Dear Editor:
Thank you, Grant Lawrence, for your great article Shindig Celebrates 35 Years of Battling Bands (Nov. 16 Pulse section). It evokes vivid memories of the ’80s, of listening to CITR and reading Discorder magazine.
It seems fitting that our Hillside alma mater has produced some well-known personalities of the local music scene, like Nardwaur the Human Serviette, She Stole My Beer, and Grant’s band, The Smugglers (and others).
Part of my own indoctrination into the local music scene was 30 years ago when I met Garnet Harry. We were both working for the same printing company (our day jobs), he was involved with CITR and I was a drummer in a local band. One day, Garnet said to me, “Tonight after work we’re driving to Seattle to see The Replacements in concert at The Paramount. Wanna go?” Hell, yes! And the rest, as they say, is history.
Regretfully, the band I was in never competed in Shindig. With acts like Windwalker, what band could possibly top a pig’s head on stage?
After only four years of burning the candle at both ends, I had to bail. Working a day job and then hauling gear in and out of our rehearsal space in the wee hours of the morning to places like The Town Pump, Commodore, Club Soda, 86 Street, and all those stairs up to the Railway Club, et al, had taken its toll.
Still, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.
Thanks for the memories.
Chris Atkins
Lions Bay
