Being a child in the 80's allowed me to experience some of the craziest music. Synthesizers and punk rock changed the sonic landscape pissing off the old guard and cutting a new sonic trail.Yes I started with the pop Flock of Seagulls, Devo, Blondie, but eventually got into GBH, FEAR, Sin 34, and other punk groups of the era and area.
I would often go to the shows at the Olympic auditorium where you heard line ups like: The Exploited, Dead Kennedy's, The Addicts, X, Red Hot Chili Peppers and more.
I would roll with my cousin Steven and our friend David. We would sometimes put egg whites in our hair to make it stand up. I wore a dog chain around my neck. Trench coats if the weather wasn't too hot.
My dad was cool and would drop us off and pick us up. Sometimes he would go before the show ended and would sneak in. We would be waiting by the car and wondering where he was. He would come back and laugh at us saying we sure knew how to have a good time.
Many girls would often go in fishnet or topless and wear black electrical tape to cover nipples. They would ride on top of boyfriend's shoulders and scream and spit on people who stared too long. There were often at least three slam pits. The major one in the center where it was really crazy and people doing stage dives would often land on you. And one on each side of the stage where the younger kids like me could practice and not get too hurt and bruised. Punks cared, somewhat. I remember falling down and getting picked up by big dudes, who would ask if I was good, then throw me back in it. I only felt scared once when at a GBH and FEAR concert the lights went completly out during FEAR's opening number and they kept playing even louder. Lee Ving screaming "FUCK YOUUUUUU" for three minutes. You could just feel the fear and engery shoot through the place, and the pits got crazier. I jumped into the seats and tried to keep an eye on anyone coming at me.
The rockeros weren't welcome. Any long hair was not welcome. They would come three or four in a group. They would get beat in the pit. Usually they ended up watching the show from the seats where they were relatively safe. That was punk rock in LA.
To be honest I never made it to the Vex. Steven and David went and said it was very controlled and artsy. We liked it wild and a little dangerous. We loved it if our clothes got torn. Not if people liked what we were wearing. We liked the places that let you wear you spikes, but that eventually got banned from all places, too much blood.
I got my pants, belt, straps and t-shirt in the pic above at a place called Poseur on Melrose. We would ditch and make our way over their on the #10. Eventually we would end up at the Beverly Center and get free food and movies because David's sister worked on the top floor food court. She was fine so she got whatever she wanted, even if it was for her brother and his punk friend.
Good times.
