I have ALS and want to express my gratefulness for the wonderful life I've had.
Old Pics From the 1980s
The 1980s were “berry berry good to me.” (An SNL quote from that era for you youngsters…) I moved from Wisconsin to Arizona in 1983, and I had amazing times with family and friends old and new! And if you aren’t in a photo, it doesn’t mean I don’t remember you–We just didn’t all walk around with cameras in our hands back then. But I appreciate all of my family and friends from the 1980s and many of you are still with me!
My favorite Uncle Dick came to visit us in Arizona in 1984 or so. He and my Aunt Cookie were always my faves, and I visited them for a week or so nearly every summer for decades in Chicago. Lots of drinking and chilling. Uncle Dick was a union electrician Democrat, so Eric the libertarian always had to try to give him some shit–Hahaha!
At my Grandma and Grandpa’s house in Chicago in the early ’80s. We would play cards, drink and smoke for hours at family gatherings. Note the rather full glass of JD on the rocks…
I was a parking attendant in Milwaukee while was in college at UWM. It was right across the street from a dance club called “Park Avenue” and I got a free membership and free beers all night long because I knew the owner and all the bartenders. Sweet!!! (The music sucked though…)
My ticket to free beer!!!
My good friend Brian and the two of us on our way to visit his future bride Karen in El Paso. Smell the Glove!!!
A Halloween party with Brian in about 1982. Like my eye makeup and ascot? Hahaha!!
The entire gang of skinitches in Milwaukee in the early ’80s. I can recognize The Beave, Satchel Ass, Scooter, Paws, Teddy, and The Pin. We all had nicknames that have pretty much stuck with us to this day–Hahaha!!
Brian and Scooter drinking and probably trying to harmonize on a Beatles song.
Visiting my bro Kevin and his buddies at the University of Dayton. The school bookstore used to sell shirts that read: “UD–It’s a Great Vacation” but I think they put a stop to that much truth in advertising! And it was certainly true as you can see from this photo of Kevin, Jersey Jim, Lenny and I–Hahahaha!!!
My last stop before driving to Arizona was to visit Kevin in Dayton. UD really was a great vacation!!
Party in Puerta Vallarta with Kevin and his future wife Sandy in 1988.
I arrived in Arizona and discovered a really cool band called “The Effects.” And a chill bar called “Ninth and Ash.”
My nephew Brad as a baby. Funny pic, Sis–Hahaha!!! Is that some kind of veegie swill?
Me trying to look suave for my girlfriend Cindy back in 1984.
My friend Robert and I hanging in the ’80s. He calls this pic “The Monk and the Choirboy”–Hahahaha!!!
My friend Kitty back in about 1987 or so. She married Robert’s best friend Matt but he had a real job so Robert, Kitty and I would go out and hit the Tempe music scene back in the day.
ERIC THE BABYSITTER
Believe it or not, I was a babysitter for Bridget and Alex, my friends Val and Mary’s kids. There was no “real work” after graduation so I babysat and wrote term papers (check out that story of you are curious…) I met them through my friend Robert as well.
I also babysat for Alex, my friend April and Michael’s son in the late 1980s. Alex and I both had our funky costumes!
Me, Alex, his GF Sami and mom April in 2018. Alex turned out to be a great kid and I wish him all the success in life!
You’ve already seen band pics if you checked out any of my music stories, but here’s a few for grins in case you haven’t. I did play a lot of music in the 1980s before I started my real career in advertising. It was always a hell of a lot of fun!!!
My second band “Flashback” in about 1982. Still friends with these jokers too–Hahaha!!
Flashback live at Thoma’s in about 1981…
“Cleaver Beaver” live at Zak’s in Milwaukee 1981. My lifelong friends Kevin and Dano on the left.
I joined St. Bernard after they released their 45. Imagine a vinyl record, although I hear rumors vinyl is making a comeback these days…
Playing a gig at some funky record store on the east side of Milwaukee in 1983.
I was in a band called the Toasted Notes in Arizona in 1987. It was a fun mixture of material, and our leader Luke was a great songwriter and teacher in terms of his musical vision. I can honestly say that I owe Luke a huge debt of gratitude in terms of raising my level of musical ability to make me a competent player of reggae and ska music with a rock edge in the vein of his old band “The Effects.” I learned the songlist on the right, and the cover songs became the basis for my contribution to my next band “Brave New Groove.”
I did get to play “with” the Effects on one recording though, and here it is…
We had several versions of the band, but I’m not going to tell that story here!
I moved back to Milwaukee from Arizona in 1988 for a couple of years. That’s its own story and it definitely involves a woman! But I did have the pleasure of playing in Brave New Groove, and you can hear some of our stuff in my blog story about them. It’s good stuff–Have a listen!
One of our regular gigs at a place called Bunker’s in West Allis, Wisconsin. The band got paid $250/night and all the beer we could drink! Needless to say, I got my money’s worth…
