Glen The Hamilton Kid

"What you missed in punk rock this past weekend"

As the weather gets nicer and nicer, it gets harder and harder to pull people into the clubs to see a rock 'n roll show.
There were at least 3 great shows this past weekend. On Friday night, my band, the Sam Lawrence 5 opened for hometown hero Mickey DeSadest's solo band at the Casbah. And Mickey never disappoints.

At the same time, a quirky former member of Television named Richard Lloyd played at the Absinthe. Because I was performing across town I missed his set. But I was told that Lloyd is a bona fide rock star, and that he can really pull things out on stage. I did drop by earlier in the evening to say hi, and Lloyd let me smell his special piece of Brazilian wood. I said quirky right?

Saturday was roller derby day, so I didn't see any bands that day, but I think roller derby is pretty punk rock. The Hamilton Harlots redeemed themselves after last year's loss to the Steeltown Tank Girls. And in front of 750 people no less!

Then on Sunday the Underground had a great show with Orange, Westbound Train, The Heart Attacks, and the Nekromantics. I missed Orange but the other three bands were great. WBT played some great ska, with keyboards and three horns. The Heart Attacks know what our scene is about, "You in Hamilton got a lot to be proud of, Teenage Head, the Forgotten Rebels, and Sam Lawrence 5!" I thought that was pretty funny. Those guys like me because I'm the only one who can pick out their cover songs. This time it was Eddie and the Hot Rods, and Slaughter and the Dogs.

And Wow! The Necromantics! You can see a band's videos on tv or listen to them on record, but live music is the best! They played a great set, but my favourite part was when each member showed off their respective playing ability as each one did a wicked solo performance, as the others backed them up. Oh, and when the singer played his home-made upright coffin-shaped bass with his tongue, that was pretty cool.

Anyway, that's what some of the cooler dudes in the city were doing this weekend while you were sitting in your backyard or on a patio.

Cheers!
The Hamilton Kid

What I Hate About this City

Howdy Y'all!

Just from the title I know you're angry and scared already. Angry that the self proclaimed Hamilton Kid would have the audacity to say that he hates this city (which he doesn't!), and scared of the dirty laundry he might hang out for all to see.

I hate the fact that in 1928 we hade 200 factories, and now we have, oh I don't know. I'll be nice and say 20. How did our municipal leadership allow this income to slip through its fingers without replacing it with new industry. I know there has been increases made in the medical aspects of Hamilton, but that doesn't really help the guys who hang around Barton and Stratherne, or Barton and anything really. As things started to turn sour in the manufacturing sector in the 70s, the city should have bent over backwards to attract new manufacturing to the city. The classrooms 1/2 full of kids whose dads were steelworkers, seems to be of a bygone era. But I lived it.

I hate that people don't go downtown anymore. The stories I hear from older people about what downtown used to be like, makes me proud and happy. But angry and envious that I never got to see it. Why build the DuMaurier theatre or a Silver City, while the Century (or the Lyric as gramps called it) sits empty and rotting. Why do we knock down or board up mansions? City hall tells me an owner can do what he likes with his property as long as vermin and transients can't get in. If you tell me that's the law, then we need to change the law. This is supposed to be a democracy isn't? Aren't we the people? The city is made up of individual properties, if people just sit on them and let them rot, they are hurting the city, we should be able to seize them and do something with them.

I hate that my brother's and his friends' repeated death threats to Gary Bettman's office when they were 12, were not heeded. Instead the team went Ottawa, without a rink, and without a blank cheque from Ron Joyce. Do you think kids anywhere else wanted a NHL team that bad?

I hate that people don't address our brain drain more often. More often than not, our educated children move to Toronto or elsewhere to work, live, and spend. Why don't we have jobs for them? Why aren't young people more attached to this city? Maybe if we taught LOCAL history in schools, people would learn what a proud heritage the people here have created, and they wouldn't be so eager to chase greener pastures. Instead they might decide to stay and grow it under their feet.

I hate that our authorities are almost systemically corrupt. How do you think the mob operated in Hamilton? The fact that I'm not offended by the odd grift or averted eye and that it actually makes me think that it's something crucially Hamilton, speaks volumes in itself. But when historical buildings suffer attack, I get upset. How does a building loose its historical designation? Don't know? Well it can't, but it happens.

And lastly, I hate our suburbanites. Too good to participate in the community, they can only hop on the Linc and buy their every heart's desire in Ancaster or Burlington. Without a thought to where their money is spent. Boo! I know you love Horton's, but do you really want the city to turn into a donut? The architecture and history of downtown cannot be replaced or reproduced. If any of you still wear a wind up wristwatch, bring it in to Edwin Pass on John Street. Can you name another business that hasn't changed its decor in a 100 years? But he's going to retire sometime.

You don't know what you have until it's gone. It's time for you to stop taking this city for granted. Buy at the Farmer's Market, it's cheaper. And visit the shops that refuse to leave downtown. They're the heroes! They put more on the line for Hamilton than any of the rest of us. Malls and box stores are so devoid of character. Visit and interact with people, you're part of a community, start acting like it.

It's not easy being the Hamilton Kid. I'll go toe to toe with anyone who puts us down. But we do have a messy backyard, and it's time we clean it up.

Glen the Hamilton Kid