the Cramps later recorded a version of that song, but we were first)… there were others, Im sure.
“awwwwww we listen to the knack… we have marshall stacks…. we cant write worth shitttttttt”
Cover Band by Red Cross
Yeah, Dave “Loves You Still” rings a bell--man I wish we’d recorded that one. I also remember “I’m Not Gonna Try” and “Betty Jean.”
The thing is we can’t let this opportunity go by without putting some reincarnation of the Dogs together for this great event.
Anybody remember the bumper sticker on Mojo Nixon’s car: “Free the Dogs.” What say you Dave? I know you’re planning to play guitar for the Wallflowers--It would be sacrilege to not do a Dogs reunion of some form or another.
Every time I listen to the Rockin’ Dogs MP3s, I grin.
I can’t imagine a purer exemplar of rock ‘n’ roll than the Dogs.
If I were going to wear any of our bands as a tattoo, it would be the Rockin’ Dogs.
Man am I just a burn victim?!! Maybe I just forgot a section of my youth,{it’s been known to happen}.Can someone who knows me please help jog my memory as to why I can’t remember one single thing about the Rockin Dogs? Seems like they played places we all went.
Paul Phipps: Here’s a history of the Rockin’ Dogs on the SD Reader site. The Rockin’ Dogs were the best thing ever to come out of Poway since …
… Actually, I looked on Wikipedia for famous Powayites, and it’s no contest — they were the best thing to come out of Poway. The Rockin’ Dogs should have a statue in whatever public space Poway uses for such purposes.
Thanks Matthew but what seems even more incredible is I knew some people from Poway cause I went to Mt Carmel and I can say with certainty that I was the first person they’d ever seen who was into any type of music other than rock-n-roll or country and believe me and I’m sure you probably remember that Poway was all about country in 80! Tim Ortiz and I have the battle scars to prove that one! ha ha! Hey wait a minute, did’nt Blink 182 hail from Poway…….just kidding.
“Powayites”…haha. Great word.
Paul… what year did you graduate? There were actually a lot of people from Poway at that time who were involved in the music scene. There’s another thread somewhere on this site where Todd Lahman and I were trying name them all.
Here’s Scott Harber’s Poway roll call …
Has anyone heard Unwritten Law, the authors of “CPK,” short for “Crazy Poway Kids”? Something tells me I wouldn’t love them, but I appreciate the Powegian pride!
Dave I graduated in 82 and ya know maybe Mt.Carmel was just unusually lame because seriously I was the first person at that school who was dressing different,shortly after Tim Ortiz followed. This would have been in the old Journey nite club days {remember that?} I got kicked out of my parents house in 81 and moved in to Dirk Westervelt’s dads place in Pt. Loma. Shit if I remember correctly Dirk was 13 and already seemed to know everyone in the scene. Through him I met Pat W.,Jerry C.,Bobo,Matt J.,Sean M.,David K.,Tony S.,Steve M. and who could forget Mike Sherman and his crazy-ass girlfriend Tabitha Warriner?! She would beat on poor Dirk every Fri.and Sat.nite. She would call him Baby-Dirk until he just could’nt take it anymore! As far as all the Powayites on that list, yours is the only name I recognize.
Ron Silva coined ‘Baby Dirk.’ or possibly Keith Fisher or Pete Miesner, but definitely not Tabitha, dicknutz. Plus any violence between Tabitha & I, that was more like her training me in the martial arts. Good teacher.
-d
I’m seein but I ai’nt believin!!! Actually I’m cryin cause I’m laughin so hard! I knew that would finally pull you out of hidin, where the #*$& are U ?! I been tryin to reach you through Mfin Mo but no help there. Got something important for you-dicknutz. Love Mfin Po.
Dirk! If that’s really you,are you in the U.S.? Some say Prague, others say L.A.-which is it? You still trippep about Vegas? Call Mfin Mo,same number. Miss ya Buuudy! Po P.S. who told you about Cheunderground? Darren Greenfish? CALL
Hi Dirk…since you are online I am going to send you an email to your myspace, wasnt sure that was you…heeheehee. k? I Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!
Hey Paul whats up????????? ;/
Hi Alena!
>>Paul wrote:I went to Mt Carmel and I can say with certainty that I was the first person they’d ever seen who was into any type of music other than rock-n-roll or country and believe me and I’m sure you probably remember that Poway was all about country in 80!
Wow, Paul you’re the coolest…can I have your autograph…lol 🙂
Sure! The next time you’re tossin the salad I’ll be sure to write it on the back of your head.
By the way,are we going to L.A. this week?
Oh your So funny darlin’ to bad I am a little wise for that trick….pull it on the youngsters!!!
LA …next week…if you can get it together! Hmm should I even wonder?:)
Move on over, the two of you love birds, and let dirk get a word in edge-wise!
Alena! Paul! Road trip now!!!!
I’m told birthday wishes are in order today for veteran Dogs Dave Ellison and Scott Harber. Hot-‘n’-cold running Sagittarians!
Darren G-Fish!!! What the Huck and where you been?!! Happy B-Day Dave and Scott!!! Alena I Love YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was just listening to all the Rockin’ Dogs mp3’s the other day. I remember going to Rockin’ Dogs shows and having a lot of fun. They were fun to hang out with. I remember their sound as sort of rockabillyish with a wild edge. Listening to the recordings that survived I can hear why their shows were so much fun. I’d say they were in that tradition of bands, like the New York Dolls and the Ramones, that took music from the ’50’s or so and made it into something entirely new.
I agree, Paul. I liked the stylistic contrast between Dave and Sammy--one bringing a traditional rock and roll/rockabilly vibe and the other a seventies trash rock feel. It was a great mix.
The Rockin’ Dogs should be part of the standard curriculum in California primary schools. Preferably in the gym, with one of those big parachutes we used to run around holding. Remember that? I would totally run around with a parachute if the Rockin’ Dogs were involved.
Are you listening, Governor Schwarzenegger?
Everybody, all together, 1-2-3… “Rockin’ Dogs. Rockin’ Dogs. Rockin’ Dogs.”
Maybe if we all chant it, it will come true!
Yo, Rockin’ Dogs: what d’ya say? Ché Games next year?
It would make a whole lot of people’s Xmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Ramadan/Diwali wishes come true. 🙂