Campbell Skate Park action circa March 2005

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We all look so young! This was after I blew my knee up and just before surgery. chris; mike; eddie;anthony;xavier;miles others

Bad Brains back in the Saddle at Slims 20070924

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I've been listening to their new CD a lot and it is great. Very very heavy. About as far from pop music as you can get. I cannot wait to see them live. A second show has been added on Sunday(9/23)with Whole Wheat Bread. Whole Wheat Bread are good too. 4 black punks from Jacksonville. They are opening for Big D and the Kid's table at Bottom of the Hill in November too. I'm going to the Monday show 9/24 8:00 PM I went to the Monday night show. It was good but overall I was disappointed. My expectations were sky high which is probably the reason for the disappointment. Slim's was sold out and it was ridiculously packed full of people. I missed the opening band. They sounded good once I got in the middle. When I was off to the side, the sound was weak. I really liked the 2 or 3 roots dub songs in the middle. It seemed like most of the people around me got bored with it. The set was short, and then they came back on for a one song encore. Everyone in the crowd was looking for more when the screen came down and the announced LAST CALL. There were several songs from the new CD which I wanted to hear and didn't.

Bad Brains back in the Saddle

this is cut and pasted from Bay Area Ska...

I've been listening to their new CD a lot and it is great. Very very heavy. About as far from pop music as you can get. I cannot wait to see them live. A second show has been added on Sunday(9/23)with Whole Wheat Bread.

Whole Wheat Bread are good too. 4 black punks from Jacksonville. They are opening for Big D and the Kid's table at Bottom of the Hill in November too.

I'm going to the Monday show 9/24 8:00 PM

cabbagemaster said:
yah Whole Wheat Bread are RAD!! so another mp3 post is in order - check THIS out!!
http://mp34u.muzic.com/posting/4874 download the mp3, it's a keeper. if ya like yr punk rawk they also do killer covers of crunk classics (i kid you not)! great, very promising young band.

I went to the Monday night show. It was good but overall I was disappointed. My expectations were sky high which is probably the reason for the disappointment. Slim's was sold out and it was ridiculously packed full of people. I missed the opening band.

They sounded good once I got in the middle. When I was off to the side, the sound was weak. I really liked the 2 or 3 roots dub songs in the middle. It seemed like most of the people around me got bored with it. The set was short, and then they came back on for a one song encore. Everyone in the crowd was looking for more when the screen came down and the announced LAST CALL. There were several songs from the new CD which I wanted to hear and didn't.

The crowd wasn't especially attractive. There wasn't much dancing in the pit, mostly just guys kicking ass.

A bartender was remarkable. I think she is a regular. I can't imagine what it takes to be that ripped. Lots of tattoos, a pierced belly button with a sun around it, and jeans slung way below her hip bones with a cut-off top. I don't understand how her ass wasn't hanging out!

I also don't understand how I failed to ask her for permission to take a photo.


Thinking about this show makes me think about some of the really memorable shows I've seen. Not in any order, and not complete:

1. Bad Religion at the Warfield singing I WANT TO CONQUER THE WORLD as I was swept through the pit.
2. Rancid at the Warfield doing a ska song while I danced with some punk guy in the aisle on the way to another beer.
3. The Selector at THE SKA SUMMIT. I couldn't believe Pauline Black was there singing and then the entire crowd of thousands got in sync as the sun went down.
4. The Ramones with The Dickies opening at the Hollywood Palladium in 1982ish with the Puerto Rican girls screaming to Joey.
5. The Clash with The English Beat opening at the Hollywood Palladium in 1982ish. Joe Strummer had the coolest shaggy Mohawk.
6. The Who with The Clash and Prince opening at the LA Colosseum on their first farewell tour. I wish I could remember the name of the girl who sat on shoulders for an hour to see The Clash. I was strong then. She was cute. Maybe it was Jessica. Friday, Saturday, what have I done! I still hear the echoes.
7. The first DHC reunion show at Slim's.
8. The Slackers at The Blank Club.
9. Jonathan Richmond at The Blank Club the first time.
10. Marky Ramone and The Speedkings at The Blank Club.
11. The English Beat with Monkey opening at a club in Santa Cruz around 1999ish. The girl who said she was happy to see me dancing because it made her mom, who was there, feel young.
12. Agent Orange with The Clay Wheels opening at The Blank Club. Some girl fondling my ass nicely and then she got kicked out.
13. Slacktone with The Submersions opening at The Brookdale Lodge. Dancing with an 8 year old girl. Then getting totally lost in dancing ecstatically by myself to Slacktone.
14. My birthday trip seeing The Slackers at Ashkenash in Berkeley and then at The Phoenix in Petaluma the next night, and skating in the art pool at Yerba Buena in between.
15. Bad Manners with Monkey opening in Corona.
16. The Monkey 10th anniversary show at The Blank Club.
17. Most of the Rocksteady Lounge shows in Milpitas.

happy...

Fun times on boards with 4 wheels

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The clips are from today (9/23/2007) and last weekend. There is an amusing crash at the end. The skaters are Ty, Sam, Chris, and more.

Deal's Gone Bad at the SJ Brit

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Monkey opened, then Deal's Gone Bad closed, and finally there was the after party at Julio's. Good times. photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/milesgehm/sets/72157602033810143/

Britannia Arms Downtown

Thursday 9/13 7-11 PM

All ages until 10 PM

Monkey up first

Deal's Gone Bad

There is a thread on BayAreaSka about this show here: www.bayareaska.com/SKAboard/topic.asp?TO PIC_ID=4030

Daikaiju at Hotel Utah Surf Sunday

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September 16, 2007 These guys are from Alabama and they are just amazing.  If you ever get the chance to see them, do it!

tale of woe

I got hurt again. Skating at Sunnyvale last night. I am that park's bitch!

1. torn acl
2. turned ankle
3. really turned ankle

All at SV. Considering I skate there 10% of the time, it is quite a track record. I might have to stick to CSP.

I was on the verge of leaving last night. I was feeling decent. After my ankle got warmed up I could forget about it. I had made some nice extended bert slides for the first time in a month. I was practicing my 360s. Flinging sweat like a sprinkler. This guy totally runs into me. I fall down, twisting the fuck out of my bad ankle. I roll on the ground trying not to sob or scream.

I had just bought a really good ankle brace (thanks Nate!) or I'm sure it would have snapped. The dude who ran into me is a nice guy and felt bad. I hopped to my van. It hurt so bad driving home.

I get home.
My wife is pissed. "Why did you do that?" "Why don't you know your limits?"
My son is pissed. "Now we can't skate this weekend!"
So much for sympathy. At least I have lots of SELF pity.
I get the ice packs out of the freezer and 3 beers and retreat to the TV room.

It doesn't hurt too much this morning. I think I'll be able to skate some hills with my son. Hope I don't have to run out of anything.


enough whining
time to suck it up


Miles

20070909 my inspirat-SON

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Matt shows how to slide with style and then curs loose with his awesome street skills. What a turkey!

Dad sucks at sliding

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Sad but true. I need to work on my flexibility. And my strength. And my endurance. And my quickness. And my style. Good thing I love to skate.

Santa Cruz skate park June 2007 2 of 2

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I don't appear!

Santa Cruz skate park June 2007 1 of 2

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I don't appear!

RUDE van RUDE man

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An ode to my van. Music is 1. Rudeboy Is Back In Town by Laurel Aitken With Court Jester's Crew on Jamboree 2. Rudie Can't Fail by The Cocktail Preachers on Charlie Does Surf (a surf tribute to The Clash)

English Beat at The Catalyst in Santa Cruz

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A long and very nice version of SAVE IT FOR LATER. February 9, 2007. This was the show that The Uptones opened for them.

Hey, I've posted a new episode on my podcast.
Check it out; I think you'll like it!

Title: Skate and enjoy! ROCKSTEADY
Episode: English Beat - I Just Can't Stop It - side 1 of USA album

http://milesgehm.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2007-08-24T00_02_05-07_00

Enjoy!


Click here to get your own player.

English Beat - I Just Can't Stop It - side 1 of USA album

August 24, 2007 12:02AM

I bought this album early in 1982, when I was going to grad school at Caltech in Pasadena. The reverberations are still felt 25 years later!

This album more than any other got me hooked on ska. I saw them 3 times back in the day. The most memorable was when they opened for The Clash at the Hollywood Palladium.

The track list is

Mirror in the Bathroom
Hands off...She's Mine
Two Swords
Twist & Crawl
Tears of a Clown
Rough Rider
Click Click

I suggest that you turn it way the hell up and dance!

Orange Cove skate park rules!

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It is a great park. I wish I had some really ripping footage of it, but I just don't rip that hard. Lots of fun in the hot hot sun on Sunday 8/19/2007.

Higgins channels Tupac

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THE JOKES last song at The Crossroads on 8/18/2007

BenD at CSP

trying out viddler

Rob at Nantucket Skate Park

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At least that is what I think his name was. Nice guy and a good skater.

My most interesting flickr photos [2007 08 12]

slideshow!!! queers methadones manges at bottom of the hill

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The Queers show 6/14/2007 at The Bottom of the Hill was epic. I had the bruises to prove it. In an evening of great punk rock, the highlight for me was Danny Vapid doing CINDY'S ON METHADONE with The Queers. The next day I headed over to Santa Cruz to skate for the first time at the new park. My long father's day weekend got off to a killer start.

 The backround songs are by Screeching Weasel: Cindy's on Methadone, and Hanging out with You Tonight.

BenD great run until the end at CSP

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He lived.

I skate CSP half pipe

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About 2.5 minutes of me doing what I can, with the really sucky parts cut out. I call it fun. At 2:20 Chris Henderson makes his appearance and after that the skating is good. The song is by THE TOMORROW MEN, from their 4 song EP. http://www.myspace.com/tomorrowmen

Tomorrow Men slide show

Tomorrow Men at THEE PARKSIDE 2/2

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The dancer blocking your view towards the end is me. Sorry about that. Tomorrow Men yesterday (Saturday July 21, 2007) The Tomorrow Men were awesome yesterday. I don't think I can describe in musical terms what they do right, but I've seen lots of bands and I know what I like. They have it. Loud. Fast. Ton of energy. Waves of reverb. Solid rhythm section and flaming lead guitar. They are clearly having mucho fun being on stage and playing in a little dive. Guys in wheel chairs were rocking out. Feet were tapping. I wasn't the only one dancing! Women who had come to see other bands were shaking it. They have a myspace http://www.myspace.com/tomorrowmen http://www.myspace.com/theeparkside 1600 17th street , S.F. C.A. 94107. 415-252-1330

Tomorrow Men at THEE PARKSIDE 1/2

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Tomorrow Men yesterday (Saturday July 21, 2007) The Tomorrow Men were awesome yesterday. I don't think I can describe in musical terms what they do right, but I've seen lots of bands and I know what I like. They have it. Loud. Fast. Ton of energy. Waves of reverb. Solid rhythm section and flaming lead guitar. They are clearly having mucho fun being on stage and playing in a little dive. Guys in wheel chairs were rocking out. Feet were tapping. I wasn't the only one dancing! Women who had come to see other bands were shaking it. They have a myspace http://www.myspace.com/tomorrowmen http://www.myspace.com/theeparkside 1600 17th street , S.F. C.A. 94107. 415-252-1330