Jim Ryan Archive: Artifacts and memories
(Jim Ryan of the Cardiac Kidz adds important pieces to the mosaic of the late-’70s San Diego underground.)
The Lions club photo is from the June 1979 show with DFX2 and the Dinettes.
Like the flyer notes, this was the debut of the Dinettes. Doriot was putting a new version of the Cockpits together but decided to go with a whole new name scenario, which expanded the styles of music they would play at their gigs.
The Backdoor flyer is from the Cardiac Kidz’s first show. (Cardiac Kidz bassist Steve Lightfoot was instrumental in setting this gig up.) So yes, the Cockpits were on the scene before the Cardiac Kidz. (I had dated Jolien from the Cockpits for a short time but we broke up before the Cockpits did.)
When Doriot was ready to re-emerge onto the scene with her group, she had some trouble getting a starting gig; the current bands already playing weren’t to open to them. I was a big supporter of an all-girl punk band band and even though the group hand a “New Wave” take on classic rock-’n'-roll tunes, their originals were great stuff.
The Dinettes were like us in the sense that it was hard to define just what genre they were playing.
The Cardiac Kidz’s main contribution to the punk rock underground was the development of a “core” band-defined music scene, not a scene stifled by club owners and “I’m A Rock Star” bands.
Local bands like the Standbys, the Dinettes, Xterminators, DFX2 and others (who didn’t fare as well), created venues like the Spirit and the Roxy Theater; these were the kind of venues that the Cardiac Kidz “attacked” to convert into punk/New Wave showcases.
This concept actually came from Dan (McLain) himself. One day (as usual), I was hanging out at his record store (Monty Rockers, a great place be those days to get those new and unusual LPs, 45s and connect with like-minded people) when were both bitching about how you had to kiss up to club owners just to play and we should stand on our own feet and grab the music scene by the balls and ripped them right off.
More from Jim Ryan: Dan McLain’s San Diego band family tree!
The key to a successful music scene was indeed Band Unity. Oh, rivals were great to have — it juiced up the scene. We had our fans and the Penetrators had theirs, both willing to go to bat for their favorite band. But even the Penetrators played a couple of gigs with us (Montezuma Hall and the Spirit — they headlined). As Gary would tell you, he and I had no malice toward each other at all. Our fans clashed a lot in the media outlets, though. The Penetrators were just better at what they did then we were, and hey — they were good!
There is more to our particular story, like how we purposely released a 45 with one side hard-core punk (”Get Out”) and the other New Wave to test San Diego’s culture so that we as a band would not be defeated before we even tried.
San Diego greeted us as New Wave with “Find Yourself Away” as the song played on the radio and the song that got us on the “Sun Up” TV show. So we were cursed to play in both worlds of New Wave and fulfill our desire to play punk rock. Our shows had a blend of punk/Wave songs (I always hated the labels), which made it hard to define just what we were.
If you listen to the LP “Get Out” released from Rave-Up Records, you’ll get a feel for us: a little bit of everything …
The key for us was to maintain what punk rock was about in UK: Anybody, big or small, in a band or part of the culture, was worthy of “star” status and should be treated as such. We involved the crowds in our shows because they were the show, not us. If you didn’t like what we wore piss off; if you didn’t like our music, piss off; and if you didn’t like how behind the scene we manipulated the “music scene,” piss off. We wanted to “kill” disco, dance, party, have sex and play rock ‘n’ roll, and no one was going to stop us!
I have more photos from the other Backdoor gig, but I want your history to be comprehensive: Give all the bands their due. The Cardiac Kidz may be labeled punk-rock pioneers, but we all were part of that wagon train.
— Jim Ryan
Tags: Dan McLain, DFX2, Furniture, Gary Heffern, Jim Ryan, North Park Lions Club, Rave-Up Records, Roxy Theater, San Diego punk, Steve Lightfoot, the Backdoor, the Cardiac Kidz, the Cockpits, the Crawdaddys, the Dinettes, the Exterminators, the Penetrators, the Radiators, the Spirit, the Trend, the Upbeats
December 14th, 2009 at 11:32 am
I still HATE disco!!!
December 19th, 2009 at 8:30 am
Can I say it strikes me odd that no one is commenting on this post? I will say that I don’t remember any clashes amongst our audiences …maybe I’m wrong in this. I dunno, maybe I read too much into things sometimes, but I feel like there’s too much jockeying into positions of who was first to do what and when…however, at the same time, I know firsthand whats its like to have people mistake passion for what you do as self indulgence. Speaking for myself only…I think the zero’s hitmakers and the dils were the first wave of bands flat out. as far as fanzines go it was substitute first. ok…I’ve opened up a can of worms, go at it.
heff
December 19th, 2009 at 9:38 am
>>Can I say it strikes me odd that no one is commenting on this post?
Thanks, Heff … I’ve been wondering about that myself.
Speaking personally (and this is ALL personal, right?), I have a wicked case of tunnel vision when it comes to local bands pre-1981, when I got my license. I was way up in the boonies of Encinitas and totally at the mercy of older friends to take me along.
Long story short: My first shows were 1979, they were limited in quantity … And I just can’t recall seeing the Cardiac Kidz or Dinettes!
The Penetrators were the most consistent organizing principle in my own first shows: I didn’t only go to gigs with you guys on the bill, but you were a sure bet for a great show (if someone would freakin’ drive me!)
Like you, I’m both intrigued and somewhat frustrated by the assignment of “firsts.” Official history is told by the winners: folk history is told by a bunch of kids who could get rides to THIS show but not THAT show.
I personally got rides to THOSE shows … But not the ones Jim describes.
December 19th, 2009 at 9:51 am
well in defense of both the kidz and dinettes, they were definitely around and playing in 79, and i think the puppies were around then as well as dfx2, standbys nutronz injections claude coma etc…and no, i’m not trying to be judgemental jim, and if it comes across that way i apologize…and most of the first shows were at parties that people put on themselves.
December 19th, 2009 at 10:08 am
>>and most of the first shows were at parties that people put on themselves.
It’s clear that the 1977 Zeros/Dils/Hitmakers gig at AAT was a watershed moment … No scene gets too many of those, though! Its evolution is generally incremental and open to discussion. Which is what makes it fun (for me, anyway!)
December 19th, 2009 at 10:15 am
absolutely…and then the parties began…
December 23rd, 2009 at 8:24 am
The Backdoor calendar of August shows … Was that 1979? Can’t figure out a year.
December 25th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
I love all you guys!
Nothing is taken personal or met as an attack. Grew out of the ego thing a long time ago. The Kidz hang out was indeed in the “Squaremont” (Claremont) area of San Diego. We played the SDSU and “backyard” house parties too. Later we moved our hang out to downtown san Diego.
I’ll come back latter with a little more comments and opinons if you want
December 25th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
>>I’ll come back latter with a little more comments and opinons if you want
Jim: Of course!!
December 30th, 2009 at 1:25 am
>> Long story short: My first shows were 1979, they were limited in quantity … And I just can’t recall seeing the Cardiac Kidz or Dinettes!
I never saw the Crawdaddys or the Beat Farmers at a live show but that doesn’t mean that they were not one of San Diego’s influencial rock bands along with The Zeros, the Dills, the Penetrators… Just keep going on, you fill in the blank with your favorites.
Random thought:
How odd that our current fan base seems t o be mainly the East Coast, US and Europe’s United Kingdom. Hey we never played in either region; (that’s why I broke up the Kidz back in 1981 because nobody wanted to move to LA or New York ( …another exciting tale for the future) yet people from Texas, US, Japan, Ireland, Germany and Australia have purchased an original 45 single for over $800.00 on EBay recently citing it as a most sought after collectable (what?).
Back to business:
The best way to give insight into the posting above is to first agree with everything that has been said to date. For me personally; I reflect more on the bands that made a difference in the San Diego Scene and produced something musically different than what was offered at the time. Others reflect on the shows, others the parties etc. We didn’t have a scene back then, we had to create it remember? When I say “we” I mean the all the bands and people that you have noted in your “family Tree” postings. There were bands that were so “off the wall” that only the Cardiac Kidz would accept them on their play bill and some because of our support broke through the stigma and actual generated their own foothold. Some by breaking into the main stream. Some fueling the underground scene itself and some carrying on the punk rock rebellion continuing to upset the “class action pinheads” (club owners, band managers, news media….etc.) and keep them all guessing.
We used to see “print” that stated the Cardiac Kidz “just don’t get it … with their long hair and moustaches”. That’s where the punk attitude came from. I was reflecting on how we persevered past all that stuff. That was then and, the attitude can now be replaced with history itself. I’m not rewriting or even writing history. I let the bread crumbs we left behind speak for all of that. (We played 1976 through 1981. The poster was circa 1980). Like Doriot said “…Sometimes I wonder if it all really happened. But, that said, there are the pictures and lasting relationships to prove it”. It is not about remember how great the Cardiac Kidz were. But that we were there. Every band that has stepped up to the plate and poured themselves and their art into the chasm know has San Diego, California -USA. Deserves a pat on the back and a hearty thank you.
Sorry about the rambling on guys. (Matt, I know you’re used to it by now thanks for the ear!).
By the way this web site is one of the best that I have come across and I am honored to be part of it! (Even if it is little bread crumbs on the plate lol )
Looking forward to seeing everyone next month at the show! I will bring a few Rave-up records for Matt and Bruce who didn’t get a chance to ever see the Kidz. Che contributors let me know if you will attend the show and maybe (no promise I don’t have that many) I’ll bring one for you too.
Jim
January 5th, 2010 at 5:05 am
Punks with their long hair and moustaches, SUCH REBELS…Yes Jim, I too remember our first shows were in 1979, and playing Montezuma hall with the Upbeats, Dinettes…etc…Yes its amazing at the areas of our current fan base, I never thought it would be so extensive. Each one of these San Diego bands bleed a little bit in order to be able to play and write the music they wanted to. I will agree with you that this has been the best site so far…
Jerry Flack
January 5th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
good on you guys…
January 19th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
I remember the Cardiac Kidz when they use to be in a band way back in I believe it was 1974, I saw them on a rooftop of a apartment building playing some of their songs until the police arrived to shut them down but they kept playing for about 10 minutes until the police finally got them to stop on one of their songs, I believe they were called Glass Onion back then!
January 22nd, 2010 at 12:51 am
Wow! That was a long, long, long time ago. It was right up there with our Straight Ahead sound gig we did. When I was 17 I had one of my infamous run-ins with my dad. He used his “while you’re under my roof you live by my rules” speeches and it finally hit me that he was right. His roof his rules so I started my “couch surfing” career and roomed with a guy in some Mira Mesa apartments his name was Jeff. That was a story in itself. We did a lot of gigs like that as Glass Onion and as the Cardiac Kidz. Anytime there was a chance to play be it backyard, house and yes even apartment pool room roof tops (it was our Beatle roof top gig thing really a cool experience with cops shutting us down against the ravings of our drunken fans).