When I was 12 years I was put to work in my parents factory. Any free time I had used capping hot jars of honee, assembling waxing tables or soldering honee pots. I hated this I wanted to be at home watching TV while planning my outfit fot the next couple of weeks.
I worked in the factory until I was 16, then I was allowed to work in the office entering invoices.
Excitement!
I entered invoices till my high school graduation.
I went on to bigger and beeter things!
Baskin Robbins.
I was rebeling against my parents, and they hated that I was slinging ice cream before college. I loved it.. It was easy, stress free, and fun. I tried cocaine during my ice cream fling (a co worker also delt the "yeyo"), and when I came home that night my parents somehow grilled me on where I was and whom I was with. As if they knew, Gigi sain in her broken english "whatever you are doing, don't do it again". I didn't anymore! (...well not for a couple of years)
Baskin Robbins lost its charm after a couple of months, and my punk/goth attire was not too accepted at work.
So I went downtown...
4th and Broadway
A 2 zone area (bus & train) (before the metrocard era, you had to pay twice)
TOWER RECORDS
Were I could be me...
A beginner in freekdom!
I had blue black crimped hair, lots of Patchouli , dressed all in black.. ALL BLACK, and my FAVORITE Boy Of London Boots
EVERY DAY!
ALL DAY!
I started in Bag Check, I was good, fast, and curtious! I met alot of people doing bag check. I met Cher, Sting, Carly Simon, Billy Idol, Sean Penn, and I met alot of dates as well...
I did bag check graciously for 3 months, supervisors and managers were impressed by ny work ethic (thanks to years slave labor in a factory) (it wasn't that bad) So they hired me as head cashier. That was awesome.. I rocked that job. I would hold a stack LP's and punch in codes on the register without looking. People always commented on my cashier styles. Rick Rubin always held out for me to ring him up, so did Anthonty Michael Hall (he always came in drunk and bought tons of LP's). I did the cashier thang for like 2 years, then I worked in mail order. I ran the mail order dept with a very young cool drag queen Miss Guy. Now a famous NY fixture and Lead singer of "The Toilet Boys". Miss Guy always tried to kiss me, I didn't want to, but he was nice.. real cool. I worked at Tower for 5 years. It was a great job.
All Tower records recently closed, this was very sad for me. I felt as if my years at Tower really shaped my coolness in some way..
After Tower I worked at this record distributor "Landmark" it was a great stepping stone to the music industry. I was assistant buyer for all Island record merchandise, I even got a Tone Loc "Wild Thing" Gold Record (were that is.. I don't know). Then I got an offer from another label "Relativity" I was offered to be their new "Dance" buyer. My best friend Anthony was working there, and invited me on a couple of functions, I networked, and got the job. HE HATED THAT!!. Why? Well thats another Blog entry..
So I had this INCREDIBLE job in this new emerging genre of music "RAVE"...
I was importing all these incredible 12' and LP's and CD's from the UK, Germany, and Italy. It was great. All this new exciting music I was importing I thought I'll try
DJ'ing.My First DJ gig I got was at a bar on the East Village called "Alcatraz". Dave Kendell (original VJ for MTV's 120 minutes)(what a dick)(wore a toupee) and I tag teamed an awesome blend of industrial dance music and synthy dark ditties. I was soo happy! Getting some respect and cred. Then I met Ed Roth (ex jealous 1st real boyfriend) and everything went to shit. Thats another Blogg entry..
After being banned from DJ'ing (jealous lovah)I continued to work at Relativity for a year.
Ed and I broke up.
I was a wreck.
I moved to Miami.
Well I was enticed to move to Miami by Gigi.
Another slew of false promises.
I was promised $100.000 (yes I know) to open up a business, and a new Car
Gigi gave me her Geo Tracker and $6000.00... better than nothing!
My first car!
What a lemon!
I got a great job in Miami, I was a buyer and doing sales for "MSI" Music Services International. All the time I was working at MSI I was planning my new business venture. One weekend I got all this great merchandise from MSI that I was able to take out on consignment, a couple of "The Orb" videos and lots of great "Rave" compilations, and off I went to this HUGE rave in Orlando. I drove up in my Geo Tracker (lemon) and got into my first accident. This old lady clipped me hard from the rear, the Tracker flipped, and I freaked. I was totally ok but the tracker was not, but somehow still drivable. So I drove to this Rave set up my table sold some stuff. Along comes this motley duo, one friendly, the other aloof... the aloof one questioning the authenticity of "The Orb" video I was selling. It was real and we still watch it! Aloof one was/is Forrest one of my bestest friends. We have been buds ever since.
We both planned the realization of my dream, opening up "the coolest store in the world"
A year later we did it.
With my moms 6 g's, and ALL of my savings, and Forrest's generous funds, and ALOT of planning, hunting, groveling.. We did it.
AREA 51
935 Washington Ave
Miami Beach, FL 33139
1994-1998
Magical years
Hard times
A learning experience...
On our first day of business my dad and Mel gave us a visit and purchased stuff. Mel bought a Liquid Sky Tee shirt with an Alien Mud Flap girl with huge letters that read "WICKED" in a XXL. That night at our opening party they both showed up and Mel had customized that shirt, cut off the sholders to wear it askew and bedazzled the sleeves, and sinched the waist. I was impressed yet embarassed. Some of the hardcore kids at the party got drunk and called her a poseur, my dad got mad and asked me to kick them out... I ignored him!
During the years at Area 51 I met some incredible people...
My wonderful Friends with You Friends Arturo & Melody
I introduced the charming Ursula 1000 Alex to his lovely wife Marissa.
My debunked buddy Arnold Steiner.
The amazing Jemma
The slickster Michael Elkind.
The talented Danny Santiago
The always amusing Candice (Katya)MAMA!
The biggest Stacy (sae ryun song)
The ambient Junkie himself Javier Drada
The master of intelligence DJ AURA (Robert)
and so many more...
I sold the store to this DOUCHEBAG Murray Brown.. he STILL owes me $8000.00.
He renamed the store "SYNTHETIC" it tanked within 6 months!
HAA HAA
I have learned the art of "the contract" since!
FUCK YOU MURRAY!
Forrest and I had a blast running that store...
and I'm glad to say that he still is one of my favorite people in the world, he still makes me laugh!
Fin
Once upon a time, there was a tavern
Where we used to raise a glass or two
Remember how we laughed away the hours,
Think of all the great things we would do
Those were the days, my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we'd choose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way
Di di di di di di
Di di di di di di
Di di di di di di di di di di
Then, the busy years went rushing by us
We lost our starry notions on the way
If, by chance, I'd see you in the tavern,
We'd smile at one another and we'd say
Those were the days, my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we'd choose
We'd fight and never lose
Those were the days, oh yes, those were the days
Di di di di di di
Di di di di di di
Di di di di di di di di di di
Just tonight, I stood before the tavern
Nothing seemed the way it used to be
In the glass, I saw a strange reflection
Was that lonely woman really me?
Those were the days, my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we'd choose
We'd fight and never lose
Those were the days, oh yes, those were the days
Di di di di di di
Di di di di di di
Di di di di di di di di di di
Di di di di di di
Di di di di di di
Di di di di di di di di di di
Through the door, there came familiar laughter
I saw your face and heard you call my name
Oh, my friend, we're older but no wiser
For in our hearts, the dreams are still the same
Those were the days, my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we'd choose
We'd fight and never lose
Those were the days, oh yes, those were the days
Di di di di di di
Di di di di di di
Di di di di di di di di di di
Di di di di di di
Di di di di di di
Di di di di di di di di di di
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
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