1983 A merman I should be...

That is the title of a Jimi Hendrix song I know. I'm not entirely sure what he meant by that statement, but back in 1983 I was playing bass in a band called Sacrilege B.C.

If you check out the former bass player list...you will see Moose. That's me. (The black guy on the far right in pic above)

I helped start that band by writing our entire set minus one or two songs, when I was 14...

The SF Bay are Metal/hardcore/punk scene...

(sigh)

 ...that was back in the day, man. 

Back when you could choose between seeing the midnight showing of Rocky Horror at the U.C theatre OR go see a slammin' metal/punk rock show near by.

 Well, I admit that I HAVE seen The Rocky Horror Show once or twice, but all those other nights were spent at Ruthies Inn, The Keystone Berkeley, The Stone, The Mabuhay Garden, The Rock On Broadway, The Berkeley Square, The Omni...and many other venues that have existed. That was the 80's. There was only one metal scene. And it started back then. It is STILL going, but it started back in the early 80's. And I was an avid participant by the time I was sweet 16. I played ALL those clubs at some point. Before I was even legal to drink or drive. It was so much fun. A perfect way to spend my teenage angst for humanity. Especially during the Reagan era. Remember THAT guy? Yeah. And so to balance out that particular amount of politics, I would go to the Cow Palace and check out the real masters of the scene. Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, The Scorpions, Dio, Sabbath.. Meanwhile it was bands like Metallica, Slayer, Mercyful Fate,Venom,Suicidal Tendencies, DRI, COC, The Accused, Fang and our eastbay favs...EXODUS. Exodus was the reason to say or do anything when I was 15. It was Exodus who was WAY better than Metallica. Even as we watched Metallica take off from the Keystone Berkeley in to fame and fortune...we were still, very much bonded by blood over Exodus. SLAYTEAM BERKELEY!!( heheheh) The shows were demonic and had an attitude that would never adjust to anything but pure mayhem and impurity. Talk about what a teenage boy wants to be a part of!  It's only a phase for some of us. 

For some...a way of life. 

 For me it was a quick lesson of humility and a fast trip to rehab.

It was not the life style that worked for me, even though I  still hold on to all those memories and songs. I learned how to play fast during those metal/punk years. So different back in those days. Things are different now, of course. Like, now you CAN have your own video game arcade in your house as opposed to WISHING you could take Galaga home...

OK...that was a trip down memory lane...back to what I was doing...

thinking about that girl I saw the other day...

Oh yeah!

here is a video, by the way, from 1983.

I can still remember most of the lyrics. 

It makes sense to me now what this band was trying to tell us back then...

about war...