This is the fourth in a series all taken from the Fanzine Hope *.2. The fanzine sees a collection of 70 contributors from the punk rock world. All asked the same question What is Your Favourite Gig. The zine is €5 including postage to anywhere It is a benefit for Pikpa Refugee Centre, Lesvos Pay by paypal, here
Craig Wedren – Shudder To Think –
X + The Replacements,
Cleveland 1980
Here’s one of many ‘favourite show’ memories.. I was 14, and my favourite band was X. Matt Fields’ mom (the ‘cool’ mom with the monstrous vinyl collection) took us all in a van to see them on the ‘More Fun In The New World’ tour. I think it was me, Matt, maybe David Wain, and Scott Harbert, the guitar player for my 8th grade band ‘Immoral Minority’. We were living in Cleveland, sitting in the back trembling with excitement, holding hands and singing every X song.
The show was in an old theatre with built-in seating. The audience was sitting down -very polite and adult- during the opening act. I saw John and Exene standing behind the bass rig and immediately got out of my seat and walked to the very front of the stage to try and be as close as possible to my heroes, and maybe get they’re attention. The lead singer of the opening band, who were all sitting on stools, stopped mid-song, looked down at me, and shouted ‘HEY KID, WADDAYA THINK THIS IS, A ROCK AND ROLL SHOW?!!’
I was mortified and fled back to my seat. I remember thinking the band was pretty good, even though I was there for one reason, and one reason ONLY. A year or so later the album ‘Let It Be’ came out and changed all of our lives (and music), at which point I realized the guy that had shouted me down was Paul Westerberg, the opening band The Replacements. In subsequent years I would get to work with John and Exene from X, and had a friendly acquaintance with Tommy Stinson (who can’t have been much older than me playing bass at that magnificent show), but I’ve never met Paul, and would probably be as awed/terrified now as I was then. That was a damn good show.
craig wedren
