A memoir of 25 years (1975-2000) spent working in the world of records & music in Seattle, with occasional side trips into writings on Led Zeppelin and other adventures from my musical life.
This was a great one Hugh. I worked at Aron’s Records on Melrose from 87 to 88 . It was a really fun job. Rick Friel Chris Friel and I were down there with Shadow trying to break into the biz… We payed to play at the Roxy which was a drag but exciting at the same time.Chris worked at Second Time around Accross the street. Aron’s was fun for me to be around all that vinyl. Label reps would bring in hand trucks of promo vinyl to trade or sell. Appetite Just came out, Notjings Shocking. Bill Murry came in once. Adam Ant too. Warren D Martini from Ratt came in once and I turned him on to Muddy Waters Folk Singer and Howlin Wolfs greatest sides. Playing clubs at night loading in all that goes along with it. Some of the Clubs Shadow played were, Coconut Teaser, The Whisky, Troubador, Fenders ( opening for Andy Taylor) Madam Wongs. Club Lingerie ( opening for Jim Basnight) And a bunch of others. Aron’s didn’t pay great but I didn’t care. The Vibe reminded me of Cellophane Square for sure. When we were down there we got to the Welcome to the Jungle Video shoot cause Duff got us in. Tim Dijulio came down for that as well. It was mesmerizing they were dangerous and incredible. Aron’s was great cause I could trade shifts to play shows . The people I remember the most were the people that worked there. Jennifer J who was from Seattle as well, Rich who was writing a book about the Go Go’s, Punk Rock Tony ( Gave me his sandwich one day!) Jessie was the boss and owner good dude, Dave who toured with Dream Syndacate, Anna from Detroit, Rick was a manager who was the blues buyer, great dude, Paul manager who i think was a writer, Mike ( not me) new age buyer. I was called Micky cause Of Mike who was there first. Joe another rock guitar player. I remember those people fondly. Oh and Jimbo night manager intense but a good dude. I lasted about One year until I got Crohn’s disease . I never ate well then and drank way too much.Rick and Chris saved my ass a few times ( thanks Guys!! love you!) We moved back with intentions of going back but I quit the band not knowing what to do. A couple years later I got a call out of the blue from Stone.
Wow!! So many great people and good, loud, rockin' times! Starting my day with a big smile.
I remember interviewing the musician Tad of TAD (Subpop) for a job at the U-District store, which had a dark, skinny staircase going up to the small, low-ceilinged office. Tad was a friendly and gentle guy, but he was a BIG dude, and his band was heavy and ferocious. Needless to say, that office wasn't going to fit him, and also, as with many other musicians, the band came first and he could not commit to Cellophane to the extent we required for employment.
Kristen Pfaff of Hole came in one late rainy evening into the U-District store, clearly distressed, and asked for an application, which she filled out at the counter. Since she was in a pretty famous band that was likely still going to be touring, I knew nothing would come of it but didn't say anything. About an hour after she left, her brother came in, also looking distressed, and asked if she'd been there. I told them that she had filled out an application and left. He thanked me and ran out into the night. I have to turn to Wikipedia to figure out dates and looking at her timeline of when she lived in Seattle vs. Minnesota for rehab, I believe this was in late 1993, as she entered rehab in early 1994 and then overdosed/died in June 1994. In any case, I thought it was interesting that her brother knew to check the record store for her because that's where the musicians can be found! I also wondered if she was in danger of losing her job with Hole at that time and was applying for a job just in case. I'll never know the story behind that night.
I was living in Yakima and working at a great independent record store there (Off The Record) in 1990 when the Picketts version of Should I Say Or Should I Go came out, and it quickly became a staff favorite. I was a little star-struck to get hired at the U-District Cellophane in August of ‘91 and find myself working with 2 members of the group at the time (ST & Kels Koch)!
Hey, I think I know this guy! "he had an acerbic wit and a practiced world-weariness that combined into a charismatic whole, which was very attractive to the opposite sex." (Great description!)
Great post, Hugh. It was fun to read about your Seattle/Bellevue record store days. I spent countless hours in such stores from Portland's (ME) Enterprise Records to the former Skippy Whites and Nuggets vinyl emporiums in Boston. Ran into many interesting folks while thumbing through record bins, including Uncle Tupelo's Jay Farrar before the band's 1992 Portland City Hall Auditorium show and Jim Carroll just before a poetry reading at a place called The Skinny.
I really enjoyed the cassette tales and history/backstories about the indie rock outfits of the 80s/90s, not to mention the bit about recording the Cheaters on a TEAC 3340 reel to reel. Keep 'em coming!
This was a great one Hugh. I worked at Aron’s Records on Melrose from 87 to 88 . It was a really fun job. Rick Friel Chris Friel and I were down there with Shadow trying to break into the biz… We payed to play at the Roxy which was a drag but exciting at the same time.Chris worked at Second Time around Accross the street. Aron’s was fun for me to be around all that vinyl. Label reps would bring in hand trucks of promo vinyl to trade or sell. Appetite Just came out, Notjings Shocking. Bill Murry came in once. Adam Ant too. Warren D Martini from Ratt came in once and I turned him on to Muddy Waters Folk Singer and Howlin Wolfs greatest sides. Playing clubs at night loading in all that goes along with it. Some of the Clubs Shadow played were, Coconut Teaser, The Whisky, Troubador, Fenders ( opening for Andy Taylor) Madam Wongs. Club Lingerie ( opening for Jim Basnight) And a bunch of others. Aron’s didn’t pay great but I didn’t care. The Vibe reminded me of Cellophane Square for sure. When we were down there we got to the Welcome to the Jungle Video shoot cause Duff got us in. Tim Dijulio came down for that as well. It was mesmerizing they were dangerous and incredible. Aron’s was great cause I could trade shifts to play shows . The people I remember the most were the people that worked there. Jennifer J who was from Seattle as well, Rich who was writing a book about the Go Go’s, Punk Rock Tony ( Gave me his sandwich one day!) Jessie was the boss and owner good dude, Dave who toured with Dream Syndacate, Anna from Detroit, Rick was a manager who was the blues buyer, great dude, Paul manager who i think was a writer, Mike ( not me) new age buyer. I was called Micky cause Of Mike who was there first. Joe another rock guitar player. I remember those people fondly. Oh and Jimbo night manager intense but a good dude. I lasted about One year until I got Crohn’s disease . I never ate well then and drank way too much.Rick and Chris saved my ass a few times ( thanks Guys!! love you!) We moved back with intentions of going back but I quit the band not knowing what to do. A couple years later I got a call out of the blue from Stone.
Wow!! So many great people and good, loud, rockin' times! Starting my day with a big smile.
I remember interviewing the musician Tad of TAD (Subpop) for a job at the U-District store, which had a dark, skinny staircase going up to the small, low-ceilinged office. Tad was a friendly and gentle guy, but he was a BIG dude, and his band was heavy and ferocious. Needless to say, that office wasn't going to fit him, and also, as with many other musicians, the band came first and he could not commit to Cellophane to the extent we required for employment.
Kristen Pfaff of Hole came in one late rainy evening into the U-District store, clearly distressed, and asked for an application, which she filled out at the counter. Since she was in a pretty famous band that was likely still going to be touring, I knew nothing would come of it but didn't say anything. About an hour after she left, her brother came in, also looking distressed, and asked if she'd been there. I told them that she had filled out an application and left. He thanked me and ran out into the night. I have to turn to Wikipedia to figure out dates and looking at her timeline of when she lived in Seattle vs. Minnesota for rehab, I believe this was in late 1993, as she entered rehab in early 1994 and then overdosed/died in June 1994. In any case, I thought it was interesting that her brother knew to check the record store for her because that's where the musicians can be found! I also wondered if she was in danger of losing her job with Hole at that time and was applying for a job just in case. I'll never know the story behind that night.
I was living in Yakima and working at a great independent record store there (Off The Record) in 1990 when the Picketts version of Should I Say Or Should I Go came out, and it quickly became a staff favorite. I was a little star-struck to get hired at the U-District Cellophane in August of ‘91 and find myself working with 2 members of the group at the time (ST & Kels Koch)!
Wow. Cellophane was even cooler than I thought.
Hey, I think I know this guy! "he had an acerbic wit and a practiced world-weariness that combined into a charismatic whole, which was very attractive to the opposite sex." (Great description!)
Great post, Hugh. It was fun to read about your Seattle/Bellevue record store days. I spent countless hours in such stores from Portland's (ME) Enterprise Records to the former Skippy Whites and Nuggets vinyl emporiums in Boston. Ran into many interesting folks while thumbing through record bins, including Uncle Tupelo's Jay Farrar before the band's 1992 Portland City Hall Auditorium show and Jim Carroll just before a poetry reading at a place called The Skinny.
I really enjoyed the cassette tales and history/backstories about the indie rock outfits of the 80s/90s, not to mention the bit about recording the Cheaters on a TEAC 3340 reel to reel. Keep 'em coming!
Yep, we've all known a few. . . thanks for singling that out Ellen, I spent some time thinking about it as I wrote.