The Cure For Skepticism

I wasn't a big fan of The Cure. In fact, aside from Love Cats I really, actively disliked everything else I had heard by them. Which, admittedly, wasn't a lot because what I had heard I didn't like, and why delve deep into a band's catalog if I don't like them in the first place?

I started dating Ms. Polly Purebread in the late summer of 1988. We worked at a health food store together and there was something about her that got me all antsy in the pantsy. So I screwed up the gumption to introduce myself. We realized that we had a lot of the same tastes in music; COCTEAU TWINS, Kate Bush, SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES and a lot more. However,  (cut to sound effect of car tires screeching and a needle across a record) she told me one of her favorite bands was The Cure. Not necessarily a deal breaker, but...

I didn't let that come between us and we were a happy family for 5.5 years. In fact, for her birthday I bought her a limited edition picture disc version of the latest Cure album 'Disintegration'. She was ecstatic and put it on the turntable immediately. 

'Plainsong' was the first track and I was able to ignore it. 'Pictures Of You' was next and I stopped what I was doing and just stared at the stereo. When the song was over I asked her to play that one again, and she graciously obliged. I was in love. Pictures Of You was the song that made me see the light. Ms. Polly finished playing the album (none of the other songs really hit me in the same way) and said "well, if you liked that one song let me play you this" and she proceeded to school me in all things Cure. Turns out I had only heard really bad material by them and not the good stuff. Like the 'Faith' and 'Pornography' albums. I realized that 'Let's Go To Bed' was not typical of their sound and that they were, in fact, much darker and broodier.

Skip ahead a few years and Ms. Polly came home one day with a pair of tickets to see The Cure at the very very large local sports arena. She said that she bought me a ticket but that if I didn't want to go she'd understand and take her friend. I agreed to go and we eagerly awaited the date. It was announced that The Cranes were booked to be the opening band, which was great news. Ms. Polly and I both really enjoyed their album 'Wings of Joy'.

Showtime rolls around and I had never been in our very very large local sports arena. I had attended a few area concerts but tended to not like them that much as  the sound was never good and the band always looked like they were half a mile away.  Our seats were pretty good, though, and by the time The Cranes were half way through their set the sound had been dialed in and wasn't too bad.

As is usually the case I don't remember much from the show. Luckily for all of us some intrepid taper happened to be there and captured this rather good sounding artifact of the evening. So for your edification, and dedicated to Ms. Polly Purebread and her faith that I would finally come around ot enjoying one of her favorite  bands I present to you said audience recording via youtube.

THE CURE MINNEAPOLIS JULY 13 1992

Growing Up With The Suburbs

 

I'm writing this the day after I found out about the untimely, accidental death of Suburbs guitaris Beej Chaney (swimming accident in California). 

 

I got to see the original Suburbs a handful of times back in the day. The first time was summer of 1983 when they played a free show at Loring Park. As a 15 year old New Wave die-hard I was in heaven. Being the loner weirdo that I was I didn't have any friends that were fans of the band I ended up going on my own and I was fine with that. As you can see from some of these pictures it was pretty well attended, and I jockeyed for a position close to the stage. I owned In Combo and Credit In Heaven and was not disappointed when I recognized most of the songs on offer that evening. My only other overarching memory was that it was particularly warm and I, along with the 1000 other people there, sweated our gluteus maximii off dancing. These photos and a few more are available at Go Johnny Go long with some really good recordings made by the late, great Suburbs uberfan and archivist Mr. Terry Katzman.

I had to wait almost another year before I had the opportunity to see The Suburbs again. They were booked to play a dance for the students at Washburn High School in south Minneapolis. Washburn was the school I was supposed to go to, but I opted to be bussed across the city to attend the Television Production magnet class offered at North Community High School. I had a few friends that went to Washburn and one of them was able to grab a few tickets for me, my then-girlfriend and a few of her friends, none of whom were Washburn students. I remember being nervous abut being asked to prove that we were enrolled at the school, show our student ID cards or something, but we sailed right thru after we handed the person working the door our tickets. I don't remember a thing about the Suburbs' performance that night, just that we all had a great time and were happy we were able to crash the party.

I'm pretty sure I saw the "final" concert in 1993, as by that time I was over 21. I'm not 100% positive I was there, but parts of THIS VIDEO seem really familiar, while other parts are completely foreign to me.

I was at the first reunion in 2002 which can be SEEN HERE. I recorded the show and may still have the tapes somewhere, but the video is just as easy to play so I haven't bothered digging up my cassettes.

The Suburbs opened for The B-52's at the 2003 MN State Fair and I was able to see that show thanks to the overwhelming kindness of the woman I was dating at the time. It was her fist time seeing The 'Burbs, and my first time seeing The B-52's (which is surprising considering how immensely important those early B-52's records were to me). Sadly the frat boys in the crowd made it impossible to watch the entire B-52's set, but the first 5 songs were off the first 2 albums so my New Wave yen was satiated.

With a heavy heart I attended the 2010 Bruce Allen Tribute concert at First Avenue where another favorite local band The Suicide Commandos opened. TPT did a nice piece on the whole thing that can be SEEN HERE. It was a great, if heartbreaking, show and everyone stepped up to the plate to remember Bruce Allen. He's been sorely missed ever since.

I saw "The Suburbs" one last time when it was just Chan Poling (vox/keys) and Hugo Klars (drums) and a bunch of new members, but I don't really consider this version to be the actual Suburbs.

So here's to the memory of Bruce, Beej, and Terry Katzman, and the joy they brought me.