Particularly with my parents, and growing up in Arizona. My father you see is, well let’s say he is politically progressive but, also born in the 1930’s in Maryland. Ya know he was aware of a really amazing history of the family, and I did have some full on, shaved the sides of my head, mohawks, skull on the back of my leather jacket, tryna be a tough guy at 16 years old kinda shit goin on. Boys will be boys, I guess.
I don’t have a lot left from those times. Old friends of mine from Tucson will instantly recognize me, but at 48 years old, I feel like very few would recognize me. Word to Lenny Mental, who of course looks exactly the same, I ran into him, I look a thousand times different, he knew exactly who I was.
So, first of all, you might look at this old photo of a young man in a city. Well, that young man was me, it was the summer of 1985 and I was (apparently already showing signs of a bad back) sitting down, in “The Bowery” right outside a club called #CBGB and OMFUG.
Now, look ... I coulda played football. I liked to slam dance instead. Same thing, sometimes people get hurt, but you never intend to get anybody injured. There’s even kinda like a rule where if someone falls down, and people don’t help him back up, you are allowed to kick the asses of the guys that did not help him up. You are also not supposed to be wearing spikey bracelets, bad idea to have any earings in, but, in general, basic safety rules. So, in this photo I was about as clean as you would find me back then. Hair isn’t spiked up. Not wearing my leather jacket.
Ready to slam. Hang out with some friends. I didn’t officially move to NYC until 1994. Lived in Downtown Manhattan and Hoboken until 2005.
I was a computer geek too. Very early on the internet. I should write an article about my #IRCwarrior days. Maybe that will be next. Jon Stewart ... the fantastic and funny star I miss so much from the Daily Show. Please come back Jon. Not to the West Village where I am used to,politely nod at you, like a normal person ... you know that West Village, “look away, it’s a celebrity” ... that’s how WE DO in the West Village. Yer just a normal person. It must be like home to Jon, because I remember back in the day, when that neighborhood was home to me and Jon and I both liked the same kinda of music, so to him I am just that dude ... he has forgotten about, he used to see around the neighborhood. To me? Yeah, that’s so cool that kid got really famous. I shoulda tried harder to be his friend.
1985 or 1986 ... not sure.
Sorry if I didn’t look very #punkrock ... I was there to #slamdance.