Photo Op-ended

I want to relay this story for my cousin:

Back in 1982 I was a freshman in high school whose musical horizons were expanding.  I had grown up on a lot of R&B and Funk, but by now I had started playing guitar and developing a love for rock music.  Added to that mix were the intriguing punk and new wave bands you wouldn't hear anywhere else but KROQ.  Back then is when I first discovered the band that would eventually become my all time favorite - the not quite punk, not quite new wave, British "art pop" band XTC.

At that time their songs had been getting a lot of KROQ airplay.  So you can't imagine how excited I was to hear they would be playing gig at the Hollywood Palladium soon.  I so wanted to go to that show!  The only problem was I was too young to drive and couldn't think of anyone in my family who would take a 14 year old to a concert at a club in Hollywood.  And we're talking back in the day when Hollywood was grimy, nasty, bombed out, drug-infested, dangerous Hollywood!

It wouldn't have mattered anyway.  Three weeks before XTC's scheduled gig at the Hollywood Palladium on April 4,1982, the lead singer had a panic attack on stage in Paris.  They would perform only one more concert - in San Diego on April 3rd.  After that they would hang up their guitars, go back to England and never tour again.  Hollywood Palladium?  Cancelled.

Flash forward to the year 2000.  Luckily for me the band still put out albums.  They had disappeared off my radar after 1982 but I found them again a few years later.  Now they were going to be in L.A. again promoting their latest release at the (late) Virgin Megastore at Sunset and Crescent Heights.  This band, which has my favorite songwriter, favorite bass player and favorite guitarist, rarely left England.  This band whose songwriting craft and production I studied so intently was going to be just a couple miles from where I worked.  Hell if I was going to miss out!

So after work I drove to the Virgin Megastore and waited in a long line for a couple hours with one of those disposable drug store cameras in hand.  I finally get my turn to meet two of my all time favorite musicians in the world!  I was beyond cloud nine!  I knew an autograph wouldn't be enough for me, I wanted a photo with these guys.  Thankfully, someone graciously snapped a photo of me with each guy.  And I got to genuinely thank them for all the music they created that brought such joy to my life.

When I got back to my car in the parking lot, I had to sit there for a minute.  This had been one of the most thrilling moments in my life.  I was so happy.  I couldn't f*cking believe I met them.  I drove off with my camera planning to get the film developed soon.

Some time after that I'm finally getting the film developed.  I couldn't wait until those pics were ready!  But when I picked them up from the drug store...there were no pictures of this event at all.  WTF!?  Maybe it was the other disposable camera I had laying around.  But now I couldn't find it.  Somehow, after this most magical event in my life, I lost the friggin' camera!!!

To this day I have no idea what happened to that camera.  I never got my pics.  These guys went back to England, recorded one more album and then disbanded for good.  But you know what, I'm glad I did it.  I'm glad I summoned up the courage to even meet them.  I'm glad I got to tell them how much their music meant to me.  I just wish I had a photo of it lol!

So Long Ago - The Theme From Goldensnatch

Because I've always wanted to write a Bond theme.  And also a long lost Carpenters song.  Somehow the two merge into this.

Now I'm tempted to actually write a song called "Goldensatch".  Is Shirley Bassey still alive?

Urban Safari - Venice Beach - Medical Mari

Fortuately, spotting the clinic of Dr. Green Scrubs provided all the explanation I needed.
And with that another edition of #urbansafari comes to an end. Peace out, Venice Beach! Time for new adventures to places all too familiar.

Urban Safari - Venice Beach - Pizza! Pizza! Pizza!

As I wind down my travelogue I would be remiss not to mention the native cuisine. Plus peddling Greased Lightning all afternoon was making me hungry. What surprised me about a tastes of VB was the high caloric and fat content of these offerings. I search and scanned the area to see if there was any explanation for such curious culinary options...
#urbansafari #venicebeach

Urban Safari - Venice Beach - Vicious Drum Circle

Tribes, tribes and more tribes! Such an assortment gather here to sing, dance, strum, stroke and smoke for the throngs of vacationing gringos in search of cheap tinted eyewear.

Captured in action here are the plastic bucket drummer tribe, the lady who brought a baby grand piano to the beach to play tribe, the we can't sell this sh*t in stores so we sell it here tribe and the famous bearded guy in a turban playing electric guitar while on rollar skates tribe of one. Sadly, he turned away from my lens as I snapped this shot. His attention drawn to potential customers in an effort to sell them a tribal "t-shirt" bearing his image.

Urban Safari - Venice Beach - Les dreams du catche

There is something so sublimely spiritual about la plage du Venice (the beach of Venice or #venicebeach). Spritual practitioners abound.

As do the Catchers of Dreams (les dreams du catche). These massive ornaments on display today so fitting for these environs...all the wandering souls who travelled west for their dreams seem to migrate here after losing them. #urbansafari #venicebeach

Urban Safari - Venice Beach - In Xanadu did Kubla Khan...wear leg warmers and roller skates

35 years ago, I, your #UrbanSafari host, was a curious, young, impressionable 12yo. I know. Hard to imagine. Back then during the wee hours of the afternoon I discovered a documentary on HBO titled "Xanadu". In this locational time capsule of a film a beautiful mural came to life. That mural was in Venice Beach. That mural WAS Venice Beach!

Today in my travels I had hoped to find the mural. Sadly, the elegant depiction of the muses has not stood the test of time. Poor ladies.

#urbansafari #venicebeach

Urban Safari - Venice Beach - Native Garb

We must not forget jewelry is meant to accessorize cultural dress. Here are two items available from local merchants that any foreign explorer (me!) could barter for in an attempt to better fit in with the resident tribes. The pop culture t-shirt and the hippy hemp-made knapsack. Notice the bright, vibrant colors! Amazing!

One must assume the replicated images on said "t-shirts" are in honor of past leaders of various tribes that inhabit the beach and boardwalk here. Fascinating!

Urban Safari - Venice Beach - Native Jewelry

Our first stop for this #UrbanSafari Venice Beach edition. We decided to examine the curious culture of VB by exploring native made jewelry. What became abundantly apparent early in my excursion was how all cultural touchstones in this region are so closely tied with the indigenous food. The protuberance of such curious combinations were everywhere!

Alas, Toe Ring Ice Cream...maybe some other time. #urbansafari #venicebeach

Urban Safari - Venice Beach!

Bonjour mes amis! It's time for another edition Urban Safari! This time we explore the wild, mysterious sun, sand and surf of Venice Beach.

I had the pleasure of exploring this exotic territory on an open air jeep-cycle. "Greased Lightning" twas what I dubbed her. And I'd like to send a special thanks to Danny Zuko and Kenicki for transporting GL all the way from Thunder Road. Go T-Birds!