Sheepshead Bay, East 21st Street. 1980.
Famous for "going to school, but not going IN school," the two Sals---me and...well...Sal...were dealing out gin in his basement when WNEW-FM knocked with "Sister Europe." For the entire 5 minutes, we were convinced it was the new Bowie single.
"Who the f**k are the Psychedelic Furs? Gin, by the way."
"No idea, but that was great!"
Spent the next day’s English class in Zig Zag Records on Avenue U, where I got this promo you see below for $3.98.
That's a damn good memory and it came to me the second the drums hit on the track.
I love the first four Furs records and I actually don't mind any of those that followed, especially the most recent, "Made For Rain," which is actually as good any of their classic four. Listening to the debut last night and loving every track, shot this record up to the top. It also made me have another flashback, this time to Los Angeles, 1987, and seeing the Furs at the Universal Amphitheatre. I was with another Sheepshead Bay pal. This one not named Sal. He was sitting with a scowl on his face, as per usual, wondering what the hell I heard in this "awful band." I replied, "There's life after Led Zeppelin." And out of the side of his mouth he replied, "No there isn't."
6 comments:
With so many bands featuring warring siblings, it's refreshing to see Richard and Tim Butler pretty much on the same page as they have guided the Furs over the past 40+ years.
First heard Talk, Talk, Talk at college while working in the campus record store. Then saw them tour for Forever Now at the Adams Ave. Theater in San Diego. I think Dream Syndicate opened. Great gig and I still enjoy the Furs. I know what I’m listening to tomorrow!
BTW, saw Elvis C and band last night. Two hours 40 minutes of great music without a break. Charlie Sexton on guitar, too. Catch them when they come to your town.
- Paul in DK
I purchased the first Furs album at Zig Zag as well. My grandparents lived in the apartment building at Bedford and U. Good, good times.
@heartsofstone
Was that you?!!
:)
I miss those days and that hood.
Hahahaha. Great memories (and I loved the guy's retort about there being life after Led Zep). But I'm laughing because I misread the opening anecdote. You wrote that you and Sal 2.0 were skipping high school and in a basement dealing out gin. I blanched a little and thought, Dear god, they were skipping high school to drink gin in the middl of the day? That's some hardcore toughs! Then I realized you were playing the card game gin and my sense of you was back in place and all was right with the world. I play a mean game of gin, by the way.
Saw the Furs last night at Pier 17. Pretty solid show. Minor complaint; of the 17 songs played, 6 were from Made of Rain. That is fine but Richard Butler (or somebody on stage) could have done something to introduce the songs. At one point, they played 3 songs in a row from Rain w/o any mention. As a result, most of the casual fans near me ignored them and drank their beer and yelled over each other.
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