Who knew, right? ...but it is true. Eric was a rock star; or so he says.During high school, Eric was a member of a straight edge punk band named "Scared Straight". After countless hours spent honing their skills in friend's garages, the five adolescent young men set out in search of their dreams on their first tour across America. For weeks they traveled together in a foul van, slept where they could, enjoyed a growing base of fans and the thrill of artistic abandon. Unfortunately, the tour was cut short when all of their equipment was stolen after the gig at the Electric Banana in Pittsburg.
Not to be so easily detered, "Scared Straight" continued to practice and play. The next year, they set out on their second tour, this time to the south-western states. In 1985 they released a mini- album, ironically named, "Born to be Wild".
More information available at http://bandtoband.com/index.php?Page=Search&BandId=1185
7 comments:
What!!! That is the craziest thing I've ever heard. I love the photo!! This doesn't fit my perception of Eric at all. Did you know that tons of my friends growing up were straight edge? I kept from getting too involved b/c, for some strange reason, beating up smokers didn't appeal to me. But I did attend a few concerts (or "shows" as we called them).
I have a neighbor who also grew up in Salt Lake and is familiar with the straight edge movement of the late 80s to late 90s. We have often chatted about tracking people down and writing a book.
Eric: I'm going to search for your 7".
Chanty, I went through my punk phase as well when I was in high school and was amazed when I found out about Eric's punk band. I was even more amazed when I found out that Eric's band later evolved into Ten Foot Pole, who I was familiar with at the time.
I want to know if Eric ever laid a beat down on anyone during his strait edge days. I was always of the opinion that Utah Strait Edgers just claimed to be strait edge becasue that sounded cooler then saying that they obeyed the word of wisdom.
That opinion changed when I went to a Vanilla Ice concert back in 1998 and saw a strait edger put the beat down on a drunk and then kick his face into a brick wall. Then later that night, a strait edger jumped up on stage and punched Vanilla Ice in the face.
Ok, I'm now convinced that this is the most earth shattering news I have read in some time.
I linked to bandtoband.com and read the Scared Straight family tree--ten foot pole (I've heard them), Unwritten law (of course), Sprung Monkey ("get'em outta here!"), Jawbox (yes!), underdog, No Use For a Name.
I don't know how much you know about Straight Edge, and this is probably a topic for another time, but it developed into a scary, militant "organization." Salt Lake City pursued militant straight edge with its gang task force.
I had never seen that photo of Eric. We thought he was playing in a mild mannered band. Oh well, what does a mother know.
Dear Anonymous (who I believe to be Eric's Mom):
Please don't be alarmed by my previous comments. I'm sure Eric didn't participate in any of those nasty things. The angry straight edge folks really didn't surface until the mid to late '90's, and i think Eric's band preceded that stuff by a few years. Maybe Spencer's right and they were singing about the Word of Wisdom after all!!
jayme: craziest thing you've heard...i know, see, i am cool! let me know if you find the 7; we would like one, too. (nope, dont have one)
didnt know straight edge had turned into some scary, militant "organization". was that only in SLC or elsewhere.
spence: ok...that i something i would like to see, you in your punk stage. got any pics?
Its true, you are cool and you married a cool guy. Now we all know why you, Eric and family moved to Seattle. Microsoft was pretext, you came for the punk music scene!!
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