SMELLS LIKE LAUREL CANYON - Operation GCD: Recent Episodes
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"Smells Like Laurel Canyon"...one dood's inquisition into whether or not the "Seattle grunge" scene was a fabricated counterculture movement...not unlike the 1960s & the Laurel Canyon scene that sparked the Hippie counterculture...
““The northwest is the serial killer capital of the world! We have more unsolved serial killings up here than any other place the United States…” – Art Chantry – designer of Soundgarden & Mudhoney album covers/posters – quote from film “Hype!””
Welcome back Folks of the Interwebs, if you peep’d the last chapter in this Seattle saga, you may have learned a bit about the history of “Grunge”, and a few anecdotes about the origins of the rock movement known as “Grunge”…but what is this history of Seattle?
How does a city such as Seattle adapt a lifestyle and culture that could produce such an enigmatic counter-culture as “Grunge”?
It appears to this dood, that the city of Seattle has a history of full blown weirdness, mashed with a bit of the macabre, sprinkled with some mystery…long, long before Double J’s (that’s me!) strange days in Seattle, see Chapter 2 of this Seattle saga. Whether its’ “Grunge”, Bigfoot, UFOs, Serial Killers, or even the ol wild west…Seattle has a very unique history into the realm of the weird. But maybe this undercurrent of wild weirdness long pre-exists the days of colonial expansion of the west, and in-turn the major western port city of Seattle.
Perhaps the city of “Grunge” has a much more wild & weird ancient past, you know sorta like the ancient history of the east coast of ‘Merica! An ancient past filled to the brim, as in overflowing with meticulously designed and constructed earthen mounds, once numbering in the millions! across all regions east of the Mississippi River. (‘Merica’s “Founding Fathers” know what I’m talk’n about! – reference OpGCD Podcast) These meticulously constructed “mounds” are nearly lost to modern history…including the culture or folks responsible for the construction, or the purpose of construction. But their “ancient architecture” still exists today in very few numbers, most of which are in ruins or undocumented altogether. What is left of these magnificent mounds that tell us in today’s age, that modern man may in fact be retarded, in relative comparison to the “Ancient ‘Mericans”.
A culture of people that once existed on the east coast of ‘Merica, that exhibited an advanced knowledge of mathematics and astronomy…a body of knowledge that modern Historians and text books teach, did not exist on this ‘Merican continent thousands of years ago. In fact, many of these mounds are older than the Egyptian Pyramids & Sphinx. The mounds are equally as intricately constructed and aligned with the stars in the night sky as the Giza Pyramids of Egypt, but this “ancient architecture” of ‘Merica appears to be of much greater antiquity. Some of these mounds scattered across eastern ‘Merica seemed to have served a ritualistic or religious purpose for it’s builders and probably even later inhabitants. As shown over the years many of these mounds served as the final resting place for the ancient folk, some mounds to this day exceed 70 feet in height (including ol George Washington’s favorite mound).
Perhaps the west coast of ‘Merica, and the city of Seattle share a role in that ancient history, a mound history…or perhaps even Seattle has its own unique ancient history?
But today let’s keep the HIGH-weirdness of Seattle to its modern times. In current Seattle news of the weird, Mayor and local Seattle scumbag, Ed Murray finally resigned his political post. You may be think’n, politicians? Scumbags? Resigning? Perhaps you may be say’n…”that all sounds normal”…fair enough, please allow me to add the proper context of this specific politician’s resignation to bring it on home to some full blown HIGH-weirdness, Seattle style.
BOY MEETS ED MURRAY (…lots & lots of lil boys…)I feel like we cannot properly begin a tale of get’n weird in Seattle without first discussing the current scandal of the recently resigned Seattle Mayor, Ed Murray. Who apparently for about 3 decades has been grossly violating children in a sexual type manner? Most recently, the now former-Mayor Murray has been pushing the moral boundaries by refusing to resign his position, even in the face of mounting evidence of deviant behaviors and a Michael Jackson-like line of accusers. (If you are unfamiliar with this pedophilic politician…google it, Johnny!)
How does this occur? How does a man succeed in politics for decades, hiding these dark secrets? Is this just another strange tale in a long long series of strange tales that erupt from the city we know today as Seattle?
If you ask me Johnny, Seattle breeds the weird, like Iowa breeds corn. It is in this strange, sometimes dark, underbelly of a coastal city such as Seattle that we find strange business of all sorts, shapes, & sizes. In that mode of thought, perhaps the Seattle Mayor being a serial pedophile is simply par for the course?
UFOsLet’s keep get’n weird, Seattle style. Perhaps you already knew this, but it is the city of Seattle, more specifically Pugent Sound that was the location of the first “UFO” incidents. While technically speaking the term “Unidentified Flying Object” appears to be a military designation, but it is the term “flying saucer” that is predates “UFO” in an attempt for witnesses to explain this strange aerial phenomenon.
It was June 21, 1947, when two-harbor patrolman were traversing the area of Puget Sound known then as Maury Island, but today is known as Vashon Island. These two men were on duty in Puget Sound that particular night, tasked with recovery efforts for errant and lost lumber, to sell back to the appropriate lumber mill. During these recovery efforts, the two men allegedly spotted a number of strange aircraft maneuvering at unfamiliar speeds and patterns. In fact, as the legend goes one of these strange crafts was expending some sort of “sludge” like substance that allegedly hardened once it hit the water. The two men claimed it appeared that craft was in distress, and the two men claimed to have collected the hardened “sludge” for purpose of turning over to the authorities. As the legend goes that is exactly what occurred, and the two officers from the Army Air Corps (approx. 90 days post-Maury Island incident, it became the United States Air Force) met with the two men from the Maury Island incident and took receipt of the “sludge”. Well, wouldn’t you know it…the B-25 Army Air Corps craft carrying the two officers and the “sludge”, just happened to abruptly land in a fiery mess in the regions of Kelso, WA, a brief flight due south of Seattle.
I am happy to report the weird tales of this saga did not end there. Again as the legend goes, the two officers tasked with “sludge” recovery were dead in the aircraft. Meanwhile, it appears the other occupants of this B-25 aircraft parachuted to safety…the location of the “sludge”, inconclusive.
Look here Folks of the Interwebs if we are get’n weird Seattle history style. It is at this point that I will point out that one of the two men at the center of the Maury Island “UFO sighting”, was named Fred Crisman. It appears that Fred Crisman was a man of great mystery and experiences. Perhaps most notably, nearly 20 years to the date following the Maury Island incident, in 1967 Crisman became a central focus of New Orleans District Attorney, Jim Garrison’s investigation into the JFK Assassination.
The events of Maury Island aside, the world’s knowledge of UFOs or “aliens” were all created by Hollywood. In fact, this dood feels like that statement rings ever-more-so true today, as it appears that Hollywood generates the archetypal “alien” & “UFO” characters in the minds of millions. This nexus point of June 1947 in Seattle appears to be the introduction of “UFO” biz onto the ‘Merican public at large…get’n REAL weird!
However, it would still be a few days before the world was introduced to the term so prevalent today in the field of anomalous aerial activity, that term being “flying saucer”.
It was June 24, 1947, when pilot Kenneth Arnold was conducting aerial maneuvers in and around the region of Mount Rainier. Mount Rainier…you know the giant mountain that ominously towers over the city of Seattle?
It is local Seattle businessman and part-time pilot (mostly search and rescue efforts) Kenneth Arnold who allegedly witnessed another squadron of anomalous aircraft flying in formation, across the same Seattle skyline that just 3 days earlier and a stone’s throw away experienced the aforementioned Maury Island incident. It was Arnold who reported these anomalous aircraft to be in the shape of a “pie plate” “with no tails”. Arnold further described the movement of these aircraft to be “like a saucer would if you skipped it across the water”. It was this comment that was taken by a local newspaper reporter and reiterated as “saucer-like”, and then as the media is known for sensationalizing events today, “flying saucer” was born!
HEAVEN’S GATE CULT (THE INTERWEBS 1ST UFO CULT)Of course if we are gonna talk “flying saucer” biz & the city of Seattle, I would be remiss if I did not mention a UFO cult that is no stranger to Seattle & the Pacific Northwest, the Heaven’s Gate cult.
The Heaven’s Gate cult is easily my favorite UFO cult! Uhhhh, no not because my moral, ethical, or spiritual views are aligned with that of the Heaven’s Gate cult...get outta town Johnny! It’s because they got style...
Perhaps, also it is because Heaven’s Gate cult came into my purview, along with most of ‘Merica, when (circa 1997) the cult became an Interwebs sensation, courtesy of their public antics and web presence. These folks may have gone “viral”, before going “viral” was even a thing. For those of you unfamiliar with all of the ins & outs, or what-have-yous of the Heaven’s Gate cult, I highly recommend you peep it via the Google. This cult’s claim to fame is “drink’n the Kool-aid”, whilst wearing matching purple robes & some factory fresh Nikes…their destination? Oh you know, in the “afterlife” this cult apparently hopped aboard the Halle Bopp comet and sailed off to another galaxy…
However, before this specific UFO cult went intergalactic, this group & and its predecessor deeply entangled themselves with the city of Seattle. One such entanglement into the history of Seattle, the Heaven’s Gate cult purchased a tile at Pikes Place market, during a 1980s fundraising renovation effort of the Seattle landmark and central region of the city (visit it upstairs by the produce section to see the Heaven’s Gate cult’s tile). You may be questioning this seemingly tenuous connection between the Heaven’s Gate and the Pike Place Market. Well, fair enough Johnny…perhaps you may consider the following set of facts far less tenuous, relative to the Heaven’s Gate cult’s Pike Place Market tile.
The Pike Place market is named after an architect & carpenter of the Univ of Washington (then Columbia Territory Univ.), John Pike. John Pike’s son also worked as a painter of the University, and in-turn Seattle is graced with “Pike Street” in their namesake, with a later namesake attribution to Pike Place Market. Following his time in Seattle it is John Pike, who is then later credited as the founder of Corvallis, Oregon. It is in Corvallis, OR that we locate a nexus point in the Heaven’s Gate cult-Seattle saga…a nexus point that will send you, the reader, on a circuitous trip back to Seattle…
It was May 7, 1906, a Corvallis, Oregon cult leader was just shot dead on the streets of Seattle, in the immediate vicinity of Pike Place market. That cult leader, Edmund Creffield, had fled to Seattle from Corvallis on account of an angry mob of men who felt Creffield violated their wives/daughters/sisters. Well, turns out Creffield probably did…his cult the Holy Rollers were known to get naked and roll on the ground, in addition to the apparent requirement for all women to copulate with Creffield in order to gain “initiation” into the cult.
Of course the Holy Rollers cult disbanded it appears when Creffield fled to Seattle, but as legend goes the bulk of the former cult members moved to Waldport, Oregon. Waldport is a small town on the Oregon coast, approximately 50 miles due west of Corvallis, or roughly a 90-minute drive. It is here in Waldport, a sleepy Oregon beach town with a population of 2,000 today, but in 1906, Waldport’s population was the Holy Rollers cult. This bit of history appears suspiciously absent from either the Rollers or Waldport’s Wikipedia…and here I thought Wikipedia was the source of all knowledge on the Interwebs.
What’s that? What do the Holy Rollers have to do with the Heaven’s Gate cult??
It was September 14, 1975; the then-brand new to the UFO cult scene, the Heaven’s Gate cult came to tiny Waldport, OR for an apparent recruiting session. Where the Heaven’s Gate cult leader and full-time-looney-tune, Marshall Applewhite, packed a quarter of the town’s population into a motel conference meeting area, approx. 150 folks. Apparently, Applewhite’s sales pitch had apparently reached its pinnacle that evening, as he left that motel with roughly 100 followers to his burgeoning UFO cult, the Heaven’s Gate.
The new additions to the cult…the majority of which were descendants of the Holy Rollers cult…you know that cult leader that was murdered in & around Pike Place Market…the same market the Heaven’s Gate is honored for their donation to the market’s 1980s renovation. Hmmmmm, weird…
Sasquatch The Pacific Northwest regions have long been home to various legends of “wild folk” who essentially disturb and disrupt the activities of the locals, a boogey man of sorts. However, it is the local natives to the Seattle region that coined the “Sasquatch”, a term commonly used by folks today to describe this same phenomenon. Well, if I am being honest about it, it was the usual ‘Merican misinterpretation of the word that appears to have spawned the term “Sasquatch” (Just ask Japan or should I say Nippon how that worked out for them!). The locals had a term for these “wild folk”, that term was “Sesquac”, which translated to the English is “wild folk” or “wild man” (potato/potatoe). It was indeed this term that was later pronounced “Sasquatch” and voila! we have thousands of modern day residents/visitors to Seattle regions, reporting their own sightings of the “Sasquatch” phenomenon.
In fact, to this day Seattle appears to be an epi-center of sorts when it comes to “Squatch” sightings. Just in Seattle’s King county and the surrounding counties alone, there have been hundreds of “Squatch” or “Bigfoot” sightings in our modern era. The top of that list is the one and only, Rainier County, home to the origin story of “flying saucers” & “UFO sludge”, as mentioned above.
Crimps & PimpsSeattle is infamously known for a violent past, but in all honesty this is not an aberration from other cities of the “old west”. Seattle just as much as every other western city port, be it San Francisco or Portland, have experienced similar activities in each respective city’s journey from past to present. Long before there were airplanes to fly to Seattle, or roads to drive, or hell even railroads for which to traverse in a westerly manner…if you wanted to get to Seattle it was by ship or by horseback, neither of which offered a direct route as our modern day travel. It was the logistical reasons such as lack of direct and rapid means of travel that made port western cities like Seattle, to be difficult to reach. Given the fortitude one must have to travel these difficult routes of travel to reach Seattle, many folks who settled down in this region during the mid-19th century, did so in order to run away from a life on the east coast or even another nation.
Seattle was literally the end of the road for such folks seeking fortune & a new existence in this uncharted land. In some of those instances, Seattle was the end of the road because folks needed to escape a violent or criminal past. It was these reasons combined, that seems to make Seattle a breeding ground for violence; the secluded nature of the city, sordid past of its newly inhabited residents, and the accessibility of the port to sea (every criminal needs a rapid getaway!).
Two of the most heinous acts of violence committed in Seattle’s history are arguably the acts of kidnapping into slave labor, known get’n “Shanghai’d”. This basically consisted of snatching up able-bodied men, and selling them into indentured servitude as crew of a ship departing the port of Seattle. The other heinous acts of violence that Seattle is infamously known for, a lengthy list of “serial killers”.
For this dood…it seems that “serial killers” and “Shanghai’n” folks have a common nexus point in their relationship with prostitution, “hookers” if you will. Based upon my conclusion of look’n at a large sample size of “serial killers” and their victims, it seems to be the victims area often those considered throw-aways of society, you know “hookers”. Whereas the act of “Shanghai’n” some unsuspecting fella into a life of servitude was often associated with transient men, like prostitution is to indentured servitude of transient women. It was no surprise to see some of the most prominent “Shanghai’rs” or as the individual known to get you some ship slaves was called at this time in Seattle, a Crimp. The “Crimp” could get you the men, and the “Pimp” could get you the women. Those searching for such activities, willing or unwillingly, could visit a Boarding House (or motel, brothel, “bang shack”, etc.) and the proprietor of that Boarding House would facilitate. I am not say’n the Boarding House was the Crimp or the Pimp, rather they were the men to talk to in order to get such business accomplished. However, I am certain in some instances that the Boarding House proprietors of Seattle did a fair deal of crimp’n & pimp’n!
The question in this dood’s mind then becomes, what does this violent and dark history of Seattle breed for its future?
SERIAL KILLERSSeattle has a lengthy list of “serial killers” to offer up from its history. Dating from the early days of Seattle, there are many infamous “serial killers” who have stalked Seattle’s streets, and its’ citizens. Once such early example is Billy Gohl (not to be confused with Nirvana drummer, Dave Grohl), who operated as a Crimp’r at the turn of the 20th century, but when the money was not good to sell the men into slavery…he apparently just killed them & robbed them of their possessions. Gohl would then take their bodies and dump them in the River. While Gohl (again not Grohl!) operated out of Aberdeen, Washington, just across the Puget Sound from Seattle proper, the killing of the transient folks in and around Seattle has continued until this day.
In fact, one of the Seattle regions most infamous “serial killers” of the modern era, a killer forever tied into the Seattle “Grunge” scene, the “Green River Killer” was still dumping his victims into the river as recently as 20 years ago. The “Green River Killer” will forever be tied to the Seattle “Grunge” scene, courtesy of the “Green River” band, whose namesake is derived from the deranged killer(s) tormenting the Seattle streets when the band formed, circa 1984. It was the ritual aspect associated to many of the “GRK” victims that lead one Seattle-area clinical psychologist, the “Green River Killer(s)” may be responsible for numerous more deaths. At least according to that Seattle-area doctor, a lead singer of a “Grunge” band may have been victim to “GRK” in 1994, at the height of the “Grunge” scene’s worldwide invasion.
I suppose it should be noted that a man by name of Gary Ridgway confessed to these crimes of approx. 48 dead “hookers” circa 2002, but as it often occurs in these “serial killing” cases…the forensic evidence does not link Ridgway to all 48+ victims/sites of disposal. In fact, would you believe Ridgway is only connected by the evidence to what appears to be no more than 2 of the victims? If you want this dood’s two cents…it appears that a different suspect in the crimes who died from cancer while still a “GRK” suspect, is a far greater candidate for the crimes. It was this other suspect that appears to have been a psychology student at the University of Washington at the very same time as Ted Bundy, another “serial killer” of the Seattle area. Perhaps the “other GRK suspect” & Ted Bundy crossed paths there on the Univ of WA campus back in 1971?
Ted Bundy of course took his “serial killing” on a road show of sorts…a road show that included numerous prison breaks and the ability to fly around on commercial aircraft, completely undetected! However, prior to that ol Ted just killed locally you know in the Seattle region, responsible for a still yet to be determined number of murders. Consequently, he was the personal assistant to the head of the Washington State Republican Party, and was personal friends with the Governor and Attorney General…nothin to see here…move along Johnny!
“GRK” & Ted are not the only infamous Seattle “serial killers”. In fact, in the spirit of this dood’s inquisition, it is important here to note that Laurel Canyon…yes, that Laurel Canyon…shares multiple serial killers with the Seattle “serial killer” scene. Say what Johnny!? You got to be fuck’n kidding me Johnny!
I cannot make this schtuff up! Seattle and Laurel Canyon have not one, not two, but 3 “serial killers” in common! Standby for more on that tale in a future installment of this tale…
Get’n Shanghai’d in SeattleIt was primarily the Klondike Gold rush that had brought a significant population increase to Seattle, at the time Seattle served as the port of entry into the Klondike Gold rush. With the gold rush came a need to for lodging, gambling, “hookers”, and a litany of other crimes.
The Gold Rush brought them to town…and apparently the “serial killers” & “Shanghai’rs” took them outta town. That of course is a very simplistic and sarcastic look at the crime and violence of the era. An era that most certainly seemed to be chalked full of violence and for lack of a better term or phrase, lets call it “Human trafficking”.
So…“Hookers” & “Shanghai’n” sailors, that’s apparently where the money was in 1890s-era Seattle. It should then be no surprise to see numerous financial success stories, fortunes made on the trade of what would be considered illicit type activities in our modern era. Low & behold, its right here at “illicit activities” where we find one of those success stories…the King of the Seattle “Shanghai”, Maxwell Levy.
Maxwell Levy ran a “Boarding House” on the shores of Pudget sound in the 1890s, and is infamously known as the most prolific “human traffickers” in the sordid history of Seattle’s Puget Sound. While he may be known to the annals of history as the best “Crimp” on Puget Sound, there is no way Levy was the only “game” in town. There was at least one other man running a “Boarding House” on Puget Sound at the very same time that Maxwell Levy was dominating Puget Sound’s trade of “Shanghai’n” sailors. This man’s “Boarding House” was located on the shores of Seattle in the vicinity of Pike Place Market, and that man’s name was Frederick Trump.
But before we end this thing the right way, in a very Trump-tastic manner…
You may be wondering how is the act of kidnapping and selling someone into slavery legal in 1890s Seattle? Well, it is and it isn’t…who are you gonna call once you have been kidnapped on a boat? Who is going to say that is not the kidnapped man’s signature on the ship’s manifest? There were no forensic experts to examine signatures…
Once the “Shanghai’d” man’s name/signature was placed on the ship’s manifest, along with the man, that man essentially became the ships’s property and may be imprisoned or killed for attempting to desert his post on the ship. As for the “hookers”…well it was 1890s…women has less rights than the men…you know those men who had gotten “Shanghai’d” against their will.
A man named Trumpf?Frederich Trump (or Trumpf according to Ellis Island records), came to ‘Merica in search for opportunity in the late 19th century, but found none in the bustling metropolis of New York City. Fred may be best known today as President Donald J. Trump’s grandfather, but in the 1890s ol Fred was a “Boarding House” operator in Seattle, with sights on fortune in the Yukon Gold Rush.
Fred did not dream to dig for gold, but rather provide services for the folks associated with this large influx of people into Seattle. As legend has it Fred has some of the best prostitutes in town. Gee, I wonder if Fred dabbled in a bit of “Shanghai’n” at his “Boarding House”??
Fred made his fortune providing services during the Yukon Gold Rush, and Seattle serving as the port of travel, Fred picked an excellent spot. This appears to have yielded Fred very positive results monetarily speaking, and also seems to be the Trump family’s foray into the hotel and real estate business…’Merica!
Well…Folks of the Interwebs, thanks for join’n me today to get a lil GCD. Catch yall soon, with next installment of “Smells like Laurel Canyon”: One dood’s inquisition into the possible manufactured nature of the 1990s “Grunge” counterculture, as compared to the 1960s “Hippie” counterculture.
““With the addition of Vedder and drummer Dave Krusen, the new band was complete. They called themselves Mookie Blaylock, in honor of the basketball player, but changed the name to Pearl Jam, purportedly after a psychedelic confection made by Vedder’s half-Native American great-grandmother, Pearl. (Vedder finally admitted the story was bogus in 2006.)”
- Rolling Stone magazine, official bio for Pearl Jam”
Folks of the Interwebs, welcome back…thanks for join’n me today to get a lil GCD! Interesting quote to start off this chapter of the tale. Perhaps Pearl Jam’s name is not derived from a psychedelic jam, but that was the urban legend for at least 25 years! While not the main topic, it is certainly the undertone of today’s chapter of this Seattle tale, psychedelics and “Grunge”…sounds like psychedelics and “Hippies”….hmmm, weird.
As you folks join me here on today’s adventure into Grunge-ville USA…uhhh, you know, Seattle…let us first ponder the origins of this movement known as “Grunge”. What is “Grunge”? Was this a term born in Seattle? Or did the Seattle “Grunge” rock scene adopt this adjective to describe the disheveled flannel wearing appearance of the “Grunge” rock fan-base? Or perhaps the term was adopted to describe the rough & unpolished sounds of Seattle’s unique combination of mash’n, punk rock with heavy metal rock?
Or perhaps it is magically mystery added to the long list of magical mysteries Seattle is alleged to harbor: the first “UFO” sighting…the Green River Killer…the location of Bill Nye’s alleged scientific qualifications…the first sightings of “Men in Black”…Bigfoot…the origins of the Trump family foray into hotels, or possibly more accurate the “Drumpf” family foray into Brothels…and last but not least, who took the jam outta Cal Ripken’s donut???…all Seattle mysteries…shall we add the origins of “Grunge” to this list??
Well Folks of the Interwebs…much like the shade of President Trump’s hair (side note: my best guess the color is Orange Parrot, available at your Home Depot location), the true origins of the characterization of “Grunge” rock seems to be a mystery. It appears that a variety of folks have claimed to have coined the term “Grunge”…from legendary Rolling Stones journalist, Lester Bangs, circa (aka. Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s character in the hit rock’n’roll, pseudo biopic, “Almost Famous”)…to Seattle’s own legendary “Grunge” rock god, Mark Arm (Green River, Mudhoney), in the early onset of “Grunge” rock in the 1981…a term later utilized by Arm’s Green River band’s first Sub Pop Records album…hell, even the mythical-mad-man behind the pop culture icon/serial killer-named musical outfit known as Marilyn Manson even claimed to have coined the term "Grunge".
What are the origins of “Grunge”?Lester Bangs, a man with a last name that in today’s accepted vernacular is a verb, present tense. Perhaps, Lester is more famously known as a prolific journalist of rock music, but Lester Bangs may be more recognizable to some folks as the character Phillip Seymour Hoffman portrayed in Cameron Crowe’s pseudo-Biopic, “Almost Famous”. A wonderful film about a young rock journalist joining a rock band on tour, based upon actual events in Crowe’s life, when a teenage Crowe went on tour with “Led Zepplin” (spoiler alert: Cameron Crowe makes another appearance in this Seattle “Grunge” tale…replete with more direct connections to McGowan’s Laurel Canyon tale…stay tuned in the future).
According to some “Grunge” scholars (fairly certain I just made up that role in life), world-renowned Rolling Stone magazine journalist, Mr. Lester Bangs may have indeed coined the term “Grunge” way way back in the long forgotten years circa 1972. Lets take a quick jaunt back to the year 1972, ‘Merica was a shit show in an era where even the US Postal Service is rioting, Tricky Dick was in the white house, Charlie Manson (yes he is a character in this Seattle tale too!) was on death row, as a result of California had not yet repealed the death penalty…and apparently elsewhere in California at this time, Mr. Lester Bangs was coining the term “Grunge”.
Mr. Lester Bangs himself (get it!?), stated in the April 1972 issue of Rolling Stone magazine that described a band named the Groundhogs as a “good run-of-the-racks heavy grunge”. Mr. Lester Bangs used this term in at least two occasions, the other being, “What do they sound like? Great! Grunge noise and mystical studio abstractions.”
But where did this famed rock’n’roll journalist gain his understanding or use of the word “grunge”? Was Mr. Lester Bangs himself, only utilizing a term he had read, using this term “Grunge” in a similar but new context to better describe the new sound of rock music? Perhaps it seems…as it appears another world renowned Rock journalist and former “Grunge” rock musician is also credited with coining the term “Grunge”, Everett True. While perhaps known today as a rock journalist, Everett True was actually part of the “Grunge” rock scene, he recorded one album with infamous “Grunge” rock label, Sub Pop, also known as Nirvana’s music label. According to Everett True he actually got the term from Mr. Lester Bangs, “I am supposed to have used the term “Grunge” to describe music…Lester Bangs certainly used to use the word. I used the word myself in the ‘80s…you know “they got grungy guitars”.
So it appears that Everett True admits that he is often credited with the term “Grunge” relative to rock music, whilst also confirming that he obtained the term from Mr. Lester Bangs. The attribute to Mr. Lester Bangs coining the term “Grunge”, seems to be the consensus of all of the original Seattle “Grunge” characters, on scene circa the early-80s at the origins of Seattle’s “Grunge” rock. Take for example, legendary “Grunge” rock producer & apparent Sub Pop Records mastermind Jack Endino, “I saw it (grunge) in Lester Bangs record review in Rolling Stone magazine in the 1970s”.
Of course it was Jack Endino of Sub Pop Records that produced & promoted the “Grunge” rock band, Green River’s July 1987 album “Dry as a Bone”, as “ultra-loose GRUNGE that destroyed the morals of a generation." The lead singer of Green River was none other than Mark Arm, who himself lays claim to coining the term “Grunge”. Just prior to the onset of “Grunge”, Arm was playing in another band in Seattle’s then pre-“Grunge” underground music scene. In apparent effort to promote his band, Mr. Epp & the Calculations, Arm wrote a local music review of his band from the perspective of an alleged fan, “I hate Mr. Epp and the Calculations! Pure grunge! Pure noise! Pure shit! Everyone I know loves them, I don’t know why...”
That is interesting to see both Arm and then later his legendary “Grunge” rock producer, both laying claim to coining the term “Grunge”. Perhaps even more interesting, the nexus point of these two fella’s relationship and “Grunge” is located at the Green River band. The Green River band is an early “Grunge” rock band, fronted by Mark Arm but included two future members of Pearl Jam, Stone Gossard & Jeff Ament.
An early “Grunge” powerhouse, the “Grunge” rock band, Green River derives its name from the “Green River Killer” (or Killers!), a serial killer that haunted the Seattle “Grunge” scene (possibly) since its onset in the early 1980s. The “Green River Killer” (GRK) was allegedly arrested back in 2001, when a man by the name of Gary Ridgway was arrested for a prostitute’s murder that occurred at the time of the “GRK” killings. The subsequent events that followed the arrest of Gary Ridgway included a plea deal for over 40 murders of young females prostitutes and runaways. Would you believe that there is very limited DNA or other physical evidence connecting Ridgway to the murders? While Ridgway was a suspect for these murders early on, he was ruled as a suspect, and evidenced suggested that perhaps other suspects were involved. In fact, according to at least one Seattle psychologist, he believes that the “GRK” may include more than one person, and that these “GRK” style killings continued well into the 1990s, counting as one of its victims the lead singer of a “Grunge” rock band! (stay tuned for that chapter...)
Seattle had its “serial killer”, the “Green River Killer”…and Laurel Canyon had its own “serial killer”, the Charlie Manson…the man behind the name game of the next individual in this tale who claims to have coined the term “Grunge”.
Marilyn Manson…part man/part band…while there is a fella who describes himself as Marilyn Manson, I feel like his band is often just referred to as Marilyn Manson, as well. This is not a universal situation in the rock’n’roll biz, not even a lil bit Johnny…take for example, 70s rock icon Jethro Tull…would you believe there was no one named Jethro Tull in that band?? Rock band names can be deceiving, take another band, Steve Miller band does in fact include a fella by the name of Steve Miller.
Anyhow, Marilyn Manson…the man & the band…all followed a stage name game of “Pop icon” (first name) & “serial killer” (last name)…odd name game for a rock band. An obvious reference to ol Charles Manson (an Operation GCD character of interest!) the notorious serial killer, who had physically killed no one, at least not according to the official legend of Charlie Manson & his "family".
You may be think’n that Marilyn Manson is not “Grunge”…I totally concur! In fact, Marilyn Manson has had outright public feuds with “Grunge” icons Courtney Love & Billy Corgan. So it seems a bit juxtaposed that ol Marilyn Manson claims to have coined the term “Grunge” relative to the Seattle rock scene…but Marilyn claims he wrote a review for Nirvana’s “Bleach” album coining the term. Nirvana’s “Bleach” album was released in June of 1989, so chronologically speak’n I am gonna have to say, doubt it! Although even decades later, Marilyn apparently still references this event…still sticking to his claim, “I didn't say I invented the word. I said I coined it, in that I popularized it. I think I actually wrote "grungy."
Or perhaps it was none of these individuals. Perhaps like many other words it is a word that has been tossed around so much over the years that it gets re-applied and provided a different context of understanding. Take for example, the word “heavy” in the movie “Back to the Future”. In that 1980s film masterpiece, those who are not familiar, the teen protaginast Marty McFly travels through time in a sports car from 1985 to 1955, while in 1955 he finds that his 1980s slang does not have the same meaning in 1955…in fact McFly’s friend Dr. Emmett Brown, the 1955 version, continues to be confused on McFly’s use of the word “heavy” in reference to the seriousness of a situation, while Doc Brown was only perceiving “heavy” in his 1955-lingo, you know in terms of actual weight.
In fact the term “Grunge” can be seen applied to rock’n’roll as early as the 1950s rockabilly artists, such as Johnny Burnette. Perhaps since that early application of “Grunge” in regards to the early forms of rock’n’roll, simply evolved over the subsequent decades…ending in a description of 1980s/90s rock that was filled with disillusioned teenagers & flannel.
Is “Grunge” a fashion type thing??Perhaps “Grunge” is a fashion type thing? Although it certainly appears that “Grunge” fashion bears striking similarities to “Hippie” fashion of a couple/few decades earlier. In fact, now that I think about it, today’s “Hipsters” share a remarkably similar fashion sense to its’ counterculture predecessors, “Hippie” & “Grunge”. In fact, I can recall a recent appearance of a Nirvana shirt being worn by what I can only describe as a “Hipster” circa 20 years of age. You know the look I am referring to here…torn jeans, leather jacket, Nirvana t-shirt, and some Doc Martens…don’t act like you don’t see these folks out in public...it’s totally still a thing amongst the young go-hards of the new counterculture!
As far as “Grunge” fashion goes, the documentary film “Hype” places a unique spin on the fashion sense of the “Grunge” rocker. It appears that the disheveled appearance, as well as the heavy industrial grade boots, coupled with the classic “Grunge” flannel look is simply a tribute to Seattle’s roots…the lumber and paper mill biz. Is “Grunge” fashion merely a result of the lumber industry being so prevalent throughout the Pacific Northwest? Perhaps…it is true that the folks who occupy that industry are often attributed with a disheveled appearance due to the grueling nature of their work, and the flannel shirt and industrial sized boots are most certainly the stereotypical uniform of the day in the lumber industry.
It is this ubiquity of the “Grunge” fashion items in Seattle thrift stores that the filmmakers & the folks interviewed in the “Grunge” documentary, “Hype”, which is attributed to the “Grunge” fashion. Perhaps the filmmakers were right? Perhaps it was the thrift store characteristics of the “Grunge” uniform that made it so popular amongst the Seattle counterculture that spread worldwide. Before too long, the early-90s onslaught of “Grunge” onto the worldwide was so HUGE, flannel became so rampant amongst youth counterculture in all nations, it had officially left the realms of “counterculture” and was now into the “mainstream” of society. This point is not ignored by the “Hype” filmmakers, as the film how the Seattle’s local “Grunge” scene discarded the classic flannel “Grunge” fashion; when $85 flannel shirts hit department store shelves, “Grunge” hit the high-fashion runways, and even the magazine Vanity Fair did a complete spread on “Grunge” fashion replete with Joan Rivers rock’n some flannel. If it weren’t dead yet, “Grunge” most certainly died that day!
If we take a moment to compare this trajectory of “Grunge” fashion to the life cycle of “Hippie” fashion, it seems that this is another pattern between the Laurel Canyon and Seattle scene. I have heard Dave McGowan speak of in various interviews regarding his Laurel Canyon tale. Where he references the “Hippie” fashion style beginning as the preferred style of clothing for the 1960s counter-culture, and then points out how the “Hippie” fashion style later evolved into a commercially produced and socially accepted form of fashion amongst the “middle ‘Merica” consumer type folk. You know your standard consumer of their local shopping malls. This appears to be the exact trajectory that “Grunge” fashion took…first, the preferred look of the counterculture…followed by the “it” fashion style amongst mainstream culture.
Folks of the Interwebs, it appears that the fashion elements between Laurel Canyon and Seattle is another point of interest in the pattern that Dave McGowan crafted in his Laurel Canyon tale. As he stated himself in this clip of an interview conducted on his Laurel Canyon tale.
(Side note: On the subject of the cyclical nature of fashion styles…shopping malls are coming back! It has already started…everything is cyclical…it starts with these “one-stop” large scale retailers…be it your Targets or your Wally Worlds…these folks sell you consumer products…then they add a food court…maybe a barber shop…possibly a nail salon…then an auto mechanic…DAMN IT!...here we go again! next stop Mall-ville USA!...get Kevin Smith on the phone we are gonna need “Mallrats 2”!)
So the folks of the “Hippie” and “Grunge” movements, share similarities in their fashion sense and appearance. Additionally, as we discovered above, the similarities between Dave McGowan’s Laurel Canyon tale and the “Grunge” rock scene, be it the name attribute throw back to Charles Manson, by way of Marilyn Manson (who once again claims to have coined the term “Grunge”). Another comparison to McGowan’s Laurel Canyon tale, many of the already named “Grunge” rockers share similar origins from the Military/Intelligence world, just like the Laurel Canyon rock stars. That’s right Folks of the Interwebs, REM’s manager’s father may not be the only “Secret Agent Man” in this Seattle “Grunge” saga (those who did not pick up on the reference, that is a song from the Laurel Canyon scene, circa 1966).
All right folks, we have established more direct similarities, a pattern, if you will, extracted from Dave McGowan’s Laurel Canyon tale. But what if the connections between the two scenes, were not purely a comparison in the style and mode of operations? What if it were not just patterns between the two rock scenes? What if there was a more direct connection between the Laurel Canyon “Hippie” rock scene, and the Seattle “Grunge” rock scene?
Godfather of Grunge meets Godfather of LSD!"Seattle was like a hub for us," - Jeff Pinkus - Butthole Surfers bassist from 1986 to 1994
"I remember someone mentioned to Paul that we were the 'Godfathers of Grunge'." - Butthole Surfers bassist Jeff Pinkus
Well Folks of the Interwebs…you’re in luck! But in order to effectively share that part of this here “Grunge” rock tale, we must follow the LSD induced journey back to Laurel Canyon. To the man perhaps most known today for the drug LSD, or “acid”, albeit not the inventor, but most certainly LSD’s most ardent champion, one Dr. Timothy Leary.
One day circa….circa a couple decades back…Gibby Haynes, lead singer of “Butthole Surfers” met Timothy Leary, the Godfather of LSD . As legend has it, Dr. Leary invited Gibby Haynes to be a guest at his Laurel Canyon home, for the purposes of being a human guinea pig of drug experiments, “coke, heroin, Nyquil, Hungry Man dinners”…what no LSD?? Apparently Gibby Haynes did not make it too long into the MK-Leary project…once again as legend has it, “He kicked Gibby out of the house after he peed in the drawer of antique desk in Tim’s office when he was off his head.”
Ok. We have established a direct connection between the “Butthole Surfers” and the Godfather of LSD, Dr. Timothy Leary. But what is the Texas band “Butthole Surfers” relationship with Seattle’s “Grunge” rock? To answer that question, lets circle back to the music and get down to business…that answer appears to lie amongst a sea of surf’n buttholes…
What’s that Johnny?? You mean to tell me that “Grunge” rock did not start in Seattle???
Well, it did & it didn’t…it appears. For that answer does not reside in Seattle, nor Washington state as a hole! Not gonna lie to ya Johnny, that answer is not even found in the pacific northwest in general…it is found in an entirely different region altogether. To locate the origins of “Grunge” rock, or at least to locate a man considered a “Godfather” of “Grunge” rock, one must “mosey” on down to the state of Texas!
Butthole Surfers – “Godfathers of Grunge” – from Texas to Seattle – "We stayed a lot in Seattle when the first Alternative Tentacles record came out and we were trying to tour in late 1983," – Butthole Surfers drummer
It is in the great state of Texas, where this “Godfather of Grunge” hails…one Gibby Haynes, the enigmatic lead singer of the “Butthole Surfers”, the child of Jerry Haynes, a local TV celebrity of Dallas, Texas.
Jerry Haynes had a long running kid show where he paraded around stage in a red and white striped suit. In fact, Jerry was wearing this silly suit, whilst filming his show on a legendary date in Dallas history, 11/22/1963. It was ol Jerry here that, apparently was present that fateful day, when the shots rang out it was Jerry who collected eye-witnesses and brought them back to the TV studio for broadcast.
Of course Gibby Haynes did in fact follow in his father’s footsteps into the world of entertainment, but that certainly was not the life trajectory a young Gibby initially set forth upon in his life. Gibby left Dallas to attend a private liberal arts college in San Antonio, TX, one Trinity University; where Gibby was President of his fraternity, captain of the basketball team, and studied accounting…even once named “Accounting Student of the Year.”
Seems like an odd trajectory for lead singer Gibby Haynes? Perhaps…but seems striking similar to Laurel Canyon characters Warren Beatty or even John Phillips…with the background painted by Dave McGowan in his Laurel Canyon tale…it seems that ol Gibby and Warren would likely enjoy each other’s company on the Squash court (note: Sqaush is the yuppiest “sport” that came to my mind)….
The “Butthole Surfers” gained commercial success on the backs of Nirvana/Grunge mainstream explosion, so while not commonly considered “Grunge”…the B-hole Surfers certainly surfed those waves of buttholes right into commercial “Grunge” rock success! In many regards the Surfers were “Grunge”, as many folks claim the Surfers were integral into the existence of "Grunge".
This places the entire saga between lead singer Gibby Haynes, of the Butthole Surfers, the “Godfathers of Grunge”…living with the “Godfather of LSD”, Dr. Timothy Leary…into a crossroads of high strangeness surrounding the Laurel Canyon scene of Dave McGowan’s tale…and the Seattle “Grunge” scene, as explored in this tale. To be continued…
THE CIA...the FBI...the IRS...AND THE POPE (OF GRUNGE)! Folks of the Interwebs, please allow me to preface this onslaught of words that you see below...there are two sides to every story. I feel like we can all acknowledge that everyone has a different perception based upon their own collective experiences in this world...two folks may view the same specific people, place, or thing...but see it from two very specific perspectives. The disparity in views of the same "thing", coupled with recognizing the existence of a public relations "front" to all entertainment operations, "Grunge" rock not excluded...I think a reasonable individual is able to conclude that the a rock band is presented exactly as the Public Relations folks want them to be presented.
Let's utilize Nirvana as example...there is a band, its members, and then there is a publicist...the publicist's sole purpose in life is to effectively "spin" any news into a favorable position for their client. Public Relations folks & firms are for lack of a better term, contemporary propaganda machine...in times of yesteryear I am certain propagandists were not called "public relations", but the same purpose was served. It is in the depths of public relations cesspools that facts get twisted into elaborate cover stories...fundamentally no different than the operations to conceal a covert operator within an "Intelligence" operation...every covert operator needs a good cover story.
As I have meandered about the thoughts from my brain hole here, I suppose what I am attempting to say can be summarily stated in the following question....what do we really KNOW about these "Grunge" bands, after all???
Not gonna lie to ya, Johnny....I have no intention of chasing ghosts, so to speak, through World War 2 and Vietnam & what not. There are a lot of "ins" & alot of "outs", possibly even a couple "what have you"...simply not my goal to get to the heart of those wars. Rather, these wars and other such related conflicts appear to serve as a backdrop to this Seattle Grunge tale.
In that aspect, this tale is much like Dave McGowan's "Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon", the south pacific, specifically the Vietnam war was essentially the "McGuffin" of McGowan's work. For those readers unfamiliar with the concept of a "McGuffin" it is essentially an object or event that is the impetus behind the character's actions or plot line in a tale, be it film or written formats. Take the cinematic masterpiece "The Big Lebowski", winner of every Academy award if I were vote'n...including "Best Animated Feature"...and there wasn't even animation in the Lebowski...that just speaks to the level of achievement that the "Big Lebowski" has attained.
Oh yea...the "McGuffin"...the "Big Lebowski" featured a "McGuffin" in the form of the dude's rug. The Dude, aka "Jeffrey Lebowski", just want his rug back, "man"...this served as the impetus behind the plot of the film, with the Dude taking actions in which to compensate him for the rug that is pissed on in the opening scene...cause as the Dude said himself "that rug really tied the room together, man".
It seemed to me as I read McGowan's work, that the Vietnam war was part and parcel to nearly every activity of the scene...the Vietnam war seemed to be the "McGuffin" in McGowan's "Weird Scenes" tale. From the parents of Hippie counterculture "Rock gods" directly affiliated with the war...hell, even some of the rockstars themselves claimed to be covert commandos in the Vietnam war. Stephen Stills of the Byrds and of Crosby, Stills, Nash & the other guy (As a true Skynyrd fan, his name shall not be mentioned)...ol Stevie boy claimed to be involved in Vietnam conflict prior to the "official" start of the Vietnam war in 1964, as some sort of covert commando. Of course it is in 1964, that the Doors lead singer Jim Morrison's father was the Admiral in command of the ships that were allegedly attacked in the "Tonkin Gulf incident", which was the "official" kick-off of 'Merica's war in Vietnam. McGowan brings numerous other examples to the table in his tale.
**All that being said, and "McGuffins" aside...I do intend to paint some broad strokes to ask the question, "Do we truly understand how we got here today?". "Here" of course being the $21 Trillion in debt (and count'n!). An attentive reader may be asking themselves, "hmmm, isn't that more than 'Merica is worth?" Well, you would indeed be correct in that thought. If you wanna get down to brass tax here Folks of the Interwebs...as a nation, 'Merica is insolvent; the interest alone is unmanageable! My kid's kid's kid will still be paying on the interest, while the principal portion of the debt continues to loom over the future generations of servitude in 'Merica!
Of course our current version of 'Merica doesn't only suck fiscally speaking...'Merica is come'n in real hot in the field of education. Depending on what study you look at, 'Merica! is somewhere between #7 & #14 place in education in the western world. Wait for it, it gets WAY better...'Merica is #1 in obesity in the western world...with over 30% of adults are...how do I put this in an eloquent manner?...uhhh, 'Merica is clearly under a "fat fuck" epidemic...thanks a lot Obama! (no politics here...I just like to blame Obama for nonsensical schtuff...like fat people).
Well Folks of the Interwebs, n**othin here happens in a vacuum...where there is action, there is reaction...a sort of our physical reality representation of quantum entanglement, if you will. Lets take for example the interesting case of the relationship between Lance Armstrong & the United States Postal Service. At some point not too many years back, the USPS just delivered mail & Lance just won French bicycling titles. Then both sides came to some financial terms of representation...and long story short...both sides appear to blame each other, while not having a moral or ethical leg to stand on, if you ask me Johnny. Again things do not happen in a vacuum...it was not poof! suddenly these things occurred..there is pretext to any event.
If I were a gambling man, I would say that both sides would claim that the other party is a "dick". However, on the Lane Armstrong angle, the dude was doing what he needed to do to compete...to make the money his sponsors required of him, hence the astronomical amount of money given in the sponsorship deal. After all a "sponsor" is merely an investment in an athlete, with hopes to obtain monetary returns in the future, preferably that exceeds the amount paid to the athlete. So once Lance was persona non-grata in the world of cycling & life...the USPS was butt hurt and wallet hurt.
Of course, the USPS went on a holier than though campaign against Armstrong...filing a lawsuit for some obscene amount of sponsorship money back from Armstrong. Why did the USPS need to spend loads of tax payer funds to improve their image?? Great question Johnny! Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the United States Postal Service has been hemorrhaging 'Merican taxpayer dollars to the tune of numerous BILLIONS every year, without even batting an eye. Hello pot, its the kettle...you're black!
Hang on there Folks of the Interwebs, I have a point...again there is two sides to every story. We know one side of the story...in regards to Vietnam that story is in our "history" books. However, what is the other side of the story? If you were to just listen to USPS's story, Lance is a "dick", and vice-versa. I feel like this is the point that Dave McGowan drove home to this reader of his "Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon"...a relative sense of objectivity in the tale.
McGowan stated the facts, whilst some of those facts are seemingly juxtaposed to our "history" books version (Jim Morrison & father as an example), McGowan left much of the inference on conclusion up to the reader's imagination. This is all ol Double J here is attempting to accomplish here in this tale...offering a new context, an alternate view of the same facts in this tale of Seattle "Grunge".
Let me put it to you this way Johnny...why can I extrapolate the concepts of understanding, you know the salient characteristics, from Dave McGowan's work highlighting the 1960s rock scene...and then apply it (like a goddamn carbon copy) to the 1990s rock scene??
I was born at night Johnny, just not last night...
Is this sheer happenstance...or is there an organizing principle that has gone largely unnoticed until our current "information age"?
Now that we got the table set for this adventure we are about to embark on into the 'Merican history that scholastic style textbooks do not offer...the "dark" under belly of 'Merican history, if you will. Lets check back in with Dave McGowan to see what insight he can offer on today's adventure...
Let's start it off the right way...the Central Intelligence Agency. Back before agencies in this nation were commonly described alphabet soup style...there lived a man named Miles Copeland Jr. Perhaps a alphabet soup fan himself, as he appears to have been an integral party in the 'Merican Intelligence apparatus, to include an original member upon the formation of the CIA in 1947. It appears he passed on his affinity for alphabet soup to his sons.
As you heard above, McGowan provides an overview of this family, and I would not do his work any justice if I attempted to spew some of those facts, as he is indeed the subject matter expert in the matter. However, I do reference the Copeland family, as Miles #2 (the father) had a massive impact on 'Merica's intelligence apparatus. Where his son's had the same level of impact on the late 70s & 1980s music scene...with direct ties directly into the "Grunge" scene. Essentially, members of this family and their constituents appear to have bridged the gap between the Laurel Canyon scene of 1960s Los Angeles, and the 1980s/90s "Grunge" scene in Seattle.
As I state before, Miles #2, CIA station chief style amongst numerous combat hot spots in the 1950s & 1960s...he had 3 boys...
Ian - formed Frontier Booking International in 1979...aka FBI talent agency. FBI talent agency manager the careers of numerous stars of the time, including...both R.E.M. & the Go-gos. Also in the FBI talent pool, acts such as Nine Inch Nails...not quite "Grunge" but definitely on the scene. All of these activities were of course post-Vietnam service for Ian Copeland, who served in the Army earning a Bronze star for his service in the war. (McGuffin alert!) Perhaps one of Ian's most noted acts was that of his brother's band, Stewart Copeland, drummer for the Police.
Stewart - formed the Police in 1977...whose band grew to such worldwide recognition that its' lead singer has been accepted by being known as verb, present tense...whatever you say Gordie!...aka Sting.
Miles #3 - formed International Record Syndicate, Inc in 1979...aks I.R.S. Records. I.R.S. records & in-turn Copeland produced the largest acts of the Punk & New Wave scene of late 1970s/1980s...including perennial favorites of the Copeland clan, the Go-GOs & R.E.M. The Go-Gos and their lead singer, the female face of "punk", Belinda Carlisle...who in 1986 married the former special assistant for political affairs to President Ronald Reagan...now that's an odd couple!
I.R.S. Records other powerhouse act, R.E.M. It is R.E.M.'s lead singer and "Powder" doppleganger, Michael Stipe, who has certainly left his mark on "pop" & "new wave" music...but perhaps you did not know about Stipe's prominence in the land of Grunge rock??
If Kurt Cobain is the "King of Grunge"...then Michael Stipe is the "Pope of Grunge"...you know God's Grunge vicar on earth. No need to fret there Folks of the Interwebs, he is clearly a flannel-shirt-wearing God.
Anyone familiar with history, knows that it is the Pope who is the only man able to make a King (allegedly). It is Stipe whose influence can be seen all over the Grunge rock scene, like an overly excited Hollywood executive backstage at the Nickelodeon Kids Choice awards. However, it is not just Kurt Cobain who was impacted by Michael Stipe...he was friend & mentor to many other "Grunge" rockers too. In fact, would you believe that Michael Stipe and a different member of Nirvana, met 30 years prior to the eruption of Grunge circa 1991? More on that story & Michael Stipe in future editions of "Smells Like Laurel Canyon".
In the meantime there, Folks of the Interwebs, lets loop back to where we kick'd off today's here adventure & end it the right way...the Central Intelligence Agency.
Vietnam war & the Central Intelligence Agency
**The Vietnam may take an eternity & a secret decoder ring to effectively ascertain the events that transpired during the decades of 'Merican armed conflict in that south Pacific Area of Operations (AOR). In many regards the 'Merican! involvement in the south Pacific AOR has never completely ended.
In fact, it's today's tale that focuses on a group of folks who maintained course, and continued armed conflict in the south Pacific AOR...bridging the gap between WW2 to Korea...Korea to Vietnam.**
This organization, this seemingly loosely aligned group of individuals, the folks who owned and operated 'Merican combat air travel in and out of the South Pacific, perhaps more commonly known as "Air America". This organization was formed in conjuction with Taiwan's Air Force and the new 'Merican Air Force in post-WW2 era, circa 1947, essentially forming Chinese National (or more commonly known as "Taiwan") civilian airline.
**Now, just cause a worldwide ceasefire was called in order to stop WW2. It appears that a number of folks did not get the "memo", so to speak. Certain folks appear to have remained concerned about the growing threat of international communism, and 'Merican allies in the south pacific apparently felt the full scope of this communist pressure...as history would tell us at least. Korea, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam...this was the combat zone for "Air America". This is also the AOR on paper for the past 70 years, the region where Taiwan's national airline, known as Civilian Air Transport (CAT), operated their civilian airline service.
An attentive reader may be thinking..."yea right! combat operations?...not without Congressional approval!" Well, such reader would be correct in the assertion, whilst also being wrong. That is the point of today's discussion...history without the proper context is just another silly story. Take for example, George Washington and his cherry tree...is there any historical accuracy or context to this tale of George Washington? No, not likely...in fact, any mention of George Washington stories of the 'Merican landscape, without mention of his obsession with the "ancient 'Merican architecture", known as the "Mounds", is a disengenous tale and one without context. A simple review of ol G-Dubs journals would quickly yield an understanding that ol G-Dubs loved himself some "Mounds".**
**Speaking of context...now is a good time to point out that Taiwan is the "old China" and since WW2 the "new China" has made it a full time endeavor to ensure no country in the world recognizes Taiwan as "China".
CAT was a very busy airline for the decades between their inception in post-WW2 world, and when their holding company folded in 1979, thus ending their airline's operations. The Pacific Corp. was a wholly owned subsidiary of the Central Intelligence Agency. The Pacific Corp. (CIA front company registered in Delaware) owned 40% of Taiwan's airline, Civil Air Transport (CAT). CAT was a successful Chinese Nationalist (Taiwan) government owned civilian airliner by day, and 'Merican covert ops airline service by night.**
CAT's covert operations included dropping equipment & commandos behind enemy lines, extracting these personnel, and even conducting covert bombing missions. Of course much of this story was later glamorized in "true" Hollywood form and fashion in the film starring Mel Gibson & RDJ..."based on actual events". Of course while in some regards the film seemed like a whitewash of the hole affair, "tin foil hat wearing conspiracy theorists" often point to "Air America"/Civil Air Transport as a primary mover & shaker of the lucrative drug biz in the south Pacific. Some even claim that "Air America" is allegedly responsible for epic quantities of heroin entering 'Merica! (e.g. the plot line to the classic 80s buddy cop film "Lethal Weapon"), this long before the current heroin/opiod epidemic in 'Merica! Which...btw...drum roll please...Double J here is come'n at ya from the #1 county in 'Merica! for drug OD deaths since 1980 (hold the applause).
What do I mean by all this? Well, Folks of the Interwebs...'Merica! appears to have employed a variety of protocols in order to accomplish military objectives during the post-WW2 era in the south Pacific. These activities and objectives seemed to have manifested in the form of both "official" & less than "official" operations. As previously mentioned, one of these protocols was the use of CIA and other military special operations type personnel in covert or "black" ops. One cannot discuss black ops & Vietnam without discussing the Republic of China's national civilian airliner...aka "Taiwan's" national civilian airline...known to history as their civilian operations as Civil Air Transport (CAT) & their covert, or less than "official" operations, as "Air America".
**Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon call back! Now seems like an appropriate point in the tale to compare to McGowan's "Weird Scenes", in which McGowan references the legend of Stephen Stills' combat service. As Laurel Canyon legend has it...ol Stevie boy would often get all sauced up and tell folks combat stories from the jungles of Vietnam...problem was this was the Byrds were the first band on the scene...so the Byrds were already huge by the time the war started in late 1964, when the influx of 'Merican ground troops began. So that begs the question was Stephen Stills run'n covert commando operations like he claimed, prior to the "official" kick-off of the Vietnam war? If so, perhaps he flew "Air America"?
At this point...you may be wondering what in the fiznucks am I talk'n about?? What do CIA covert ops in Vietnam have to do with Grunge music?? To wit I must reply...great question!
While Michael Stipe, you know the "Pope of Grunge", is an interesting character in this here saga...and he indeed has some interesting relationships in his life. Especially relative to "Grunge" rock, relationships that harken back to Vietnam era military operations in Ft Benning, GA. As it stands today though, ol Michael may not be the most interesting character in R.E.M. Although I fully intend to explore his relations to "Grunge" music in future editions of the tale. Their personal relationship excluded from the statement, but according to Kurt Cobain himself in a 1994 interview discussing R.E.M...
"I don't know how that band [R.E.M.] does what they do...God, they're the greatest. They've dealt with their success like saints, and they keep delivering great music." (Kurt Cobain, Rolling Stone magazine in 1994 just prior to his death)**
55 years later...clarity with context.**If we are talking bout the most interesting dude in R.E.M...in fact that title appears to belongs to none other than R.E.M.'s manager/attorney for over 3 decades, Mr. Bertis Downs #4. But, in order to effectively introduce the interesting nature of this character known to the world as Mr. Bertis Downs IV, and perhaps more notably for the actual nature of today's tale, an introduction to his father Bertis Downs #3. I must first introduce you Folks of the Interwebs to a conversation I had with my dood, Grizzle. Let me dial it back to sometime in winter 2016...it went something like this...
Double J - "Dood! R.E.M.'s manager's father died in Taiwan, aka "old China" in 1964????"**
Grizzle - "So what dood? A lot of people go to China."
Double J - "A 'Merican Presbyterian minister dies in mysterious plane accident in Taiwan...'Merica's largest base of military operations outside of sovereign soil ate the time...approx one month before the kick-off of Vietnam?...doubt it."
Grizzle - "See he was on a mission with his church"
Double J - "Classic cover story"
Approx. 90 days later...circa Spring 2017...
History without context is simply a silly story. For 55 years the context of the following event was a Presbyterian minister on missionary service in "New China"/Taiwan died in a tragic plane crash/accident. When in reality there was no question that this plane crash was no accident. The New York Times was publishing stories at the time regarding the state of pistols hidden in a hollowed out book, with an additional pistol found in the wreckage...both owners remain unidentified.
Of course, CIA documents unclassified circa 2009, reflect a different tale of this "hijacking", not pilot or mechanical error as sold in 1964...suddenly, 55 years later there is clarity to plane crash, when given proper context.
**Please allow me to introduce to you Mr. Burtis Downs #3...died in combat in 1964...whose death notification is the purpose of the US State Department memorandum to notify the CIA & Mr. Bertis Downs #2.
So, for 55 years...Mr. Bertis Downs #3 was merely a young Presbyterian minister from rural Virgiia, on a mission in Taiwan/Republic of China (potato potatoe). It was in 2009 that documents were declassified...and a dood such as myself no longer has to speculate (reference above speculation with my dood Grizzle).
It was June 20th 1964...in what would be the first "civilian accident" suffered by CAT airlines. There had been many accidents & casualities on the covert side of CAT, the "Air America" side. Which again was a covertly owned & operated airline of the CIA. "Air America" conducted the off the books combat missions in south pacific from WW-2 when old china got kicked off the mainland, to the defensive support of Taiwan/"old" China...as well as Thailand & its neighbors from the damn Red China Commies come the 1960s.**
More to follow in the future of the mysterious and tragic plane crash/hijacking of CAT Flight 106 on June 20th 1964. But I will leave you Folks of the Interwebs with this thought...I wonder why the CIA has not given Bertis Downs #3 a star on the wall at Langley?
I do not say that to be a smart-ass or to be disrespectful. If nothing else, I am totally empathetic with the whole Downs clan...perhaps most specifically Bertis #4. When Bertis #3 met his demise in the tragic plane crash in Taiwan 1964, Bertis #4 was a youngster...possibly too young to recall his father. I can totally relate to this situation from my days in combat, nearly leaving a young son without his father...again very empathetic to the situation, one that strikes all too close to home.
Perhaps Bertis #3 is one of the unnamed stars on the wall of Langley? But one would stand to reason that if that were the case then, in 2009, when his death was declassified...his name would have been added to the unnamed star? Just say'n, it seems odd...
That's the show today Folks...thanks again for join'n me to get a lil GCD! Swoop back in for the next edition where we explore more connections from McGowan's "Weird Scenes" compared to the Seattle "Grunge" scene...
"Smells Like Laurel Canyon" - part 4 - The Godfather of LSD meets the Godfather of Grunge??
I Fuck'n heart seattle:"Seattle...is currently to the rock'n'roll world what Bethlehem was to Christianity." SPIN Magazine - 1992
Welcome back Folks of the Interwebs, please allow me to preface this portion of the tale...I fuck'n heart Seattle!
From my first visit to Seattle, to see Pearl Jam live and in concert at the Key Arena, with special guest Red Hot Chili Peppers...to the Seattle Mariners game that I attended a few years ago, circa August 2013. A Seattle Mariners game in which the stands were so empty, it may as well have been straight outta a Stephen King novel. The stands were so vacant that when the announcer stated "today's attendance is 7k", it was as if my laughter echoed for eternity through the uninhabited seats of the empty stadium. There might have been 4k in attendance...including grounds crew, bat boys, umpires, food concession stand personnel, & possibly even the ticket scalpers...which btw, offered low-low prices for a mid-1st inning purchase of seats directly behind the visitor's dugout. So damn cheap, the ticket scalper almost had to pay me to take the tix off his hands!
**Let me tell ya Johnny, I am a big fan of low-low ticket prices, especially since I was purchasing multiple tickets, as I had invited one of my favorite people in this big ol world, "Ma"!, and her girlfriend to the game. "Ma" is a Seattle local, she has a few years on me, but not unlike myself, you wouldn't be able to tell by looking at her...she didn't earn her nickname by looking old, but rather earned her nickname "Ma" by helping a young Garbage Can Dood such as myself stay outta trouble for the first few years of his military service...a monumental undertaking!
Back to the 2013 Seattle Mariners baseball game...good times! Here is a fun fact, my first baseball game with a lesbian couple...if only the Mormons could see me now! Of course the baseball game itself was in stark contrast to the Mariners game that I attended a decade prior, attendance wise that is. Not sure what else I should have expected outta the then Ichiro-less Mariners of 2013. I had the opportunity to contrast and compare my 2013 Safeco Field experience with my previous visit in 2002. It was the 2002 Seattle Mariners that were led by one Ichiro Suzuki, a baseball bat swinging beast! In fact, the then brand-new Safeco Field was a packed house that day in 2002, the fans eagerly awaiting the Japanese Baseball star turned MLB player, Ichiro to poke a few unorthodox style hits off of MLB pitchers. Of course neither trip to Safeco Field was without it's own strangeness or "anomalous activity" in my life...that being said, "anomalous activity" is my kinda my "normal"...BUT if we are talk'n Seattle and strange encounters, I need to dial it back to the turn of the millineum, circa November of the year 2000.**
Folks of the Interwebs, before I proceed any further in this here tale...let me take a quick time out by stating this here personal note of fact. I have a robust history of events that occur in my life that may be considered "synchronicities" (a term coined by Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung...but honestly he just borrowed & expanded the concept of WW1 British Aeronautical Engineer, JW Dunne's "seriality"). Well, my first visit to Seattle was replete with its own "synchronicity" styled situations, or possibly foreshadowed, as JW Dunne would describe his "seriality" as more of a precognitive hint towards a future point in one's own timeline...a reverse memory, if you will.
It was (circa) mid-July 2000, my family had a reunion in Montana. Possibly a first, but some have inferred that it was so that I could still attend the family event. At the time I was on assignment with the United States Air Force in Montana, tasked with securing the transport of nuclear weapons. It was following the Big Sky adventures of the family reunion...you know the "folks", grandfolks, siblings, cousins, the works. My mother sent me home to my Montana residence with a bag of pancake mix. Weeks later, as I was eating those delicious pancakes, whilst working off a hellacious hangover and dealing with the orange and gray world i lived in (due in part to Montana's raging forest fires that summer). There I sat in my breakfast nook in Great Falls, MT, in the former home of Judd Nelson (probably not the Breakfast Club'r??). I specifically recall reading the label on the bag of pancake mix and saying to myself "Snoqualmie Falls...that's a dumb sounding name".
Snoqualmie Falls, WA - (Circa) Nov 6th, 2000 - approx 0300L : There I sat sound asleep, in the passenger seat of my schweet schweet "Big Sky" Blue, 1990 Toyota 4-Runner, when I was abruptly awoken by the driver. Behind the wheel of my Yota, my ocassional friend & full-time arch nemesis, Tim. Tim pokes me in an alarmed fashion and says "wake up dood, we are getting pulled over"!
I begin to gather my bearing & take note of my surroundings...sitting to my left, Tim, very frightened...to the rear vehicle, my doods Sammy D & Matt out cold sprawled across the rear of the vehicle, illuminated by the ol red & blue lights of the local "boys". Given the frightened nature of the driver, coupled with two doods looking real dead-like in the back. Not too mention, the fact it is the middle of the night and we are on the wrong side of the law and wrong side of the ROAD! There we sat on the wrong side of the road, pulled over by the local "boys" in this small rural Washington town...my butt-hole began to pucker.
The moment of butt-hole puckering was short lived, and was immediately interrupted by the sound of a large oversized flash light blasting against my window, accompanied by an angry voice telling me to "Exit the vehicle!"...
Folks of the Interwebs, I feel like I am getting ahead of myself here...you may be asking yourself...how/why did I end up in some small town states away from my home in Montana, at the wee wee hours of the morning?...easy, Pearl Jam!! As it were...this meet & greet with the local "boys" of the rural Seattle regions occurred approximately 2 hours post-Pearl Jam-concert at Seattle's Key Arena...an epic show! Following this concert, we had approximately 27 hours before we had to report to duty to provide security for nuclear weapons, AND we had at least 14 hours of driving ahead of us...through snow mashed mountain passes & curvy-ass roads...no big deal!
Now, If we report late to nuclear missile security duty in the AM, we gotta answer to a man named "Christy"...his given name. Not unlike a situation where a giant man is named "Tiny", a man named "Christy" was built like an NFL linebacker. A reasonable dood would not even take chance with this daring scenario, specifically a dood with my "off duty" track record at that time...but I never claimed to be a reasonable dood...I am a Garbage Can Dood...I like to party!
So with a 27 hour deadline, we embarked on our trek...I immediately took a snooze in the passenger seat, as I was on deck to drive next. Folks of the Interwebs, once again...I have gotten ahead of myself. In order to effectively understand the complexities of this trip, the logistical endeavors if you will...this tale really begins the morning of the concert...
We all awoke the morning of the concert with great excitement...this excitement was likely different for each one of us. However, the excitement for this dood was the at least 14 hour drive (each way), through snowy conditions, for a live in Seattle Pearl Jam concert...well it was all those factors combined...it was the adventure! In fact, my excitement specifically revolved around my 1st PJ concert, PJ's return to Seattle in 3 years, & of course, my first visit to the Grunge capital of the world...Seattle.
Just outside Seattle, sits a picturesque little town...oh bout 45 min drive from the former Crocodile Cafe (the Seattle rock club that most famously featured such bands as Nirvana, Soundgarden, & Pearl Jam)...or bout 45 min from Key Arena...essentially a solid 45 min drive from downtown Seattle proper. The town is not immediately accessible from the highway, one must first take an exit on the highway and drive through a heavily wooded region, void of street lights for 5-10 minutes; at least this is how it appeared a cool decade and a half ago.
The exit quickly becomes pitch black, and the town was look'n like something straight outta some Twin Peaks type situation. It had one main street and not a goddamn thing open at 3am...not even the fuel station as sold to us by the highway signs...there was nothin a stir, well except for the local "boys" look'n for "out-of-towners" driving down the wrong way down the opposite lane of traffic in this one stoplight town...and those "boys" were in luck that night.
We immediately got pulled over for driving up the opposite lane of traffic (there was even a goddamn median...a well landscaped & divided median, mind you), and once again it was 3AM! On account of the hour & at the wrong way down a one way...plus the Montana license plate "BOOTLEG" (an odd point of contention from one of the local "boys") ...these local "boys" lit us up with them lights and sirens, with the quick-fast. I presume they figured they hit themselves a jackpot that night...
We pulled over to the divided median of this fancy lil town. Once again the driver, my associate & occasional arch nemesis, Timmy...myself, Double J riding in the passenger seat...with my doods Sammy D & Matt out cold, asleep in the rear of the vehicle. I could see it in their faces, these local "boys" were happier than a heard of Hollywood executives at a clothing optional Bar Mitzvah. Before we could exit the vehicle, the two "boys" were get'n all latex gloved up, sizing each one of us up for a good ol' fashioned body cavity search. Now I knew for a fact, that I was not looking to get 2-holed by a couple of rural Washington local "boys" at 3AM on the side of the road. This was not something I signed up for...
I knew in order to achieve my goal of not getting 2-holed, I better think fast and initiate evasive protocols. I could not tell you precisely what I told those local "boys", all I know is I gave them my best "these are not the droids you're looking for" routine.
Thank goodness reason prevailed...moments later, the Garbage Can Doods were free to depart the scene, and continue on the return leg of this Seattle "invasion". Even though we survived with unscathed buttholes, we still had the clock working against us...and I am not gonna lie to ya Johnny! You may as well pack your bags, change your name, and move to Canada...if you are gonna report late to nuclear missile security duty, on account of being arrested or stranded in a state that didn't even border Montana...
snoqualmie falls, wa - (circa) august 2002 - 1400l Hours on a random weekday :Lorda mercy! Just when I thought it was safe to return to Snoqualmie Falls...forget Mount St. Helens, "Mount Ripken" explodes!!...
It was circa mid-August 2002, back to Snoqualmie Falls...same odd result! I was fresh off an overseas military assignment, figured I would spend an entire week in Seattle...you know really take in the sights. So there I went for a 7-day Seattle adventure, accompanied by a beautiful young gal...we set forth on this Seattle Grunge tour. We took in many of the musical related sites Seattle has to offer...including the Jimi Hendrix Experience museum (Hendrix of course a character in the Laurel Canyon crowd). After taking in many of the urban activities Seattle had to offer, we were looking for a day of nature, you know away from the hustle of the urban landscape of Seattle proper. I of course knew a quiet spot just outside of town, very wooded and seemingly off the beaten path. In fact, as I told the beautiful young gal accompanying me on this adventure, she inquired "isn't that the place you said you nearly got arrested 2 years ago", my reply "(audible belly laughter) Yeah".
Next stop, Snoqualmie Falls...you know the aforementioned Seattle locale where the "local Boys" were all too excited for a 2-hole search of me and my cohorts on that frigid morning, just 2-years prior. As I recall, we parked in the upper level of the falls, which included a short hike through a wooded region, down a trail in which to gain access to the overlook of the falls. The weather was perfect, sunny but not too hot...and the trail was a picturesque setting, almost something that you would expect to see on a postcard of the region. My beautiful date was enjoying the serene like sight and sounds of the pacific northwest forest...while I was actively keeping an eye on my surroundings, after all this was the middle of "Sasquatch" country. You know the large mythical ape/man-like creature that is said to frequent the heavily wooded regions of the pacific northwest. As disappointed as I was that day (possibly still am), we located no "Squatch" that afternoon...however, we did in fact encounter a different breed of large hairy forest creatures that day.
As we are walking down the trail, maybe half mile n-root to the overlook platform above the falls. We had encountered no other folks on the trail, the sounds of the forest could easily be heard even over our footsteps down the well groomed pathway. As we get closer to approaching the falls overlook, we are startled to hear the abrupt sounds of anger and despair underlining the words being shouted; hurling through the densely covered surroundings right into my ear hole. As we breach the bend in the trail, I notice the source of all the racket. Just about 40 yards down the trail, between us and the overlook...stood a large hairy creature approx. 6'3" - 6'4" tall, weighing in at a beefy 230-240lbs. This large hairy creature was in fact a huge adult male, bald headed but very hairy! This beast of the pacific northwest woods, this angry fella, was just hoot'n and holler'n at what appears to be his wife & kids. The anger on his face was one I was quite familiar with, disappointment, mashed together with a dose of spittle, that erupted from ol boy's mouth hole as he continued the onslaught of anger.
As we walk closer, I ensure to take a route which provides a good 10-15 feet buffer zone from this domestic situation unfolding in the middle of the woods. Like the motorist passing by a horrific automobile accident; my eyes are now glued to the look of anger erupting from this man's face, as the spittle continues to fly about whilst the man continued to holler. As we circled around this domestic situation, it is at that moment that I realize this angry fella looks familiar...that is when I turned to my partner and told her, "Yo, that's Cal Ripken Jr." ...full knowing the enormous baseball fan I was at the time, she responds "That's awesome, are you going to get his autograph?"
I responded with a look as if someone told me the moon is actually made outta cheese, and stated in a voice that could not be heard by "Mount Ripken" who is a mere 20 yards at most from our location. While the anger of the situation was calming down, I felt this was no time or place in which to interrupt the man. So I stated in reply, "Helllll nooo. Did you see how angry he looked!?!?"
HOTEL AT SEATTLE TACOMA AIRPORT - (circa) august 2002 - "THE WITCHING HOUR" :Somewhere in & around the SEATAC Airport...you know the former hunting grounds of the Green River Killer, a serial killer (or perhaps killers?) responsible for the brutal murder of countless young women of Seattle.
This specific night in question, I had myself a very strange experience. However, I have very little recollection of such an experience...just as it was explained to me by the only witness to the bizarre event...albeit a very frightened witness.
I was departing Seattle from my 3rd visit to the Grunge capital. It was August 2002, I had just spent a wonderful week with a beautiful young gal taking in all of the sights and scenes that Seattle had to offer, including the explosion of "Mount Ripken"...a pacific northwest event only rivaled by nearby Mount St Helens pop'n its top decades earlier. Needless to say it was the end of a great trip, and the following day meant, back to conducting overseas operations for ol Double J. As I lay asleep, next to the beautiful gal who had accompanied me on the Seattle "invasion", again, somewhere in & around the SEATAC airport.
Well as legend has it, at some point in the night I erupt from my sleep and the bed with one swift motion towards the window (again, I have no recollection of this, only a frightened witness account the following morning). At the window, I allegedly open the shades and begin to stare off into the stars of the night sky. This of course had awoken my partner, as she awoke and questioned "Uhhh, is everything OK!?". To which I (allegedly) replied with a slight turn of my head, in order to look away from the window and back towards the bed...and said "They're coming". I am certain at this point that she was frightened and intrigued by the next question, simultaneously. To which she replied, "who is coming?". This is apparently the point in which I turned my attention back to the night sky, this time pointing directly into the mix of stars that circled above the well-illuminated Seattle sky and stated "They're coming"....
What can I say Folks of the Interwebs, perhaps Seattle brings out the "weird" in folks? (apparently myself included)...
On with the show, "Smells like Laurel Canyon"....we shall pick up this tale in & around the region Dave McGowan ended his tale, the Copeland family...but more specifically IRS records...
Stay tuned...the next installment - "The CIA, FBI, IRS....and the Pope of Grunge!"
"Smells Like Laurel Canyon"...one dood's inquisition into whether or not the "Seattle grunge" scene was a fabricated counterculture movement...not unlike the 1960s & the Laurel Canyon scene that sparked the Hippie counterculture...
Preface:
Please allow me to preface this here tale...
I fuck'n love Seattle!, Grunge music, & 'Merica. Ok, I don't know what 'Merica has to do with things...but I can't pass up an opportunity to speak of "freedom". On the other note, Seattle and "grunge rock"...big fans to this day! That being said...this posting seems very apropos for the current climate of "Seattle grunge rock" with the recent & unexpected passing of perennial Seattle powerhouse, "Soundgarden", lead singer Chris Cornell.
Real world here folks of the interwebs, I completed the authorship of this here introductory segment on the night prior to Cornell's death...completing this post circa the time he completed his final performance, which occurred at the Fox Theater in Detroit. In fact...I recall waking my wife up as I went to bed, in the excitement to share with her that I completed my introduction to this tale. In that conversation, I specifically mentioned numerous points relative to Chris Cornell in this "Seattle Grunge" tale...Chris Cornell was the last topic of conversation as I drifted off into a slumber.
My wake up call the following AM, my wife asking me "Guess, who died last night?". Now, some claim i have a morbid sense of humor....but not even I am willing to play that game, at least not before my first cup of coffee. So after taking a quick inventory of my extremities and appendages...I replied, "You got me, who?"....she replied, "Chris Cornell"....(cue dark ominous music)....RIP Christopher John Boyle, aka. Chris Cornell.
What if "grunge rock" was not as it appears? That apparent perception being an organic counterculture movement filled with establishment opposition, topped with a froathy Seattle size dollop of milk foam to go along with the double shot of teenage angst. What if "Seattle Grunge" rock appears to share similarities to other counterculture movements?
So I pose you this one question there consumer of this dood's thoughts transcribed to this here interwebs posting...perhaps the "grunge" music scene was as in-organic, as alleged by some folks, in reference to the 1960s counterculture hippie movement??
(Hmmmm...hippies & "grunge" rockers, fundamentally similar in appearance...baggy, tattered clothing, long hair, completely "alien" to "middle 'Merica"....the similarities, hmmm, weird....)
"Smells Like Laurel Canyon"
A great man once traversed the landscapes of southern California...he went by the name of Dave McGowan...the author of this amazing book, link below, and inspiration for this journey...
http://centerforaninformedamerica.com/books/
https://www.amazon.com/Weird-Scenes-Inside-Canyon-Laurel/dp/1909394122
Hi, my name is Double J...and I am a Dave McGowan super-fan!
It was 3 years ago when I discovered this man's work, and I have been enjoying every book, article, blog, and interview he has conducted. Sadly, Dave McGowan, appears to have passed away, from what he described on his own accord as an aggressive form of cancer, before he could fully realize the impact of his writings. It seems Dave McGowan barely survived long enough to see his most magnificent writing, the one that would be his legacy, come to inspire so many people.
This dood...uhhh, Double J here...is one of those inspired people...(but a quick search of the ol Google will yield dozens of other greatly inspired individuals that also found Dave McGowan's work to be so powerful!)
Dave McGowan offered a profound understanding of a tumultuous time in 'Merica...perhaps he is even responsible for completely reframing our contemporary understanding of the 1960s counterculture. It is expressly thanks to Dave McGowan that we, as a society, have a greater understanding of the 60s counterculture, those "evil" hippies, and most notably the Laurel Canyon scene.
Once again, Dave McGowan superfan here...after listening to every interview I could my hands on, then I had a moment of clarity. Dave McGowan offered such a unique perspective on this era of the 1960s, it's culture, & music BECAUSE he was a super-fan. He was a self proclaimed hippie born a decade too late. While I can certainly relate to Dave McGowan's notion of being born in the wrong decade...it dawned on me that it was the fact that he was a super-fan of the 1960s counterculture that gave him the ability to provide the world a unique perspective of the era known here in good ol 'Merica, simply as the "60s".
It was roughly at this point, listening to a Dave McGowan interview, where it dawned on me that 90s grunge was to Double J, as 60s hippie culture was to Dave McGowan.
So folks of the interwebs...what if Dave McGowan was correct? What if Dave McGowan's concepts of understanding from 60s Laurel Canyon rock scene can be applied to the 90s "Seattle grunge" rock scene?
Can we see the same patterns evolving out of the cultural icons of the "Seattle Grunge" scene of the early 1990s, the same patterns Dave McGowan points out in his "Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon"?
In order to kick this series off the right way...lets first identify a list of concepts...as established by DM in his "Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon"...a few salient characteristics, if you will...
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Sons & daughters of the "military/intelligence complex"??...Check, "seattle Grunge" has it!
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Sons & Daughters of 'Merica's "blue bloods"??...Check, got it!
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A history between "rockers" before the scene? E.g. Jim Morrison went to Kindergarten with Frank Zappa's wife...Yuup, Seattle's got it!
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Skull & Bones connections? Only, Hell yea!
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Anomalous deaths of rockstars? In spades...
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Serial Killer? What music scene doesn't have a good slasher running around?? Laurel Canyon had Charlie Manson...Seattle the Green River Killer
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Wrecking Crew? Got it!...the sons & daughters of the Wrecking Crew in Seattle, does that work for ya Johnny??
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Special forces commandos?...You better believe it toots! Laurel Canyon had self-proclaimed commando, Steven Stills...Seattle has that beat!
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Young Hollywood stars promoting the new Hippie scene, aka "the Young Turks"? Seattle has the "younger turks" on the scene to promote and pander "Grunge" to the masses...
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The "occult"!!!
Well, folks of the interwebs...that is a healthy list of characteristics to compare from the 1960s-Laurel Canyon-Hippie Scene to the 1990s-Seattle-Grunge scene...
ENJOY...TO BE CONTINUED...
