After the hubbub over the Kiss song quote, I realized, or remembered however you want to look at it, that Kiss was my first concert.
Yep.
I think it was one of their many reunion or farewell tours. I was 14 and I went with my older brother and his best friend, who I had a crush on, they would have been either 17 or 18.
My brother and I have always gotten along well, and I remember him being really cool to me while we were there, but in looking back I wonder how much he wanted to ditch me. I mean, here he was, a 17-year-old with his 14-year-old sister tagging along, how uncool for him.
Anyway, we drove to the concert in the best friend's 1980-something blue Camero. I sat in the back, of course, but I didn't care. I felt so cool there in the backseat looking out the side window. I knew I couldn't be a pest. I had to be cool. I knew I shouldn't talk a lot I couldn't be a pain to my brother and his friend. Translation: stay with them, but don't be a pain. Don't lose them, but don't be a tag along. In otherwords: Don't blow this opportunity!
The headline was, Kiss, Slaughter, and Faster Pussycat. I truly don't recall what Kiss songs were popular at the time. Let's see, if I was 14 that would have been around 1987-88, so I'm guessing "Let's put the X in Sex." Slaughter had their hit of, "Up All Night, Sleep All Day." Faster Pussycat, absolutely no idea. I know they had one hit that was really popular at the time, but I don't remember what it was. I think that speaks volumes about all of these bands. Two one-hit wonders, and...Kiss.
The tickets were general admission and we were pretty close to the stage. However, I really haven't grown much since I was 14, I pretty much hit my height requirement by then, so my view wasn't great. But I-did-not-care. I was at a concert. My mom let me go to a concert. I was with my cooler older brother and my crush and I was having the time of my life.
I was banging my head in all of its big hair glory.
I was singing along with the band.
My arm was in the air with devil horns bouncing along with the beat of the band.
I caught a guitar pic from each headliner.
I bought an over-priced, Slaughter t-shirt that I wore for many days, weeks, months and maybe years after they were relevant.
I got into the backseat of the Camero for the ride home and watched the other concertgoers disperse into their cars, and I had a smile on my face.
I was deaf for days.
But, for a couple hours on a random Saturday night in the middle of a hot summer, I got to hang with my cool older brother, my crush, I got to ride in the backseat of a blue Camero and I was cool.
....and you?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
The hit single from that Faster Pussycat album was Babylon. I thought the rest of the album was pretty good, too. Cathouse, Bathroom Wall, Smash Alley... there were a lot of fun songs on that album.
I missed out on a free KISS concert (with Faster Pussycat and Slaughter) on Memorial Day 1990 because I wasn't home when my friend called. Dammit.
You go from erotica to charming-slice-of-life in the blink of an eye. You are wonderful.
Hey. You like older men right? ;)
Peace
Joefish: Ah, life before cell phones = lost opportunities, but no interruptions in your daily life of errands.
TrappedinCO: How much older are we talkin'? My rule is: You can't be old enough to be my parent. In otherwords, you can't be 18 years older than me. Anything below, we're good. On the flipside, you must be older than my youngest brother, so at least 23. Although that rule is flexible and maybe has been broken once or twice. Maybe.
...and thanks for the compliment. *winks*
Well, it was really a rhetorical question but since you answered my response is: Oh! Just missed! ;) I guess I'll take my wisdom and expansive carnal knowledge and check book and go home. :)
Keep the flirting coming!
Peace
Trapped: I'm sorry. Did I say, 18? I meant 81 years older than me. I have late onset dyslexia going on.
So, please, come back with your check book. Oh, alright. Bring all your wisdom and knowledge about the female body and all that stuff back with you too.
And I don't even know the meaning of, don't flirt. So, we're good.
There is something about the power of summer and concert. I can't tell you how many from Asia to Zebra and everything in between.
My first was Iron Maiden/Quiet Riot in October 1983 at Madison Square Garden. I've been a deciple ever since trying to recapture that feeling of so much awareness and power. Alas, music today does not provide the necessary rush that satisfies so deeply.
There's always the memory...
that's a really sweet memoir.
PG-You rock.
This post brings back lots o' memories for me. Except I was the one driving the blue Camero way back and it was an Aerosmith concert (I don't even remember who the intro group was - that's how good they were!).
Tom: There is something about the summer concert. Been to a lot. Remember some of them.
Bare Frame: Thanks. It was fun to remember the night.
Neil: Let's hear it for devil horns!!
GG: AH Madonna back when she was chubby and street slutty. Now she's all couture and fashionably slutty. Memory of early Madonna: When, "Like a Virgin," came out my mom told me I couldn't listen to her anymore. When I asked why she asked me if I knew what a, 'virgin,' was. When I answered, 'yes,' that was the end of the conversation.
Dating: oookkkkaayyy. I would be lying if I said, I understand you.
ePixie: Thank you for affirming what I have been saying for years!
Post a Comment