The Electricity is in the Upheaval

(Trip Darvez once again shares a column from his archives of writing from the L.A. Reader, this from September 24th, 1981)

When you work the streets (or hell, even walk them) on a daily basis, things don't change suddenly...but stop paying attention, even if you're planted right in the middle of the zoo, and you suddenly look around: what in the???  There's another comedy club?  Oh...sure, they have a "New Wave Night" - OK...huh, another mini-mall on the way over there...

 

L.A.'s own Go-Go's "This Town" was playing over the speakers when I entered The Whisky last week, and in hitting me like a ton of bricks was the fact that the band, just 1 year ago, was selling out this place, and the Whisky itself was now, very slowly, looking around going "Oh....got it."  And here we are.

 

I began a recent day (notice how he's withholding information-ed.) rolling out of bed, enjoying a beer and watching Lost in Space reruns with an earthy girl whose attempts to replace the "food" in my kitchen with jicama were politely tolerated.  Later in the day, after some in-between respites at Sun Bee liquor, I happily weaved throughout the Strip with nearly every club playing live rock from bands that were in the least passable, and best, fantastic.   Brother, I don't mind telling you that, if asked on the spot the day after that Go-Go's show a year ago the future would be that drastic, different, and (in most respects) better, I wouldn't have believed it.  Hell, we were to happy to point out our future enemies to our new friends all the while lamenting the residue of roller disco.  (And no, there were no earthy girls in my place a year ago, either.  Not sure if that's good or bad.)

 

None of these bands were chasing the past, either.  This is a path forged anew, with most stepping aside and nodding, while a few toss their roller skates in the closet, and wonder if they should pick up racquetball.

 

Chrissie said "That's showbiz, big boy.  You've got to be cruel to be kind."  I think we are in this paper, and I think a lot of club owners throughout town are now acting, with too many reacting, to trends.  Things move fast for them, because, as I've announced, when you don't look around each day, you miss what's happening.