Back in the 20th Century, ümlaut was a xeroxed fanzine that existed from 1992-95. Despite limited distribution, loyal readers ranged from coast to coast and included Rock Stars of various credibility, including Neurosis, Sonic Youth, Melvins, and Metallica. To quote The Cramps: “I dig that goddam Rock ‘N Roll.. The kind of stuff that don’t save souls.”
Thanks to Tour Manager Doug's extremely organized database, Umlaut was reminded that 25 years ago RIGHT NOW Slayer had just started their debut European Tour. Yes, Tour Manager Doug was on that original Slayer crew... and much blood was spilled... among other things.
"Doug's Big Adventure" is the stuff of legend... but a story best left for another time (or just keep reading this post...).
Poster for Groningen, Holland - June 1, 1985 (From the Tour Manager Doug Archives)
Meanwhile, here in the 21st Century: Tour Manager Doug is currently back in Europe again and about to start yet another European Tour with his current band. In another mind-boggling example of how The Rock Godz work in mysterious ways, check out this story from a couple of days ago... HOLY SHIT this is a GOOD ONE!
Submitted by Tour Manager Doug:
After the band rehearsed in Amsterdam a few nights ago, I stayed at the venue for a couple extra hours trying to get caught up on some paperwork and ahead of the game with some other stuff. When I was ready to head back to the hotel, one of the runners was assigned the task of getting me there.
We were making small talk on the drive and he mentioned that he was driving me because he lives farther away than the other runners, so he was heading home after he dropped me off. The night before, I had gone to dinner with some friends, and because of its 25th anniversary, talk had turned to the first Slayer tour, which of course reminded me of stories of Poperinge, Eindhoven, Copenhagen, London, Amsterdam and the legendary (for me) Ritterkirk, so when the driver mentioned that he said he lived in the south, near Rotterdam, I asked if he had heard of a place called Ritterkirk, which he said was close to his home.
I didn't say anything else, and we drove silently for a couple more miles. Then, out of the blue, he said:
Driver - Do you like Heavy Metal?
Me - Um, yeah, I do. (for the record, I was wearing nothing, and had said nothing, that would identify me as either a past, present, or future Metalhead)
Driver - Ritterkirk (he paused after he said the name of the town, obviously thinking about days gone by)... Do you know that Slayer played there many years ago?
Me - (playing dumb) Really? Cool.
Driver - Oh yes, it was in a small club, maybe 500 people.
Me - Wow.
Driver - They were very very good... (proudly) I was at that show.
Me - Wow, really? That's pretty cool. (still playing dumb)
Driver - That is a very famous show.
Me - Really? Why?
Driver - Yes, it was from that show one of Slayer's roadies got drunk and tried to hitchhike back to Los Angeles.
Me - (laughing out loud) Really?! No way!
Driver - Yes he did, it actually happened.
Me - Well, actually... That guy was hitchhiking to Amsterdam, not to Los Angeles, the story has been told wrong from the very beginning.
Driver - (confused look on his face)
Me - When he was asked what he would have done if he hadn't hooked up with the band at the next show...
Driver - (listening wide-eyed, trying to look at me in the passenger seat, and keep his eyes on the road at the same time)...
Me - ...I said that I would have flown home to L.A. because since I had all of the band's money with me I could have easily bought a ticket. That was combined with the fact that I had been attempting to hitchhike to Amsterdam when the police told me it was illegal. So I had taken a train instead, then Metal Mike printed it in Aardschok, and it became the truth. But, I was never standing on the highway with a sign that said "Los Angeles".. I was going to Amsterdam.
Driver - You are not...?
Me - Yep, that guy was me and, I wasn't drunk, I was stoned out of my mind on hash.
Driver - Oh my god.
Me - It was all Dave's fault. And K.J.'s for going home with Metal Mike and taking the keys to our van with him. (Umlaut Note: Dave = Dave Lombardo... K.J. = K.J. Doughton..)
Driver - Oh my god! You are famous! Oh my god! I can't believe you are in my van!
Me - We all refer to that story as "Doug's Big Adventure", and now you are a part of it.
Driver - Oh my god.
Then we got to the hotel. And I went to my room to get some more work done.
... and 25 years of Old Metal came full circle just... like... that! Fucking amazing, right?
Click HERE to read a piece that Umlaut wrote for Salon.com a decade ago about Metallica vs. Napster. Umlaut's Old Metal friend Ian worked for Salon at the time and asked me to write something about the controversy... Plus, it was a paid writing assignment as well. Nice.
After it was posted the editor at Salon called to tell me that Metallica's management wanted to talk to me about what I'd written. Intriguing, right? I gave Salon permission to give Metallica's office my phone number and I soon received a call from band co-manager Cliff Burnstein. Long story short, I ended up talking with Burnstein for awhile and he had no idea about my history with Metallica. In the end he said how he appreciated what I'd written because, unlike the vast majority of the press coming out about Metallica vs. Napster, it was a balanced article. I thought it was pretty cool of him take the time out of his busy schedule to call and tell me that.
Iconic album art is as relevant as any piece of *real* art... but most of the time we forget that the art used on album covers had to be created by... an... artist... maybe even a painter.
Ride The Lighting Original Art: Metallica Ride The Lightning 1984 Original album cover artwork for Metallica's second album Ride The Lightning, artist unknown, attributed to AD Artists from an original concept of the band's in the album's sleeve notes; accompanied by a letter from the vendor regarding the provenance -- 12½x12½in.(32x32cm.) framed and glazed
Click HERE for the listing at Christie's Auction House that includes the story behind how the seller was given the art back in The Day.
Estimate: $6,100 - $9,000 Price Realized: $15,403
Master Of Puppets Original Art: Metallica Don Brautigam Original artwork for the cover of Metallica's 1986 album Master of Puppets, painted by artist Don Brautigam. Signed on the lower right of the painting DB. Framed 17x17in.
Click HERE for the listing at Christie's Auction House.
Having worked around the museum world for several years, Umlaut is rather shocked that these historic pieces of Music / Metal history were sold for such relatively low sums of money. These images have inspired millions of people over the years... and isn't that what "art" is supposed to do? Hey, isn't it funny that Jason Newsted is a self-styled painter now? Click HERE to see what I mean... However, it still does NOT atone for Rock Star Supernova. Discuss amongst yourselves.
Thanks to Whenwedie for the heads up about the Christie's listings. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called me an art fag. Anyway, if the current owner(s) of these paintings are reading this, please contact me offline... I'd love to have an Umlaut photo op with them... and your identity and location will be kept confidential of course.
Indeed... Umlaut with the original art for the Slayer - Live UndeadEP. Pretty epic, right? Thanks to Paschke for allowing Umlaut access into his Metal Bunker. Trivia: This historic Metal artifact lies in an underground vault a mere 10 miles from Casa de Umlaut... No, I'm not going to post Google Map directions to its location.
Note: The painting IS round but on a square board. Discuss amongst yourselves.
"Hot winds of Hell... burns in my wake... Death is what you pray.. behold... Captor of Sin."
Saviours / Iron Lung / Walls 924 Gilman, Berkeley, California May 22, 2010
Prior to the show, Whenwedie and Umlaut committed the Gilman Punk sin of eating quality food and drinking quality beer across the street at the evil Pyramid Brewery. Sorry kidz, but Pyramid makes going to Gilman WAY better than back in The Day... and now your parents have a place to wait for you while you're at the Punk Rock show so they can drive you home. An added bonus tonight was running into an old Lock 'N Loll Merch colleague at Pyramid who I hadn't seen in a couple of years (Hey Taralynn!).
I had not stepped inside of Gilman in YEARS; it's so clean and well-lit now. For the record, Gilman was never Umlaut's scene and I've only been there a few times... but it was cool visiting a local venue that was outside of my regular places. Evidently Jello had been there the night before; I wonder if any cheeky pimply-faced Punk called him a fag? It's cute how the Punk Kidz have a "straight edge" concession stand set up inside:
DRINKS: Bottled Water & Soda – .75 cents Snapple, Juice Squeeze, Hansons, Apple Juice, Kerns, Orange Juice – $1.00 Monster, Rockstar, Diet Rockstar – $2.00
Cute, right? No adults allowed! However, the menu raises a couple of issues:
I know Gilman is a straight edge venue... BUT caffeine is the world's most popular drug...
I know only politically correct indie label bands can play Gilman ...BUT Rockstar energy drink is owned by the son of ultraconservative and homophobic radio host Michael Savage. Click HERE for more on this..
I'm... just... saying. Discuss amongst yourselves... and with these items in mind, could one of you kidz get Umlaut a beer?
Walls (the band... not the room..) seemed to take forever to set up and I couldn't help but stereotype them as older Punk guys with angst on their shoulders. I don't know, man... Umlaut has never been a Punk or pretended to be a Punk. Walls (the band... not the room..) were alright in that skitchy Punk angst sort of way... I guess. Anyway, the Punk Kidz seemed to like them... and that's all that matters... and I did notice that the band members were wearing matching Adidas Sambas. Is that Punk Rock?
In between bands we chatted with Old Metal Scaparro... and he and I did our usual "Kidz These Days Don't Know" / "Back In My Day" sidewalk rant as the Punk Rock youngsters pretended to ignore us. Trivia: Scaparro was with Umlaut the only time I've been handcuffed by cops. True story.
Iron Lung definitely had the Punk Kidz excited and there was some decent crowd action during their set. However, the band were the perfect example of how clueless Umlaut is about much of the Gilman Scene. Iron Lung are a guitar / drums-only band and I was annoyed by how much they sounded like Black Cobra; watching them was like being in an alternate universe. It was an alternate universe where Black Cobra didn't have a legitimate guitar tone and the drums sounded tinny... and the songs weren't as good... and the drummer tried to be a smartass Punk between every song. It was only afterwards that I was informed that Iron Lung predates Black Cobra by a couple of years. Hmmm.... Interesting.. but I have to say I prefer *my* universe where Black Cobra is the band.
I wish Star Trek was still in production... because Umlaut's alternate universe episode would have a kick ass soundtrack... Make it so.
Compared to their Punk Rock bill mates, Saviours seemed like grown ups as they quickly set up their gear in a way that only a seasoned touring band can. They also brought a legitimate guitar tone and bottom end to Gilman. As The Longhairs took the stage I was curious to see what kind of reaction they would get. I have to say that seeing the Saviours in an all-ages, straight edge venue was less than ideal, especially since the last time I saw Saviours they had been an unstoppable alcohol-fueled funny car of Rock. I was amused watching the Punk Kidz trying to figure out if they should like Saviours or not. While the reaction was polite, no substantial crowd action developed.. but Umlaut's favorite Saviour's song 'Acid Hand' did kick in as the 2nd song of the night... and I have to believe that Scott's maniac drumming must have scared some of the Punk Kidz because his pounding was particularly off the chain tonight.
I also have to believe that some of the Punk Kidz stepped outside after the Saviours' set because their brains hurt and they couldn't comprehend the dual-axe stylings of Austin and Sonny. Thin Lizzy is a dish best served cold. Unfortunately, this was Saviours' last hometown area show for awhile as they head off on another U.S. Tour... then a European Tour (with BLACK COBRA and Weedeater no less!)... then a slot on this year's OzzFest. Crazy, man. Yes, Umlaut bailed before Talk Is Poison played... but since I've never been Punk I don't have any Punk Cred to lose.
Motörhead shirts = 1. If you bought one of every Saviours merch item you would have paid around $60. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags. All in all it was a routine Lock 'N Loll night and Umlaut rolled back into Casa de Umlaut just before midnight. La dee da..
Tour Manager Doug and Umlaut have known each other since before we could buy alcohol legally; legend says we met in line at a Krokus concert. Here in the 21st Century, Tour Manager Doug enables Millionaire Rock Stars to be Millionaire Rock Stars... and I'm sure he's the only person who has worked for Slayer, Beck, Cannibal Corpse, Shakira, AND Green Day (among MANY, MANY others). However, what's most important is, despite his high status in the Lock 'N Loll World, Tour Manager Doug still remains Old Metal at heart and soul.
Submitted by Tour Manager Doug:
The day before Ronnie James Dio died, I went to my mailbox place to pick up my mail and noticed an autographed picture of him on the wall. I asked the guy who owns the place if Dio came in there, he said no, but his best friend did.
I knew, as most people did, that Dio had been diagnosed with stomach cancer and that the prognosis wasn't great. I also knew, as few people know, that Dio had long ago helped to make me a better Tour Manager, and I had always wanted to thank him.
I started to write him a letter that night, my plan had been to give it to my mailbox guy, who would (hopefully) pass it on to Dio's friend.
I didn't get very far, as you can see, I knew exactly what I wanted to say, but phone calls regarding plans for my upcoming European Tour got in the way, and led to the letter turning into a bunch of notes about flights vs. the Icelandic volcano. It got late, so I finally went to bed, with plans to finish the letter in the morning. Well, I woke up to an email similar to emails and texts and calls that many people got.
Dear Ronnie -Once upon a time I was just a kid who went to rock shows. Like many others in Northern California, I was excited to hear that the first live Dio show was going to be in Antioch at The Concert Barn. I often went to Antioch, because my uncle and his family lived there, which gave me a leg up on South Bay and S.F. comrades, many of whom had no idea where Antioch was. None of us had ever heard of The Concert Barn because, as far as we knew, there had never actually been a concert there, but we were ALL going to this one.
At this point I would have given Dio a run down of that day, but it's been well documented on this site..
(Umlaut says newbies should click HERE and HERE to read what Tour Manager Doug is talking about....)
The Concert Barn, Antioch, California - July 23, 1983 Tour Manager Doug's Ticket Stub
The Concert Barn, Antioch, California - July 23, 1983 Umlaut's Ticket Stub
After the show, I somehow worked my way backstage. I have a vague recollection of buying a pass at the box office of the venue, but I can't find the actual pass, so I'm not sure if that happened, but that vague memory is part of the reason why I prefer to use my own passes at shows to this day, instead of the promoter's passes.
The backstage area was kind of like a patio area surrounded by a few dressing rooms. There weren't a lot of people on the patio area, because everybody was in a dressing room. Shortly after I found my way to the patio, a door opened and I saw you. More importantly, you saw me. Then the door closed. For us kids going to rock shows, it was all about the eye contact. Everybody at any concert saw all the band members, but it was those moments where HE SAW ME that were special, and belonged to nobody but us.
I stood in the same spot for probably another hour, each time that door opened hoping for another glimpse, I saw Jimmy Bain at one point, and Vinnie Appice, and of course Vivian Campbell, but I didn't see you again, until, finally, the door opened, and you were standing talking to somebody. The door was being held open as some people left, you glanced over and saw me. Then the door closed. Then it quickly opened again, and you pointed at me and motioned for me to come over.
No way.
I looked behind me.
There wasn't anybody behind me.
I looked back at you and pointed at myself. Me? Are you pointing at me?
Again, you motioned for me to come over, so I did.
Ronnie James Dio (RJD) - You've been standing out there for an hour.
Teenage Tour Manager Doug (TTMD) - Yes, sir, I have.
(My parents and my job in a grocery store taught me to call everybody sir or ma'am.)
RJD - Call me Ronnie. What are you waiting for?
TTMD - I was hoping that I could get you to sign this poster for me, please.
(I unrolled the show poster that had already been signed by the rest of the band.)
RJD - You've been standing out there this long just so that you could get me to sign that poster, well thank you so much, that's very kind of you. Of course I would be happy to sign it.
TTMD - Thank you, etc, mumbling about a great show, and the great album.
(He proceeded to sign my poster, thanking me for the opportunity, and generally just making me feel like the world revolved around me.)
TTMD - Would you also sign my extra ticket, please?
RJD - Of course I would, why do you have an extra ticket?
TTMD - I had a friend who was going to come with me, so I bought two tickets, but I ended up coming by myself, because he couldn't go and nobody else where I live has any musical taste.
RJD - Who should I sign it to, you or your friend?
TTMD - To me, please. I'm Doug. He didn't come (my friend) so he doesn't get a ticket (Laughing). I bought them both anyway.
He then signed my ticket "To Doug - Magic - Ronnie James Dio"
RJD - (handing my ticket back) Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, I guess you get to go home now and get some sleep. It's pretty late.
TTMD - I won't actually get much sleep tonight. It's about a 2 1/2 hour drive home and I need to be at work at 9 am
RJD - What!? You have to drive 2 1/2 hours and be at work at 9!? It's already after 2!
TTMD - Yeah, I know, oh well, no rest for the wicked, right? (Laughing)
RJD - You stood here for the last hour waiting to get my autograph, knowing that you have to be at work early and you need to drive that far home? Thank you very much, that is very kind of you.
(Dio was shaking my hand and telling a couple people near by that "This guy has a 3 hour drive home so that he can go straight to work and he's here for my autograph isn't that nice of him")
RJD - Give me that ticket back.
TTMD - Um, ok…
I hand him the ticket that he just signed…
Ronnie then wrote "& Drive Carefully" on the ticket and handed it back to me.
We again shook hands, and we parted ways. I headed towards my car, he went back into the after-show party for what was without a doubt one of the most important shows of his career.
I usually got kind of tired about 30 minutes from my house on those drives back to Cloverdale after shows, but that night I was wide awake the whole time, singing and playing air guitar and air drums to the Holy Diver album a few times along the way. Anybody who had been in the car, would know why I'm a roadie, instead of a musician.
So, how did Ronnie James Dio make me a better Tour Manager?
Because he cared about the fans, above everything else.
He took time out of his life, away from his friends, family and business associates, not just to scrawl an illegible squiggle in the middle of his current conversation, but to actually have a conversation with me, a fan.
I wasn't a friend of a friend, I wasn't related to somebody, I actually had no business being anywhere near him. He knew that. He could have had Security throw me out. But he didn't. Because he cared about me. Because I was, and I am, a fan. I took that as a lesson. A lesson that I use as often as I can, and I hope that every once in awhile, I am able to help somebody have a memory of meeting one of my bands that's as nice as my memory is of Ronnie James Dio.
As soon as this show was announced everybody knew it was going to be one of those sold out beyond packed shows on 17th Street... and it was. San Franfuckincisco was going to be only the 2nd city in the U.S. that Portal would play on their debut U.S. Tour. Yes, the band from Australia with the singer who wears a clock on his head like a helmet onstage. Metal as Theater!
Morbosidad had dropped off the bill so Dispirit were able to play a longer set. Dispirit's appearance tonight caused almost as much of a buzz in the local Metal Scene as the headliner. The lineup features John Gossard of the legendary S.F. Black Metal band Weakling (a band that also featured Saros drummer Sam Foster) and their live appearances have been practically non-existent to date. Dispirit delivered a Doom laden 50 minutes, played in complete darkness aside from some candles placed at the front of the stage, that included an astounding 20 minute closing song. Their set featured Umlaut standing practically on top of the band's smoke machine that was set up at stage left.
During the set I realized that I haven't inhaled that much smoke machine exhaust since probably 1983 at The Stone. It was a solid set by another excellent local Metal band; the Bay Area Metal Scene is so strong with so many good local bands right now it's frightening.
Before I go any further I want to say that I hate The Internet sometimes. As Sanguis Imperem played several of us received text messages that Ronnie James Dio had died... but he was not dead! Wendy Dio posted this on RJD's official Twitter not long afterwards:
"Don't believe the rumors, Ronnie is still hanging in there!!!" Hugs, Wendy Dio
Fuck The Internet for spreading false news! It put a real buzz kill on the show... but unfortunately Ronnie James Dio did pass away hours later... but the premature annoucement was so disrespectful. However, with that dark cloud of reality hanging in the air, seeing Portal's darker than black vision of Metal was appropriate tonight.
Out on the patio in between bands Umlaut had lively conversations with some of his favorite local musicians on topics such as the 33 1/3 series of books and, of course, the magic and power of Dio. It's rare that I can have a conversation with different people who are all just as in awe of someone as much as Umlaut, but that's the level of reverence that Dio earned. Thee Parkside was a veritable Who's Who of The Bay Area Metal Scene and autograph seekers could have had 1/5 of Neurosis, Black Cobra, 3/5 of Ludicra, and members of Vastum, Hammers Of Misfortune, Stormcrow, and Saros sign their denim vests.
Prior to Portal, Dave filled me in on the mythos of Portal... and I'm now completely fascinated by this band. Taken at face value most people think of them as "that band with the singer who wears a clock on his head"... but evidently their music, lyrics, costumes, and philosophy are deeply rooted in the writings of H.P. Lovecraft and Horror in general. I need to talk to Dave more about Portal and their mythos... Okay, Dave? Beers on me.
Thee Parkside is one of my favorite venues because its layout, featuring an outdoor bar area, makes shows feel like they're part of The Scene. It really reminds me of back in The Day when I'm there on a crowded night like this. However, my one complaint about Thee Parkside is that the stage lighting consists of only ON and OFF. I mean, how much would it cost to install a fucking DIMMER SWITCH for the stage lights to adjust the ambiance!? I mean, fuck, I could install a DIMMER SWITCH for them! Of course, Portal chose OFF for their stage lighting.
Portal have been around for 16 years but this was their first visit to San Franfuckincisco. The Australians took the stage in complete darkness, but The Curator wasn't wearing his trademark clock headgear... Instead he was dressed in his Black Pope outfit and I was kind of bummed... until the band's wall of DARK VOLUME practically knocked me over for the next hour.
It was a surreal set since the only time the band became visible was when camera flashes went off.. Otherwise it was an all out assault on the senses. Blackness upon black upon darkness and volume... but it was compelling. It was the type of blackness upon black upon darkness that most people will never experience... and I liked that. For an hour I was immersed in a blackness that made me forget about The Real World outside the crowded sweaty confines of Thee Parkside. I could almost call it a cleansing experience... Also, I had to marvel at how Portal managed to perform in complete darkness while they all wore black hoods over their heads and faces in the hot sweaty club... Talk about being men at work (pun alert!) and evidently the band's debut show in America the night before in L.A. had been at a club in Compton...
Oh, one funny episode was when 3 young and drunk Hispanic Metalheads noticed Whenwedie's Baron Rojo and Tank patches... and for a minute I thought they were going to jump him and cut the patches off of him... but instead they threw their arms around Whenwedie in a show of alcohol fueled Metal Amigo bonding... I think.
All in all it was a fun night... but I didn't do a merch audit. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag. Portal laid waste to San Franfuckincisco and, to quote that other Australian band, can't you hear the thunder? You better run, you better take cover...
Click HERE to see Photo Ray's scary pics from the show... and click HERE to see Whenwedie's spooky shots of the show from another angle.
What a terrible day for Old Metal... Ronnie James Dio AND Debbie Abono moved on to the next level within hours of each other earlier today.
The First Ever Dio Performance (From the Umlaut Archives)
All told, Umlaut saw Dio perform 11x over the years with Dio and Black Sabbath / Heaven And Hell. For those who are interested here are some Dio rants from past postings on this site:
Sweet Savage: Dio's first ever performance up in Antioch in that barn in the middle of nowhere.
Neon Knights: Umlaut's Music Geek memories about Dio with Black Sabbath.
I met Dio once... It was backstage at The Forum in Los Angeles at an Iron Maiden show in 2008. As I entered the hospitality room backstage my companion said "Hey, there's Dio!"... There were maybe only 5 other people in the room... I was completely starstruck and although I was introduced to him I completely blanked on asking to have my picture taken with him. Regrets... but I'm thankful I at least met him after all these years.
Debbie Abono is one of the great unsung heroes of the Bay Area Metal Scene. Her story is one that kidz today probably can't comprehend: A grandmother who came to manage local Metal bands like Possessed, Exodus, and Vio-lence and who brought her grandmotherly charm and kindness to shows at rough venues like Ruthies Inn and The Omni. It was people like Debbie who made that original Bay Area Metal Scene so special and maybe even unique in the history of Metal.
Debbie with Larz and Krk (Photo by Harald O.)
Last week at a show in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Metallica dedicated 'Nothing Else Matters' to Debbie. Nicely done, lads.
Dedication at the 0:50 minute mark...
A couple of years ago I saw a mutual friend who now lives back East and he said Debbie would love to get together with me while he was in town... lunch... coffee.. whatever.... Just to catch up and chat about The Old Metal Days. Unfortunately, that reunion didn't happen because of scheduling and life here in the 21st Century. Huge regrets now.... HUGE.
Rest in Peace, Old Heroes; one who was onstage and one who was backstage. Both of them affected and changed my life in their own profound ways. Both Debbie and Dio also reinforced my philosophy that age is only a number and simply a state of mind. Once you start thinking you're old you become old.. So live for today, tomorrow never comes... DIE YOUNG.
Like Maria Ferrero, Gary Holt, Craig Locicero, and the others who have had comments on Blabbermouth and in other places, words can't express the love that was felt for Debbie by everybody who she ever crossed paths with.
I laughed at a comment posted somewhere that referred to her as Mrs. Abono. I never, ever, heard her called that. To anybody she met, it was Debbie. I know that the person who posted meant it with all due respect, and I know that Debbie would have smiled and said "Oh dear, just call me Debbie".
She was involved, behind the scenes, with one of my earliest tour manager gigs, for Death Angel in August 1987.
I have so many fond memories of Debbie, but there is one that I think captures her essence.
I handled a tour for her in 1992. Her band Obituary were headlining, the support acts were Cannibal Corpse, Agnostic Front and Malevolent Creation. Debbie wanted all the bands treated as if they were the headliner, food, drinks, etc, no special treatment. She said, "because we're all in this together".
While the crowd was mostly metal, Agnostic's fans added another dimension. I'll never figure out how Nazi skinheads can be fans of Puerto Rican punks, but I suppose the same question could be asked about a lot of our favorite bands whose members are of not quite white heritage (Slayer?).
The first two shows of the tour were festivals. In Milwaukee, Debbie was a bit annoyed when some of us took the time to pee in the shower meant for Dogstar (only Dogstar), but she appreciated the intended point. The third show was the first with only "our" four bands, it was at a club called the Marquee in Detroit.
Detroit has long been known as a great city for rock, and that generation of metal was no exception. Big Mick, legendary soundman for a little ol' band called Metallica, was at the show that night. He came not necessarily because he cared to see a bunch of loud bands on his off day, he came so that he could spend time with Debbie. He ended up running lights. Because she asked him to.
At some point in the night, probably during Agnostic Front's set, the combination of metalheads, and punks, and skins became to volatile and a full scale brawl broke out. There were peacemakers on both sides, trying to bring calm to the storm but to no avail. Then, in an instant, it all stopped.
"You boys stop that!" she yelled as she waded into the middle of it. I think she would have been 62, maybe 63 years old.
She was practically in tears, actually, I think she was crying, they were the tears of a mother who couldn't stand her siblings fighting.
Everybody. Metalhead. Punk. Skin. Everybody stopped. Heads bowed in embarrassment. Sorry Debbie. The aim of everybody in the room was no longer to beat the crap out of somebody, it was to make sure that Debbie was ok, and not mad at them. Sorry Debbie. Even the ones who had never met her until that moment. Sorry Debbie. Everybody felt that they had disappointed her, and that was way worse than anything else.
We were all her kids, she loved us.
And we all love her.
Click HERE for Tour Manager Doug's remembrance of Ronnie James Dio...
Pearl Red Devil Lounge, San Francisco May 11, 2010
I had been thinking about going to see the local Metal band Embers over at Thee Parkside when I got a message from Paschke. His friend Scott was in town playing guitar in his wife's band and he told me if I wasn't doing anything I should join him at the show. I said "Sure, why not..." For the newbies: His friend "Scott" is Scott Ian of Anthrax and his wife "Pearl" is singer Pearl Aday, daughter of Meat Loaf.
The last time I'd seen a show at The Red Devil Lounge was The Plimsouls back in 2006; that's the oldest story in the world. As I was pulling out my wallet at the door to pay the cover charge, one of Paschke's crew happened to come outside and informed the door guy that I was on the list. NICE! I wish all shows were this easy.
According to the Umlaut Archives, I'd seen Pearl perform before back in 1994 when she was a back up singer in her father's band (Shoreline Amphitheater - 8/17/94: Meat Loaf with Cheap Trick supporting). For the Metalheads: Pearl's album was released on Megaforce Records (!). On this tour she is being backed by Mother Superior (who have served as 3/4 of the Rollins Band in recent years) and Scott Ian on guitar. Interesting, right?
It was nice being at a show that was not Metal for once, but it was trippy waiting around with only 15 other people in the club as Scott's "NOT" Jackson sat in a guitar stand onstage.
The band was due to take the stage at 10:00pm and as the hour neared more people arrived so there were maybe 40 people in the club as the band took the stage. Yeah, a small audience but one that was surprisingly enthusiastic with a good number down front who knew the songs from Pearl's album. Pearl's music is rooted in Classic Rock and the obvious comparison would be to Janis Joplin and Tina Turner. I forgot that 3/5 of the band have served as The Rollins Band in recent years because they were a solid Lock 'N Loll band fueling Pearl's honestly dynamic vocals. I'm not bullshitting when I say the performance was really good, with Pearl displaying undeniable charisma and talent and the band playing at a level that held my interest. No, it wasn't my usual *thing* but it was a good performance nonetheless.
I don't know if it was because of the odd configuration of the club's stage (shoved in a corner with a pole in the middle of it), but it was funny how Scott was set off in his own "Corner of Metal" with all his gear while the rest of the band were basically on the other side of the stage. I halfway hoped he would do a solo reenactment of 'Caught In A Mosh' on the small stage...
He didn't.... Which one of these words don't you understand?
As the hour or so set unfolded I kept thinking that Pearl would make a good support act for a band like The Black Crowes. The set closed with a credible cover of Tina Turner's 'Nutbush City Limits' that put everything into context. Maybe it was because I was out of my element, but during the set my beer slipped from my hand and the pint glass shattered on the floor... and I got kind of a disgusted look from the well dressed young woman standing next to me... Ooooops. I honestly can't remember the last time I made that kind of rookie mistake. Wow... EMBARRASSING.
Umlaut's shattered pint...
After the set, Scott came out to see Paschke as his wife mingled with other fans / friends in the audience. I was surprised that he knew me by name since we've only met maybe 2x since 1984, most recently in Cleveland last year. Ironically, the street that Red Devil Lounge is on (Polk Street) was the location of both incarnations of the legendary Metal record store The Record Vault. I was impressed that Scott remembered that and he asked exactly where The Vault had been in relation to the club. There was some more random chit chat, we got some insider gossip about Joey Belladona rejoining Anthrax for The Big 4 shows in Europe this Summer, had a brief mutual geek out over Iron Maiden, and then out of the blue Scott asked me "How many of the guys who were at The Kabuki are still around??"
(For the newbies: The Kabuki was where Anthrax played their 1st show in S.F. on July 7, 1984 supporting Raven. Exodus were also on the bill..)
I joked that if Anthrax ever did a reunion with Neil Turbin there would be people in S.F. who would show up... but in all seriousness I told him that, aside from a couple of people who have passed away, alot of us original Bay Area Metalheads are still around AND we're in touch thanks to The Internets. It was a cool Old Metal exchange on an otherwise non-Metal night.
Old Metalheads: Umlaut, Photo Ray, NOT
Naturally, there were a couple of other Anthrax / S.O.D. fans there... including a tourist couple from Holland who told Scott they'd met him 20 years ago at a show in their homeland. Caught in a mosh... caught in a mosh. THANKS to Paschke for the heads up about this show, because normally the Red Devil Lounge's schedule is off of Umlaut's radar screen.
Anthrax shirts = 1. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag. It was a fun and easy Tuesday night. It was also a nice way to clear my head for a couple of hours and for me not (NOT) to be so serious and intense about music for a couple of hours. Okay, now back to The Real World and its persistence of time.
Possibly not since the Giants vs. A's Bay Bridge World Series of 1989 has there been a Left Bay vs. Right Bay clash of this magnitude. In the East Bay we had the massive Missing Link show at the fabulous Fox Theater (3,000 capacity) and in San Franfuckincisco was Ludicra at the usually non-Metal Cafe du Nord. Both shows featured the triumphant homecomings of local heroes: In Oakland it was High On Fire and Black Cobra and the S.F. show was Ludicra's triumphant record release show. Prior to heading over to The East Bay, Photo Ray and I met up at 21st Amendment for food and to catch up on shit. Then it was across The Bay Bridge for...
This bill was a veritable "Who's Who" of bands ripped from the pages of Decibel magazine. Unfortunately, there was Will Call drama as the guest list that I was on was late getting submitted, so I missed Bison B.C.'s set... which was a bummer. However, it was alright hanging out front passing the time by chatting with various Umlaut Nation friends and catching up with Jason of Black Cobra who came out his Rock Star dressing room to mingle with us civilians.
Band Vans
Black Cobra: Thankfully, the guest list finally arrived at Will Call and I got inside with minutes to spare before Jason and Rafa started their set; I also met up with The Drummer just as the houselights went down. Over the past 7 months since their latest album was released the local boyz have toured practically non-stop. Man, it was so cool to see my bruthas up on that big stage punching the crowd in the stomach with the song 'Negative Reversal' to start and for the next 30 minutes Black Cobra owned The Fox. Whenwedie later reported that in the photo pit he witnessed some of the people in the front row flinch the moment the set started because they weren't expecting that kind of volume from only 2 guys onstage.
It was awesome to watch the crowd get into the volume assault and I'm sure some new fans were made; I watched one kid as he started nodding his head to the music... then by the next song he was banging his head to the music... and not long after that he had his right arm extended giving Black Cobra the horns. Nicely done, lad... nicely done. Standing in the crowd, The Drummer and I agreed that we felt like proud parents watching our "kids" up there on the big Lock 'N Loll stage... and my pride for the boyz was magnified as Jason channeled The Nuge with his guitar moves (Note to the newbies: You CANNOT pull off those moves with short hair.. so grow your hair out, pussies!) and Rafa sported a SWEET Rainbow shirt. Trivia: Black Cobra brought in Billy Anderson to mix their sound for this show... and it was worth it.
After Black Cobra's set there was a nice little Umlaut Nation reunion of friends in the VIP bar... Drinks flowed.. and blood was spilled.. and if the boys wanna fight you better let 'em... and it won't be long 'til Summer comes now that boys are back here again.. or something like that.
Valient Thorr: Valient Thorr tries WAY too hard to be a good time party band; they even had “PARTY” flash on the screen behind them at one point. All I can say is that Valient Thorr tap into something that obviously isn't me and, like, I DON’T wanna party with them. Just being honest. The most entertaining thing about Valient Thorr was how we later kept seeing Valient wandering around the lobby and venue bar like he was looking for people to recognize him. Sorry, dude. Party.
Priestess: Holy shit... I have NO memory OR notes about Priestess. Where the hell was I when they were onstage?? Bizarre... Sorry, guys. If anyone can remind me what I was doing during this 40 minutes I’d appreciate it. Maybe I was abducted by aliens…
Baroness: There is so much hype around Baroness... There are so many people raving about Baroness. All I can say is that Baroness tap into something that obviously isn't me. I know using headwear generalizations is lazy, but during Baroness' set I glanced over to my right and there was a group of 4 young dudes standing together digging the set: 3 were wearing hipster beanies and the 4th had on a backwards baseball cap. Anyway... not that headwear means anything... but I'm just saying, in this case, maybe it does.
High On Fire: This was the final show of High On Fire's current U.S. Tour and in a nice random example of how The Rock Godz work in mysterious ways, as I made my way down front I found myself standing next to old Umlaut friend Radio Cuevas, who was back in town from SoCal. PERFECT! High On Fire swaggered onstage in their hometown and immediately punched their homies in the face with 'Frost Hammer' right out of the gate. Seeing High On Fire on their home turf of Oaktown is a rare event, but it was odd few locals seemed to know an older song like 'Devilution'. Unfortunately HOF weren’t playing a full set tonight as they had when I saw them at SXSW. Tonight they were allotted 45 minutes onstage and they made the most of it as most of Mastodon watched their set from stage left; I had a flashback to OzzFest 2005 at Shoreline when High On Fire watched Mastodon’s 2nd stage set from stage right and ‘Blood & Thunder’ was dedicated to them. The set-closing 'Snakes Of The Divine' seemed to get the most rabid reaction from the punters, but the highlight for me was the hypnotically heavy version of 'How Dark We Pray' that was like having a pillow pressed against your face and the volume sucking the air from your lungs. For the record, HOF were also the only band to say "motherfucker" onstage; keeping it real. Remember when High On Fire played their 1st show ever at the Covered Wagon (aka Annie’s) in S.F.? Me too.. "Frost Hammer!!! Frost Hammer!! Frost Hammer!!! Frost Hammer!!"
Between The Buried And Me: I can’t stand BTBAM. All I can say is that BTBAM tap into something that obviously isn't me. I just can't abide a "Metal" band whose singer runs back and forth between the front of the stage and keyboards... and, I've said this about BTBAM in this space before: The bassist holds his bass high up in that Jazz musician way which is simply NOT METAL. Note to The Kidz: If you play bass or guitar in a METAL band you should wear your weapons slung LOW like a gunslinger. Otherwise you look like you're dry humping your instrument onstage... which is fine if you're in a Jazz band... but dry humping is NOT Metal. During BTBAM's set we hung out in the bar where they had a video feed of the band onstage on one plasma screen behind the bar and on another screen they were showing the Sharks vs. Red Wings playoff game. Guess which screen had a crowd in front of it...
SHARKS WIN!
Umlaut doesn't follow hockey, but it was kind of cool to be *there* as the Sharks eliminated Detroit; dudes on ice skates were better than BTBAM that's for sure. As you've probably already figured out, this show brought out the worst of Umlaut's jaded Old Fart side... but I have to call shit like I see it. It was also amateur night with the alcohol consumption and mishaps… with a good number of “How did I end up on the floor??”-types and at least one casualty leaving the room on a stretcher. Party.
Mastodon: This was the 5th time I've seen Mastodon on this album / tour cycle and, as much as I've liked the Crack The Skye album, I can say that I'm officially burned out on it now. It's interesting that Mastodon are at a level of popularity where they can now be considered a gateway band who draws mainstream folks into Metal. I know alot of my peers have crossed Mastodon off their "cool band" list now, but Umlaut still digs them. However, due to our date with Ludicra back in S.F. we bailed after 3 songs, but I have to say those 3 songs were probably the best performances I experienced since the Mastodon show over a year ago at the Great American. When it comes to the Metal bands that kidz and hipsters are latching onto these days, I'd rather see Mastodon reap the benefits instead of, say, Between The Buried And Me.
Oh shit, I need to say THANKS to the 2 dudes who came up to me at different times during the show who said how much they liked this space. I sometimes forget that people read these rants. Cool Doomriders shirt as well, man.
If you bought one of every Black Cobra merch item you would have paid $95... and if you had bought one of every Mastodon merch item you would have paid $200. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags. Then it was back across The Bay Bridge for...
The saga of Ludicra's U.S. Tour is one of THE Metal stories of 2010 and I originally ranted about it HERE... and Umlaut traveled to a foreign land to support the band a couple of weeks ago in Arizona. All of the drama they experienced from sea to shining sea finally led The Undisputed Headliners of The Bay Area Metal Scene back home for this triumphant homecoming show... which also served as the "official" record release party for their amazing album The Tenant. Of course, it was ironic that this celebration came at the end of the tour, but in light of everything that has happened to the band it was perfect. There is no place like HOME.
Welcome Home Art at The Merch Table
After spending 7 hours at The Big Rock Show, Ludicra were the light at the end of the dark, Mainstream Metal tunnel that I wandered through in Oakland. In a surgically precise maneuver (one that is sure to be studied at The Metal War Institute by future Metalheads as a textbook example of a Metal strike..), Photo Ray, Whenwedie, The Drummer, and Umlaut sped back to S.F. in The Prius... docked it at Photo Ray's secret lair... caught a cab within literally 2 minutes... and walked down the stairs into Du Nord within 30 minutes of leaving Oakland. SURGICAL! As we descended into the club, Kowloon Walled City were finishing up their set; I've been meaning to see them but have managed to miss all of their recent local shows. Sorry, guys... next time. Anyway, as I walked into the bar I saw the familiar faces of friends and local Metalheads and I immediately knew this was where I was supposed to be. The big show in Oakland had been fun, but this was the real deal event of the night; this was the event that counted.
I can't get over how brutally gorgeous Ludicra's new songs are when they're performed live... especially 'A Larger Silence'. It's an experience that I don't think human language can properly convey because the songs operate on such a higher level... and few songs in recent memory blow up like 'In Stable' does onstage.
During the set I had a profound sense of belonging; everyone in the room wanted to be there for the same reason: LUDICRA. No one was there simply to "be there" or to "be seen". This event counted. This was not a Scenester event like the show in Oakland; this was a gathering of kindred spirits. Ludicra have the ability to create Inner Peace via Mayhem and that vibe was so thick in the air you could have cut it with a knife. As much as I worship Ludicra's new songs, the song that has sucked me in at every show I've seen on this album / tour cycle has been the set closing 'Walk The Path Of Ash' from their 2006 EP. The title alone has stuck in my head as the perfect statement of how Ludicra have risen above all the bullshit and stress in the name of their art this year. I tend to gravitate towards epic things and Ludicra are an epic band both on and off the stage. As I'd witnessed in Arizona a couple of weeks ago, the new songs and old songs like 'Veils' created a vortex of fury that was completely engulfing and made me forget about time and space; Ludicra are the type of live band who make me live completely in the moment... and that's rare because giving up control over myself is not something I do very often.
For an encore, and the final song of the tour, the band plunged into the 15 minute epic 'Awake The Grey' from their 1st album and it was as if they were purging all of the bile and stress and bullshit from the tour into the ether via the song. It was 15 minutes that will rank as some of the best time I'll spend with a band this year... and with that mesmerizing finale Ludicra's U.S. Tour ended. As the song ended a curtain of feedback was lowered and the band exited stage left to return to The Real World.
The Tenant album is a watershed moment in Bay Area Metal and mark my words that in the years to come it will be one of those albums that future generations of Metalheads will hear about, seek out, and become obsessed with... Mark my words. It's not simply an album for just this year, it's an album for all time. Umlaut saw Ludicra 4x over the past 2 months in 3 cities and 3 states; it was an honor and a privilege. I'm looking forward to when Ludicra emerge from their slumber to rage amongst us again in (hopefully) the near future.
Ludicra onstage at DuNord (Photo courtesy of Whenwedie)
After the feedback curtain fell upon the show we didn't want to leave. We hung out a bit longer, ordered another round of beers at the bar, and chatted a bit with the band and friends. THE SCENE. I didn't do a merch audit, but the nice screen printed gig poster (limited edition of 30) was only $10.. SOLD! On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called us fags. It was an epic way to end a long day. However, I have to say THE most METAL thing of the day has to go to Whenwedie's amazing King Diamond LEGO tattoo (King Diamond and LEGO: Both from Denmark... Brilliant!):
When I arrived back at Casa de Umlaut I found this postcard had been stuck in my front screen door by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (aka The Mormons… of course..): Something tells me Jesus probably digs Between The Buried And Me... Just saying.
I know... The title of this post is way too obvious but what else do you expect on THE Hispanic day of the year? Plus, there's something ironic about seeing a group of drunk white guys wearing sombreros and fake moustaches waiting to get into a Metal show. Anyway, this was a rock solid bill on paper and it would have been hard for it to fail in real life. As I arrived at Slim's there was a parking spot on the street, but I noticed some shattered car window glass in the gutter. A voice in the back of my head told me not to park there, so I opted for the pay lot instead... and the lesson here is to listen to those voices in your head... but more on this later.
Slim's was jam packed sold out and you knew it was going to be a "good" night in that room because the floor was wet from condensation and spilled drinks. However, a bullet belt made out of small caliber bullets isn't really a bullet belt even when it's worn by a skinny girl.. I'm just saying.
Skeletonwitch: Skeletonwitch and Umlaut haven't been in the same room since they played a "secret" show at The Knockout on Mission Street back in, like, November 2008... so it's been awhile. I have to say 'Beyond The Permafrost' was the song highlight of the night for me; the song's intro plays to a Metal hungry crowd perfectly... and the guys from Ohio are a good example of a band of Road Dogs who have sharpened their craft through months of touring and drinking beer on and offstage. Chance was equally impressive working the crowd as he was chugging Budweisers onstage. Although Skeletonwitch were my favorite band of the night, I hate to say it, but watching Chance chug Budweisers was like watching a dude chug bottled water... but that's because Umlaut is a Beer Snob. In between bands I discovered that Ted of Death Angel knows me by name... Kill as one!
1349: 1349 and Umlaut haven't been in the same room since they opened for the mighty Celtic Frost at The Fillmore back in, like, October 2006... so it's been awhile. 1349 exudes that real deal Norwegian vibe but, let's be honest, if they were from Sacramento and came onstage dressed like that they'd be hilarious. However, since everyone knows all men in Norway wear corpse paint (and every woman in Norway is tall and blond) their vibe is legit. It was funny watching Frost set up his drums wearing his corpse paint and then Seidemann arrived onstage wearing a robe with the hood pulled over his corpse painted face and Ravn came onstage wearing the same vintage Celtic Frost shirt that he wore onstage in 2006 at The Fillmore. Like I said, if 1349 were from Sacramento the costumes would not be as effective.
Unfortunately, as I've said in this space before, Slim's has probably the worst sound of any venue in town because of the restriction they have on their volume levels; it's ridiculous. A show like this should have a volume level that you can feel in your clothes, but generally it's so low you can literally have a normal conversation with someone, especially at the back of the room. Archaon's guitar tone was lost in the ether most of the time, but the band's Norwegian Star Power carried the set. Yes, I couldn't put a title to any 1349 song if I heard it (Sorry.. just being honest..) but it's not often you get to see real life Norwegians up close on this side of the planet. The only real bummer during the set was Robb Flynn of Machine Head invading my personal space... but it was all good. Have you ever had Norwegian black licorice?? It's NASTY. In between bands, Machine Head bought me a beer.
Cannibal Corpse: Cannibal Corpse and Umlaut haven't been in the same room since the 48 Hours Of Mayhem last Summer since I missed their set at Scion Fest in March... so it's been awhile. As Cannibal Corpse took the stage I pulled out my camera and I had 666 shots left on the memory card... METAL! The last time that happened was at Tidal Wave 11. CC always bring it live but Pat was especially on fire with his lead work... and as he lit up the hot and sweaty crowd with his fretboard brutality I couldn't help thinking back on how cool he'd been to Photo Ray and I at Scion Fest. Also, the audience participation at Cannibal Corpse shows are always heartwarming reminders of how Metal can bring sweaty people together.
(Yes, I know... Umlaut needs a new camera.. one that does low light situations better, etc. etc.)
FYI: Umlaut is NOT going to be like everyone else and make a comment on the size of Corpsegrinder's neck or how much he headbangs onstage. Old news, kidz. Every Metalhead knows that Cannibal Corpse loves and respects the ladies... and it was fucking romantic when Corpsegrinder did the unexpected and dedicated 'Priests Of Sodom' to all the ladies in the room instead of 'Fucked With A Knife'. Do you hear that? That's the sound of the 6 or 7 females in the room swooning...
There was a Jello sighting (the first in awhile) and I also witnessed an awkward Machine Head sandwich; I felt kind of sorry for "the meat" in that sandwich, but it was special I guess. As I was leaving I stopped to say "Hey / Hi" to my old Metal brutha Gary Holt... who happens to be on the cover of the current issue of Decibel. You gotta support the locals, man... Always.
If you bought one of every Cannibal Corpse merch item you would have paid around $400. On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag. As I said at the start of this rant, when I arrived at Slim's there was a parking spot on the street, but I noticed some shattered car window glass in the gutter. A voice in the back of my head told me not to park there, so I opted for the pay lot. After the show I noticed that the car that had taken that parking spot had its passenger side window smashed. Thank you Inner Voice! Wait... what are you saying now? Kill!? Kill who?? Oh..... Okay!!
Poster for Groningen, Holland - June 1, 1985
