OT - Of interest to metalheads only (and Kingston Trio fans)

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by Michael B

Phil Lynott - circa 1981 The Paradise, Boston. One of my favorites to shoot. He was a ham and would pose on stage and point his bass at me.

Damn! Thin Lizzy at the Paradise. Amazing. I'll trade you my first show there (Steve Earle and the Dukes, March 1987) for that one!

And Spit. My first show ever in Boston was at Spit in July 1985. I was driving the equipment truck, with a guy from Wales, and selling merch. I wanted to get to the venue early so that I would have time to go to Fenway, but we kept getting lost. Each time we did we got new directions from somebody different. Finally, I gave up and decided to just go to Fenway first, the Wales guy asked how I expected to find "this Fenway place" I told him the Citgo sign would make it easy.

Nobody had told me in their various sets of directions that Spit was across the street from The Monster.

[bigfanNY]

Doug my Family is from Maine and asking for directions in NE is an adventure all it's own.
Thin Lizzy love the Whiskey in a jar Video with the girls dancing in prom dresses (check it out classic) and such a great song.
I apologize for bringing in the grammer police. Guess my reference to "stuffy people" went over some heads. But first time I ever read a thread with multiple references to Merciful Fate that included a grammer correction. I give a F... how folks refer to where they live.
I enjoyed much better The Ramones reference to Queens in Happy Family.
I will take my own advice and post a stub or pic with each post. Music Addicts come in all shapes and sizes no wrong or right. But if one of your top ten musical experiences was Rocking to the touring group of Jersey Boys at Westchester theater, then I understand the grammer posts completely.
Souvenirs of fun in on and around NJ.

[Michael B]

Originally Posted by doug.goodman

Damn! Thin Lizzy at the Paradise. Amazing. I'll trade you my first show there (Steve Earle and the Dukes, March 1987) for that one!

And Spit. My first show ever in Boston was at Spit in July 1985. I was driving the equipment truck, with a guy from Wales, and selling merch. I wanted to get to the venue early so that I would have time to go to Fenway, but we kept getting lost. Each time we did we got new directions from somebody different. Finally, I gave up and decided to just go to Fenway first, the Wales guy asked how I expected to find "this Fenway place" I told him the Citgo sign would make it easy.

Nobody had told me in their various sets of directions that Spit was across the street from The Monster.

I saw Thin Lizzy twice at the 'Dise - September 16, 1978 and December 2, 1980. Not even my first show there. I went either the first Friday or Saturday opening week, September 22 or 23, 1977. It was Rick Derringer with an unsigned local act - The Cars. I sat with the guys from Boston. They were huge at that time and came out for a show in this 550 seat club. I did not go to that many shows there, but still liked it. Shows I remember seeing there: Derringer (77, 78, 80) Ramones (79?, 80), Elvin Bishop 1979, , Peter Gabriel Halloween 1979, Boomtown Rats 1979 got Geldof's harmonica, The Cars 1978, The Plastics (Japanese new wave interviewed them after show) 1981, Secret Affair (British new wave) 1981, Greg Kihn Band, The Waitresses and Cheap Trick mid 1990's when they did their three night stay in each city. At least one of the times I went there Derringer's 2nd guitar was Neil Giraldo, Pat Benatar's husband.

Spit was originally a new wave dance club only. They did some surprise concerts while I was there in 1980 - The Neighborhoods a popular Boston band, The Modettes ("White Mice"), Chelsea an original U.K. punk band and The Skatt Brothers (Walk the Night). A few musicians dropped in - Daryl Hall, Tom Hamilton (Aerosmith), Frank Zappa and John Lennon. They also asked me to come back to work the WBCN Rumble in 1981. One of the bands I saw during that week was the Young Snakes. Their lead singer was Aimee Mann a few years before she formed 'Til Tuesday. Once they started doing regular concerts it changed quite a bit though. I only went twice - The Fall, U.K. new wave and The Waitresses. I interviewed Chris Butler after the show. It was a great place to get autographs in the early days of concerts. I remember getting The Divinyls, Buzzcocks, Michael Schenker, Ace Frehley and the Georgia Satellites. While waiting for the Georgia Satellites I struck up a conversation with the lead singer of the opening act Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes.

I have an interesting tie between The Paradise and sports collecting. I went to a concert there in 1978, maybe Rick Derringer. The opening act was a local act called Fox Pass and they announced it was their last show. At the end of the show the drummer tossed both of his sticks and they landed at my feet as I was sitting in one of the bolted down seats right in front of the stage. No one reacted so I just picked them up and kept them. I put a sticker on them to remember where they were from. A few years later I found their indie single and bought it. Fast forward 10 years or so. I was in a baseball card store in the Boston suburbs. I knew the people who ran it and there was one other person there. I started talking to him and we got to music and he mentioned that he used to be in a band - Fox Pass! It was Jon Hall of Hall's Nostalgia. He used a stage name as there was already the well known John Hall of Orleans and a U.S. congressman. I mentioned I had the drumsticks and single and gave them to him.

Every post needs at least a photo.

Mick Jones - Clash on Broadway, Bonds, NYC, 1981. I went two nights the first week.
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Mark E. Smith of the Fall Spit 1981
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Johnny Ramone - The Paradise. One of my favorite photos of the ones I have taken.
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[bigfanNY]

The Clash at Bonds casino. I waited in line for tickets and grabbed 6 for me and friends first night. We drive into the city early grab food (2nd ave deli) and hear on radio that we have to come back later in the week due to tickets being oversold. Clash added shows so everyone who bought a ticket saw a show. So we see that Palladium has a show and we go and scalp for half price to U2. You could tell they had stage presence played I will follow twice. Saw them next in Hawaii in 85 Joshua tree tour. Both great shows.
And Clash at Bonds was great. But Asbury park in 82 with original drummer just after release of combat rock they all seemed at top of their game.
Your signed book is epic if you could show clash auto's

[Ron]

Hi can someone let me know a couple of good people or good sites that sell authentic rock memorabilia at a fair price
i have a kid who is into a lot of the older rock from 70's/80's
thanks

[Michael B]

Originally Posted by Ron

Hi can someone let me know a couple of good people or good sites that sell authentic rock memorabilia at a fair price
i have a kid who is into a lot of the older rock from 70's/80's
thanks

It may be helpful if you can be a bit more specific.

Do you mean passes like the ones they stick on their jeans?
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Set Lists?
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Picks?
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Signed tickets?
TICKETS-2-REDO.jpg

or ticket stubs?
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You can find a lot of legit ticket stubs on ebay. It is just finding ones that are good and show the bands. Laminated passes from the 80's and 90's are all over the place. I would suspect that they are still being remade. I don't have many picks any more and sold off my drumsticks. I had some decent picks - Ted Nugent, Link Wray from his last show in the U.S. which was his only show that year in the U.S. and some decent drumsticks - Mick Fleetwood, Ted from the Dead Kennedys, Roger Earl from Foghat, Dave Roberts from Big Audio Dynamite, Don Brewer from Grand Funk, Simon Kirke from Bad Company. I got all of them by asking the musicians directly. Picks are pretty easy as many guitar players have them in their pockets. Sticks are more challenging. I got most at sound checks though a few left a pair for me at the their hotel desk. The second time I met Ted Nugent was at an auditorium across the street from the courthouse where I was working. I got him walking in. He stopped to chat and said 'hold out your hand' and dropped about 20-25 signature Damn Yankees picks into it. Drumsticks can also be challenging if they have very specific sticks for the tour and they cannot get them while on the road. Less likely to give one up.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Ron

Hi can someone let me know a couple of good people or good sites that sell authentic rock memorabilia at a fair price
i have a kid who is into a lot of the older rock from 70's/80's
thanks

Try Roger Epperson

https://www.rogerepperson.com/

[Ron]

thanks for info will do

[Kevin]

I've been going to shows since the late 80s, did the arena rock thing then I wound up seeing Tony Bennett at the Mercury Lounge in 1994. That was great. Avoid big venues for the last 25 years. Right as The Strokes hit, I started going solo to shows and caught the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Jonathan Fire*eater, TV on the Radio. All the while missing out on LCD Soundsystem. I finally saw them at Webster Hall in 2010 (?) and was completely blown away by their sound. Probably the best sounding band I've ever seen live.

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by Michael B

Mark E. Smith of the Fall Spit 1981

Cool shot. Mark E. Smith was certainly a character.

I toured with a band called Magnapop in 1994, supporting The Fall for 13 dates across the US, including one at the Avalon in Boston, that was the same building as Spit, right? Or am I getting a couple of the vast assortment of Boston venues I've been to confused?

Spit, the old Garden, Paradise, Channel, The Rat, Narcissus, TT Bears, Avalon, Roxy, Landsdowne Playhouse, Great Woods, Harvard Square, Harbor Lights, City Hall Plaza, Suffolk Downs, Axis, Foxboro Stadium, Orpheum, Gillette Stadium, the new Garden, Wang Theater, B of A Pavilion, House of Blues, Wilbur Theater, Chevalier Theater.

[Michael B]

Where to start.

Jonathan - you posted a couple of tickets from the David Jo / Ramones Tour. I saw them in Boston with Willie Alexander and The Neighborhoods as the opening act. I will scan a couple of photos in a day or so.

Doug - pretty good on the clubs/venues. There was also Cantones and The Underground in Boston. Next to TT the Bears in Cambridge was the Middle East upstairs and downstairs. Cambridge also had Ryles, Jonathan Swifts and Passim. Somerville had Lillies where I saw The Dictators. The Wang Center was previously called the Music Hall. The Roxy, on the second floor of the hotel across the street from the Wang Center was first a concert venue called the Bradford Ballroom. I believe that is where I saw Gang of Four. And the Opera House, almost forgot that one.

Some history for the buildings on Landsdowne Street behind the Green Monster of Fenway Park. The main building was originally a horse barn then a car garage. It became the second incantation of the Boston Tea Party. In the mid/late 1970's it became a disco called Boston Boston. It's name was changed to The Metro and in 1980 Spit opened up to the right of it at the alley. They were owned by the same person. There was various remodeling and Spit became Axis and The Metro became Citi then Avalon. A club called Mama Kin (Aerosmith connected) opened to the left of Avalon. They were all eventually purchased by Don Law torn down and the House of Blues was built there. I may be a bit off on the Avalon/Citi history, but fairly close I believe.

Jonathan, here are The Clash autos in a similar book. The first one can be a bit fragile and I don't like to open it flat too much. It is a 200 +/- page paperback book with a glued spine and they tend to wear down. I got Joe Strummer at Tower Records November 13, 1989 during an in store record signing. I was first in line. He signed my two books, multiple Clash albums and a photo or two. I got Mick about 7 weeks earlier on September 28 when Big Audio Dynamite was in town. He went to WBCN, one block from Fenway Park, for an on air appearance and that deserves a story.

clash.jpg

I am sure Doug with all his experience has run into all kinds of people who feel it is their business to protect the musician. Most of the road crew people I have met have been okay. Stay out of their way and don't act like your trying to cause trouble or steal equipment and you are usually okay. It is the chauffeurs who cause the most problems. They fancy themselves important. WBCN was a one story brick building on Beacon Street across from the McD's in the movie "The Town" where Jeremy Renner was shot. The entrance was a small stairway about 20-25 feet from the street. For most of their time there the musicians came in the front. Knowing that you could meet pretty much anyone who was going there. About 4 or 5 of us were out front when the limo with Mick Jones pulled up. This 5' 5" driver jumps out and starts yelling at us to leave him alone as he has to get inside. Mick gets out of the car and proceeds to sit on the front fender and sign autographs for everyone. He was cool like most musicians. My friends did not know I had an in at the Channel and I took them down there after that for the soundcheck. No Mick but the rest of the band including Don Letts, Doug Roberts and Leo "E-Zee Kill" Williams. More stories to come.

Photos for the day

Jackson Browne at some sort of fundraiser Strand Theatre, Dorchester
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Fee Waybill lead singer of The Tubes in character as Quay Lude. Orpheum Theatre. My favorite type of photo. I took the photo, printed it in a darkroom and got it signed in person.
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[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by Michael B

Doug - pretty good on the clubs/venues.

I am sure Doug with all his experience has run into all kinds of people who feel it is their business to protect the musician. Most of the road crew people I have met have been okay. Stay out of their way and don't act like your trying to cause trouble or steal equipment and you are usually okay. It is the chauffeurs who cause the most problems. They fancy themselves important.

Amazing stuff.

I have worked shows at those venues.

You made me laugh out loud with that chauffeur comment. So true.

Once upon a time I was working for Green Day. I was eating dinner with our head of security in the catering area, which was behind and kind of under the bleachers at an arena somewhere. There was a tarp covering the seats for one wall of the area, my back was to it. While we were eating the security guy nodded his head towards the wall with one finger to his lips, so I turned my head and watched as two kids somehow managed to squeeze themselves thru the seats and under the tarp at the far end of our row of tables (which was empty besides us). The initial looks on their faces were "F yeah, we made it!" then they saw us looking at them and their faces changed to "oh shit".

The security guy did his best imitation of a mean security guy and said "Come with ME" and we led them up the hall talking to each other about promoters and police and expulsions and arrests and whatever we could think of to scare the kids until we walked them into the band dressing room and asked the guys who were there "What should we do kids who sneak backstage?"

One suggestion was "Give them a beer!" but neither kid looked old enough to drink so instead they settled for autographs and pictures, then we tossed them back into the crowd.

Fun times.

[steve B]

When I saw the Hendrix experience show here in Lowell last year they had a whole "handing out picks to pretty much anyone " thing right when the show ended. Pretty cool, but I didn't go get one.

When my sister was in college, she got to see a couple good bands because the school had them in.
One trip down to visit she told me she'd seen a band she thought I'd like, and that she'd gotten a pick tossed into the "crowd" of maybe 150!

"I don't remember the name, but you'd like them"
"What songs? "
"If I can't remember the name you think I'd remember a song? "
"Yeah, good point. "
"Oh! there was one thing... the guy had a guitar shaped like a big hand"
" You saw Cheap Trick and didn't remember the name?!"
"Oh, yeah, that's the name. You've heard of them? "

U Conn apparently could book some great bands and hardly draw anyone.

[Michael B]

A couple of quick stories.

One of the hotels where many musicians would stay in Boston was the Four Seasons. We called it The Fours. The hotel had an overhang so cars could pull up to the front door and not be on the sidewalk. The overhang was also the outside of the hotel and the edge of their property They had one simple rule: Don't come onto their property unless you were told you could. Nice and simple. One day we were waiting for Rod Stewart. He comes out, sees us and waves us to come over. As we walk over to the car for him to sign the driver starts blocking us. I had to point out to him that we were called over. Rod signed for everyone.

Another time we were waiting for Kenny Loggins, all time nice guy. He was in town for a concert on Boston Common. He comes out of the hotel walks over to us on the public sidewalk and says 'Hey guys, how's it going? What is a good direction to go for a walk?" Hotel security comes running out onto the sidewalk and demands that we not bother their guests. Loggins with a straight face looks at him and says something like 'Why are you bothering me and my friends' and waves him off. Interestingly that also happened with basketball player David Robinson outside the Marriott Copley Hotel. A few of us were standing with him in the median halfway across Huntington Ave. and he was signing autographs. Two hotel security people come running across the street and tell us to leave him alone. He said something very similar and I believe mentioned that this was not hotel property.

Massachusetts has a public accommodation law. It pretty much says that if you are a place of public accommodation, ie a hotel, you cannot bar people from using your facilities. Great to know if you want to use a bathroom. Also good if you want to sit on a couch in the lobby and rest. We were waiting for Gloria Estefan, one of the nicest musicians I have ever met, outside the Fours. I went inside to sit down and relax. I was dressed decently so no problem. I am sitting there and she comes off one of the elevators all alone. She looks at me and I smile. She walks up to me and asks if I want her autograph. Of course I said yes and she signs. After she walks away security reminds me that we are not supposed to ask for autographs in the hotel. I told them what happened and they said that's okay. It was still funny as that is not the norm.

One more. Anyone who has gone to the Orpheum in Boston knows that it is at the end of a very short dead end street. Not an alley as it has sidewalks on both sides and two cars can fit side by side. There is an alley on Bromfield Street, but no one really uses it. Musicians go in the front door. Good to know if you want to catch a musician coming or going for sound check. I was waiting outside for Lou Reed while he was doing his sound check. Some person, either a band person or theatre person I am not sure which one, maybe Doug!!! Opened the door and said 'Don't bother Mr. Reed when he leaves'. I've never been one to listen to a functionary. Lou Reed walks out. I ask him (I always use Mr.) if he would mind signing an autograph. He walks right over and signs. Not a problem. All the time that turd was standing in the door stewing.

More stories to come. Now a few photos.

Lou Reed at an in store appearance Strawberry Records Kenmore Sq, Boston
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Danny Johnson playing with Derringer. Jaxx here in Springfield, VA. The former home of Swedish death metal on the East Coast.
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John Kay of Steppenwolf playing outdoors at a sort of biker bar in North Brookfield MA
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Buck Dharma of BOC. Providence, RI Night of Healing benefit concert for the families and victims of The Station nightclub fire. I had been to that club a few times. Thankfully not that night as not a fan of Great White.
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