The Adolescents, The Stitiches, Pistol Grip and Drive By Smile at House of Blues Anaheim- Fri. Oct. 3, 2003Photos by Jenifer Hanen |
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The Adolescents, The Stitiches, Pistol Grip and Drive By
Smile at House of Blues Anaheim- Fri. Oct. 3, 2003
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I was asked to write "a few paragraphs" to accompany Jen's review of the Adolescents show at the House of Blues. The assignment wasn't specific, but here's what I thought up on the way home.
10 or so Most Memorable Adolescents Shows.
This is roughly in chronological order. It is far from comprehensive.
My version of the facts may conflict with yours, but it's how I remember
them - so there!
1. Tony's Mom's garage, early 1980 – This was just
a practice before they had even played any shows. There were a few other
people there besides the band. The only lighting in the garage was a droplight
hanging from one of the rafters. While he was singing, Tony pulled the
light down, broke it, and them stomped on it. If this was just a practice,
I thought, their first show ought to be pretty good. I missed their first
show because of bad directions. It turned out to be about a mile from
my parent's house in Yorba Linda.
2. El Dorado High School, Placentia – In the theatre/lecture
hall. They played with Agent Orange and the Idle Rich. Nothing got broken
but it was memorable nonetheless.
3. Servite High School Gym, Anaheim – Spring 1980.
John, who was in the first incarnation of the band, went to this all-boys,
Catholic school and set up this lunchtime assembly show. Since I had a
car, I was deputized as a roadie. The show was absolutely amazing. At
first, the PA didn't work so they played "Pipeline" or something.
As soon as the PA starting working and the whole band started playing,
the food and insults started flying. The band was relentlessly pelted
with sandwiches, apples, cartons of milk, and other various foodstuffs.
It was a very nutritional war zone. For a bunch of nice Catholic boys,
the audience sure had potty-mouths. Tony responded by calling them "fags"
and the power was shut off. The ensuing food fight lasted longer than
the set. John got in trouble from the school administration but I don't
know why. He didn't throw anything. Maybe he did, but only in self-defense.
4. The Fleetwood, Redondo Beach – April or May
1980 with the Germs and Middle Class. Once again, my car was my passport
to roadie-dom. I think this was their first "real" L.A. area
club show. They went over quite well and got written up in Flipside, which
was a big deal at the time. This may or may not be the time that I made
seventeen fake hand-stamps with a felt pen and they all worked.
5. Cuckoo's Nest, Costa Mesa, Summer 1980 – By
this time, Rikk and Casey from the Detours had replaced John and Peter
Pan - the original drummer. They brought in a bunch of new songs. The
first time I saw them play "Amoeba" was at the Nest. That was
when I realized that they were really good. I remember getting the feeling
that this was somehow historic and important, but chalked it up to teenage
experimentation with alcohol. They played at the Nest a lot and the shows
all blend together. There was the time that Rikk barfed onstage. That
was cool. He said he had the flu. I also remember a show that Steve missed
so Rikk used his bass and filled in for him. To say he mistreated the
instrument would be an understatement. I was asked not to tell Steve and
I didn't - until now. Hey Steve - Rikk broke your bass.
6. Troy High School, September 1980 – I helped
set this show up. I was on the yearbook staff with the Student President
dork who did all the work. Agent Orange and the Adolescents played the
lunch hour and the whole thing went pretty well. Troy was a lot more receptive
to punk rock than Servite - and we had girls, too!
7. KROQ, Pasadena – Not really a show, but an event.
"Amoeba" was getting a lot of airplay and the station sponsored
some kind of stupid contest and had the Adolescents make an appearance
to pick the winner on the air. I ditched school to act as chauffeur for
Steve and Tony. Another school chum named Simo went along for the ride.
The radio show was chaos and there was an extremely embarrassing photo
taken. I enjoyed dumpster diving with Rikk behind the station and getting
a bunch of records. Robbie Fields a.k.a. Posh Boy asked the Adolescents
and Rodney Bingenheimer out to lunch. He made a big show at the restaurant
when the waitress appeared. He told her "I'm paying, but not for
him, him, and him" pointing out me, Simo, and a friend of Rikk's
(whose name I forget). I'd like to think that was a factor in them not
putting out an album on Posh Boy records.
8. The Starwood, Hollywood – They did several shows
here in late '80 and early '81. It was all downhill from here.
9. The Vex, East L.A. Spring 1981 – The Flipside
Benefit with the Crowd and the Circle Jerks. Pat Smear had now replaced
Rikk. Mike Ness sang "House of the Rising Sun" with them. The
last really good show that I saw them do. Until the reunions, of course,
but those would have to wait five years.
10. THEN CAME THE REUNIONS! Fenders Ballroom, Long Beach.
1986. The dumb, relatively innocent fun had been replaced by a bitter
and jaded decadence. This is not an entirely true statement, but I think
it sounds poetic. I don't have any details.
11. Road Trip. Reno, San Francisco, San Jose. Winter 86 or 87
– I tagged along as Merchandise Guy. It was snowing as we headed
through Donner Pass on the way to Reno. I was told that if the van broke
down and left us stranded like the Donner Party - I would be the first
to go since I was the most expendable. The Reno show got cancelled and
some of us hit the casino bars. I snuck into a showroom and saw Sammy
Davis Jr. Another thing I remember about this trip is that Rikk had forgotten
to bring any shoes. I lent him a pair of mine. He wore them without socks
for the entire three-day trip. Over that time, he did not shower or change
his clothes. I did not ask for my shoes back.
12. Night Moves, Huntington Beach 1987 (?) – One
or two songs into the set, Tony threw the microphone over the lighting
rig, wrapped the cord around his neck, and tried to hang himself. End
of show.
13. Bogart's, Long Beach 87 or 88 – The short-lived
Rikk, Steve, Sandy, Paul line-up. I don't know why this stands out, but
it does. They did a medley of "Train Kept a Rolling/Hey Little Girl"
with a great, extended drum solo. Really.
14. December 1991 – I was home for Christmas and
saw them play two distinctly different sets in two different cities on
the same night. The first set was at the Doll Hut in Anaheim with Sandy
on drums and Rikk (without guitar) on lead vocals. The second set was
a couple of hours later in Riverside with the old Tony, Steve, Frank,
Rikk, and Casey line-up. They played "Silent Night."
15. The House of Blues, Anaheim Oct 3, 2003 – I
remember this show because it was three days ago. The new songs sound
good and Derek's drumming fits in with their sound. The House of Blues
not only has clean bathrooms, but they even have a washroom attendant!
They validated my parking. I like that.