Remembering The Ruts' Malcolm Owen

The Ruts -- Malcolm Owen, second from right. (Virgin Records publicity photo).

Gotta love The Ruts.

The intense vocals, the guitar, the punk, the rock, the reggae, the dub .... it's all insanely stellar. And Ruts DC ... "Animal Now" is brilliant.

Thirty-five years ago today, Ruts singer Malcolm Owen passed away, and surviving member Segs wrote this on the Ruts/Ruts DC Facebook page today:

Although I think of Malcolm (and Foxy) at every gig Ruts DC do and indeed at many other times, this past year has been even more intensely charged with memories. 

Indeed Malcolm is often in my thoughts and has always turned up in my dreams - as did Paul the other night in one of Ruffys.

We can't really express how much of an impact these two had on us in our relatively brief period together and I think reading the book Love in Vain has brought it home even more.

So - on this day - the anniversary of Mr. Owen's death - I am remembering them both with Love and Respect 

Keep on shining. 

Segs

Another entry on the band's Facebook page today:

Today as with most days in the Ruts household & HQ, we remember Malcolm. On this day that he passed back in 1980, aged just 25 - we just want to celebrate his life. Its comforting to see his spirit live on, through the music, the fans and in each other .. lets all give him love now ... RIP Malcolm & Foxy whose with you too .. thinking of you both more than ever .. Happy Malcolm Day to you.

You can purchase Roland Link's book "Love in Vain" at: http://www.kickinguparacket.com/

Everything falls into place: Dad drives soccer punk to Husker Du gig

Flyer from the There's Something Hard in There archive.

By Andy

Husker Dad, we'll call it.

So, when I was a junior in high school, I played varsity soccer for Bishop Montgomery and we had a match the afternoon of Jan. 11, 1983 against a Camino Real League opponent at some field in the Los Angeles area (possibly Salesian High in Boyle Heights).

Since we weren't playing in the tough Angeles League anymore, we won our games fairly easily against the weaker CRL teams. On this day, we were surely riding high after shellacking our hosts, even though I preferred the more competitive matches, winning 2-1 instead of 10-0, or something like that.

Following the match, as we were lounging on the bleachers watching the junior varsity game before loading into the bus for the ride back to our school's location in Torrance, there was plenty of joking and laughter in the air.

However, I was standing behind the bleachers hurriedly switching into my jeans and Battalion of Saints T-shirt for my trip to the rough-and-tumble environs of Huntington Park for a gig that night. You see, I somehow talked my Dad -- who was a fixture at all my matches -- into driving me to Mendiola's Ballroom -- on a week night, no less, with homework on the back burner this time out -- to meet up with my Husker Du pals, who were playing with the UK Subs, White Flag and Red Scare that evening.

My teammates already thought I was a bit off-kilter with my musical taste -- I was playing GBH on my headphones on the bus ride while others were tuned into stuff not in my domain -- and I'm sure they were wondering where the hell I was heading in my Dad's yellow Gremlin. Dad remembers my coach being bummed that he ushered me to the gig, but that's punk rock for ya... bucking the system, dribbling your own ball away from the Man.

I must admit, it was a bit odd to grab a ride to the gig from my Dad when I was used to piling into a crowded car with a bunch of my punk friends and darting off to some tattered ballroom or club in Hollywood or Sunland. It was cool, though, to get Dad involved and I'm forever grateful for his trust in me and the Huskers to keep an eye on me that night and drive me back home to Redondo Beach, home of SST Records at the time, where they were staying while in town to record "Metal Circus" at Total Access.

As we rolled up to the gig site -- where there would be a major riot between punks and cops at an Exploited gig a few weeks later -- we spotted the Husker van out front and we got out of our car and found the guys lurking around waiting to load in their gear.

I introduced my Dad to the Huskers and everything seemed cool (my Mom had already met Bob once, so I'm sure she gave my Dad the go-ahead with this experience). Hands were shaken, a few words exchanged and Dad was off back to Redondo.

"That's some parenting there," Grant joked, giving Dad props for allowing me to attend this gig with these older guys in an unknown part of SoCal, which I'd never been to before and never have again.

So, it was a great night. The Huskers soundchecked about 5-6 songs as if they were playing the gig, just a furious mini-set that featured a killer version of "It's Not Funny Anymore." (That song was already familiar to me even though it wasn't released yet.) One guy hanging around early asked Bob if they were doing two sets that night; nope, just one, but we certainly got a treat beforehand.

The actual gig was a blast, with all bands delivering top-notch sets and I was especially stoked to see the UK Subs for the first time. All energy, no BS … just the way it's supposed to be.

Thanks for the ride, Dad!

(Although I enjoyed watching the Subs' guitarist Nicky Garratt leap all over the place during the gig, he did rag on the Huskers in a Flipside interview a few months later. While being interviewed at Mendiola's, he pointed at the Huskers playing and said, "I don't like the way it's happening in England and in the states, thousands of bands playing like this. They all sound the same ... I don't like it and I don't see the point in it."

Well, I think he missed out in appreciating the Huskers: a solid, insightful band that inspired and influenced many groups along the way.)

BMHS soccer squad; me bottom row, far right. (Excalibur yearbook photo).

Former Mendiola's Ballroom site today. Courtesy of the Husker Du Database and Google Maps.

Help Billy Zoom Kick Cancer's Butt

Billy Zoom. (Cat Rose photo)

X guitarist Billy Zoom has been diagnosed with bladder cancer.

The 67-year-old will perform with the band during its 4-Album Show at The Observatory in Orange County through this weekend and then continue to undergo chemotherapy.

To aid with medical costs, visit Help Billy Zoom Kick Cancer's Butt at http://www.gofundme.com/yx66a4

A statement from Zoom released today on X's Facebook page:

My family and I are overwhelmed and deeply humbled by the outpouring of money, love, and support that we’ve received over past 24 hours. Facing months of cancer treatment is tough, but not as tough as worrying about taking care of my family through it all. We still hadn’t completely recovered financially from my last bout with cancer and I really wasn’t sure, aside from lots of prayer, how I was going to manage to keep our home and family together through this. Our twins turned nine years old last week, and I’ll be missing our entire touring season this year because of my treatments.

Our most heartfelt thanks go out to those of you who have contributed to our wellbeing so that our energies may be concentrated on beating this and reassuring our children that their daddy is going to be ok.

 Again, heartfelt thanks to all of you from myself and my family.
 BZ

Here's a statement from X on its Facebook page:

In the music community, we all take turns helping each other & have since the beginning. Punk rock and benefits always went hand in hand: you name the cause, and the bands and fans will be there.

 Now it's our turn to help Billy Zoom, the wittiest, smartest, nicest, best guitar player & friend I know. I would do anything to help him get better, help take care of his family, and lessen his woes. Billy has begun chemo treatment at Cedars Sinai for bladder cancer. He has a long road ahead of him but we are confident he's beat cancer once and he'll do it again!

Please keep Billy in your prayers and send some positive energy his way!
Donating a few bucks will help take away some of his financial stress and worry.
It's the punk rock thing to do.

Exene, John, DJ, and Mike


Texas guitar player Jesse Dayton (Waylon Jennings, Supersuckers) will be temporarily sitting in for Zoom and performing on the band's July and August tour.

TBMT (Throwback Minor Threat) .... epic gig artifacts from July 9, 1982

Minor Threat setlist on a page of the San Diego Union.

Andy and Mike Paul road-tripped it to San Diego on July 9, 1982 for a pretty OK show with Minor Threat, Husker Du, Battalion of Saints and Men of Clay.

Here's a pair of artifacts from that show, which Ian MacKaye remembered as a solid one during our interview last week.

Cheers!

33 years later, Ian MacKaye and others revisit classic gig that featured Dead Kennedys, Minor Threat, MDC, Zero Boys and the Detonators

Minor Threat rages at Alpine Village. (Glen E. Friedman photo, used with permission.
Order his "My Rules" book from Amazon at www.tinyurl.com/o7j74v6 )

By Andy

I've written about this gig before, but it keeps coming to back to me almost on a yearly basis. Someone will post a flyer or photo or ask me a question about it: Did the Dead Kennedys, Minor Threat, MDC, Zero Boys and Detonators really play on the same bill? Yes, and it was spectacular.

Last week, Dave Dictor of MDC posted a Glen E. Friedman photo of the epic gig that took place on July 3, 1982 at the Barn at Alpine Village in Torrance, Calif. I'd never seen this photo of Minor Threat tearing it up and it's posted above.

So, 33 years to the day, we revisit that gig again, this time with a few remembrances from Dictor, Mark Cutsinger of the Zero Boys, Bruce Hartnell of the Detonators and a lengthy interview with Ian MacKaye of Minor Threat. Settle in and imagine you were there.


*** Dictor: Well, it was an awesome show and I believe voted best show by Flipside readers at the year-end poll. And it wasn't a violent show either... all the knuckleheads weren't hip to the punk slam thing that made the Olympic and Fenders so crazy scary. There was an overwhelming feeling that we were all in this thing together. That feeling has long been gone.

It was a great classic gig -- the whole of 1982 was just so over the top that it truly was one gig out of dozens that were so incredible and really, thanks to Biafra.


*** Cutsinger: I do remember the oceans of people singing along with our songs! Which was astounding to me because we were so far away from Indianapolis! And I remember it was very much fun playing on a bigger stage than normal. I also remember the ambulance being called more than once. And people bloodied from jumping off the PA stacks. Dead Kennedys and Minor Threat were awesome.


*** Hartnell: It was a fantastic gig. I just saw Dave from MDC about a month ago and we were talking about how great that show was. Not too often that you get a bill like that.

We got a ton of gigs from that show, and it pretty much was our first real big gig. The bands were all fantastic, and I think it was the first time on the West Coast for Minor Threat, who were REALLY young. The Dead Kennedys were at the top of their game.

I think that was one of the last big shows in the South Bay for the longest time.


*** MacKaye: I saw the Adolescents the other night and I was talking to Steve Soto and I was just telling him about that show, because it was such a pretty action-packed gig, that one.

Our (tour) routing was so crazy: It was like Boston then Lansing and Detroit and then ... Reno! We did a couple shows in San Francisco. We did a show with the Dead Kennedys there, too, we opened for them at the On Broadway. Biafra had helped us out and they got us on those two really big shows, which were really important gigs for us.

Of course, I was a huge LA punk fan. We had studied punk bands really closely, and at that point, Henry had moved out there, so I knew all the SST people. Huge fans of the Minutemen and all that world, but also Circle Jerks and all those bands were also really super important to us. Cynthia Connolly, who was my girlfriend at the time, she had moved from LA, so I heard so much, and LA was such the Mecca, as far as we were concerned. (The Teen Idles played in LA in 1980, so it wasn't his first taste of the punk promised land.)

But getting there and playing this enormous room, to us it seemed enormous. I remember during the Dead Kennedys, or maybe it was even before the Dead Kennedys, I remember being on the balcony and there was two pits. There was one right in front of the stage and another one back about 20 feet. I just couldn't believe it! ...seeing how many punks there were in LA and how intense things were. It was a really super-physical... probably the most physical we had seen up to that point. And LA punks really rocked the serious fashion; I don't mean that in a derogatory way at all, literally they were striking.

I remember it being super hot, it was full-on, it was a good gig. I felt we brought it that night, so I was quite happy.

Mostly, I just remember my mind being so completely blown. I wasn't from LA, but the way I perceived the LA punk scene, the energy that was coming off of that, I felt a real connection to it.

One of my biggest memories at the end of the night was, people were all hanging out and I had gone out to the van to get something. The parking lot was really scary with these bouncer dudes, the giant Samoan bouncer guys were chasing people everywhere and telling people to 'Get the fuck out of here.' So I kind of ran back into the building, and a bunch of the  bouncer dudes were like all huddled together. I was walking across the floor, making my way back to where the dressing room area was and those guys were like, 'Yo, man, the shows over, get the fuck out of here' and I said, 'I'm in the band' and they said, 'What the fuck did you say to me?' or something like that. And the guys had 2-by-4s and they start running at me. The violence was at a whole 'nother level that's going on here. The bouncers were at war with kids. They were their own gang.

(Editor's note: In addition to dealing with the bouncers, MacKaye had to squash a beef -- again -- with TSOL that night. What started out as a joke he made in DC to Government Issue singer John Stabb, who began sporting goofy clothes on stage -- much like Jack Grisham from TSOL -- turned into a run-in with TSOL when they played in DC.

A while before TSOL rolled into DC in the summer of 1982, MacKaye joked to Stabb, "When TSOL gets here, I'm gonna beat their asses," and then Tesco Vee of the Meatmen and Touch and Go fanzine printed a cartoon that featured some angry guys with baseball bats saying they were waiting for TSOL in DC.

All a joke, MacKaye stressed.

When he arrived at the 9:30 club in DC for TSOL's second set of the night, Grisham and company cornered MacKaye, who explained that he was kidding with the comment to Stabb. All was forgiven and MacKaye got TSOL's phone numbers and said he'd keep in touch.

But when TSOL started trekking back to LA, word got out from people along the way about MacKaye's joke to Stabb -- which had already been dealt with -- and when Minor Threat arrived at Alpine Village, the TSOL guys were waiting and soon had Brian Baker up against a wall backstage. What was old news was thought to be fresh again, but that wasn't the case. MacKaye came to the rescue and set things straight -- again. All was well after that and MacKaye and TSOL's Ron Emory joked about the incident not too long ago.

MacKaye also met D. Boon and Mike Watt from the Minutemen that night, which was a highlight.)


BONUS QUESTION:

SO, WHEN YOU'VE GOT MACKAYE ON THE PHONE, AND YOU'RE TALKING MINOR THREAT... YOU'VE GOT TO ASK, 'DO YOU MISS PLAYING THOSE SONGS AT ALL?'

*** MacKaye:  Nah. They're great songs, and of course, I really loved 'No Reason' and 'Small Man, Big Mouth,' and of course, I love those songs, but I'm always really clear about that it was time to stop. I feel like the fact that I just keep it clear, they're never sullied.

It was interesting, I saw the Adolescents the other night and they're great, I really enjoyed the show. But it's also, it's weird, it's hard to imagine me singing songs that I wrote when I was  19, 20 years old. It had nothing to do with them being immature or childish. I'm actually more proud of those songs now than I was probably then. But rather, they're of a context. I was singing to a specific context and that context doesn't exist anymore. It doesn't mean that there isn't other things to sing about that I shouldn't be singing, it just means that the thing that created those songs, they're no longer in place.

There are other things that other people can write about, there might be similar things, but I feel like, in a way, by letting them just exist as that, then that makes them eternal. I somewhat regularly meet 12, 13, 14 year old kids who are just totally into Minor Threat now, and I think, 'Yeah,' because they can apply because I was singing about being a kid. Being 53, I don't see singing about (being a kid), it's just hard for me to imagine it.

I wanna just be clear, I enjoyed the Adolescents, it was great, I don't feel like there's anything wrong (with them playing old songs along with new ones) ... I just think that for Minor Threat, we made a clear decision. I feel like it was the right one. That's that.

I also miss playing tackle football and I miss grinding in a pool. The same way I might miss singing those songs, but that's the way it goes. I miss sitting on my Mom's lap... that's the way it goes. That's life. So the thing to do is not try to find someone to be my Mom and sit in their lap, but rather whatever it was that I gleaned from that experience, find a corollary or a parallel or something that now can seed that same kind of energy in whatever form it would manifest today.

Dead Kennedys energize the crowd at Alpine Village.
(Glen E. Friedman photo, used with permission)

Two Cow Garage: Stage-stomping, ear-bleeding, mind-opening rock and roll

Shane Sweeney stomps it out with Two Cow Garage; bottom, Micah Schnabel and Sweeney sing it . (All Cat Rose photos)

Text, Andy; Photos, Cat Rose

A few years ago, my cousin Eric proclaimed in a Facebook post, "Two Cow Garage is the greatest American rock band at the present."

Hell, they still are.

They proved it to us once again during their recent swing through Seattle by unleashing another blistering, ear-bleeding rock/country set in support of the Supersuckers at the Tractor Tavern.

When Two Cow hits the stage, you never know if the helpless structure will still be standing when they finish leveling the crowd. We swore we saw splinters of wood fly during their June 18 gig, which was our fifth time seeing the band since 2007 or so. Always a killer time.

Following their set, a few people asked us, "Who are these guys?" Well, now you know, folks.

At times, you think singer/guitarist Micah Schnabel, bassist/vocalist Shane Sweeney and guitarist Todd Farrell Jr. will collide with axes swinging, bodies leaping and hollering a-plenty. Also featuring drummer-man David Murphy, Two Cow can then bring things to a whisper as Schnabel conveys his insightful lyrics with hand gestures and even a goofy smile. And then, there they are on the next song .... raging full-on.

Enough said. Check 'em out, OK?

Support Eddie Spaghetti's Cancer Fight Fund

Supersuckers' Eddie Spaghetti at the Tractor Tavern in Seattle. Below, Spaghetti with "Metal" Marty Chandler and Christopher "Chango" Von Streicher. (All Cat Rose photos)

Out of the gate, the Supersuckers were on fire.

The first time we saw the band in action was at Marsugi's in San Jose, Calif., in 1991 alongside Gas Huffer and the Odd Numbers. We knew they'd be a staple on our favorites list for a long time to come -- no fuckin' doubt about it.

On June 18, we caught the band again at the Tractor Tavern in Seattle... and this would be bassist/vocalist Eddie Spaghetti's last show before undergoing treatment for throat cancer. Killer show, as always, and Spaghetti was as cool and rockin' as ever with his bandmates guitarist "Metal" Marty Chandler and drummer Christopher "Chango" Von Streicher by his side.

We wish you all the best, Eddie.

To support his cancer fund, visit http://supersuckers.com/eddie/

Here's a statement, in part, from Eddie on the band's Facebook page:

I can't thank everyone enough for coming out to our show in Seattle last night. The thought of it being our last one for awhile is tough for the whole band but the outpouring of love and support is overwhelming and extremely humbling. To see all the old friends and new faces all come together like that, well I can't tell you how good it made me feel. I'd especially like to thank my old pals, Blind Marky Felchtone and Eddie Vedder for joining us onstage and making the night truly memorable for everyone in the audience (but especially on the stage - we won't forget this one. Ever.) It was a great way to cap off our tour. A truly unforgettable experience for sure.

From Mike Ness on the Social Distortion Facebook page:

I was shocked and saddened to hear Eddie Spaghetti of the Supersuckers has been diagnosed with cancer. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Eddie for many years, and he is an incredibly solid and beyond talented human being. Through friends who have beaten cancer I’ve learned that it’s not only emotionally challenging, but it’s financially draining as well. Eddie and his family could use our encouragement for the ride ahead, so let's show our love and give them the support they need. Join me in donating to Eddie Spaghetti's Cancer Fight Fund. Let’s help Eddie get back onstage and singing again!

All Cat Rose photos.