(In which Clairemont High School alum Dave Fleminger strikes rock ‘n’ roll in a back issue of his alma mater’s paper.)
January 1981: Imagine the trepidation felt by young Clairemont High news reporter Alan Graham about this front-page assignment.
He has been given the responsibility of unveiling the “punk-rock lifestyle” in the pages of the Arrow, the school paper. To do so he will be interviewing Clairemont High School’s best-known proponent of the movement, Wendy “Pyro” Gaines. Perhaps he could have also gone undercover, like Cameron Crowe had done at Clairemont High a couple years earlier, but that could have gotten a little rough, and Wendy has graciously granted Alan an opportunity to stay within familiar CHS territory and still learn about a mysterious group whose meeting place (?) was at a Lions’ lodge in far-off North Park.
In 1979, I was a wannabe ninth-grade punker; it was Kim Hideous and Wendy Pyro who took pity on me and gave me a ride to the first and only time I attended the Skeleton Club (probably provided I didn’t embarrass them or do anything totally stupid).
As far as I’m concerned, it was an act of heroism to wear your heart on your sleeve, literally, day to day the way they did and show that there was another way besides conforming to the U.C./Clairemont dress code of O.P. and Hang-Ten beach wear. And that angst and subversive behavior could be celebrated rather than hidden away.
Wendy and Kim were daily reminders that there was an alternate universe somewhere that wasn’t about mere fun in the sun. In a world dominated by surfers, it was a strange irony that you weren’t supposed to make waves — you were only expected to ride them.
“Punk is a little group, about half boys and half girls.”
While not entirely accurate, that did describe the punk scene at Clairemont High in ’81.
Perhaps a handful of kids were willing to endure taunts and outright physical abuse from students who couldn’t conceive why anybody would want to deviate from the norm. Sure, these punks were calling attention to themselves, but what adolescent wasn’t already walking the halls feeling constantly judged by their peers? It was a question of whether you just gave in, tried not to stand out or explored some options. … Clearly the 1950s still had a hold on the SD culture, as any indication that you were bored with the status quo incited some rather strong-armed responses.
It’s digging up a document like this that makes me happy I’m a pack rat.
This same issue of the Arrow also contains a story on the X-Offenders. The personnel list is somewhat different from the “classic” lineup that appeared on the band’s later album and many, many shows at the Headquarters and elsewhere. It’s a surprise for me to see that at the time the band also included Scott Lollis, who back in ’79 was the lead singer for Ned Lynch and the Invaders, a U.C. garage band that included Dave Doyle and myself.
I wonder how many kids at Clairemont were inspired by Wendy Pyro’s words at least to take a peek outside of the usual … ?
— Dave Fleminger
More by Dave Fleminger:
- The Answers: “You Are There”
- Have you ‘zine me? Snare Issue #3
- “Merry Tweeksters World Mutation Day”/”Sufi Sales”
- Boo: “Hurricane Fighter Plane”
“At first glance, if you saw her walking down the hallway, you might think she belonged to a professional mime group … ” One of the finest leads I’ve ever read in my journalistic career!
Pyro was Dogbite’s little sister. Her and some friends visited me on the Navy base at 32nd street. They caused a quite a stir. Nobody at the time had seen a punk rocker, never mind someone as shocking looking as Wendy Pyro ! Where are Dogbite and Pyro?
This reminds me of hanging with the Pollard sisters and Mrat Nee up in North County in 1979. (Did all of us ninth-grade wannabe boys have female mentors around to tell us what was what?)
That came out on my birthday, the day I turned 20. Thanks for sharing that Dave. 1981, what a memorable year!
Totally reminds me of high school. I cropped my hair just before my senior year started in August 1980. Needless to say my experience of on-campus life changed with the haircut.
Matthew, I love your question about the girls mentoring the boys, and I think you may be right. In a scene often characterized as boy-centric, I found that it was where young guys learned to respect women as equals. Was it because we demanded it? Or were you all just scared at first, hehe!
Love to my fellow pack rats!
In the mid 80’s, Wendy and Andy went to Japan with their dad. He was XO (Executive Officer or 2nd in command) on the USS Sperry, a U.S. Navy Sub-tender. (a ship that resupplies submarines) They stayed there about a year (I think).
Sometime in 1987, Wendy married Ronnie Hake, a close friend of Mike Woods. They had a daughter Madeline. Later that year, they moved to Milwaukee. Since then, I think they had two more kids, a son and another daughter.
Wendy tells me that their son (now around 20 years old) has been in punk bands since he was 7. She said she works in something like a steel mill during the day, and a “townie” bar at night.
She is on MySpace as “Wendy Pyro”:
http://www.myspace.com/515038066
>>Later that year, they moved to Milwaukee.
Zoinks! My fleeting hometown pre-SD! Good choice — I always liked Milwaukee. 🙂
I’m only 35 miles from Milwaukee….
… And MadMike is only 35 miles from Milwaukee, which proves my point!
I go to Muskegon every summer to camp with Nancy’s family … And every summer, I look at Lake Michigan and think I really should get to the other side and pay a visit.
Old Milwaukee !
I spent a week in ol’ Milwaukee in ’81 on tour between the motel room, the International Harvester dealer and the German restaurant that had the in house band with ruffled shirts and tuck and roll Kustom amps…
At CHS lunch hours were sometimes spent hanging out with Wendy and Kim respecting them as equals or as betters, they were a tough pair hard to figure and never able to crack their code.
I didn’t really fit in with them but they put up with me anyway, besides who else would stand on the lunchroom steps and tell everyone in the quad they were suburban robots (or whatever it was I boldly shouted…).
Paul: Yessss…coming soon to a CheUnderground blog near you.
We should do a post on civil disobience at school events!
What does “Skink” mean? And I can’t help but be curious about that “Drivers’ Ed needs gas” article.
Heh.
Dogbite and Wendy were bigger than life characters when Pat Works and I hung in the space outside the pit, at NPLC and Fairmont -- ’round ’80.
I dated Robin, Wendy’s lil sis -- a couple of times in ’83. If you could call hanging out with a penniless guy, riding in Flem’s car on club comp entry to a show, “dates”.
Wendy, I last saw, hanging out with a couple of the Pandoras, near MacArthur Park in L.A. -- 1985. She was twigging on me as “Z-Man”. Lotta fun, but had to run -- MacArthur park was melting in the dark.
So, if you’re out there reading this, Hi Wendy! Glad you got props for back-in-the-day.
Dogbite got his name from a large hickey he recieved.
Last summer, I made a little bonfire in the middle of the table in the ashtray, and put it out with the coffee but the manager objected and put up the sign after asking us to leave.”
I just LOVE it
According to the obituary:
“Ron was a San Diego native born to James and Irene Hake; he spent his childhood in Menomonie then attended high school in San Diego. Ron moved back to Menomonie to raise his children Madeline, Curtis, and Lillian.
“He worked for 22 years with Swiss Miss/Con Agra. Ron was a loving and devoted father, he enjoyed sports, was a passionate surfer, and a dedicated Packer fan. He also liked going to performances held by his son’s band.”