Harper's Infrequent Pestle

I remember the first punk concert I went to. My friends and I were big fans of the punk music we had received on mix tapes or the CDs our Christian parents were willing to buy us (MxPx, Ghoti Hook, Craig’s Brother, anyone?). So it was huge news when we found out that Tooth and Nail Records was having the festival show, Suburbia, come to nearby Orange County. Ghoti Hook and The OC Supertones were the headliners. Anyway, a few of us got all psyched up. I remember that we put this spray on blue dye. I remember the thick smell and staining my friend Stephen’s mom’s car with it.
After seeing Ghoti Hook play, I had walked back to the concessions booth to buy a bottle of water. The woman behind the register, maybe only four or five years older than me, pointed out that there was “blue stuff” all down my neck. I thanked her and hurriedly walked to the bathroom to get as much of the now running dye off my neck and shirt. Of the whole concert, that’s my most vivid memory.
Ghoti Hook is also the band who introduced me to Pixies, when they covered “Where Is My Mind?”. That’s what I love about music. You can look back at it and quickly figure out your own history.