In any given year I will often reflect on past years, 12, 24, 36 .... and nowadays ... gak! ... 48 years in the past.
Today I reflect on 1981, like this year, Year of the Rooster.
I entered the year age 17 and exited age 18. I graduated from High School and started my Freshman Year of Uni.
Whereas in High School, we were in this somewhat isolated world, wondering if our punk / wave, our wrap around shades, our skater vibe, our attitudes, were just another campus clique, at uni, and in the adult world, there arose a larger consciousness about it all.
I went down to SoCal for uni. What I'd barely tasted here in the 2nd tier Bay Area become total immersion. Talk about the punk/wave revolution. I discovered KROQ, small venue shows (at the few that had all ages shows), and so many cultural variations.
Meanwhile, my roommate in the dorm was a South Central LA homie. We compared quite a few notes. We also had on our hall some other cats who brought in early hip hop, lots of lesser known Rasta tunes, and so much more.
We didn't quite have a generational identity, but it was clear by then the 70s were long gone. Disco, are you kidding? Even when I was among the black group there was no such thing.
That year was so transformational for me. It really was my point of departure on the journey I still find myself on.
I'm about out of time for posting tonight but will continue later.
Until then, enjoy:
Today I reflect on 1981, like this year, Year of the Rooster.
I entered the year age 17 and exited age 18. I graduated from High School and started my Freshman Year of Uni.
Whereas in High School, we were in this somewhat isolated world, wondering if our punk / wave, our wrap around shades, our skater vibe, our attitudes, were just another campus clique, at uni, and in the adult world, there arose a larger consciousness about it all.
I went down to SoCal for uni. What I'd barely tasted here in the 2nd tier Bay Area become total immersion. Talk about the punk/wave revolution. I discovered KROQ, small venue shows (at the few that had all ages shows), and so many cultural variations.
Meanwhile, my roommate in the dorm was a South Central LA homie. We compared quite a few notes. We also had on our hall some other cats who brought in early hip hop, lots of lesser known Rasta tunes, and so much more.
We didn't quite have a generational identity, but it was clear by then the 70s were long gone. Disco, are you kidding? Even when I was among the black group there was no such thing.
That year was so transformational for me. It really was my point of departure on the journey I still find myself on.
I'm about out of time for posting tonight but will continue later.
Until then, enjoy: