Sometime around the end of 1985 or beginning of 1986, my friend Ken and I made one of our monthly trips to the Record Vault on Polk Street in San Francisco, a haven of all things Metal; records, posters, and a much talked about 'Demo' cassette section.
There would always be a colorful assortment of Underground Metalheads hanging out and, of course, band members.
Lars Ulrich was in the store hanging out with the owners and talking about working on the follow up to the Metallica album Ride The Lightning (the album they were putting the finishing touches on would become Master Of Puppets). Ken asked Lars to sign a poster he just bought, to which Lars replied "For a small financial contribution." He was a dick. Really. When Ken pointed to himself on the poster he was having him sign (it was a live shot), Lars couldn't have cared any less. I suppose that's fine, he can act however he'd like, but it just made us comment about how big of a jerk he was.
My favorite Record Vault story doesn't involve Metallica though, even though being 15, talking with one of the members of one of my favorite bands at the time while they were working on an album that would eventually stay on an endless loop for much of 1986 is probably pretty great, it can't top our chance meeting with the band Sin.
We met Steve Johnson and Dave Kong the day they were bringing their freshly printed single to the store for sale. (I have to admit shock at finding a link here, and makes this post even more grand, and really, should probably warrant a post devoted entirely to Mr. Kong)
"Can we get you to autograph it?" we asked. Unlike Lars, they were cool and proudly signed what was sure to be a much sought after limited release single someday.
Check out that photo shoot; marble busts, goblets, columns, cobra statues, and grapes. Good Lord (ha!) this photo shoot has it all!
As Ken and I made our way back over the Bay Bridge, we had a laugh talking about the silly declarations of the autographs; mine with Religion Sucks, and Ken's with an even more simply stated Fuck God.
Of course, that didn't even come close to preparing us for what the record itself looked like. I think Ken about drove right off of the bridge as I pulled the vinyl from it's sleeve.
The funny thing about putting this post together is how familiar the songs are and how well worn the single is.
The 'A' Side
Damn The Preacher
The 'B' Side
Night Caller
I guess the joke's on me though. I thought the boys were just following the fad in Metal of the day, but Dave Kong is still flying that flag. Oh yeah, he's still flying that God-awful (ha! again) haircut too.
9 comments:
Awesome post. You weren't kidding.
My coolest meet-and-greets were with now dead people:
Andy Kaufman and Mitch Hedberg (nat at the same time, duh).
well, i didn't know a lot about metal when i was in college. I mean i'd heard metallica and all but wouldn't have known any of them by name or face.....bringing me to my point. When i was in SF going to college, Kirk Hammett was a friend of my upstairs neighbors and one summer we had a big party....all three flats. As we were on the first floor and the party was in the back yard there was a lot of traffic in and out of our house, to use the restroom get in and out of a fridge etc. Any hoo, my boy roommates kept going on and on about kirk hammett blah blah blah is at our house blah blah blah. I didn't know what the big deal was knowing as little as i did. I had a very long conversation in my kitchen with a stringy haired older dude about pickles and beer and school and on and on. Turns out it was KH and later that week my neighbors said he thought i was cute. and i was like "ewww! he's a long haired metal head". I was into dumb pretty boy punks at the time.
AT LEAST i could have been shallow enough to overlook the aesthetic and look to the money or wise enough to look to the brains, but alas i was not. any hoo. that's my story of my brush with celebrity.
ta daaaa!
"I'll blow your mind beyond imagination".
I cannot deny it. My mind was blown.
Lars was a dick to you? Wow, that really surprises me. I mean, I know he's a dick now, but I thought that was all Napster's fault.
Thanks for giving me a laugh today Bobby.
GB
Haha...yes Dave's been a good friend of mine for 20 years and he's just the same now as he was then.
http://a801.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/124/l_b955a7135cd7778a4a4d680044f1c260.jpg
Steve Johnson here. I live in Ireland now. I remember the meeting, I think,... you know what time does to your brain. We recorded an album with 9 additional songs and re recorded Damn the Preacher on it too. If you want a copy I will have Dave send it to you Bobby. Thanks for the memories. Steve
The first time I saw Sin was in Des Moines Iowa pre San Francisco. It was a cold winters nite and they were playing above a produce company in a cold empty loft. Damn they were good. Everyone wore winter coats except Sin. They played one set sans clothes. That's dedication guys playing nude on a cold winter's nite.
Uncle Al
I would! I remember this day too! Thanks for the memory.
Dave Kong
P.S.: Religion still sucks!
Dave Kong is as sinful as ever, and gets better with each sin. Sheila Ash, the rabbi's daughter.
https://www.amazon.com/His-Name-Randy-Kong/dp/B083GB3Q7H
I made a full-length documentary that features SIN. what a wild ride it must've been to be around in the hayday of it all!
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