Swingin' Thing "Live" reunion from "The Roxy" Hollywood
Taime Downe - Faster Pussycat rocking classic Cathouse hangs on Sunset Strip
DO IT FOR ME ONE MORE TIME
Some of Hollywood’s biggest unsigned bands from back in the day reunite for one night of old-school glam on the Sunset Strip
By Gerry Gittelson
Metal Sludge Contributor
HOLLYWOOD -- What a night Saturday at the Roxy on Sunset Strip, as four of Hollywood’s biggest local bands from back in the day all got together for a reunion show complete with all the old groupies and even a few worthy new ones.
It was non-stop nostalgia rock with Blackboard Jungle, Glamour Punks, Swingin’ Thing and Fizzy Bangers, as a sold-out crowd of more than 400 relived the memories, mostly good but a few sentimental remembrances because none of the bands ever quite made it as far as getting signed, selling records, making videos, being on the radio, touring the world, etc.
THE SHOW:
Doesn’t mean they were not good bands. Just means they weren’t the lucky ones.
Fizzy Bangers started off, and it was fun to sing along again to flashbacks like “Hot Dog on a Stick,” “Smokin’ Fags,” “Pop a Wheelie” and “Short Attention Span.”
Glamour Punks went on next and got a big reaction, as the Roxy was filled at this point, and Mandy was doing his thing and owning every inch of the stage. Some of the highlights were “Roach Motel” and “Video Nasty” along with the rousing set closer, a raucous cover of Beastie Boys’ “No Sleep Till Brooklyn.”
Blackboard Jungle came next and performed nice versions of their old classics like “California,” and Swingin’ Thing, playing for the first time in 20 years, played last and tore it up with “Avenue Boys,” “Supersonic Loverboy” and a few chestnut from The Things era.
THE STARS:
Angelia, Kit Ashley of Big Bang Babies & Happenin' Harry outside "The Roxy"
Henry Kelly Swingin' Thing bassist with his better half.
Lil' D of Queeny Blast Pop gets book ended by old skool friends
Roxy & Jesse from TRYX salute the camera man
But the most fun of all was revisiting with old friends. Everyone seemed to be having a great time, and among the faces from back in the day were Kit Ashley (Big Babies), Steph and Ash from Wikked Gypsy, Jesse and Roxy from Tryx and Lil’ Dee from Queeny Blast Pop, Jaime St. James from Black and Blue and later Warrant, Taime Downe from Faster Pussycat and of course our very own Stevie Rachelle from Tuff.
Plus, there was a nice batch of some of the old scenemakers like Happenin Harry, Hot Rod Long, Bam, Gary Patterson (LP Sounds), Amy Asbury (author of the book “Sunset Strip Diaries”) plus lots of the old lunch-box groupie crowd like Lil’ Julie, Christel Hazzard, Chocolate Fantasy and others.
“It was like being back at a family reunion,” Fizzy Bangers singer Brian Durkin said. “Our band, we hadn’t seen each in 15 years. We had four rehearsals, and it wasn’t bad.”
THE SCENE:
Chocolate & Vanilla cream kiss
Amy Asbury & a couple of good ones.
A couple of club hotties
The hottest couple of the nite, Gerry Gittelson & Stevie Rachelle
Contact Gerry Gittelson at gspot@metalsludge.tv
Metal Sludge
Sludgin' Thing |
