50
by El Protoolio
Chris from the VB is a friend of mine from the scene back then and when I moved back to Chicago in 1998 they came through town the next year or two and played a show at the Fireside I think and crashed at my place. I was a huge fan of Chris' side band with Marc from Quintaine Americana called Cracktorch. I fucking adored that band. I booked shows with them with my band just so I could see them. There is video on the Billy Ruane channel on YouTube of Cracktorch at the Green St Grill and I was there and you can hear me from the audience off camera joking with Marc while he was in front of the mic.
I lived with Pete Ryan from Bulkhead. Our housemate who was 36 when I was 21 was fucking Craig Scanlon from the Fall whenever he was in town. He'd call the house and ask for her in his thick northern English accent. When he stayed with her they'd get up and go to the bar at 11 am.
One of the other women I lived with there knew the guys in that band Wool, a couple who were original Foo Fighters. They stayed at our house one night on a tour. They were the opening act for someone much bigger.
My other house mate was Dan who sang for Bim Skala Bim. He was super cool. And like pushing 40 when I was 21. He gave me an old MDC tee shirt of his. Cover art for Multi Death Corporation. I still have it.
Tim and Darryl from Roadsaw at the time I knew through all my Newbury Comics friends. I was friends with all of the Harvard Square and some of the NBewbury St store employees. Dated one for five years. Got employee discounts. Darryl worked at NC HS and Tim booked O'Briens.
Matt from Kudgel and Black Helicopter is my work buddy from Uno's in Allston. One day he was bartending and I was waiting tables and Kim Deal came in for a beer before some appointment she had in Brookline just a block away.
So many good fucking bands and fun people. Boston in the 1990's was a great place to be for college or just your late teens, early twenties. Highly recommended.
© 2003 el protoolio