Monday, February 21, 2011

Akron Ohio in 1978 is ERUPTING

High School, I'm not really the party girl but I like the people, the noise, maybe some alcoholic beverages and guys, but I am basically good, yet with one foot through the door of the wild side. I am more the spoiled "Jackie" than the "Donna" ala That 70's Show, Jackie has my wardrobe, exactly my clothes from the day, it's so fun to watch and tell my girls...I had that dress...I had those socks, bla bla, my hair  (they don't care but I can't help it).  I had no idea there was an inner rebel I was waiting to breath out, but she was there, like an alter ego ready to let rip.   So I had started singing and there was some buzz about it and to make a long story short, I was to go to this club called "The Bank" where a punk band "Hammer Damage" played and talk to the manager about doing a song with the band.  The band was winding up to something great, they had charisma and the it factor the guys are great looking, the band is fantastic and it would be a good place/venue to launch my career.  So I go, of course,  the club is huge, punk and crazy, there is a parachute on the ceiling above the dance floor and a balcony where everyone smokes. The dance floor is a huge group of people body slamming each other,  I'm in!  We (Andrea and I) dressed in what we considered, being from upper middle class suburb of Akron "Bath Twp, proper punk attire.  Denim skirt, white shirt with a tie, white knee socks and white keds (yes I remember because there are pictures I am sorry to say).  I walked in with my best friend Andrea and I immediately knew my life had begun, this was my "thing" I was in the right place, these were "my people" and I was off and running.  Andrea was more Jefferson Airplane and Kenny Loggins, but she stayed with me though she didn't really get it like I did, and from that evening, after years of best friendship, weekends at each other's homes, first dates, first beers,and shared lives....we were heading out on different paths.  Her path would take her to college and sorority parties and mine would take me to the underbelly of Akron, where I found kinship with the punks and freaks.  The first thing anyone said to me when I walked in was "Let me guess you guys are from the westside right"?  well...duh!  Like we would be south or east Akron in Jordache denim!  I knew it the minute I walked in the door of the club......TOTO!  We are so not in Kansas anymore, and we aren't in Bath, and we aren't going to college and we are SOOOOOOOOO going to be rock stars, me and Toto and Hammer Damage. 

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