...Back to Depeche Mode...As time went on I bought more and more back issue records. My friend Ryan and I were totalyy into them. I used to ride my bike to The Record PX in Fountain Valley CA -they were the closest and one of the best import record shops around. I bought may of the early color vinyl pressings there.
Pretty soon it was time for Music For the Masses...I was a Freshman in highschool, didn't really know anyone, but a new DM album was great company! Music for the Masses came out in Late September. I had the tape first and the Blue Vinyl second. I saw Dm live on December 4th, 1987 at the Forum in LA. It was a crazy rainy night. I remember driving up to LA in my best friend's green VW rabbit....we broke down on the freeway...but were able to fix the problem and made it to the show....I don't really remember the show...I was too young to drink and naive for anything else....but I do know that I was in total fanatic awe of this band. I remember watching with tears in my eyes how crazy it was that this group that I idolized was actually live in front of me...
During the next part of the year, singles would occassionally appear at the PX and we learned of the coding for them: BongXX and limited editions LBongXX and EXLBONGXX. One of my treasures is a 10" vinyl of Behind the Wheel. It is still in mint condition and has a sticker, postcard, and Iron On that came with it...it is numbered and extra limited edition...
...Then the morning came....on the way to school in Chris Henry's old Audi A4... the live announcement on KROQ...Depeche Mode were coming back to California for the final show of the tour at the Rose Bowl. I was so estatic.... and tickets went on sale that Saturday....
..June 18, 1988 with a diverse line up including Thomas Dolby, Wire, The iteration of the Pet Shop Boys at the Time (Electronic) and DM. I bought field seats. It was a crazy magical day. First off, I had my first driving lesson that morning, my friend Rob drove again to the show...we were 3/4 back on the field with 77000 people....and crazily, my seats were right behind my good friend and fellow fanatic Emmett Clark...I felt "that deep (what I called religious) feeling again and was high on life. It was such a huge stage and venue and only the third or 4th concert I had seen. I'll never forget seeing lightning in the sky during Blasphemous Rumors (At least I think so...) With abodon, I ran to get as close to the stage as I could....I got to maybe the 20th row and was out of my mind...dancing , singing, free. It was a life changing event, everything from the parking on the golf course to the heat of the day to the giant food fight to the anticipation and show was larger that I could imagine life could be....
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Surrounding Music for the Masses, DM had tons of airplay. Mute kept us engaged by periodically dropping a remix or a single...and the Record PX started carrying used import material.
About this time, I began to invest my hard earned (retail men's clothing) money in stereo equipment. First of course it was the Receiver and speakers and then a dual tape deck...
I'll never forget the announcement about 101 Live coming out! Richard Blade played the first cuts on his afternoon show on KROQ...I had tears in my eyes as I heard Blasphemous Rumors...I taped it...I wonder if I could find it...101 came out in March 1989, it carried us to the release of Violator...the Wherehouse in store signing, to the next shows at the Universal Amphitheatre and tickets from Michael Jackson's body guard to Dodgers Stadium...
About this time, I began to invest my hard earned (retail men's clothing) money in stereo equipment. First of course it was the Receiver and speakers and then a dual tape deck...
I'll never forget the announcement about 101 Live coming out! Richard Blade played the first cuts on his afternoon show on KROQ...I had tears in my eyes as I heard Blasphemous Rumors...I taped it...I wonder if I could find it...101 came out in March 1989, it carried us to the release of Violator...the Wherehouse in store signing, to the next shows at the Universal Amphitheatre and tickets from Michael Jackson's body guard to Dodgers Stadium...
Friday, July 6, 2012
...Back to Depeche Mode...As time went on I bought more and more back issue records. My friend Ryan and I were totalyy into them. I used to ride my bike to The Record PX in Fountain Valley CA -they were the closest and one of the best import record shops around. I bought may of the early color vinyl pressings there.
Pretty soon it was time for Music For the Masses...I was a Freshman in high school, didn't really know anyone, but a new DM album was great company! Music for the Masses came out in Late September. I had the tape first and the Blue Vinyl second. I saw DM live on December 4th, 1987 at the Forum in LA. It was a crazy rainy night. I remember driving up to LA in my best friend's green VW rabbit....we broke down on the freeway...but were able to fix the problem and made it to the show....I don't really remember the show...I was too young to drink and naive for anything else....but I do know that I was in total fanatic awe of this band. I remember watching with tears in my eyes how crazy it was that this group that I idolized was actually live in front of me...
During the next part of the year, singles would occasionally appear at the PX and we learned of the coding for them: BongXX and limited editions LBongXX and EXLBONGXX. One of my treasures is a 10" vinyl of Behind the Wheel. It is still in mint condition and has a sticker, postcard, and Iron On that came with it...it is numbered and extra limited edition...
...Then the morning came....on the way to school in Chris Henry's old Audi A4... the live announcement on KROQ...Depeche Mode were coming back to California for the final show of the tour at the Rose Bowl. I was so ecstatic.... and tickets went on sale that Saturday....
..June 18, 1988 with a diverse line up including Thomas Dolby, Wire, The iteration of the Pet Shop Boys at the Time (Electronic) and DM. I bought field seats. It was a crazy magical day. First off, I had my first driving lesson that morning, my friend Rob drove again to the show...we were 3/4 back on the field with 77000 people....and crazily, my seats were right behind my good friend and fellow fanatic Emmett Clark...I felt "that deep (what I called religious) feeling again and was high on life. It was such a huge stage and venue and only the third or 4th concert I had seen. I'll never forget seeing lightning in the sky during Blasphemous Rumors (At least I think so...) With abandon, I ran to get as close to the stage as I could....I got to maybe the 20th row and was out of my mind...dancing , singing, free. It was a life changing event, everything from the parking on the golf course to the heat of the day to the giant food fight to the anticipation and show was larger that I could imagine life could be....
Pretty soon it was time for Music For the Masses...I was a Freshman in high school, didn't really know anyone, but a new DM album was great company! Music for the Masses came out in Late September. I had the tape first and the Blue Vinyl second. I saw DM live on December 4th, 1987 at the Forum in LA. It was a crazy rainy night. I remember driving up to LA in my best friend's green VW rabbit....we broke down on the freeway...but were able to fix the problem and made it to the show....I don't really remember the show...I was too young to drink and naive for anything else....but I do know that I was in total fanatic awe of this band. I remember watching with tears in my eyes how crazy it was that this group that I idolized was actually live in front of me...
During the next part of the year, singles would occasionally appear at the PX and we learned of the coding for them: BongXX and limited editions LBongXX and EXLBONGXX. One of my treasures is a 10" vinyl of Behind the Wheel. It is still in mint condition and has a sticker, postcard, and Iron On that came with it...it is numbered and extra limited edition...
...Then the morning came....on the way to school in Chris Henry's old Audi A4... the live announcement on KROQ...Depeche Mode were coming back to California for the final show of the tour at the Rose Bowl. I was so ecstatic.... and tickets went on sale that Saturday....
..June 18, 1988 with a diverse line up including Thomas Dolby, Wire, The iteration of the Pet Shop Boys at the Time (Electronic) and DM. I bought field seats. It was a crazy magical day. First off, I had my first driving lesson that morning, my friend Rob drove again to the show...we were 3/4 back on the field with 77000 people....and crazily, my seats were right behind my good friend and fellow fanatic Emmett Clark...I felt "that deep (what I called religious) feeling again and was high on life. It was such a huge stage and venue and only the third or 4th concert I had seen. I'll never forget seeing lightning in the sky during Blasphemous Rumors (At least I think so...) With abandon, I ran to get as close to the stage as I could....I got to maybe the 20th row and was out of my mind...dancing , singing, free. It was a life changing event, everything from the parking on the golf course to the heat of the day to the giant food fight to the anticipation and show was larger that I could imagine life could be....
Boy that was a hiatus! Sorry I do feel bad for getting away from this. Even though I am not writing every day, I am still living this adventure :0
Since March, I got a new job, secured seats for summer and fall shows (Duran Duran, Dave Matthews (Front row and Pit consecutive nights), and Madonna. My wife and I saw Coldplay from the Pool Circle at the Hollywood bowl -it was a great show and was fun to be literally next to Chris Martin with the premier of "Fight for your right to Party" by the Beastie Boys....
Since March, I got a new job, secured seats for summer and fall shows (Duran Duran, Dave Matthews (Front row and Pit consecutive nights), and Madonna. My wife and I saw Coldplay from the Pool Circle at the Hollywood bowl -it was a great show and was fun to be literally next to Chris Martin with the premier of "Fight for your right to Party" by the Beastie Boys....
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
...so back to Depeche Mode...the beginning of the live experience.
My very first concert was DM. It was at the Los Angles Forum. I went with my older sister and her friend Frank...they were in high school and were so "cool". Frank liking DM made me like them more! That concert changed my life forever. I remember thinking to myself, I cannot believe that I am seeing all of these songs that I love and only know from my tapes and the radio (No CD's yet!!) performed live. I could not stop watching Martin and Dave and Alan and Fletch. There were no large TV screens at concerts yet and so you had to really look at the stage... AND, with little media coverage and no internet, exposure to bands was mainly music and not so much anything else. Band symbols or pictures were hard to come by -and collectible. Posters and Pins and Tour Programs were something to buy at the show. Finding a poser at the store was something to search for...some of the early DM pictures were just lame, but you always looked for something new! Today's experience is much different. ..And after the show, when the band was gone, you had to wait to see them again in a couple of years or a new record or single to come out... Imagine, again, no internet for another 10 years! We had crappy high up side seats, but it was awesome! (looking through the rigging, I could see pretty well down to the stage). It was the Black Celebration tour. The stage was set up in the old great way with different elevations...Alan Wilder on one side and Martin in front, Andy on the other side and Dave all over the place. Being the Catholic that I am, I remember feeling a little guilty for loving the song "Blasphemous Rumors" -but that made it all so much better. I don't think they played "It Doesn't Matter", but Martin did sing "Somebody". (Anyone who reads this is welcome to to help me "Fact Check"). This is the precursor to my being such a fanatic. After the concert, I listened to my tapes over and over again. I then started my search to hear to more.... I was in grade school with a paper route so income was basically zero and access to DM material was limited. I remember borrowing my friend Ryan's Sisters Albums! -She had "Construction Time Again" and the "People are People LP". Precious things...records. We'll get to more of that later....
Until next time....
Echo6
My very first concert was DM. It was at the Los Angles Forum. I went with my older sister and her friend Frank...they were in high school and were so "cool". Frank liking DM made me like them more! That concert changed my life forever. I remember thinking to myself, I cannot believe that I am seeing all of these songs that I love and only know from my tapes and the radio (No CD's yet!!) performed live. I could not stop watching Martin and Dave and Alan and Fletch. There were no large TV screens at concerts yet and so you had to really look at the stage... AND, with little media coverage and no internet, exposure to bands was mainly music and not so much anything else. Band symbols or pictures were hard to come by -and collectible. Posters and Pins and Tour Programs were something to buy at the show. Finding a poser at the store was something to search for...some of the early DM pictures were just lame, but you always looked for something new! Today's experience is much different. ..And after the show, when the band was gone, you had to wait to see them again in a couple of years or a new record or single to come out... Imagine, again, no internet for another 10 years! We had crappy high up side seats, but it was awesome! (looking through the rigging, I could see pretty well down to the stage). It was the Black Celebration tour. The stage was set up in the old great way with different elevations...Alan Wilder on one side and Martin in front, Andy on the other side and Dave all over the place. Being the Catholic that I am, I remember feeling a little guilty for loving the song "Blasphemous Rumors" -but that made it all so much better. I don't think they played "It Doesn't Matter", but Martin did sing "Somebody". (Anyone who reads this is welcome to to help me "Fact Check"). This is the precursor to my being such a fanatic. After the concert, I listened to my tapes over and over again. I then started my search to hear to more.... I was in grade school with a paper route so income was basically zero and access to DM material was limited. I remember borrowing my friend Ryan's Sisters Albums! -She had "Construction Time Again" and the "People are People LP". Precious things...records. We'll get to more of that later....
Until next time....
Echo6
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Blue Abstracts
This Blog will be a place of music, ideas, and life. If nothing else, a fan of Depeche Mode, The Cure, or the Dave Matthews Band may see a rare photo, or hear a rare clip. A casual reader may be intrigued by thoughts on marriage, having kids -from a father's perspective (twins even), unemployment, or just life.
Let's start from the top....
Why Depeche Mode, The Cure, or the Dave Matthews Band? Well, simply put, this is the evolution order (chronological) of my favorite bands. Of all of the live music I have heard, these bands make up 150+ of the shows. ...And in each band's own right, it is the live show that drove me to fanaticism.
Let's start with Depeche Mode:
As a 12 year old in the 80's, I fell in love with music. Favorites of the time included New Order, Pet Shop Boys, Duran Duran, Thompson Twins, and Depeche Mode. For some reason though, DM stuck with me. The very first DM song I recorded off of the radio (KROQ in LA) was "It doesn't matter" from the "Some Great Reward" album. I recorded it onto an 8-track tape! (If you know what that is:).
I loved this song and as an adolescent with the pangs of love and lust and hormones and early relationships (probably more infatuations) with girls at my school... the more and more I listened, Depeche Mode songs sung to me. That Christmas, I received my very first Depeche Mode tapes! "Some Great Reward" and "Black Celebration". Needless to say, while I spent days assembling my new radio controlled car (an original "Grasshopper" for those into RC), I listened over and over again to these tapes.
.....more to follow
PS: -check out GenMark Stock, they are going to report their 2011 numbers on March 8th after hours...historically they have had a spike after their numbers and then a dwindling down after. They have a cool molecular testing technology. (I don't own the stock...but have been thinking of buying some...)
Echo6
This Blog will be a place of music, ideas, and life. If nothing else, a fan of Depeche Mode, The Cure, or the Dave Matthews Band may see a rare photo, or hear a rare clip. A casual reader may be intrigued by thoughts on marriage, having kids -from a father's perspective (twins even), unemployment, or just life.
Let's start from the top....
Why Depeche Mode, The Cure, or the Dave Matthews Band? Well, simply put, this is the evolution order (chronological) of my favorite bands. Of all of the live music I have heard, these bands make up 150+ of the shows. ...And in each band's own right, it is the live show that drove me to fanaticism.
Let's start with Depeche Mode:
As a 12 year old in the 80's, I fell in love with music. Favorites of the time included New Order, Pet Shop Boys, Duran Duran, Thompson Twins, and Depeche Mode. For some reason though, DM stuck with me. The very first DM song I recorded off of the radio (KROQ in LA) was "It doesn't matter" from the "Some Great Reward" album. I recorded it onto an 8-track tape! (If you know what that is:).
I loved this song and as an adolescent with the pangs of love and lust and hormones and early relationships (probably more infatuations) with girls at my school... the more and more I listened, Depeche Mode songs sung to me. That Christmas, I received my very first Depeche Mode tapes! "Some Great Reward" and "Black Celebration". Needless to say, while I spent days assembling my new radio controlled car (an original "Grasshopper" for those into RC), I listened over and over again to these tapes.
.....more to follow
PS: -check out GenMark Stock, they are going to report their 2011 numbers on March 8th after hours...historically they have had a spike after their numbers and then a dwindling down after. They have a cool molecular testing technology. (I don't own the stock...but have been thinking of buying some...)
Echo6
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