Another typical weekend at the Manor ... When I had returned from England at the end of winter earlier this year I had not told many - if any - people the details of the last couple months of my stay there (the squat in Brixton, Smig, my first visit to Leeds...). But I guess I told Bosco, and later that summer, Dave Formula (yes, from Magazine; he was a good listener!)
I miss Bosco. I'm glad I got to hang out with him several times in the 90s and 00s in LA and NYC before his untimely death in the summer of 2005.
"Rapper's Delight" had come out in the late summer of 1979 but in those days it was only played, in LA, on the two black music stations, KDAY and KGFJ. They played the full 17-minute version, and Ella and the Blacks performed the full version at our first gig at the King's Palace (Raji's) on 31 October 1979. In 1980 the short version was released and it became a hit.
Keith, a Vietnam vet, was one of our housemates at the Manor.
I had a lot of traditions and rituals attached to various places and venues. The Troubadour was adjacent to a florist, and you could always find some nice flowers in the florist's Dumpster. I'd either make a bouquet to carry around or stick some blooms in my hair.
20 July 1980
Bosco had stayed over. This morning I told him the whole story of Smig and all that. I had to tell it to someone!
We went to Maggie's to buy some more acid. I split mine with Elliot and talked Bosco into taking it too. Critter and Gloria were staying there and Maggie put on Rapper's Delight which they had just discovered. They were all amazed that I knew all the words!
Played Ella and the Blacks in the car. [This would have been either the above-mentioned gig or a rehearsal tape. This makes me sad to remember this; Bosco was such a fan...]
What all did we do? Well, we played Crimson and Clover, over and over. Bosco was complaining about his nose and made onion soup. Keith was trying to freak us out again. I got depressed because I couldn't play the piano well so I went into my room and sang about Romania. [As you do.]
Went to McDonald's and ordered french fries and laughed when they asked for 48 cents and I had the free thing. [A coupon I reckon I'm referring to.] Bosco wanted ice cream and we found a parlor - it was expensive but he finally bought me a cone - it was really good - and we played Space Invaders and there was something wrong with the machine and it kept giving us free games. [Which was good, as I was so crap at it I could never get my quarter's worth!]
Back at the house Lisa and her friend [no idea who this was] were going to the Troubadour and we went along. Stopped at that place Elliot recommended to eat: fried eggplant and stuff - two old ladies - and disco music - money. [???]
At the Troubadour I sort of got that stranded feeling but I wouldn't have had fun if I had been normal. Cause half the fun of going out is sitting in your car drinking and Bosco and I wanted to go home and watch TV. I panhandled money to buy a rose from this little kid cause they'd locked up the trash can.
Bands were awful, even RPM who were supposed to be OK. We spied on them in the kitchen through the window. Got in a big argument with two guys - especially one - who wouldn't believe where I lived, and Laura was with them (didn't know her). [Don't ask me!]
We were looking for Japanese people to ask them what time it was in Japan, but never found out. We were gonna call across the world, but ended up only calling Rod and Greg [in New York City], and Rod answered. I handed the phone to Bosco and we acted like idiots. Rod talked to Bosco and hung up. I moped around cause I'd wanted to talk to Greg.
Earlier Bosco had rung a friend of his in NYC; I was amazed at how normally he could speak!
Lisa ended up giving us a ride back too. I can't remember anything happening after we got home; I guess I just went to bed.
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