(Here's a nice live recording I found on Soulseek a while back; took me a while to clean it up a bit and figure out the set list).
This is from their first (and only?) national U.S. tour in 1990, the "Feel The Darkness" tour.
I saw them in Ann Arbor, MI on this tour, and ended up hanging out w/ Jerry A. before the show.
He asked to go to a liquor store to get some "dinosaur fuel" and so we ended up going to three different ones. He pulled out a crisp $100 bill and told me to "get whatever I want".
I think I got a sixer of Harp, while he bought a case of Olde English 40's (for Pig) and a case of Guiness & a fifth of Ouzo for himself.
Once back at the club, we hung out in the alley behind it, and in the adjoining parking garage, talking shit, etc. Pig took up the whole middle bench seat in the van, quietly pounding his malt liquor.
They were all pretty fucked up come set time, but they sure as hell did not disappoint! The floor of the club was "flexing" left and right, and the small plywood stage looked like it was gonna go as well. The metal folding chair supplied for Pig Champion didn't last for long before it got maxed out and bent flat.
He then proceeded mash-out a milk crate as well...
Jerry was pretty fucked up, but didn't miss a lyric.
Halfway through the set he dropped some acid, and proceeded to cut himself up pretty badly about the face, all the while pounding pitchers like they were 12 oz. cups of water on a hot summer day! He blew some fire, and the kids fucking went wild, of course.
After the show, I hung out with them in said alley once again until their 70-year-old uncle/tour manager/driver told the boys to get in the van (at around 6am).
They dropped me off at my house on their way out of town, and Jerry grabbed a T-shirt from the merch box, wiped his still bleeding forehead with it, and handed it to me.
I still have it in my garage.
One of the best shows I ever did saw, and goddamn if I don't miss the power of the Sausage Fingers himself, Pig Champion...
Now playing: Gather - Who Belongs
Haha, awesome story. Thanks for the upload.
ReplyDeletethat's a great story! thanks for sharing it. Poison Idea rules!
ReplyDeleteAldine Strychnine stole my guitar.
ReplyDeleteThis Rules, Thanks!
ReplyDeleteLiving in the NW in the 80s I saw PI play tons of times. On quite a few occasions I got to hang out with them in their van before shows talking about music, life, and how they were physically fucked up from all the years of abuse. They were funny and approachable, but while on stage they were feared.
ReplyDeleteSome of my PI highlights were seeing Tom Pig stage dive and flatten around 15 people, Jerry's fire breathing at the Crescent Ballroom in Tacoma (as they ripped into Lifestyles - wow!), Jerry getting me into the Cro-Mags show at the Pine St Theater in '86, Slayer Hippy's drumming, etc...
I saw PI in '91 during their European tour in Holland in a place close to the border to where I used to live. It was exactly how you described it (even though I did not interact with them in the same way you did). I didn't know much about PI before I saw them and I thought those "rumors" that I was told must have been grossly exaggerated. But indeed they were not. They had incredible stage presence, even though Pig Champion sat through the whole set and one or 2 of the other guys on occasion. Plus each of them had their own Jack Daniels bottle(s) and dozens of beers, which they all finished during the show. I don't think I have ever seen anyone drink as much as fast (especially while doing something) in my life.
ReplyDeleteIronically, we drove (a long drive by European standards...) to the same club a few weeks later to see Fugazi. That was a different kind of show.
Um, I'll be keeping that shirt a good long time, thanks...
ReplyDeleteThis is going to rock! Thanks!
ReplyDeletethanks to share it
ReplyDeleteExcellent anecdote - thanks for sharing it!! Looking forward to hearing the show...
ReplyDeleteJust discovored this page...tremendous stuff. Thanks for the live recording, I have a few but this one was new to me. The story is also great.
ReplyDeletePlease follow my link to a blog I just started up this week. It's always going to be a work in progress as I'll continue to add more to it when I can.
Maybe I could get a photo of the ledgendary T shirt and repost the story on my site, linking to yours of course also?!
Either way thanks again!!
I don't remember stealing anybodys guitar.....
ReplyDeletealdine
Brilliant fucking story. They was the first band i ever seen at TJ's and their first ever uk gig back in 91. One of the best i ever seen.
ReplyDeletehttp://nuclearfarmedfuckfrogs.blogspot.com/ good blog i found last night all about TJ's.
even if your story is perfect, i have stucked with "a fifth of Ouzo for himself." this goddamn alcohol (greek fucking ouzo) sent me in the hospital for coffe injections 8 years ago. i can still remember headbanging with metallica's blackened and the next sec i open my eyes to see white robes........fucking ouzo
ReplyDeletei guees everyone has a sad story to tell. lol
thanx for this one
Thanks for sharing. I didn't have this one.
ReplyDeleteCheers