Women Of Punk - Los Angeles

What was/is your contribution to the punk community?

I would like to start by stating that if anyone disagrees with me

that's ok. I spent much time drunk

and have a hit and miss memory.

My contribution?...I believe I took the first hit in the social war

we had waged again the norm. I

was 16 at the time. I was outside of the Canterbury with my

friend Brian (from Fullerton). The

Simpletones had come to visit me. I was sitting on a parked

car. I was facing the apt building.

Two guys drove past on a motorcycle and the passenger threw

a wine bottle into our little crowd

and it hit me in the head. I didn't know what had happened. I

grabbed my head & knocked a

hunk of glass out and it fell to the ground. I saw that it was green

glass. Then a rush of pain and

a river of blood and I stumbled forward and leaned against the

Canterbury for support. The guys

were stunned and couldn't move. Natalie looked out the

window assessed the situation

instantaneously. She yelled for someone to help me. I'm sure she

yelled for Gerber. The two of

them ran down at least two flights of stairs and out of the building

to help me before any of the

guys even came to their senses. Girls... you have to love them. I

was dazed and in a state of

confusion. They grabbed me and helped me walk. Gerber & Natalie

took me to Lorna & Belinda's

ment

. Darby was there. I remember he was pissed and confused and

couldn't understand

this violence. The girls called 911 and wrapped my head in a towel. The

paramedics arrived and

bandaged my head. They joked about my hair color, saying they

couldn't tell what was hair color

and what was blood. My friends were told that I needed stitches.

za, Rick & a girl (I can't

remember what girl, but I'm sure she was a good friend, maybe Kira)

took me to General

Hosp

ital

. It was a long night, but I got 6 stitches and a battle story. Thanks to

the wonderful

people that came to my aid and made the hospital visit fun. It would have been a

much longer

wait if G

za hadn't pestered the lady at the desk into taking me quickly. I was

dazed for months

after that. If I wasn't the first hit

then I guess I was a shot of energy to all those

around me.

I was the first road

for the Go-Go's. I read Seal's interview and she claims that she

was, so, I

guess we'll have to let Janie, B & Margot settle that one.

(Ed. note: Seal stated that she was

a roadie for the Go-Go's, not the first. See her archived interview for more.)

I would also like to lay claim

to being everyone's best friend. There was a group going to SF from

LA. I could go if I could help

pay for gas. I was like 16 and didn't have a job or money. I came up

with a fund

raising idea. I

decided to sell the option to be my best friend. Being an extreme

extrovert and a teenager, I

didn't understand that most people didn't have 20 or 30 best friends.

I told everyone that I would

be their best friend for a quarter. I made $13. Spazz was my best

customer. He got all of the

details first. I would be available as a shoulder to cry on, a listening

ear, etc. He thought it was a

good investment and gave me a dollar. I haven't seen Spazz in

decades, but he is still my best

friend. If you're out there Spazz, your best friend lives in Las

Vegas.

Which artist, band concert and/or show had the most impact on your life?

It was without a doubt in my mind the Dickies @ the W

iskey, Dec ?, 1977. I walked into my very

first show and knew I had finally found my home planet!!!! Remember the Twilight Zone episode

with Elly May Clampett? She was laying in a hospital bed with bandages covering her face.

Consumed with self hatred & confusion because she was born so ugly that she couldn't fit in with

society. She was in the last ditch effort to reconstruct her face so that she could live a no

mal

life.

The bandages came off and all had failed. Then it

revealed that she is really beautiful in a

world of ugly and has to go live in a community with others like herself. That's exactly how I felt

when I walked into the W

iskey that night. Everyone was pale and it was ok. I had been teased

badly in school because I lived in So Cal and was as white as could be. Kids used to sing

"Blinded by the white

" a take off of the lame 70s hit Blinded by the Light (I'm not sure if that's the

real title, but that's the song). It wasn't long before I met a guy named Jay who lived up Cherokee

from the Canterbury and I moved in with him. I didn't know anyone but I didn't care, I was with my

own kind. Mary Rat told me later that she remembered seeing me walking around and wondered

who I was. Jay & I dared all and tried to go to a party at Lorna & Belinda's. We knocked and

someone opened the door. Belinda told us we couldn't come in so we left. Later

I met Nicky Beat

at a show or something. He was really nice to me. He introduced me to Alice Bag. It was the 2 of

them that welcomed me to the planet and made me one of their own. Nicky Beat's birthday is one

day after mine. I think that's cool. Secret's out, I'm really a big geek.

3. What was the role of women in the early punk scene?

I think we were the front line in a war to be ourselves. Not just the girls, but for the guys as well.

People didn't know what to think when they saw us. People have an innate desire to know about

their world and they couldn't label us & file us away. It made them angry.

I remember being on

Hollywood Blvd, it was the summer of '78. I was with Linda & Gabby Gomez.

Outside of

Woolworths

e were stopped by two marines. They were on a 3 day pass from Camp

Pendleton in Ocean

ide

CA. They told us this. They peppered us with questions trying to

understand us. We were so far outside their reality that one of them became so angry th

said he was going to beat the shit out of me. ME! Linda & Gabby were big girls with some meat &

muscles on their bone. I was a walking pencil. Linda thought quickly and declared that she would

contact Camp Pendleton and his identity would be revealed and everyone would know that he

beat up a little girl. It worked

'cause this idiot walked away yelling that I was glad I wasn't his

sister. Fuckin' right I was glad I wasn't his sister.

I remember hating the label "Punk Rock". I

know now that it's hard to talk or write about

something if it doesn't have a name. Remember the

artist formerly known as Prince?

4. What is the legacy of punk in your life?

It pulses through my veins. It is my life's blood. The whole experience taught me that I can only

be myself. I was born outside of the norm, found my comrades in a group that lived outside of

the norm, and continue to choose a path outside of the norm.

5. What are you listening to now?

I'm sort of in a rut. I listen to Bowie, Pistols, Damned, Germs. I lost my singles so there's no more

Avengers or Bags or... I'm happiest when I listen to Tom Waits. I make my kids smile when I bop

around to Devo. I still blare music when I drive by myself.

6. Do you have any funny or interesting stories to share?

I would if I could remember them. Only kidding. I would love to tell a story that includes Alice &

Nicky. It might only be interesting to me, but here goes: I was standing on the black top in front

the Starwood. I was talking to Alice & Nicky. Behind my back

ug was trying to get out to

Santa Monica Blvd from a little parking lot. The guy drove so close to me that the little running

board rubbed against my bare leg. I jumped and yelled. Alice saw that this asshole had run his

car into me. She yelled for him to stop. He didn't. He just kept going forward slowly. She got mad

and kicked the shit out of the

with her SPIKED HEELS. Nicky saw what she was doing and

started kicking the car also. The driver got away, but not without some good sized dents to

repair. THANKS ALICE & Nicky!!!!

Sheila!! I tell stories to my kids about Sheila. She talked me into going to that big Catholic church

for the Pope's funeral. The guy had only been Pope for about a month before he died. I think

there were four of us who went. We didn't get to even set foot into the church. The priest there

cut us off before we even reached the steps and told us we had to leave. We were amazed at

first, but found it quite amusing that we were so weird that we couldn't go to church. I'd like to

find out where Sheila lives.

7. Are there any punk women from the early scene that you feel have not been been

adequately recognized?

I'm not in touch enough to know whose gotten some PR, but I would love to mention some girls

that I adored. I may sound like a huge d

ke but I don't care, I loved these girls.

Gabby Gomez

who lived at the Masque with me in the Summer of '78

his may not go over well, but I don't give

a shit: Thanks a million Brend

n for giving me a place

to live when I would have been homeless

at 16.

Shawn Kerry

she probably doesn't even remember me. Mary Rat, TRUDIE!!! Helen (one

"L" or

two sorry if it's misspelled), I never met Trixie, but Trudie called Trixie in NY and told Trixie

that

she & I should know each other and handed me the phone. So for our long distance

friendship,

Trixie, Dinky & Michelle (1 "L" or 2?), June & Wendy, Natalie & Gerber, Alice & Pat,

Joni (thanks

for sharing your smuggled into the US supply of crazy colour with me.)

Vanilla Shake from

Arthur J & the Gold Cups.

Connie

'cause she and I were Go-Go roadies even if I was the only

one that worked, sorry Connie! Moral

support & friendship are more valuable and you gave me

that. Barbara & Dorothy James!!!!!

Janie, Belinda, Lorna & Margot. Kira. Mary

(aka Dinah)

Mary's Mom & I think your grandma or

aunt, but I think it was your grandma. They were so nice

to us. Tracy, her mom makes the best

shepard's pie. Sandy

who was with me when we were

kidnapped by those black guys in Long

Beach (read about it FlipSide)

Melissa (How's Joya?)

The fabulous girls from SF

Jeri

Sally

Mutant (thanks for letting me stay at your loft).

I have to take this time to say

Lauren, I am truly sorry that I trashed your apt at the Canterbury.

You didn't deserve that. I was an asshole. I can only claim mob mentality, but I won't say who

was

there, because I am at fault. Shannon had every right to hate me for that.

I would also like to thank all of the mom's of all of my friends, both guys & girls. Thank you for all

that you went through to bring my friends into this world. Your children were family to me when I

had nobody. I am sorry to anyone I forgot. You meant the world to me at the time and probably

do now. I have shit for brains. All that alcohol killed many of my brain cells.

8. What is something we should know about you that we probably don't know?

My real name is Rose. I got my nickname from my best friend, Jackie. We were in junior high

school. She said I couldn't stay in one place, but was happiest roving around.

I resell clothes on eBay. C

ozy_Rosy is my id.

I have a wonderful husband (the gods were good to me.)

Now, hold on to your seats.... I have ten kids.