*Note: These are preview spreads only. If you haven’t yet, you can purchase issues #1-10 by clicking here!
(Click on images for full-size versions) In Issue #11, I introduce Gino’s, which was the spot to be for L.A.’s mods, rudies and skinheads in the mid- to late-’80s. Located on Vine just North of Santa Monica Blvd. (now the training center for Manny Pacquiao), I must’ve spent every freakin’ weekend here between 1986 and 1988.
In Issue #12 I chronicle my amazement on how different the mods danced from the rudies. When rudies simply skanked to their hearts content any which way they wanted, mods were very, very dedicated to accomplishing a certain type of style in their strut, and the best mods had some crazy power moves.
Issue #13 recalls the frequent frustration I had with my parents and relatives constantly regaling me with outrageously trendy (or so I felt, at least) duds which I wanted nothing to to do with. Of course, my dad being frugal king of the universe, was more than happy to adopt my unwanted threads, as much as I was to adopt his old ones. Win win.
Issue #14 introduces Fender’s Ballroom as yet another hot spot of the mod, ska and even punk scenes of L.A., although you would never see punks at a mod show or vice versa. No Doubt, with their blazing ska debut, really turned heads (especially Gwen, who had all the boys drooling). One particular show was visited by some not-so-friendly “nazi” skinheads. This was my first encounter with them.
One could almost not mention Fender’s Ballroom without fond recall of the At Ocean Motel, which many a scenester crashed after the weekend shows. If you thought the Fender’s shows were crazy, staying at that motel was sometimes even crazier.
Update May 28, 2011: #11-13 are finished, #14 and 15 are just about done. Sorry for such the delay, but life’s been hectic! By the way, you can purchase issues #1-10 right here on my blog—just click here!
Oh, and for those of you just getting hip to this, you can also follow me on my Facebook page. Thanks for dropping in.
Tags: The Drawing Bored
Awesome!
I can’t wait to hear more tales from the scene.
And I want to cast my vote for your dad, especially his accent, as the best character in the series.
Peace,
Rayo
Hey Rayo!
Nice to see you. It seems that my dad is the favorite character in the series…he’s received the most appraise/remarks. Too funny!
Have you talked to Steven Soderbergh about doing a movie for your bike trip yet? =)
I was a roadie (okay, THE roadie) for the Bootboys for a while in the 80′s. I’m pretty sure I was at the Madame Wong’s gig you have the flyer for. I was in the Marine Corps at the time and if it’s the gig I’m thinking of, Lee the Bootboys’ vocalist dedicated their song “Soldier Boy” to me before playing it at the gig. I knew some guys from Lion’s Pride and Headstrong (the only name coming back to me all these years later is Martin, a half-Irish, half-Latino guy who lived in the valley). Does any of this sound familiar to you lol? Thanks. Fred
Hey Fred:
Madame Wong’s will always be a vivid memory of mine, for two reasons:
1) I was underage at the time of the gig (17 yrs. old), and had to ditch the bouncer before he could check my ID. He wouldn’t have let me play the show if he knew I was 17—when I asked him if band members were exempt, he said, “You have to be 18, no matter what.” I think Martin was also underage at the time—and yes, the same Martin which you recall. I vaguely recall running down the hall with him and hiding out in some store room or something until it was safe. lol
2) It was also at this show that Greg Lee claims to have heard me play a ska riddim during soundcheck, and just from that snippet decided that I would be the drummer for future outfit “Hepcat.”
What’s crazy is that it couldn’t have been more than a bar or so that I squeezed in, as Ska used to piss our bass player Eric off. “We’re an Oi! band,” he’d insist. “…and I don’t wanna hear none of that ska shit when we play.” But of course, I loved ska (and he knew it), so I couldn’t resist it every now and then.
I can’t remember much of the show aside from that unfortunately, but I do remember that for that gig the Bootboys had a substitute drummer, someone who wasn’t even a skinhead but could play what they needed. Apparently they were only able to have one rehearsal with him or something, but he played flawlessly. I remember the lead vocalist complimenting him before (or after?) they played “Skinheads in Sta-Prest” by The Last Resort.
What was it like being their roadie? I remember every now and then The Bootboys would stir up some controversy, as people would accuse them of being racist or something. It was always some crazy back and forth thing. You know all that paranoia in the late ’80s as soon as the “neo-Nazis” made the news.
Anyways, great to hear from you Fred. Thanks for the comment. =) –GN
Great stuff,
Big admirer of the comic.
Former Nor Cal skin here. Produced Boots n Booze. Pages posted here:
http://tfustudios.blogspot.com/2009/05/boots-n-booze.html
http://tfustudios.blogspot.com/2009/11/boots-n-booze-2.html
Hey James:
Great to see you here. Don’t recall actually reading an issue of BNB back in the day, but I sure did hear of them, and I know some of my friends had copies.
Some of those pages sure do look familiar though, so I probably did thumb through your pages at one time.
I’d totally be down to trade zine for zine if you still have any left. Let me know!