Eddie is a Punk

One day in the last couple weeks, I received an email from Brandon Cruz, a California homeboy. We talked about the good old days and our experiences as teenagers in the Santa Barbara / Ventura County beach towns we grew up in, as well as our mutual friends and such. Gotta LOVE the web for bringing people back together.

If the name is familiar, it should be. Brandon Cruz was a singer with the Dead Kennedys for a stint. Click on "Eddie is a Punk" above and you'll go to a page with his history in the DK's. Yes... he was also a child actor in that 1969 television series, "The Courtship of Eddie's Father," which starred a pre-Hulk, post-My Favorite Martian Bill Bixby. Brandon doesn't know this cuz I've yet to tell him, but the actress Miyoshi Umeki who played their housekeeper, Mrs. Livingston, was my mother's teenage and young adult best friend back in Tokyo. Yes, the world is that small. Back then, she went by the name "Nancy" and sang in nightclubs. I'm sure she didn't sing songs like "California Uber Alles" or "Holiday in Cambodia" though at the time, I bet Cambodia must have been a holiday destination...anyway, Ms. Umeki was also nominated for an Oscar for her role in "Sayonara" opposite Marlon Brando, and my uncle was the lawyer on that movie for the Japanese side of the production.

So, together yet separately, Brandon and I have punk'd out that past and our rebellion crossed paths in more ways than one.

He's in the news today because his band, Dr. Know are playing CBGB's tonight, September 7. New Yorkers should go check it out. CB's days are probably numbered, and Dr. Know is old school punk rock. It should be just like the good old days.

Here's some flyers for you:


Dead Kennedys 1979 vintage gig flyer


Dr. Know NOW!

Happy Birthday to Buddy Holly, and Happy Birthday to Ben, too

Comments

Anonymous said…
I get a kick out of hearing 'bout the Courtship of Eddie's Father Guy fronting the Kennedys! Jello calls him a "scab" from his million dollar home in Frisco!?! When they gonna put in the hot tub? Hey give them DKs guys a break, already! Let em make some minor dough! It's not JUST Jello's cartoon voice that gave the Kennedy's a good sound. The incredible guitar sound on those Geza X produced 45s is amazin'! The production on the first Lp is great as well. Too bad they quickly turned to lowest common denominator lyrics like Too Drunk To Fuck and Nazi Punks Fuck Off instead of more innerestin things like Stealing Peoples Mail and Lets Lynch the Landord where they didn't sound dumb! (uh oh sorry been drinkin! ha)

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