When do they play "Lola"?

In early January 1985, my mom and I were 7th in line at Fiesta Mall waiting outside the Diamond's at 7 AM.  It was quite brisk for an early Arizona January morning, but I was determined to get tickets for The Kinks at ASU Activity Center.

Luckily, I got amazing 3rd Row center seats (closer to singer Ray Davies microphone).  So compared to NO tickets to see Bruce and the E Street Band in November 1984, these tickets were incredible indeed.  Note the ticket price, $12.50!!!

My dad and I picked up my friend Miami Zany EP (long story about the name which I won't go into here) and dropped us off in Tempe at the ASU Activity Center.  I was wearing a London shirt (a hand-me-down from one of my cousins) but I bought this very cool Kinks concert shirt (back of the shirt is shown above) which I put over the London shirt.  I felt like this was just so amazing!  We were going to see one of the British Invasion bands (20 years on) and they were still making vital, exciting rock and roll!

Before the concert started, some frat boy who most likely had seats in the nose bleeds snuck his way down to the floor and near the stage.  He started talking to us and he kept asking about the Kinks song "Destroyer" and also, "when will they play that 'Lola" song?"  He was highly annoying and I tried my best to ignore him especially once the lights dimmed and the Kinks came out on stage.  I didn't keep track of the songs, but remember they played most of the material from their newest album, Word of Mouth.  The performance was amazing--Ray always wanting audience participation with the "Banana Boat" chant "way-oh" and of course, the audience bits in "Lola."  Brother Dave Davies was incredible on guitar and it was a fantabulous show!

I had one other opportunity to see the Kinks in 1987, even had tickets for a performance at the Mesa Amphitheatre, but the tour got cancelled due to the bass player dislocating his shoulder.  Why they couldn't have recruited another bass player (John Entwistle was always keen to gig) I have no idea.

But I have seen Ray Davies since then in 1998 and 2010 and these stories will have to wait for another blog post or two...

When did the fandom start?

1984 was a good year for Rock and Roll.  I was 16 and really enjoying the rock and roll music scene.  In a year of Madonna. Van Halen and Michael Jackson's epic album Thriller, I was not liking the more popular groups.

The closest I got to popular music was when a friend and I went to see Billy Joel at the ASU Activity Center.  He was popular with his most recent album, An Innocent Man.  However, his older material like "Angry Young Man" and "Only the Good Die Young" was more my preference.

My brother, 9 years older than I, would make me mix tapes.  One of my favorites had the following lineup of songs--

Life on the Road--The Kinks
Words--The Bee Gees (before disco)
Let My Love Open the Door--Pete Townshend
Paint It Black--The Rolling Stones
Whenever You're On My Mind--Marshall Crenshaw
Gimme Some Lovin'--Spencer Davis Group
Messing With the Kid--Sam & Dave
Soul Man--Sam & Dave
Gotta Get a Message to You--Bee Gees
Gonna Get You--Pete Townshend
That'll Be the Day--Buddy Holly
It's So Easy--Buddy Holly
Life Goes On--The Kinks

Talk about a musical education!  45 minutes of incredible songs!

Bruce Springsteen was the most popular or mainstream as he ever was in 1984.  MTV showed his video for "Dancing in the Dark" constantly during the summer and this single made it to #2 on the Billboard charts.  Only Prince's "When Doves Cry" beat Bruce out of the #1 slot in August 1984.

Bruce was touring with his E Street Band.  My friend and I were going to get tickets!  We waited in a line of people outside the Diamond's at Fiesta Mall from 4 AM until we realized at 10:30 AM they were going to sell out and we didn't even get in the door of the building!  Augh!  Note to young self, camp out at 10 PM the night before and maybe you will have a chance!

So no Bruce but I used the fall of 1984 to catch up on his back catalog of albums and buy magazines like Rolling Stone and Musician which had feature articles on him.  I was definitely a fan!

But when would I see Bruce?  Would I catch any of this tour?  Would I end up with just bootlegs of some of the concerts?  Stay tuned for future installments of my reminiscences!

NOTE--Above photo of the author taken somewhere in West Germany, 1988.