Author: satan165

Show #9: Kraft Bowl, Chicago

The Kraft Bowl had always been an infamous gang hangout and it’s in a bit of a bad neighboorhood. Washburn knows the family that owns it and they played there twice before without us. Sluice the Worries was a band that had Dom Vallone from 88 Fingers Louie on drums. They also had a bass player who played some crazy type of slap shit and wore no shoes. This band sucked balls. They were very loose. The sound checked with a terrible version of ‘My Hero’ by Foo Fighters. They later butchered ‘Crazy Train’. I still wince thinking about it. The most memorable part of the show was when everyone left. There was a few of use tearing down the PA. We were all drunk and it was late. The bar tender wasn’t even charging at this point being that the tons of underage drinkers had made them a killing. They even were nice enough to cook up some frozen pizzas for us and gave them to us for free. They were very hot and burned my mouth. I was in the process of trying to lift this huge speaker and I asked Dom for some help. He is pretty fat and he just stuck the pizza in his mouth half way and grabbed the speaker. I looked over and the sight was hilarous and is now burned into my mind. On another note, when we were setting up, Dom just sat down at Rob’s drums and started playing like they were his. I guess he thought he was famous or something.

We rented sound equipment and tried to hook it up ourselves. It sounded decent. We played ‘Pathetic Individuals’ and during the bass only breakdown I read the words to a poem called “The Jabberwocky” by Louis Carroll. I sure got a lot of blank stares on that one. It was great. It was either this show or the other Kraft Bowl show that Washburn had the radio stolen from his car out side the place.

Show #8: Smiler Coogan’s, Chicago

This was Leo Toal’s (the drummer for Eternal Bliss) birthday. Looking back, we still sucked pretty bad at this time. I have the video and we are very boring on stage, or at least I am. Of course Farmer played with us and that got the place screaming. Yellow Snowmen were totally nuts with 2 singers. Since then they have become more ‘punk’ and got rid of Tony Ridzon who was one singer. Bad move on their part. But they’ve played the Fireside and other shows with bigger bands like Apocalypse Hoboken and Operation Cliff Claven so what do I know.

We opened with Raymond and Rob’s snare was loose and fell apart right away. I never have really felt stupid on stage before but that was pretty fucking bad. I wanted to yell at Rob and still do but I guess it’s not really his fault.

Eternal Bliss played their last show that night despite numerous attempts to get back together. Personally, I hope they never do. Rob made the very good analogy of trying to get back with an old girlfriend so many times and you just break up again and argue and fight. It’s very true.

At the end of the show, we wanted to get paid and a lot of people had showed so we figured we would. Sabu told me that he needed a certain amount for himself which I have no problem with and that he had only made $15 over that amount so he wouldn’t pay us. I still know that he was lying but I told him to give me the $15 and split it $5 a band and although he was very shocked and pissed off, he gave it to me. We bought 2 Gatorades and a Snapple or something and it was gone. Joe and Washburn from Pie in the Sky also came to this show which I thought was weird. It was cold and Washburn didn’t wear a jacket for some reason so I gave him my sweater and I still laugh when I see the photos with him in the crowd wearing my sweater.






Show #7: Party at Dylan’s, Schiller Park

This was super wild. I cannot tell about everything that happened at this party but it was huge and crazy and obviously Halloween and never was broken up by the cops. We played a long set and then another with Farmer. We got to take breaks now and then like rockstars. My amp power got kicked out once or twice. We played ‘Pathetic Individuals’ last as we have many times and I remember feeling very nauseated. I was playing and contemplating my options. Stopping, collapsing, puking or even possibly puking and playing. The last was my favorite and I even leaned over to avoid splashing my guitar with vomit. Nothing came out though. I sweat so much and quite often I would let myself fall into the crown and they would grab me and hold me up and cheer me on. I was so hammered and it was a really fun crowd.

Pie in the Sky was supposed to play but couldn’t since Washburn went to see All that night. A band called 12 Gauge played and they rocked. I didn’t know any of them but the singer Tony Knight wore a shirt with a red 666 on it which is cool by me. They covered a Rage Against the Machine song and it seemed flawless. They also covered Sepeltura and other bands. They were very tight. I was scared since their faces were painted and it was dark and blacklights were on. For a minute I thought maybe it wasn’t real. Farmer sang “Where Eagles Dare” with them and it was a little fucked up but still great. The guitarist had the same pedal as me (XP100) and used it perfecetly on the solo for the Rage song.

As always Pie in the Sky or what remaining members were there took advantage of the situation and stepped into a room full of eager people and played without Washburn. It was OK and they used 12 Gauge’s equipment. Somehow Tony Perry had his bass though. I was in another room and I heard them play “Linoleum” by NOFX and I ran in and sang the song. It was cool since I used to jam that with Washburn and the band when Perry wasn’t around at the practice space. I screamed so hard and fell on the floor and I saw only stars and spots. It was very fucking intense.


Show #6: Fireside Bowl, Chicago

Some great bands played this night. One was Magnetic. They were a three piece and they played some real heavy shit. Their guitarist sang and their only down side was that these heavy riffs are jamming and he just didn’t yell enough. He had a dope set up and a huge floorboard that must have cost about $1000. They offered to play some Warzone at one point and I called out a few titles but they didn’t know those. I yelled “Raybeez, rest in peace!” and someone else in the crowd cheered me on. Everyone else was silent. Not a lot of hardcore kids that day. After our set, their singer/guitarist gave me props on ‘Brown’ saying, “Anyone who has the guts to sing about a Cleveland Steamer is OK in my book”. If you aren’t familiar with the expression Cleveland Steamer as I was not, read the lyrics to ‘Brown’.

The Hysterics and Poonanies were poppy and sucked. Pie in the Sky was good but a little sloppy as usual. They still rocked though. I don’t think they’ll ever admit it, but I was probably their biggest fan.

Show #5: Uncle Snorkey’s, Berwyn

This show was cool since we played on Friday night there and again at the Fireside on Saturday. Pisolero was like a rockabilly type of band and their bass player had a crazy devillock going. Coincidentally, we played our first encore (impromptu) with Mike Farmer as we jammed some Misfits. They all loved it. At one point the bass player asked us to play some Gorilla Biscuits when he saw the sticker on my case. Unfortunately we had to turn him down since we didn’t know any at the time. Now we know First Failure and Two Sides. Oh well…


Show #4: Uncle Snorkey’s, Berwyn

John Michaels was the guy that used to book shows at this dump. He was a cool, honest (pretty much) guy who was really interested in music and making money which although is not always a good thing to combine wasn’t so bad with him. Hilger must have found out about this place by reading IE or something. It was always 21+ and they were cool about us being underage. At one point John pitched us for like 2 hours about being on a compilation. It was totally not worth it for many reasons, but Hilger still has the unsigned contract on the wall of his apartment. Crime was a crazy type of metal thrash band and one guitarist had a real weed leaf taped to his guitar. They rocked but had little lead or solos and what little they did have was played exclusively with a cry baby. The singer poured beer all over himself and got pretty crazy. They were from Indiana but they brought some cool metal groupie chicks along who totally dug them. They were real nice guys. The Tom Moratta Project was off the wall. It was Tom Moratta on keys, percussion and vocals and another odd looking dork on guitar who played a dope vintage Les Paul. It was like a weird synth pop thing. A drum machine played the drums and it appeared to be hooked up to a home stereo that he brought along. They set up a bunch of shitty TV sets hooked to a VCR that played random images while they (attempted to) jam. They opened with an original called ‘Rebecca’ . I can still hear the melody — “Was it really me, Rebecca?!” We brought Phil Henkle along as a roadie and he got in for free. He was cheering for these guys and John Michaels gave his a real hard time and even threatened him or something. He gave me a super hard time too and I hated him. Strangely enough, he was very cool during future shows. The Tom Moratta project at one point played a cover by a band I never heard of and introduced it by saying, “Here’s one by a band we all know and love, The Spider Monkeys!” They said they were playing at a club called Fitzgerald’s and I’ve heard of the place. It’s definitely much different that Uncle Snorkey’s and I still can’t figure out how that got that gig.

Show #3: Fireside Bowl, Chicago

At this time, we were squabbling big time with Pie in the Sky for assorted shit and this was our first time at the Fireside. They had played once or twice already and we had been trying to get a show forever. Hilger came over to my house and gave me the good news — a band had canceled and we were going to fill in on 2 days notice or something. I immediately knew that Pie in the Sky was scheduled to play that night and when I told Hilger we couldn’t believe how ironic that was. So we showed up and the show rocked needless to say that they were a little fucking shocked to see us there. They probably thought we payed off the Fireside to try and get the show and fuck with them. I wouldn’t blame them.

Show #2: Jackhammer’s, Schaumburg

 

This was a very fun show. An old lady named Lou ran the joint and its since closed down and reopened as a country bar. This was an all ages show (maybe 18+?) but they served alcohol. Since the place was one big room with the bar right there, there was a piece of tape on the floor that you couldn’t cross. How stupid.

We opened with ‘Got to Throw Up’ by Satanic Surfers and we still joke about that one. The song is pretty hard and I barely even remember how to play it. I can’t really figure out why we would even play it live, much less open with it. We must have thought it was pretty good at the time. All the bands canceled including Racecar who sounded pretty damn good by the demo I received from Brad their guitarist who I briefly had some classes with at Columbia. I remember putting my amp on a chair which comically accentuated its smallness. The Impostors (R.I.P.) were a fun band and they had a chick drummer. I remember her trying to impress me with her clout and she told me and Hilger about how she had played the Fireside a few times (she asked if we had and I was embarrassed since we hadn’t, but I didn’t lie and just felt dumb by a 16 year old girl having more experience than me) with this band and her ‘side project’, Three Dollar Bill. Cool name, though. They were a very mixed crew — the bassist was Asian I also remember.

Before we got Low Profile together, me and Hilger responded to a few ads in IE for musicians looking for others. I responded to a guy who I can only remember as JKLEMMY@aol.com (email him!). I forget his name but he was about 35 and lived at home. He was a drummer and obviously was into Motorhead and other metal. We never jammed but spoke many times via Email and we met at this show. Guess he wasn’t impressed with my styles since I never heard from him again.

And of course, the infamous Tacit story. Tacit is a band that plays some weird type of instrumental 10 minute song shit. Hilger knew the bass player Lorian (nice fucking name). He came out to see us and seemed like a cool guy. Since all these bands had canceled, somehow he volunteered to play with his band and somefuckinghow I agreed to even let him use our shit. Well of course, our guitars weren’t good enough but he said he’d call his band members and have them bring guitars. The Impostors were going to play first, then Tacit, then us. Well the Impostors played and Lorian’s buddies were still not there. So we decided to tell him to fuck off and we were getting pissed. He started making excuses and I told him that he had ought to get out of my face and he told me not to yell at him or something. So I said, “What part of “NO” don’t you understand?” I wrote the song ‘Outspoken’ about this incident. We played our set and we were yelling at them and shit the whole time. I told the management that they had no permission from us and although they were free to let them play, I did not want them to. I guess they got the last laugh because they played anyway despite us yelling at them and shit.

Show #1: Smiler Coogans, Chicago

Our first show. I remember putting all of our equipment in a back area of the bar and watching over it until we played. It was interesting that Sabu (the East Indian owner of the bar) had told us not to even be there until 12:00. None of us were 21 either and he could have not let us play. The bar was packed and the only band I watched was Damaged Justice who was a Metallica cover band and a pretty good one at that.

I remember that when we played our set (which was pretty fucking bad, being that it was our first show) I pulled some jumps at some very inopportune times. I only had the one guitar at the time and luckily I didn’t break any strings. I started the ritual of lying down on the ground in front of the stage and playing in a rage. It was especially fun because the ground was very filthy and sticky and I could feel myself being peeled off when I got up. We didn’t even get to start until about 2:30 AM and we didn’t get home until about 3:30. A few people did come to see us though. We made a great flyer with a picture of a guy smoking crack.