My first ever gig was New Years Eve 1976 with my high school band Genicide. Freeman Lee on bass, John Anderson on drums, Bob Giacaglia and Steve Morris(?) on guitar. I was just singing. It was a keg party at the Camus' house in Perfumo Canyon. We opened up with Mama Kin by Aerosmith and the place went nuts. I was hooked. I’ve been at it one way or another ever since.
I think Freeman still has a handmade poster of the gig.
We played in the living room of the old farmhouse and one of the things that was awesome for a high school rock star was that we shook a couple of the windows out their frames. Sorry Camuses.
We were very loud and didn’t have any monitors, our mains were these homemade speakers that I think had two 12”s in them. I pretty much couldn’t hear a thing I was singing and doubt anybody else could either. I couldn’t talk in more than a rasp for a week.
It was wonderful.
Tires
I dropped my truck off for new tires yesterday and since I was only a couple of blocks from work I decided to walk. As I was walking I started quietly singing the song that was in my head. After a while I started thinking that the folks in cars probably thought I was a crazie walking the street talking to myself. I stopped singing for about three seconds, then thought- “ screw it.”
Tom Petty's American Girl is a good marching tune.
Shows
