a sad day

Randy Kaye, known to the LA punk rock world as Randy Detroit, passed away this morning in his home...

randy kaye newstand SF 78-small

Randy was young...and way too young to die.... he was the sweetest and funniest (alright... he had a caustic sense of humor, but damn... he was FUNNY) man whom I had the pleasure of knowing...very much like a brother.

Randy was one of the co-founders of Lobotomy, the fanzine he created with Pleasant, that Kid Congo, Brad Dunning and I also worked on. Together, Pleasant, Randy and I drove all over California to see the likes of Mumps, Blondie, and other friends who had bands. Randy was a regular fixture at Joan Jett's West Hollywood apartment during the years Joan and I both lived in apartments across the street from the Licorice Pizza record store and the Whisky a Go Go. He was the life of any party... and the guy I could count on to stay awake on any long, long overnight drive...he was there at almost every incident and party that's been described in this blog...at all the parties, all the shows, all the behind-the-scenes...he was a major contributor to the essence of LA punk rock in ways too numerous to mention, and too subtle for someone who wasn't there to comprehend.

After LA punk rock's heyday faded, and we grew up and had to get jobs.... Randy was working at Slash Records, where he worked to keep the music biz honest.... he had a great ear and went on to become a great DJ.

The last time I saw Randy, he drove me home after a late afternoon lunch and laugh-fest reunion we had in Los Angeles last year at Christmas time with Pleasant and Iris Berry .... I was lamenting that the Famous Lobotomy Apartment building (the first apartment I had on my own) had been torn down... but Randy told me it was merely covered by all the big trees of the gigantic condo complex that took over the formerly empty lot next door.... and he was right. Together we breathed a sigh of relief.

At that lunch, Gun Club drummer Terry Graham called while we were all together, still lunching... and I passed the phone to everyone at the table, and Terry made us all promise to "do something together next year...." and next year is here and now nearly over.... there was talk of a Lobotomy compendium... all kinds of other things.... and now Randy is gone. Never to be forgotten.

I love you Randy. Thanks so much for all the good times.

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