WOW. Tonight I thought I had finally arrived because I was on the list for the LA Union opening party. The new store is so rad it got its own section in some hip hardcover designer rag which just covered the architectural plans and design. So, wooeee - SCORE! My plan is to turn up, check out the store, make a note of the special guest DJ, get a free drink, maybe speak to someone, and then leave in time for some TV and Skullbrain. ANyway, I turn up, and immediately bump into part of the Span possee, hanging outside with the Cult main man Ian Astbury. Cult mm turns out to be pretty friendly, and his kid is cool (despite an unhealthy fascination with guns). Anyway, the fire marshals won't let anyone in because its full (it looks like no one is in there from the outside), so we mill around outside. Atleast I'm making fairly normal conversation with Ian, and not being overtly a fanboy (despite wanting to gush about how Love was my favorite album of 1985) As it becomes apparent that people won't be getting in soon, and its cold (55, which is cold here) it becomes even more apparent that it will be a matter of sneaking the hippest inside. Now I become worried. I am NOT hip - mainly because I talk to anyone, and I can't do that funny handshake. As I was on the list I didn't expect to have to resort to hip quotient. Thank god I am wearing Invisible Man....great, now someone else turns up in the same jacket - F##k...well, for him anyway. Suddenly, as if I am in some teenage horror flick, my street buddies are gone. Spirited away? No, just hip enough to get dragged inside when the fire marshal wasnt looking...hip, but not cool enough to take me with them. Excellent, suddenly I am alone and invisible, yet somewhat incongruously feeling a bit conspicuous that everyone I am stood with is suddenly inside....and I am not. Then I remember I am not hip, nor do I have the alternative currency of a. Lots of money, b. being an aging rock star or c. having a behind the counter post at a hot store. All that hanging out, all 30 minutes of it, had made me momentarilly forget. All is not lost, I get to see Jakuan from 360 smirking out at the rest of us in the street. He looks happy, and I want to say "I liked ANdy Mouse, but some people noted the seams on the feet sucked"...but I can't, becuase he is inside, and I am out freezing my ass off in my Invisible Man thin cotton jacket which is made in Japan for hot city nights. All is not lost. I do get to see the friendly face of an ex KR guy turned designer, who is still "keeping it real". Now he is hip, but he's friendly, and he didn't get in too. He also wore a warm jacket - so, add smart guy as well! With that I slouch off home. Still no idea who the special guest DJ was, but I got to be ditched by some guy from the Cult, abandoned by Spanboy, smirked at by 360 Toy Group, chillled to my dunks AND, no free drink. An absolute TOP night out then
you still look super nice in your RFSO t-shirt... hehe and u are super hip in my book! i like real people, not mannequins.
Next time you see Mr. Cult, ask him when Riders on the Storm are playing again...That's 2 original Doors members plus Mr. Cult as Morisson. He always wanted to be Jim as he does a good job of it...especially with all those hats.
My favorite part of the story is its cold... 55 hahah After living in LA for three years I understand this, but growing up in the midwest and living in london.. hahahah. Sucks... sometiems being a hipster paid minimum wage at a retail space has its benefiets I guess SOMETIMES hahah
be careful with hipness it is very sensitive and once its profiled as hip, it is no longer hip. You want REAL hipness you hang with homeless folk, they hip fo life. Homeless folk in LA especially some of them is actually kinda cool.
Being homeless is not cool. Being a gutter punk is not cool. Begging for money on the street is not cool. I will stop now.
This is what i love about this board - you guys rock the community. We should all throw our own party, and beat the hipsters at their own game, or better still, let Brian throw us one!!!
Hey Audio, I lived in London for 18 years before movng to LA 8 years ago. I've totally lost any low temp hardiness I had - mind u, it soon comes back. SO where did u live in London?
Haha I hear you.. after a 6 months in LA I came home for christmas and thought I was gonna die.. I would put on like 2 sweaters and a hoodie under my winter coat.. and I used to love winter sports hahah I lived right off hyde park near the high st kenn tube stop
but then wouldn't we become hipsters and thus make none hipsters suffer the same as us then becoming the evil we were trying to avoid by throwing our own party? hahah
Exactly. Then the abused becomes the abuser...and so it goes..... alternatively we let everyone in....despite what the Fire Marshal says.... we maintain our open door policy, but get arrested and never have any more parties...mmm.... there's a problem with this. So, 33, u got in then? Your shirts are awesome, so I can live with that.
That's OK Carl, we know some of the same people and I am so unhip I didn't even know about the party in the first place, and I have no idea what Union even is. I have to get out of this store sometime! Go to Spaceland tonight, it's a great show and we'll be hipper than everyone there because we have Real x Head toys and they don't!
This makes me sad. I am a total fat ass and not in the good way. I bet I would not look cool at this party. Does this shop sell Vinyl? Can I subscribe to their mailing list? Links anyone?
When is your party? I just re read this and I want to go if I can. We can all bring toys and talk about our most wanted items and trade. I can make killer JalepeniuS poppers for all.
