Photos from the first show I ever Booked, 1989 and such

Welp, I been waiting to get these in my digital hands. I hollered at my mom earlier today and she dug in my archives (a closet in her house) and found a photo album with a lot of old photos. She didn't have time to do them all, but here's a clean ten of 'em to get us started.

The show was April 9, 1989. Laughing Hyenas (Detroit), Knifedance (Cleveland), and Lost (Erie). There's way more where this came from and I am working on a full on story about the first show and those first days and well, it's coming soon. Along with more photos. After the photos, the new flyer.

Oh yeah we added The Killerinas, Diesel Houdini, The Trashed and a semi-reunited My 3 Scum to the line up. I was trying to keep all these a surprise, but well THE INFO WAS LEAKED! And I am not tripping at all. Hope everyone stays happy and this event goes off beautifully!

Anyway, check it!


I took this photo when the band arrived for soundcheck that afternoon. This is the Laughing Hyenas, one of my favorite bands of all time. Larissa Strickland (RIP MY BEAUTIFUL GUITAR GODDESS IN THE SKY!), Kevin Strickland/Munroe, John Brannon, Jim Kimball


This is the Erie band LOST sitting outside the Continental Ballroom. Oh have I got stories related to them. I booked three tours around the US for them and we spent a lot of time in vans on the highway doing our thang. MY DUDES! Tho this line up did not last. Bob Rhodes, Brian DiPlacido, Jim Beveridge (who was later in Last Man Standing and will be playing at this show on the 25th!), Pete Stadtmueller (If I had one wish it would be for a Lost reunion at this show. But um, yeah, word is, that ain't happening. Dude who replaced Bob - FRED KRUGGER - is in Johnny James and the Absolutes tho SO THAT'S SOMETHING!)


That's me on the left there with Pete Stadtmueller of Lost. We are holding the first issue of my first fanzine Jackhammer Pogostick. It was named that stupid name because at our first "editorial meeting" when we were thinking of names, I said that and everyone said it was stupid so I got mad and demanded we call it that and we did. Yeah, good idea dude.


My mom and one of my mentors, Dan Allen. Dan was a lil older than me, and an avid record collector. He hipped me to a lot of music, took me to my first punk rock show outside of Erie (Butthole Surfers in 1987, me, Dan, Dave Martin and Frank FOE. We went in Dan's car and spun out in a blizzard behind a semi at 2 am and ended up in a snow bank. But yeah, we lived.), and used to pick me up every Saturday after I got out of work at the Oakwood Cafe to buy records at Record Country. Shit was really real back then.


Knifedance was a raging band from Cleveland that blew my mind at an early age and they fuckin' ruled.


If you were a teenager that needed to get some aggression out in 1989, Knifedance was the band to see. Also, Tom Dark was booking bands like the Misfits and Black Flag in Cleveland when he was like 14 and that is not a lie dudes.


Charlie of Knifedance


Tom Dark Stagedive!


John Brannon is the singer for Easy Action now and will be at the Anniversary show on the 25th! See the new flyer below!


And Kevin Strickland.Munroe lives in Cleveland now. I invited him via Myspace but we shall see. I'd love to have him up in the VIP section at the Beer Mug. HA!

Anyway, July 25th in Erie, PA. IT'S REALLY GOIN' DOWN!



New flyer will be posted when Ben Frazier sends it to me.