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Another Sad Vacation
And a Happy Birthday
The April 2001 REPORT
"I have the Strength to Endure/and all the love so pure/I have the Strength to Endure/ Because, Because."
The Ramones - Strength to Endure
If you ain't heard the news yet, Joey Ramone Dead Sunday April 15th. As someone who came of age in the mid-80s punk scene, the Ramones were like the parents you went sure wanted to have around but always were there when you needed them. Sure their were times when they embarrassed the hell out of you, like in the late 80s when they started to claim they were always a metal band but with a simple 1, 2, 3, 4 they embraced you and made you feel the love of music and punk, you knew they always had. I mean even when they called it quits after 20+ years you had this feeling that it wasn't really over. Like the children of divorced parents we always felt that they would get back together and pogo us through one more night of pure enjoyment.
For many of us the early New
York punk scene was just too arty and silly to take serious but then there was
the Ramones, The Dolls, Heartbreakers and Richard Hell that kept us from
completely writing the whole thing off. They went straight to the heart of
things and launched a million punk bands that shaped our punk rock life. They
did fancy up the delivery they just gave it to you straight and if there is
anything missing in most of the new music and even punk bands it's that. I
remember in the Documentary 'X - the Unheard Music' Billy Zoom saying something
to the degree that he had read a review of the first Ramones record in Rolling
Stone that just slammed the record. They said the songs were too short, there
wasn't any guitar solos and etc... and Zoom said, "Theses all sounded like very
positive things." They maybe more then any other band took Rock-N-Roll out of
the hands of the over talented freaks and gave it back to kids.
Most of the Punks I've
asked what was the first Punk band they heard will give you an answer like the
Clash or X or whatever. When you ask them what about the Ramones? It's like a
given that they heard them long before hearing anything else. We had all heard
Blitzkrieg Bop long before we heard White Riot. It was like a given. They were
just there like the sky, the moon or the earth. Consent to the end. The
foundation of it all and know we've lost one of the corner stones of that
foundation and one things for sure, we will be hard pressed to find a
replacement.
Like the lost of Johnny Thunders, Stiv Bators, Chris Dee, Jeffery Lee Piercey and the countless others, we lost something wonderful and profound. Another voice in the wild that was willing to share his view with all of us.
On to what's going on with me lately. The Mighty Candy Snatchers
rolled through on the 28th of February and reminded me of how much I love
Rock-N-Roll. They always just explode on to the stage and rip you apart. As a
surprise Pete from the Chicken Hawks new side project the Pete Souix city Trio
opened with a mix of blues and raunchy rock n roll. Also on the bill was the
long time vets of Des Moines, the mighty Squidboy.
On March 5th the Hellbenders rolled through town
and blow the roof off Mary's. If you have a chance to see these guys do it.
They are that straight ahead punk that puts a smile on your face and makes you
want to drink too much, drive fast and have sex with 18 year old girls in the
back of slow moving vehicles. Their in the vain of the Devil Dogs(god I miss
them) and the Humpers(I heard the Humpers are playing out around LA under the
name of the Vice Principles). Great show and a fucking good time.
I had a Birthday on
April 13th. It started at Midnight the night before with Paul(Slipknot) buying
a number of Car Bombs for half the bar. By close I was pretty loaded and glad I
didn't have to drive. Friday the 13th after having a good day at the shop, I
headed to the bar with my long time friend Sophia John who drove in from
Lincoln for the party. For my birthday
The Street Urchins agreed to
play with The Filthy Few and the Last of the V8s(ex-Cretin 66). The night was
the way I always want to ring in another year, good friends, good music and
lots of Guinness.
As far as the band goes it
start with the filthy Few from Omaha who were a nice surprise. Their music is
to a degree in the vain of cow punk with a tough of noise. Great stage show and
they dress up which seems to be a rediscovered part of RNR of late. Next up was
the Last of the V8s with their own version of straight ahead punk n roll much
in the style of the Candy Snatchers.
Last but not least was The local
Heroes of Glam The Street Urchins. I've known Mike and Timmy since the old days
at the Old Mary's and the 2nd Foundry. Both have been serving me drinks for a
number of years at either Mary's or Gts and they have both been a force in the
Des Moines scene doing time in The Jones/Radio Caroline(Mike) and The Del
Stars(Timmy). When the Del Stars and Radio Caroline called it quits they formed
the Street Urchins which right now is the top of the heap of Des Moines Rock
bands. With make, Glam clothes, lights and smoke they drive through a set of
their own brand of Glam in the heart of The New York Dolls and the
Heartbreakers. Recently I built them a site at
http://thestreeturchins.netfirms.com
which you should check out.
Their set that
night was on fire even if the band felt it was a little off. Ripping through a
great sets of orginal and a few covers they really brought the house down in
pure fury and volume. Other highlights was Gus the talent
buyer/bartender/manager/Gus of all Trades giving me a Rabbit Birthday cake and
a number of birthday shots, well wishers and gifts. Thanks to everyone for
making my 32nd birthday a great fucking time. Special Thanks to Gus for setting
up the bands and for the cake. You always try to come across as a cold prickly
but we all know your a warm fuzzy. I've added a few photos to the bottom of the
highlights.
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| l to r: Sophia John & Cathy D. | l to r: DaVo(me), Sid(Slipknot), Troy(in the background) & Evil Lynn(Sid's Girl) | l to r: Brian P. & Sophia John | Paul(Slipknot) | Greg(Tattooist @ the Skin Kitchen |
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| Ahh the power of the Car Bomb. l to r: Davo(me) & Brian P. |
Down we go l to r: DaVo(me), Mike H. aka Moe, & Brian P. |
And more Car Bombs l to r: Brian P., Sid(Slipknot) & Evil Lynn |
l to r; Long time friend Frank P. & Sophia John | Ahhh Bunny Cake l to r: DAVO(me) & Troy |
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| l to r: Matt(Skin Kitchen Tattooist), Jack(Skin Kitchen), Some Girl and I think that's Sid with the video Camera | Rob Trying to win points with the Boss. Don't you just want to pat his bald little head. | Me and Quinn at the Family Party. |
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