Napalm Baby's

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Here's more of my old photos researched with the help of liked minded fans in the 1980's Punk Rockers in London, Ontario Facebook group during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-21.

The Napalm Baby's were a hardcore/punk band of young men from the Byron suburb of London. The photo album at left (click on the image) is from a gig at the Embassy Hotel in East London sometime in 1982 or so. The Napalm Babies played that night with a similar Toronto band called "Youth, Youth, Youth". I believe this was  October 18, 1982 with D.O.A. as the headlining act — but, no promises, I didn't file things away with notes.

At that time the Napalm Baby's were: Dave Newsome (vox), Dan Husband (gtr), Rob Johnston (gtr), Bruce Fisher (bass), and Wayne Fisher (drums). The band formed in 1981 and evolved into "Condo Christ" around 1986. What Wave #24 (Dave O'Halloran's fanzine) documents the changing band members over the years.

Dave Newsome, in the photo, was really intense. I had a fish-eye Sigma 16mm lens and got up close for the picture. He was replaced by Jamie Conyers sometime around 1985.

On Facebook Jade Mitchell recalls: "Fun fact. I dated Dave Newsome when I was 18, I worked at A&M records in Westmount mall, he came in wearing a cowboy hat and plaid shirt, he was shopping for some Country music, I suggested he buy the Tubes album, the rest might be history. 😉 Oh, our first date was Texas chain saw massacre at the Mustang. hahahaha...". I loved the Tubes, "White Punks on Dope" from "What Do You Want from Live" (1978) was a drunken tune we philosphers would yell from the roof of my apartment at the Lord Dufferin. Daniel Rudbal recalls the line ".. Mom and Dad live in Hollywood, hang my self when I get enough rope.." and I tell the younger folk that "I was a punk before you were" (another great tune from that album).

Larry Brandt (of Dead Rabbits and Flying Squad) described the band as "5 Byron Boogs". That had me stumped, I know about Byron but had never heard of "boogs". He explained that "Boog was a nickname for the mischievous and wayward youths of Byron that ended up harassing cops, exploring sewer tunnels and playing in rock n roll and punk bands. Not sure who started that name."

You can find some of their music on Bandcamp — try this link for music from the "Boot to the Head" CD and from the "Animals Fight Back" C90. See also the very brief entry on Discogs. And search around on Youtube — there are some Fryfogle's videos.

Finally, this note composed during May, 2021 with the help of fans found on Facebook. Photos were taken at the time, scanned around 2012 and only recently shared.

D.O.A. Embassy Tavern

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More D.O.A. pictures from long ago. These are from BW negatives I've recently found and scanned (March 2021). They were in a folder dated 1983 but  research with fellow fans on Facebook tells me the event was Monday, October 18, 1982 (see D.O.A. tour dates). 

The show was at the Embassy Tavern and would have been the first time Kate and I ever saw them. There's a post by the stage that makes me think it was the Embassy and comments by friends on the Facebook group 1980's Punk Rockers in London, Ontario confirm that. We saw D.O.A. several times over the years; however, this lineup is how I've always identified as "the band" even though there's been a changing cast of characters over the years. I recognize Joe Keithley (of course), Dave Gregg (second guitar), Wimpy Roy (bass) and Dimwit on the drums. 

Some searching on Google tells me they were fronted by Youth, Youth and The Napalm Babies but I can't confirm that. I do recall the seeing the Napalm Babies a few times.

They played loud fast and furious. Joey glistens with sweat in the photos and there's a picture where he clears his nose onto the stage. They were more than a little intimidating and seemed to be giants among men. If you remember the gig, tell us more.

On Facebook Marty Spacil recalls "It would have been Oct 18, 1982. I went to Toronto to set it up on Friday and the promoter wanted $10 for the cover; I talked to the band and we said $4 for a Monday so people would come. I just had Saturday and Sunday to put up flyers around town and still it wasn't super packed." 

Chris Richards confirms the date: "Yes, this is the one Oct. 18/'82. I can tell by the clothes they're wearing because I took a few photos the same night." Many thanks to both for sharing their memories.

Daniel Rudbal tells us that between 1985-2016 that he, with October Crisis and/or the Black Donnellys, fronted for D.O.A several times in London.

Kate and I were married in 1980. On a honeymoon visit to Vancouver I picked up "Something Better Change" which was one of D.O.A.'s very first albums. I don't know if I had heard the band before buying the album. Back in the day you'd often buy music on spec — "Hmm, this looks interesting". And it was interesting! The cover, especially the back cover, appealed to me. Songs like "New Age", "The Prisoner" and "World War 3" still ring out. 

The photos in this album are from my BW negatives found during the COVID-19 Pandemic in March of 2021. These have never been printed, scanned or shared before. They're contrasty, grainy and far from perfect but the memories are still vivid. 

Jerry Jeff Walker, el Macombo

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Although a great fan since the mid '70's I had the pleasure of seeing Jerry Jeff Walker only a couple of times. Both times were in Toronto, both on account of the women in my life who knew I was a fan. Once at the Horshoe Tavern during the "Man Must Carry On" era (mid '70's, a really crazy exciting time) and a second time at the el Macombo in '82 with my wife Kate who has been the excitement in my life for more than 40 years!

I've recently scanned the slides from the el Macombo show and have shared them with fans on Facebook.

As I didn't recognize the bandmates he has with him in this photo album (definitely not the Gonzos) I asked for help on the The Jerry Jeff Walker Gonzos Facebook group. 

Jeff Martin replied "That's the Bandito Band with Bobby Rambo - Guitar, Ron Cobb - Bass, Steady Freddy Krc - Drums, Reese Wynans - Keys, and Leo Leblanc - Pedal Steel". He added that "If there were horns it was Tomas Ramirez." I noted there are two guitars in the photos and wondered who the second person was. Mike Dunham says, "Other guitar player/steel is Michael Hardwick". Many thanks to both for filling that information in for me.

Freddie Krc (who really ought to know -- he was there in the band) also replied: "I was playing the Horseshoe Tavern show. That was the Bandito Band. Dave Perkins, Bobby Rambo, Reese Wynans, Leo LeBlanc, Tomas Ramirez, Ron Cobb and me. I wasn’t there in 1982. Michael Clark was the drummer from 1980-1982. I was back in the band 1983-85."

I recall that Kate and I were only recently married (August 2, 1980) and at the time we lived in our first home (Bruce & Teresa) in London. We would have rented a car to drive to Toronto for the show as we didn't own a car. It was worth the drive. 

We recall that there was some problem at the border with the band.  Bow Raps confirms our recollections and added: "I was there at the good ol’ el Macombo. There was to be 2 shows that afternoon, evening, if I recall. But he was there early enough but the band was held up at the border. Man, what a scene outside when some fella was tossed out on his ass. Just because of of the holdup. Fantastic show. We went up stairs outside his dressing room and he autographed my hat. The highlight of the evening was when he played Backsliders Wine." For me the highlight of the evening was "Layin' My Life on the Line" -- a song about touring, singing and making a commitment to your audience. It's a tune with some melancholy to it, it pulls at your heart strings.

P.s. After posting the above it came to me that we had also seen Jerry Jeff at the Ray Wylie Hubbard 70th birthday bash at the Paramount Theatre in Austin November 12, 2016 where he came on stage to sing a few tunes with his old friend who authored "Red Neck Mothers" made famous on the "Viva Terlingua!" album recorded live in the Luckenbach dance hall back in the days of the Gonzo band.

For more information on Jerry Jeff Walker see this excellent article, Mr Record Man: Jerry Jeff Walker, from Lone Star Music Magazine and explore the Jerry Jeff Walker Topic on Youtube. Within this blog there are several entries on topic as well. He was, and remains, a big influence on our lives.

This note composed '22/11/23, slides scanned at that time.

Forgotten Rebels

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Our friend Dave O'Halloran (aka What Wave Dave on CHRW) has been sharing on Facebook, with our grateful permission, photos that we had taken of various bands back in the 1980's. Yesterday (July 31, 2024) Dave writes in 1980's Punk Rockers in London, Ontario group:

"Some more Reg Quinton pics, this time it's the Forgotten Rebels at Fryfogles, London ON circa 1982.

At the time the band consisted of; Mickey De Sadist [voice], Mike Mirabella [guitar], John Welton [bass] and Robert Allan [drums]. There's a few pictures from a second show at Fryfogles with a different drummer."

Fryfogles was an important venue on Dundas St in London that was lost to urban renewal many years. ago. The Forgotten Rebels, who still perform with an evolving lineup centered around Mickey de Sadist, were a Hamilton band who sometimes played in London and area. We were fans and even had them stay with us at our home in Wortley Village a couple of times after Cedar Lounge gigs. We saw the rather crappy accommodation offered upstairs at the Cedar Lounge and encouraged them to come stay with us when ever they needed a warm place. Their hope was always that they'd meet up with some "hot chicks" and stay elsewhere ... hopes and dreams seldom realized.

Some Facebook discussion followed. Page Graham asks, "Okay Reg...'fess up! How in the world did you manage to afford so much film, not to mention processing? Back then, I was lucky to get a 36 or a couple of rolls of 24 from the Gazette for an assignment. Yeah...I was basically a broke-ass student. 😉"

And I replied, "Page Graham thanks for asking. I was a grad student in Philosophy and a sessional lecturer in Computer Science. I was, and still am, married to a wonderful supportive woman who had a good job, Kate is a PhD in Psychology, and supported my "art". We would buy film in 50' lengths, wind onto our own cartridges and develop in our basement. We weren't working on a deadline, just having fun, so pics were developed days and weeks later.. We were, and remain, "Weekend Punks". We are especially pleased that others are enjoying the moments we happened to capture and luckily saved (that's pack rat syndrome). P.s. Some of these photos may have been by Neil Farnsworth, a school chum, out with us that night shooting on one of our cameras."

Page tells us, "I was a CHRW DJ and Gazette writer around this time ('82-'85). So we were running in the same pack! Sooner or later there's gonna be a photo of me in the audience. ... and I did a punk radio show with Jeffrey DP and Philby. It was called "Ground Zero". 

Daniel Rudbal asks, "Reg Quinton is it Neil then, in the photo with Suzie Cyanide and Rhonda [Barnes] dancing?" And I point out a couple of pictures where Neil is in the frame adding, "Daniel Rudbal yup, that's Neil. He's in several photos, not sure which are his, which are mine. He finished his PhD, I did not, and moved to Maui in Hawaii. He died, cancer of course, several years ago. We did reconnect on one of our early trips to Australia. He was a heck of a guy, smart, funny and one of my inspirations around photography. We have so many regrets, to hold onto friends is so important.

I hate grave yards and old pawn shops .. for they always bring me tears ... can't forget the way they robbed me of my childhood souvenirs. Memories, they can't be boughten, they can't be won at carnivals for free... It took my years to get those souvenirs... Apologies to JP."

I do recall some of this event (there's a picture of Kate dancing) and do recall sharing cameras with Neil. At the time we had a Canon A1 and an AE1 as well as a good collection of lenses and a Vivitar 285 flash with bounce card and handle. He's using the AE1 and seems to have the 16mm fisheye lens. There's quite a few photos that will be his, perhaps some by Kate as well. No matter, these photos have been out there to be shared for quite some time now. For example, an earlier blog post acknowledges much of the above. And you can dig around in this blog for other posts and events.

Actually, around the time of "This Ain't Hollywood" we were asked to come to a gig in Burlington to shoot photos in hopes of capturing some of the excitement you see in these photos. They wanted an album cover along the lines of  "In Love With The System". Unfortunately it was a poorly attended event and nothing came of the photos taken at that time. I don't have the film as I would have given it to Mikey after the show for them to develop and proof.

Again, many thanks to Dave O'Halloran for sharing these photos and stimulating the discussion and fond memories. The photos are pretty rough, dirty, scratched and often out of focus. They ought to be cleaned up a bit and pruned down. I will still have the negatives and some photos could be salvaged in much better quality where I to have the time. But Dave likes to have them all archived, so be it.

Ps. Dave's work on these photos is keeping me from documenting our recent adventures in Australia.

— 2024/12/20 I have moved this post to the approximate date of the event.

63 Monroe, Victoria Tavern

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Today, June 3, 2024, we're in Brisbane, Queensland but our archivist has been busy with old band photos. Our friend Dave O'Halloran (aka What Wave Dave on CHRW) has been sharing on Facebook, with our grateful permission, photos that we had taken of various bands back in the 1980's. Today Dave writes in 1980's Punk Rockers in London, Ontario group:

"Some more Reg Quinton pics of 63 Monroe, this time at the Victoria Tavern on the main floor. Classic lineup of 63 Monroe; Markii Burnaway, Steven R Stunning, Pete Dekoker and Jeff Rooth. Pics are circa 1982"

The Victoria Tavern (I also recall it being called "The Bucket of Blood") was not on our usual path but we did see some shows there. This evening documented in pictures was particularly exciting. There are some great pictures that capture the excitement on stage and in front.

There is a gig this weekend at the Palasad back in London where 63 Monroe and friends will celebrate the re-release of their 1980 EP NFG/63 Monroe. Unfortunately we'll not be there to document the mayhem. I wish we could be.

Many thanks to Dave for his work organizing photos and figuring out the location and time for many of these. Once again many of these photos have been shared before. This is a fairly complete set of photos in need of pruning and editing. That will await another day.

— 2024/12/21 I have moved this post to the approximate date of the event ... sometime in 1982

63 Monroe, Mingles

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June 2, 2024. Today we're in Brisbane, Queensland but our London Punk music archivist has been busy with old band photos. Our friend Dave O'Halloran (aka What Wave Dave on CHRW) has been sharing on Facebook, with our grateful permission, photos that we had taken of various bands back in the 1980's. Today Dave writes in 1980's Punk Rockers in London, Ontario group:

"Here's some more Reg Quinton pics of 63 Monroe. This time at Mingles, which was part of the Talbot Inn complex at Dundas and Talbot. It's the classic lineup of the band; Steven R Stunning, Pete Dekoker, Markii Burnaway and Jeff Rooth and circa 1982 (possibly later)."

This is just a small smattering of photos, many poorly exposed and out of focus, none that I'm particularly proud of. But as an historical record, here they are.

Many thanks to Dave for his work organizing photos and figuring out the location and time for many of these old and faded memories.

— 2024/12/21 I have moved this post to a year that approximates when the photos were taken

Zellots

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Our friend Dave O'Halloran (aka What Wave Dave on CHRW) has been sharing on Facebook, with our grateful permission, photos that we had taken of various bands back in the 1980's. Yesterday, May 19, 2024, Dave writes in 1980's Punk Rockers in London, Ontario:

"Here's a couple of Reg Quinton pics of The Zellots, no idea of the place or date."

Likewise I have no recollection of where this gig happened. It looks like Greg's drum kit is on a temporary stage held up with milk crates. It would have been in or around London. Doesn't look like a club, perhaps a field concert of some sort?

— 2024/12/21 I have moved this post in my blog to an approximate date for when the pictures were taken. I assume this is sometime around 1982 but that's a wild guess.