Welcome to Oscar Wolford's World!!!!

First, let me reminisce of days gone past and the local music scene in San Francisco.

There seemed to be a lot more venues spread across town. The Upper Haight wasn't the strip mall it has become today since there were a few venues including the amazing I-Beam. The Stone and On Broadway brought in great acts. During the Tom Guido days at The Purple Onion there was always a spectacle, whether with the bands or Guido himself.

Touring bands had it easier in years past. I remember being too young to see Screamin' Jay Hawkins and Primus at the I-Beam...as well as the Hole and Smashing Pumpkins show. The only local bands I remember were Primus and Caroliner Rainbow at the I-Beam, though I'm sure they supported more local acts. There was the whole funk thrash thing happening in the Bay Area with bands like Limbomaniacs, does the song Butt Funking ring a bell? Dot 3...then the revelers of lo-fi monophonic and destruction like The Mummies and The Trashwomen.

Speaking of years ago, does anyone know what happened to Hemi?

While I'm at it, a moment of silence for Buck Naked since Buck Naked and the Bare Bottom Boys were one of the ballsiest bands years ago before Buck Naked was murdered.

Buck Naked and the Bare Bottom Boys

Other live venues lost included The Kilowatt (still running, but no more live bands), The Chameleon (now Amnesia and doing a great job), Paradise Lounge (did they re-open?) and for us kids, The Farm.

And venues have continued to run despite changes in San Francisco, including the dot com/bomb, like Bottom of the Hill, Cafe du Nord, etc.

But, touring America isn't what it used to be. Getting Depeche Mode to the I-Beam would take more $$ to make happen....and it's not the purpose of this blog to cover that beat. The music scene of the next generation isn't what it used to be. Kids grow up listening to mom's cool Joy Division records and they are becoming a product of that.

Not that I'm complaining, I love to see the reinterpretation of music I grew up on by bands younger than me.

Until recently Thrillhouse Records put on shows and it was the first time in years that I felt something different, something big was about to happen. When 19 year olds take charge and make a go of it without using traditional routes. Those basement shows were great until a little problem with the fire department last year...I heard that through the pipeline and don't live 1/2 block away from Thrillhouse anymore, so feel free to comment on the status of that.

Thrillhouse isn't the only underground venue. I've been asked not to write about the underground venues, not by the Chronicle, but by the places who throw the shows themselves. They want the scene under the radar. At those house parties I'll find great bands and make sure they're written up for gigs at legit venues like El Rio, etc.

Dig deeper music fans. Hang out at local record stores and grab flyers for local shows. Buy a forty ounce beer and show up at a house party.

Segue.

I saw a kid with an Operation Ivy shirt on at a Thrillhouse basement show and told him I saw Op Ivy before they broke up back in 1989. "I wish I was alive during that time, the music scene sucks now," he said.

We were saying the same thing back in the day when we found out someone saw The Stooges or MC5 or The Avengers, though Penelope Houston and members are back together for current shows.

If the local music scene isn't working for you, get mad, get frustrated, and start a project that will blow our minds. Sitting behind a computer and whining about it is a cop out.

As they used to say on KFOG, "If you don't like the news, go out and make some of your own."