My band, Cadillac Kidz was hired as a support act for The Ramones End Of The Century Tour (1980) at a bar in Detroit called Uncle Sams on Telegraph Road. A few days earlier, Spaz, Dan, Ron and I met to talk about the gig and what we should do to survive. I came up with the genius idea to instigate the audience since we're going to be trashed off stage, not that it would be the FIRST time we'd ever get trashed off the stage (or the last). We've had experience receiving just about every reaction from every type of audience, in many different venues. The worse possible reaction is NO reaction. It was an incredible rush being part of a real BIG show, especially when we'd actually go over huge! I've always possessed the philosophy of opportunity breeds within the unknown, and "everything will be alright in the end..." Of course it always is. The reason that Cadillac Kidz got this Ramones gig was because all of the other punk bands in the city either had gigs booked, or turned it down out of fear. Every opening act for the Ramones gets trashed. It's a tradition.
I figured, bad press is good press, so no matter what happened, it was pure show biz.
I talked the guys into wearing freaky-satin disco suits for this show. Mine was a gold jacket with a bit of sheen and black baggy pants. I think I wore a bow tie too.
( Im still trying to hold onto an image of bravery instead of stoopidity as I write this).
We showed up two hours early in hopes of an easy setup and sound check. It was still the dead of winter. The Ramones crew had set up the stage and wouldn't let us get near it until 10 mins to show time, so we had two hours to waste. Weve played Uncle Sams bar a few times so we knew the place inside and out, and set up our own back-stage-room in the closed, unused kitchen that adjoined a HUGE dressing room that was set up strictly for The Ramones. We played Ramones tunes in the kitchen, lafffing care-free and drinking beers as if watching the Super Bowl.
A loud crowd began filling up the bar, we'd look out and saw the rowdy bunch crushed right up to the stage. Mohawks, black leathers, tattoos, cussing, fighting, junk being chucked onto the stage...
the show didnt even start yet! And it was NOT a good thing to see that this audience had NO girls. Were we nervous? I remember refusing to let the guys see me nervous...
Dan remarked about possibly inciting a riot, we laffed and reassured each other that we just hoped everyone doesn't leave.
I remember asking "where's Spaz...?"
He often disappeared at most gigs just before show time.
Spaz decided to go next-door and buy 5 pizza's for The Ramones,
just a few minutes before show time... The lights went down, Spaz wasn't around,
we went onto the darkened stage which was being pelted with beers and stuff, laughing... Cameron struck the first power chord on his guitar which signaled the lights to come on, Spaz ran onto the stage crashing into me as we got soaked with beer. The audience reacted when they saw five guys dressed in suits and went nuts! Chairs were being thrown at us, brooms and ash trays too, paper balled up, quarters and dimes, glass cups, it got so bad that we had to stop playing and use our guitars as shields, THEN all of a sudden, Ron Chambers kicked his foot bass drum over and jumped off the stage into the audience... it was as if time stopped, everything stopped, Ron put his face into a guys face for a second, then jumped back onto the stage. There was a moment of total peace and confusion mixed with hesitation and disbelief until, SPLASH! I was hit with another a beer again, someone on stage called out "Establishment Bash" and we forced our way thru the complete song while our lives were threatened, pelted, spit on with all hell breaking loose again... We finished that single song and stumbled off to safety back stage.
The Ramone's dressing room door was wide open; I could see the band eating pizza,
Johnny Ramone was a little too close to my girl, Debby...
Their "security" shut the door in our faces, and we sat soaked, confused, and exhausted in a blur. I wasn't sure if I was going to be upset, the thought did cross my mind, NOT that Id be upset about being trashed so badly, because the gig was a total success to me.
I just didn't like how close Johnny Ramone was to my girl.
I could hear Spaz shout at the closed door "b-b-but I bought that pizza...."
I asked Ron "man, what did you say to that guy in the audience out there?"
Ron shook his head and laughed " Hey man, I'm just here to see the Ramones too "
We changed out of our beer stained disco looking suits, loaded up the gear into our van, and then knocked at that door again. Our girls came out. They had to leave the dressing room because the Ramones show was just about to start. Bobby Soul and Denny Stewart (our crew) suggested that the Cadillac Kidz leave the building for our own safety.
Bobby and Denny weren't afraid of anything or anyone, so I trusted their judgment in this. Debby was totally bummed about leaving. She just wanted to stand backstage and watch for a little while, so we stayed to watch a few songs. I asked Debby what the hell was going on back there. The rock was loud and deafening. She laughed and said they ate pizza... I told her my side of the story by shouting into her ear. Im not sure if she heard everything because she didnt say much about it. She didnt really have to. we didn't amke any money but I still had a blast!
