Reflecting is a healthy thing to do as one gets older. Especially in the shadow of an approaching Mercury retrograde. This page focuses on Los Angeles Flipside Fanzine. My years as a co-editor and publisher were amazingly fun but challenging work. Technology was changing fast and we tried to keep up with it. Bands expanded and we interviewed many new and upcoming bands now legends.
Also record labels and the unique characters known as music promoters. The hubs that came together. Flipside Fanzine collaborated with them all. Gary Tovar was one of the iconoclasts that brought bands from abroad to Los Angeles.
We had a good relationship all along and later as the years passed. In the 2020s I would often see him at some off beat club where we enjoyed the songs. It was always good to see him.
Then in 2024 Gary approached me to do a 1984/ 85 loop documentary of bands that Flipside Video featured and documented in our Flipside Videos. Focusing on Los Angeles shows. The Olympic Auditorium and The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. Even Perkins Palace in Pasadena.
I was honored that Gary reached out to me. We had long talks on the phone. It took me an enormous deal of time and effort to organize the wild spirit of punk rock while capturing the patina of a time in our history.
I used the sources and tools I used to put out my three LOS ANGELES FLIPSIDE FANZINE THE NARRATIVE DOCUMENTARY / FILM. EPEISODION ONE. TWO AND THREE.
Then a flying wrench destroyed the whole project of our work together. After I completed it, he went from being my friend to being my frenemy. As in the “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” I have no way of understanding what happened.
Gossip or bad players told him lies to get him to change his perspective of Flipside Fanzine and myself. This is my overall awareness of the players involved in the Goldenvoice 40-year festival celebration. Since he approached me so differently.
Anyway, regardless of all of this, sometimes we just must move forward and deal with our sour milk. This is why I decided to have the loop available for public viewing on my YouTube channel. I am incredibly happy that it is done and has been for a while now. It sounds great too. I think Gary Tovar would enjoy it. Someday I hope he takes the time from one friend to another to enjoy it… but then again maybe not.
The point being I finally worked through this. I just wanted to share. Let me know what you think of this loop.
