Comments on: Wild in the Streets http://www.easyreadernews.com/2010/01/arts/wild-in-the-streets Tue, 07 Sep 2010 01:46:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Gregory B. Harris http://www.easyreadernews.com/2010/01/arts/wild-in-the-streets#comment-1764 Gregory B. Harris Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:47:05 +0000 http://www.easyreadernews.com/?p=1616#comment-1764 Is stoked. That's right: S T O K E D ! Muchas gracias! So many memories...my Mom and sisters (and me from time to time) lived on 12th between Rowell and Peck on Liberty Hill so I hung out a Polliwog since it was just a swamp. Was at that show and The Church (or The Colony during the day) and Red Beach...nothing about Red Beach? The stretch of The Strand just north of the Hermosa Pier where various M/Cs would hang out wearing their colors among their precision parked choppers hawking their wares: reds? whites? 'lumbo? microdot? Even lived in the Hermosa Hotel for a minute. Damn, I got a CETA job at what was Pier Avenue MS! Is stoked. That’s right: S T O K E D ! Muchas gracias! So many memories…my Mom and sisters (and me from time to time) lived on 12th between Rowell and Peck on Liberty Hill so I hung out a Polliwog since it was just a swamp. Was at that show and The Church (or The Colony during the day) and Red Beach…nothing about Red Beach? The stretch of The Strand just north of the Hermosa Pier where various M/Cs would hang out wearing their colors among their precision parked choppers hawking their wares: reds? whites? ‘lumbo? microdot? Even lived in the Hermosa Hotel for a minute. Damn, I got a CETA job at what was Pier Avenue MS!

]]> By: Max http://www.easyreadernews.com/2010/01/arts/wild-in-the-streets#comment-1147 Max Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:23:23 +0000 http://www.easyreadernews.com/?p=1616#comment-1147 It was a neat show, and the exhibit runs for a couple months, check it out. It was a neat show, and the exhibit runs for a couple months, check it out.

]]> By: Terry Roland http://www.easyreadernews.com/2010/01/arts/wild-in-the-streets#comment-1085 Terry Roland Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:12:02 +0000 http://www.easyreadernews.com/?p=1616#comment-1085 I was in the Baptist congregation at the church. I was one of several unruly young teens who would run through the church discovering these great hidden places, running around the roof with all of the dead pigeons and ditching church to go down and hang with the 'hippies.' The year was 1967-1970. The place was a magic land of funky madness. It was a small congregation which put the bigot into bigotry.....I played The Doors for the pastor, Avery Richie, who summerized his impression like this...'it's one thing for a "Nigger to sing like a nigger, but another thing for white man to sing like a nigger." This was my spiritual leader.....but, instead, I follow Morrison, Hendrix and Dylan.....The church's fate becoming a mecca for So Cal punk and the place where Black Flag was born seems somehow fitting. I was in the Baptist congregation at the church. I was one of several unruly young teens who would run through the church discovering these great hidden places, running around the roof with all of the dead pigeons and ditching church to go down and hang with the ‘hippies.’ The year was 1967-1970. The place was a magic land of funky madness. It was a small congregation which put the bigot into bigotry…..I played The Doors for the pastor, Avery Richie, who summerized his impression like this…’it’s one thing for a “Nigger to sing like a nigger, but another thing for white man to sing like a nigger.” This was my spiritual leader…..but, instead, I follow Morrison, Hendrix and Dylan…..The church’s fate becoming a mecca for So Cal punk and the place where Black Flag was born seems somehow fitting.

]]> By: brannan piper http://www.easyreadernews.com/2010/01/arts/wild-in-the-streets#comment-616 brannan piper Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:42:59 +0000 http://www.easyreadernews.com/?p=1616#comment-616 P.S. correction. I meant old enough to have had the " Michael experience"......I guess reading Keith's interview made me feel 17 y.o. again. P.S. correction. I meant old enough to have had the ” Michael experience”……I guess reading Keith’s interview made me feel 17 y.o. again.

]]> By: brannan piper http://www.easyreadernews.com/2010/01/arts/wild-in-the-streets#comment-614 brannan piper Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:04:06 +0000 http://www.easyreadernews.com/?p=1616#comment-614 Hello, Michael's sister and old friend of Keith's here in NYC, I had long since moved to Santa Cruz, where Michael came to live with me and then to NYC where he also relocated by the time Keith started doing music. If anyone knows how I can reach Keith, my H.S. friend, I would be indebted. email: brannan.piper812@gmail.com. The music world is so small that I imagine that those of you young enough to have had the "Michael experience" are aware that he passed away on April 18, 2008. DEVASTATING. I want to thank Keith for keeping his spirit and contributions alive in his references to Mick in his interview. Michael went on to become a leading rare international record dealer, record producer, and continued to be a seeker of new and unusual musical talent for his entire life. I miss him everyday. Keith, just so that you know, I always thought that you were not only super intelligent but also very hip in an understated way....... which is the only way I like it. Very proud of you. Michael would want you all to know that he believed keeping the spirit of music alive and most importantly, circulating it, sharing it and connecting through it is a positive and passionate undertaking. I made sure that his passing was full of love and peace. I never left his side. would love to hear from any old friends. Best to all, Brannan Hello, Michael’s sister and old friend of Keith’s here in NYC,

I had long since moved to Santa Cruz, where Michael came to live with me and then to NYC where he also relocated by the time Keith started doing music. If anyone knows how I can reach Keith, my H.S. friend, I would be indebted. email: brannan.piper812@gmail.com. The music world is so small that I imagine that those of you young enough to have had the “Michael experience” are aware that he passed away on April 18, 2008. DEVASTATING. I want to thank Keith for keeping his spirit and contributions alive in his references to Mick in his interview. Michael went on to become a leading rare international record dealer, record producer, and continued to be a seeker of new and unusual musical talent for his entire life. I miss him everyday.

Keith, just so that you know, I always thought that you were not only super intelligent but also very hip in an understated way……. which is the only way I like it. Very proud of you.

Michael would want you all to know that he believed keeping the spirit of music alive and most importantly, circulating it, sharing it and connecting through it is a positive and passionate undertaking. I made sure that his passing was full of love and peace. I never left his side.

would love to hear from any old friends. Best to all, Brannan

]]> By: Jeff Williams http://www.easyreadernews.com/2010/01/arts/wild-in-the-streets#comment-529 Jeff Williams Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:41:29 +0000 http://www.easyreadernews.com/?p=1616#comment-529 Joe Carducci's New Vulgate blog linked over to this interview. A great interview. I saw Black Flag with Keith singing at I think the Hong Kong Cafe in '79 and it was one of the greatest shows of my life- he didn't dress punk - corduroy pants and a J.C. Penney's print shirt. - but was completely hypnotic onstage. Anyhow I loved the article. I have seen the Circle Jerks and Black flag many times. On a health note, please someone get ahold of Keith and ask him if he was ever tested for hemochromatosis - I have it and it put me in a diabetic coma and afflicted me with cirrhosis. His comments about managing diabetes are right one. It is CRUCIAL he gets tested for HH (hereditary hemochromatosis). It's a common genetic disease and it treatable but left untreated it causes diabetes, cirrhosis, and even death. Joe Carducci’s New Vulgate blog linked over to this interview. A great interview. I saw Black Flag with Keith singing at I think the Hong Kong Cafe in ’79 and it was one of the greatest shows of my life- he didn’t dress punk – corduroy pants and a J.C. Penney’s print shirt. – but was completely hypnotic onstage.

Anyhow I loved the article. I have seen the Circle Jerks and Black flag many times.

On a health note, please someone get ahold of Keith and ask him if he was ever tested for hemochromatosis – I have it and it put me in a diabetic coma and afflicted me with cirrhosis. His comments about managing diabetes are right one.

It is CRUCIAL he gets tested for HH (hereditary hemochromatosis). It’s a common genetic disease and it treatable but left untreated it causes diabetes, cirrhosis, and even death.

]]> By: Mike Kelley http://www.easyreadernews.com/2010/01/arts/wild-in-the-streets#comment-329 Mike Kelley Sun, 31 Jan 2010 18:25:06 +0000 http://www.easyreadernews.com/?p=1616#comment-329 What a fascinating time-capsule article. I was there during part of this history, having been close friends with record store owner Michael Piper. Like Keith, Michael turned me on to a lot of great music, and together we went to more legendary shows on the Strip than I can count. I would see Keith around back then, usually at Michael's shop, but like most of us at that time, he was into the progressive rock stuff like Genesis & Gentle Giant. When punk started to happen & I heard that Keith was involved I could fathom it! I used to attend services at the infamous church- when Brother Ritchie was pastor- long before it was shuttered and eventually became the squathouse for the local punk brigade. One day a good friend of mine Bobby Blotzer, drummer for Ratt, said "I wanna take you to see a friend of mine. You're not gonna believe this." This was early 1980s. We went to the church, which at that point had been closed for some time, and made our way to a room where Ron Reyes was living...in a cupboard! It was an overhead storage cupboard, large enough to sleep in. And there he was! We hung out for awhile & I reminisced about what it was like going to church there back in the day. The So Bay's transformation from a progressive-rock stronghold to one of LA's punk epicenters was a strange transformation to watch, and the Smokestack/Fleetwood was a big part of that evolution. Then you have the local metal thing too, which began developing about the same time, with Ratt, Dokken, and Great White. Lots of history there, and its great to see that Keith is still going strong. What a fascinating time-capsule article. I was there during part of this history, having been close friends with record store owner Michael Piper. Like Keith, Michael turned me on to a lot of great music, and together we went to more legendary shows on the Strip than I can count. I would see Keith around back then, usually at Michael’s shop, but like most of us at that time, he was into the progressive rock stuff like Genesis & Gentle Giant. When punk started to happen & I heard that Keith was involved I could fathom it! I used to attend services at the infamous church- when Brother Ritchie was pastor- long before it was shuttered and eventually became the squathouse for the local punk brigade. One day a good friend of mine Bobby Blotzer, drummer for Ratt, said “I wanna take you to see a friend of mine. You’re not gonna believe this.” This was early 1980s. We went to the church, which at that point had been closed for some time, and made our way to a room where Ron Reyes was living…in a cupboard! It was an overhead storage cupboard, large enough to sleep in. And there he was! We hung out for awhile & I reminisced about what it was like going to church there back in the day. The So Bay’s transformation from a progressive-rock stronghold to one of LA’s punk epicenters was a strange transformation to watch, and the Smokestack/Fleetwood was a big part of that evolution. Then you have the local metal thing too, which began developing about the same time, with Ratt, Dokken, and Great White. Lots of history there, and its great to see that Keith is still going strong.

]]> By: Ryan http://www.easyreadernews.com/2010/01/arts/wild-in-the-streets#comment-321 Ryan Sun, 31 Jan 2010 14:53:58 +0000 http://www.easyreadernews.com/?p=1616#comment-321 They kicked out the Westside Burrito connection in Bremerton, WA, too. The reason we had so many places to play music there was the town was a ghost town. The civic economy was completely destroyed with the invention of the mall (another great Seattle export) Music tends to be pretty viral, so don´t get in a huff when the town becomes yuppieville. The scene will move on and start eating fresh meat somewhere else just down the road where the rent is cheap and there´s burritos by the plenty. It will ache and people will bitch but that makes the tunes better in the end anyway. They kicked out the Westside Burrito connection in Bremerton, WA, too. The reason we had so many places to play music there was the town was a ghost town. The civic economy was completely destroyed with the invention of the mall (another great Seattle export)
Music tends to be pretty viral, so don´t get in a huff when the town becomes yuppieville. The scene will move on and start eating fresh meat somewhere else just down the road where the rent is cheap and there´s burritos by the plenty. It will ache and people will bitch but that makes the tunes better in the end anyway.

]]> By: Gooseneck http://www.easyreadernews.com/2010/01/arts/wild-in-the-streets#comment-320 Gooseneck Sun, 31 Jan 2010 14:27:33 +0000 http://www.easyreadernews.com/?p=1616#comment-320 Who knew that the Black Flag seed was sown from going to see Thin Lizzy and Journey? Great stuff... Love the quote about "Knucklehead Beach"... I get that. Who knew that the Black Flag seed was sown from going to see Thin Lizzy and Journey? Great stuff… Love the quote about “Knucklehead Beach”… I get that.

]]> By: Carol Lynn http://www.easyreadernews.com/2010/01/arts/wild-in-the-streets#comment-318 Carol Lynn Sun, 31 Jan 2010 10:00:08 +0000 http://www.easyreadernews.com/?p=1616#comment-318 Great article from Don Waller, who has managed to collect the exact essence of life in the South Bay at that very moment in time. I would just like to add that my Dad took me to the Insomniac one night. We watched from the doorway, as a man rode a tricycle - wheels soaked in color - over a huge canvas on the floor. Lights were blue and red and there was jazz playing in the background. If I'd been a little cool, I may have caught the name of the artist. I was a child, so I had my eye on that trike. As a teen, Either/Or Bookstore, Greeko's Sandals, Rubicon & Manhattan Beach's Platypus Records was where the tidbits of my after school job's wages were spent. It was it's own universe for a minute - giving birth to such a wide range of artists. Took a trip there last March after my Mom passed out of this life. Yeah, it's missing a chunk of its soul - traded it for higher priced, under-inspired shops full of shit. The salty air & morning fog still feels really good, though. Great article from Don Waller, who has managed to collect the exact essence of life in the South Bay at that very moment in time. I would just like to add that my Dad took me to the Insomniac one night. We watched from the doorway, as a man rode a tricycle – wheels soaked in color – over a huge canvas on the floor. Lights were blue and red and there was jazz playing in the background. If I’d been a little cool, I may have caught the name of the artist. I was a child, so I had my eye on that trike.
As a teen, Either/Or Bookstore, Greeko’s Sandals, Rubicon & Manhattan Beach’s Platypus Records was where the tidbits of my after school job’s wages were spent. It was it’s own universe for a minute – giving birth to such a wide range of artists.
Took a trip there last March after my Mom passed out of this life. Yeah, it’s missing a chunk of its soul – traded it for higher priced, under-inspired shops full of shit.
The salty air & morning fog still feels really good, though.

]]>