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[bomp] How Silver Lake/Los Feliz/Echo Park "happened"




<it is 
now common that bands and  performers must pay venue operators to use their 
stage, sometimes inefficient  sound systems and door people-- or even must 
pay 4: 
load in, soundcheck, posters  etc.-- standard gig support/supplies stuff that 
clubs used to provide are now a  "band expense".----------------

We've had this problem in L.A. since Whisky a Go Go "re-opened" in 1984, and 
then all the local clubs (except the Cavern, Anti-Club and maybe a couple 
more) copied them!  What kinda transpired is that all the smart musicians sorta 
boycotted playing those places... for a while, this led to L.A. being totally 
dominated by sub-human metal scum, and there being NO cool scene in L.A. for a 
few years, but eventually the boycotting people shifted over to parts of 
Hollywood that white-flite parented Valley jerks (who liked to "hunt" for punk 
rockers to beat up) wouldn't go to and therefore, freedom from both pay-to-play, 
and hessians, all in one bag.

People just have to open their own places away from the common shitholes, and 
stuff will thrive.  Just went to Safari Sam's for the Dandy club last night.  
Safari Sam's was GODHEAD right during the Cavern days out in Huntington Beach 
(1985-1987 at least)... that guy stuck it out and now has a huge place on the 
East Side of Hollywood... far from the very bad contemporary version of the 
Sunset Strip.

Just after Whisky a Go Go "re-opened" to destroy it's legacy pretty much, 
punk had to go all the way out to POMONA to get away from the domination of 
hessians and the people in the music business who supported them.  Pomona Valley 
Auditorium and Toxic Shock records... that was the first escape hatch I remember.

Domenic Priore

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