Chris Stein Negative
Glam Skanks & Cherie Currie NYE
• • • • • • •
Kim Fowley Steve Strange Leslie Gore Gail Zappa Holly Woodlawn Scott Weiland Lemmy Kilmister
This year we said goodbye to some extremely influential musical icons. As with any time in history, it’s always hard to let go of the people who touched and shaped our lives, but the best thing we can do is remember what they taught us, good or bad, personally and universally, in success and failure… And rock on as they would if they could tell us then what they know now, wherever they may be. I highly recommend exploring the lives and works of these legendary figures as Plastics Life Magazine honors them in this special tribute issue along with some of 2015’s highlights, favorites and special events. As we say goodbye, let us send our prayers and wishes for positive new beginnings.
By Lexa Vonn
Musician, producer, songwriter, fashion icon and famed manager to The Runaways, Kim Fowley sadly lost his battle to bladder cancer this January. Fowley was a known character amongst the L.A. music scene from the 1960s on. He first heard the calling to keep rock n’ roll alive when news of
the infamous Buddy Holly plane crash hit the papers in 1959. From that point on, Kim formed and promoted musical acts and penned original songs with dozens of artists including KISS, Cat Stevens, Helen Reddy and Alice Cooper. Having created The Runaways, he was a pioneer in the concept of all-girl rock bands and a continued supporter of female artists up to the day he died. He is credited with being the inspiration behind promoter John Brower's call to
2
John Lennon that resulted in the last-minute appearance of the Plastic Ono Band at the Toronto Rock n’ Roll Revival on September 13, 1969 where he was the emcee. At this event, Fowley also created the iconic experience of having the audience light matches and lighters to welcome a nervous John Lennon to the stage. Notorious for his outrageous statements in fashion and sexual rebellion, Kim was one of the longest standing bachelors in rock n’ roll, only finding true love in his last years with music executive Kara Wright, of whom he married in 2014. Throughout the years, Kim often mentored me with advice in our frequent passing within the underbelly of the Hollywood music industry and cult club scene. During an appearance on the Married to the Music radio show, Kim singled in on me and rambled a soliloquy “Malcolm McLaren Rock n’ Roll Swindle-esque” list of rules for survival. Conspiring in the kitchen of the studio where the show was being broadcast, he gave me some words of advice I will never forget.
5.28.59-2.12.15 Less than a month after the passing of Kim Fowley, we lost another icon of underrated cultural contribution. Known in the US mostly as the singer of 80s new wave band Visage, who gained popularity with the hit “Fade to Grey,” Steve Strange was hospitalized in Egypt this February after having had ongoing breathing problems. According to reports, he suffered a fatal heart attack. Most don’t realize that Steve was featured in David Bowie’s “Ashes to Ashes” video, selected by Bowie himself, when the famous King of Androgyny visited the London nightclub Steve ran, The Blitz Club, in search of fashion forward trendsetters. Steve Strange was famous for providing a fabulous guaranteed nightlife experience by allowing only the most decadent and creatively dressed patrons to enter his domain. Pioneering the New Romantic scene that heavily influenced early 80s MTV and
3
New Wave fashion, The Blitz Club helped launch the careers of Spandau Ballet, Bananarama, Billy Idol and Culture Club. Having gotten his start working at one of Malcolm McLaren’s clothing stores, Steve passed on the tradition by hiring a then unknown Boy George to work as the coat check “girl” at The Blitz. Steve Strange was so dedicated to his own dress code, he once refused Mick Jagger entry for being a slobbering underdressed drunk.
It’s not about who you are It’s about who you could be!
4
Acid wash deconstructed slim fit jeans (left) and Breakfast Club at Tiffany’s sequined wool net sweater dress (top) avail at: http://plasticsclothing.ecrater.com
5
What’s On My Face?
Eyes: Foxes Cosmetics loose shimmer in Southern Girl and Blue Orchid, Smashbox gel liner in black. Lips: Shany lipgloss in Corset brushed with blue EyeKandy glitter.
Eyes: Sleek Cosmetics Acid Pallete with Too Faced Shadow Insurance primer. Lips: Karma by Dose of Color.
Eyes: NYX Cosmetics shadow in Hot Orange. Lips: NYX Wicked Lippie in Immortal.
6
7
Chris Stein/Negative
From high-end glitz to DIY punk, Angelinos came out dressed to impress at Chris Stein’s Negative exhibit with Debbie Harry.
Blondie songwriter and guitarist Chris Stein released a book of candid shots of Debbie Harry and other iconic figures from the glam and punk scene of the early 70s back in September 2014 called Chris Stein/Negative. The photos, which were all taken by Stein, were on display this year in L.A. at two back-toback parties held to celebrate the legacy. The first one, held on April 30th at the trendy Paul Smith boutique on Melrose Ave. in West Hollywood, was open to the public and packed with music fans and fashionistas. 8
9
Don’t Label Me Wool Sweater Avail at http://plasticsclothing.ecrater.com 10
The second event for Chris Stein’s photography exhibit was a private reception/cocktail party on the roof of the historic Roosevelt Hotel for friends and colleagues of Blondie. The Roosevelt is said to be one of the city’s most haunted locations, most notoriously by the ghost of Marilyn Monroe. One of the ballrooms on the lower level also held the first Academy Awards after party. I didn’t see Oscar or Marilyn at this particular party, but there were plenty of stars. After receiving an invitation from Miss Guy of The Toilet Boys, who was DJing the event, I arrived early and sat on one of the comfy black and white striped couches where I was chatted up by Blondie’s production team who expressed interest in possibly reviving my singing career. They were very nice and helped ease my social tension by asking me lots of questions. Although I am a famed social butterfly, I was on a sobriety kick and hadn’t been to many parties since making that decision, so I was feeling awkward and introverted. Nonetheless, I was gracious to have been invited and did have an epic moment dancing with Debbie Harry and Susan Sarandon. Also in attendance were RuPaul, Donovan Leitch, Exene Cervenka, Jody Watley, Siobhan Fahey of Bananarama and Giorgio Moroder, but I didn’t get a chance to talk to any of them. You know that feeling you have when you know something is going to happen but you still freak out when it does? That’s what happened to me. I knew Miss Guy and Boy George were friends but when George and his entourage waltzed into the party as if on cue, I had a panic attack and ran to the bathroom. In case you don’t know, I’m a huge Culture Club fan. I rarely get star struck by anyone, but I had the BIGGEST crush on Boy George when I was a kid! I used to sit in my room and draw ads for the imaginary fashion line we’d own one day when we were married and living in MTV land. I’d talked to George on Twitter in recent years but I didn’t know if he’d recognize me. Despite my nervousness, I mustered up the will to approach him. His face lit up as soon as he saw me and we embraced like we’d known each other for all eternity, as we probably have. Unfortunately, I didn’t RuPaul, Cindy Cowan & Boy George get to spend as much time with him as I would have liked due to the amount of people vying for his attention, but we did share some funny Goth jokes and he gave me the green light to record a cover of “Karma Chameleon.” I wanted to ask him to produce it but the subject changed and I was timid. George totally makes me feel like a little kid and I wanted to follow him around holding his hand all night long, but I didn’t want to be annoying so I let him go after having the pleasure for a few minutes. He had the softest hands I ever felt in my life! Perhaps, it’s due to the fact that I’ve been celibate for over a year, but in that moment it was more exciting than every lover I’ve ever had! Okay, fangirl moment over. Check out some photos from the party on the next page. 11
Debbie & George vamping photogs.
Lexa, Miss Guy & Boy George
Dancing with Debbie Harry Lexa & celebrity stylist David Thomas
Miss Guy and Lexa
Mayra Dias Gomes, Susan Sarandon & Debbie Harry. 12
13
Greek Theater, L.A.
Lexa Vonn & John Moss
Despite the funeral that was the greater part of 2015, there was the exceptional highlight of the Culture Club reunion. As I was too young to see them in the 80s, getting to cover their reunion tour was a dream come true! In fact, I think I somewhat harassed Boy George into doing it… Anyway, here’s a look back at a few of my favorite moments from The Greek Theater performances on July 23th and 24th.
Fans had been biting their nails with anticipation on whether or not the Culture Club reunion would indeed be a full one after drummer Jon Moss was reported to be missing due to visa delays and injuries for all the pre-tour press appearances and first three shows. I felt a bit of a proud mum when I learned that he was present the night of the 23rd. After following along and acting as Boy George’s Jiminy Cricket throughout the ups and downs of the construction of this reunion, I truly felt like it was my triumph, as well as theirs. I’m glad something good came out of the complete destruction of my life that sent me crying “Karma Chameleon” when this began, but that’s another story! Not only did Mr. Moss make it, he rocked! He’s a really amazing drummer. The entire band is incredibly talented and I honestly can’t say there was a single song I didn’t enjoy. The set was pretty much the same both nights, consisting of all the classic hits, “Karma Chameleon,” “Do You Really Wanna Hurt Me,” “Time,” “I’ll Tumble For Ya,” as well as some tracks off their upcoming album, Tribes. The entire set was performed against a giant screen displaying old videos and clips of the band throughout the years. I wasn’t near the stage the first night, so I slipped into the boys’ dressing room backstage to introduce myself after the show. I met Roy, Mikey and the legendary Jon Moss for the first time and they were all sweet. It was quite surreal having Jon read the message on my skirt meant for George, “Love, The Plastics.” “I made it!” I said with a childish grin. “Yes, you did.” He said with a sparkle in his eyes that I’m sure was sub-conscious as I doubt he knew anything about me, but it was one of those funny cosmic moments.
I looked around. “Where is George?” No one knew. Hmmm…. I gave myself a tour of the backstage walls that were lined with framed posters of musicians that had played there after exiting the band’s dressing room but there was no sign of George. So, I snapped a pic of the Morrissey poster and tweeted it cause Morrissey is part of our inside Twistory jokes. I went on my own and I went home alone… but I didn’t exactly cry and want to die like the Moz lyrics of “How Soon Is Now,” cause there was another Culture Club show tomorrow!
14
I had originally made one outfit only for Culture Club, but when I got the email notifying me that I was on the guest list for the second show, I had to think quick. Since Boy George had said, “it’s like a wedding being here! You know, something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” the night before, I decided to give my “Like a Virgin” dress a “Karma Chameleon” makeover. I shredded the skirt in layers of mesh and lace and spray painted the whole thing with streaks of gold and green. Okay, Boy George Friend… make-believe land wedding, it is. When I arrived, several fans asked for pictures with me, which I am always happy to oblige, and then I took my place in front of the stage to wait for the sparks to fly as “Always Something There to Remind Me” by Naked Eyes played over the PA right before the lights went out. The theme of the show ran much like a history lesson of pop culture as told by Professor Boy George, complete with tribute speeches to the artists that influenced Culture Club and stories from George’s schoolboy days to the rise of the band. There were tributes to Johnny Cash, Joni Mitchell and Sly Stone. However, I think the most interesting tribute of the evening went to Morrissey. If that was a tribute, it was the kind one would give their high school rival. “I know you love a Goth,” George said with a snide laugh to a befuddled crowd before shooting me a half playing/half serious glare. “And tonight, this is the closest to Morrissey you’re gonna get!” Hiding an annoyed huff behind grinning laughter, he sasses, “I know secretly Morrissey wishes he wrote this song. This one’s called “I’ll Tumble for You.” Uh oh, I’m in trouble. It’s not my fault Morrissey poster was backstage and you weren’t last night, George. Goodness, are we really doing this in front of a sold out audience? Awkward!
15
Not as awkward as when he approached me in between songs and told me to turn around and face the audience so they could see what I was wearing, though! “Turn around,” he told me. Ah… what? “Go ahead, turn so they can see you.” Sheepishly, I complied. “Look at her!” he commanded the audience while pointing at me. “Everyone, this girl is the real deal!” On the inside, I felt a bit of a deer in headlights, but as a performer my body takes on a life of its own in front of a live audience. I didn’t want to jump onstage, so instead I leaned against his legs and ran my arm up his back giving him a kind of backwards hug with my head back nestled into him as people took pictures. “Her tweets frighten me, though!” he giggled batting his lashes at me. “Fuck you!” I laughed flipping him off. Ah… hi, hometown where I work and live. Did I mention my secret affair with Boy George? Well, now you know. Excuse me while I die of embarrassment, as I seem to have misplaced the performance contract I should have gotten? I’m just going to suppress that little panic attack so I can enjoy the rest of the show and chalk it up to a one of a kind concert experience. Was he like this in the 80s?! I think Boy George is like in love with me or something and apparently insanity makes more sense than asking me on a date. Love has been a topic George keeps bringing up throughout the show and in all interviews as of late. “I don’t love like I used to. I’m different now. I’m not crazy anymore. I don’t want a love that makes me mental or jealous.” He keeps saying these things over and over. Honey, you’re fighting with Morrissey posters and forcing people to look at me! I really think we should talk… without an audience. Of course, he was nowhere to be found after the show, but he looks amazing and I got some beautiful photos.
16
17
18
Leslie Gore 5.2.46-2.16.15 Before Debbie Gibson and Britney Spears, there was pop singer Leslie Gore, a 16 year old radical from New York who’s lyrics for the time were more rebellious than most of her male counterparts. Best known for the hits, “You Don’t Own Me” and “Its My Party, I’ll Cry If I Want To,” Gore was a key figure in feminism and a pioneer for women in the music industry, writing the majority of her own songs. Leslie Gore came out as a lesbian in 2005 and had been in a relationship with her partner for 33 years when she lost her battle to lung cancer this year. Leslie was one of the inspirations behind by former band, Ophelia Rising. A dark dance cover of “You Don’t Own Me” appears on our 2001 EP Step 1:Acknowledge You Are Part of the System. The cover was the finale to our live show and aided in getting us banned from several clubs on the Sunset Strip because I would sing it while tearing off a housedress to reveal a fascist lingerie getup that ended in a thong and pasties as I threw cupcakes into the audience and simulated sexual acts with go-go dancers and audience members. Girl power singers, such as Katie Perry and Miley Cyrus, would later emulate elements of our infamous act. In 2005, Gore released a new version of the song on Ever Since, her 1st album of new material since Love Me By Name in 1976.
Warhol Superstar, actress, performance artist and transgender icon Holly Woodlawn (born Haroldo Santiago Franceschi Rodriguez Danhakl) fell ill this summer and passed away just a few weeks ago from brain and liver cancer. She was highly influential in the underground art world and was a muse to Andy Warhol and Lou Reed. The first verse of Reed’s famous song, “Walk On the Wild Side” is a biographical tale of Holly’s journey from a 16-year-old boy in Miami to a girl hustling the streets of New York. Though Woodlawn never went through with full gender reassignment surgery, she identified herself as female and lived as such. Best known for her parts in Warhol’s Trash and Paul Morrissey’s Women In Revolt, Holly is one of the most recognizable faces of the Warhol Factory Superstars and an icon to trans, drag & the LGB community.
Wife to legendary musician/composer Frank Zappa, Gail was truly the mother to her husband’s band, The Mothers of Invention. She met Frank while working as a secretary at The Whisky a Go-Go and aided in the hippie and “freak scene” of the 1960s, adopting various musicians, groupies, fashion designers and artists into their family, as well as birthing four children of their own. Gail was a notable music industry lioness and ran the majority of Frank’s business affairs with an iron fist. In 2002, Gail founded the Zappa Family Trust, a holder for the title and copyright to Frank's musical and artistic products, as well as his commercial image. In 2015, the Trust was given to her son Ahmet shortly before she died of lung cancer. I met Gail through famed rock n’ roll author, Pamela Des Barres during promotion of Lets Spend the Night Together: Backstage Secrets of Rock Muses and Supergroupies, a book we were both featured in. While the odds remain greatly stacked against us, Gail is proof that sometimes you can live happily ever after with your rock star. Frank passed away in 1993 after enjoying a 33-year-long loving marriage and extended family of beautiful children and scene pioneering friends.
20
Rock and Roll Heroine Iceberg pink denim jacket Avail at http://plasticsclothing.ecrater.com
21
It’s sad to say that when Scott passed away earlier this month, no one was surprised. The singer/songwriter/musician best known for providing vocals in the 90s staple band Stone Temple Pilots and the Guns N’ Roses spinoff Velvet Revolver, Weiland was a long sufferer of hard drug abuse. His death was ruled an accidental overdose when he was found in his bus bunk bed while on tour with his latest project, The Wildabouts. Reports listed a mixture of cocaine, alcohol and the ecstasy similar drug, MDA in his body. MDA, which is basically the speedy kind of ecstasy falsely sold as MDMA, is not something one would typically mix with cocaine on purpose as cocaine reduced the euphoric feeling and increases the speed, both ingredients being a known killer when mixed with alcohol. My guess is he bought or was given bad cocaine that he mistook for being pure and attempted to mellow the high with booze. Yet another reason for celebrities to avoid drug use as addicts are easy targets for possible homicides. Scott’s ex-wife, Mary Forsberg spoke out against glorifying this tragedy the way rock n’ roll has with fallen stars of the past. Smashing Pumpkins singer Billy Corgan referred to Weiland as one of three voices of a generation, along with Kurt Cobain and Layne Staley. I met Scott at an STP show when I was 16 after being given a backstage pass by one of his crewmembers during an outdoor concert with Butthole Surfers in the mid-90s. We shared a beer and chatted about music as I was enrolled at Berklee School of Music’s summer semester that year, having passed the entry exam despite my age. That fall, the same crew member contacted me to meet Kurt Cobain as he had transferred to the Nirvana tour, but Kurt refused to have an after party the night I was in attendance, opting to stay in his private dressing room. While I never met Kurt, my shortly following interactions with Courtney Love, Evan Dando and Billy Corgan and former meeting with Alice In Chains paint a dismal portrait of the grunge era and 90s artists as a whole. I remain extremely disappointed in the influence this decade had on sub-culture and I’m not going to sugarcoat it. I thoroughly support the views in Mary Forsberg’s letter to the press.
22
23
Plastics Owner, Chief Editor, Writer, Graphic Designer, Makeup, Art Direction, Stylist, Fashion Designer Lexa Vonn
24
Plastics Girl Tater Skye 25
Plastics Girl Alena Dawn 26
Featured: NYX Neon shadows in Hot Orange, Hot Yellow. Lips: Dose of Color in Karma NYX Cosmetics. NYX has come a long way from the cheap drugstore brand it used to be known as. While their prices are still extremely low compared to other brands, their quality is equal if not far surpassed many other budget brands. They now have several lines within their collection including the Pro line featuring their highest quality products and the Wicked line, which caters to alternative colors and fashion trends for the edgier clientele. They’re also cruelty-free which is a necessity to me. NYX is by far my favorite low-end brand and they just recently opened several flagship stores! How wonderful to see an industry underdog give stores like Sephora a run for their money? Some of my fave NYX products this year were: Wicked Lippie in Immortal, Eyebrow Cake Powder kits and the neon Primal Colors eye shadow collection. Dose of Colors. This indie brand is only sold online and at pro stores but I found their liquid to matte lip stains to be of better quality than most and they inspired me to try a lipstick color I’d never worn before called Karma. I never knew how good a bright orange lipstick could look on me, but I was pleasantly surprised at how it photographed and they are vegan and cruelty-free!
27
Too Faced STARDUST palette. This limited edition shadow palette came with small sizes of the Better Than Sex Mascara and Shadow Insurance primer, both excellent products. The mascara glides on smoothly and doubles the length of your lashes and the primer truly maximizes the pigment in even the cheapest brands of shadows. Too Faced is one of my go to brands for palettes containing colors versatile enough to go bold and dramatic, as well as always including some nice neutrals and shimmery highlighters. I especially liked ‘Double Tap’, the unique shade of dark burgundy.
I used Selfie & Millennial to give my model, Sarza a soft natural glow, dramatized only by a thin winged tip in Sin City.
I went to the opposite side of the palette by blending Pink Pearl with The Strip as my brow highlighter & applied Double Tap in the crease & under my lash line with a round tip brush to smoke it out. I accented with dabs & stripes of Follow Me for maximum glam.
28
Shany Lip-gloss. Shany is only sold online but they are worth the shipping wait. At under $10 each, these lipglosses are superior to most I’ve tried in all price ranges. They are opaque including the glitters and stay in place without over drying & cracking like liquid to mattes. I rarely need to use lip liner with these, a definite bargain! Pictured here is Corset, a true bluebased red and Vortex, a sharp maximum sparkle purple.
Urban Decay NAKED Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup in 0.5. I can’t live without this foundation! As a natural a redhead, it is SO hard to find a foundation light enough to match my skin. It’s cruelty-free and infused with anti-aging peptides, light diffusers and is free of cancer causing parabens. This product, which retails at $40, is worth every penny. It works well with the Urban Decay Magic Karma Optical Blurring brush, as well as with any beauty blender sponge.
Kryolan Aqua Colors. Kryolan began as a theater makeup line but is sold at many pro stores and is my absolute favorite eye makeup for creating colorful 70s glam and 80s New Wave looks. There are many series in the Aqua collection including Metallics, Neons and Iridescents. I find they go on best using my fingers. I just add a drop of water, swirl onto my fingertip and apply on my lids like finger painting. They can also be used on the lips and face. 29
Used: Kryolan Aquacolors and Ben Nye Glitter in Prism 30
This year I ventured out into Hollywood’s up and coming art gallery scene. As the city loses many of its historical businesses like the famed House of Blues, torn down on Sunset Strip in August, the interest in music history documentation is blooming. Last year Sex Pistols photographer Dennis Morris exhibited his collection of Sex Pistols photos in a show called Bollocks at The Seventh Letter Gallery on Fairfax in the heart of Hollywood. The reception was packed with press and celebrities including Billy Idol. This year Morris came back to Seventh Letter with his photography exhibit on Bob Marley. Rock photographer Mick Rock also made a splash with the premiere of his David Bowie exhibit, Shooting for Stardust: The Rise of David Bowie and Company at the hip Taschen Gallery on Beverly Blvd in West Hollywood. I attended both artist receptions and enjoyed mingling with artists, press, music historians and fashion fans, who were all welcomed to interact with the art in their own documentation.
Musician/Film Maker Trip Loon poses with Ziggy Stardust at Taschen Gallery.
Punk Museum Curator Tequila Mockingbird with Dennis Morris’ Bob Marley portrait at Seventh Letter Gallery. 31
LA Weekly reporter Lina Lecaro gets in on the window display at Chris Stein’s Negative exhibit at Paul Smith.
Musician Daniel Marley poses with photo of his legendary grandfather Bob at Seventh Letter.
Kids showing off their street styles at The Seventh Letter Gallery’s Dennis Morris Bob Marley reception.
Lexa Vonn becoming one with Mick Rock’s photo of David Bowie at Taschen Gallery, Shooting for Stardust.
32
“The biggest coward is a man who awakens the love of a woman with no intention of loving her.” – Bob Marley
33
Purple Plaid Bob Marley dress avail at http://plasticsclothing.ecrater.com 34
Unicorn Halter dress avail at: http://plasticsclothing.ecrater.com 35
As the year comes to a close, I am forced to say goodbye to someone who was a staple of my life in Hollywood as a musician, journalist, promoter and groupie. Lemmy was a friendly acquaintance, who witnessed my many incarnations throughout the years and never treated me any differently no matter what hat I wore in the moment. A man who knew who he was and lived the way he wanted under the rules he believed in until the day he died, but most importantly did so with kindness and respect to others. On top of being a one of kind true to the last breath metal God and influential pioneer of punk/metal fusion, he was also a friend to many and a staple to the history of our scene and the Sunset Strip. Lemmy was much like the grandfather of rock n' roll to all those who grew up seeing him sitting on his favorite corner bar stool playing the video machine on the Rainbow Bar & Grill patio every Saturday night before he got ill. He was always a warm, inclusive person happy to hang out with the locals, as well as let excited tourists who ventured to the Bow in hopes of seeing him, take pics and sign autographs.
When he passed away on Monday, my entire social media feed was filled with nothing but sadness and sentiment for this enormous loss to rock n’ roll. As if automatic, I somehow rose through my own pain to organize an impromptu memorial gathering at The Rainbow for one final Jack & Coke toast because I didn’t want anyone to be sitting home alone in this moment and I couldn’t think of anything Lemmy would’ve wanted more than his friends and fans partying together at the place where the majority of us met him and where his spirit will truly live on forever.
36
Taquila Mockingbird Fans gather on The Rainbow’s patio.
Lexa & Laney Chantal-White Lemmy’s barstool
Lexa Vonn
RIP Lemmy 37
PLASTICS LIFE 38
For all inquiries: Contact: Lexa Nicoletti Phone: 323-481-7972 Email: PlasticsLifeMag@gmail.com Facebook: Plastics Factory www.facebook.com/plasticsfactorycompany Twitter: @PlasticsLifeMag @PlasticsFactory
39
Ali Cat of The Glam Skanks 40
By Lexa Vonn The Monty Bar in Downtown L.A. has become one of my new favorite hangs, so when they announced that Cherie Currie from the Runaways was singing with The Glam Skanks on New Years Eve, I had to go. I always have a good time when I go to Pure Trash nights at The Monty Bar and last night was no different. What a better way to close out the year than how it began? I can’t say I’ll miss 2015, but at least I found this place. I christened it as the spot for my glitter punk disco revolution when I launched a glitter rocket from the DJ box last issue with The Adicts. This time around, the box became a stage for a full live band featuring the almost all-girl band Glam Skanks (drummer Princess Frank is a boy and one of the hardest working drummers I’ve met in L.A. in awhile) and special guest, the legendary Cherie Currie who gave me a slight fangirl moment when she hugged me and thanked me for coming right as she was getting offstage. I’m not alone in my Runaways fandom as Glenn Danzig bought a table for the night and according to inside sources, Morrissey rang management about hosting an after-party at the bar’s sister business, the art gallery next door, Lethal Amounts. Morrissey, who was performing at USC earlier in the evening was a no-show, which is probably a good thing considering Boy George is also back in town. With Dave Navarro’s Royal Machines playing the El Rey Theater and Motley Crue playing their last ever show at Staples Center, this NYE just had too much Plastics Life to choose from for me. So, I did what any Scene Queen would do and threw my support to the ladies. Being no stranger to the Misfits camp, Glenn helped me hold down the London Dungeon and ring in the New Year drama-free. We’ll see how long that lasts…
Glenn Danzig & Lexa Vonn
Ali Cat
Cherie Currie
41
42
43
Did someone say Guns N’ Roses reunion? Happy 2016, bitches!!!
44
45