Jason Traeger

RSS Archive

Anyone who knows me knows I've never been one to revel in the past. I'm the last one to cast a misty-eyed glance back at the "good old days". In my experience the people who take this angle are usually the ones who weren't there. Whatever mistakes, false starts and missed opportunities I've had the pleasure of having, I was wherever I was for better or worse.

This blog is not meant to romanticize any choices I made or any particular era. It's simply a place where I share stories and take stock of where I've been as a way to figure out where I might want to go next. I'll celebrate some people along the way, some of them you'll know or know of, others will be new to you. I'm glad to have known every one of them.

The posts are in no thematic or chronological order. The date at the end of the post's title refers to how the content of the post relates to me personally. I make no claim about the accuracy of my recollections I only promise that I'll be as honest and accurate as I can be. If you were there and you remember things differently than I do, or you find evidence that contradicts my memory (I wouldn't be surprised or upset) feel free to let me know.

Rather than editing the posts for historical accuracy, I'll put ( * ) next to any parts that have been challenged or updated for that reason.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER
portlandstandupsketchbook
blackflaglogo.tumblr
thriftyherder.tumblr
thrashyblurter.tumblr
oregonpaintingsociety.org
jasontraeger.com

March 25, 2012

BANGLES FAN CLUB LETTER TACOMA 1983
I’ve been looking through some boxes of old correspondence lately and I found this letter that was sent to me in response to a letter I’d written to The Bangles in 1983. In the early 80’s I was primarily into hardcore punk, a little smidgeon of metal and a sprinkling of garage rock and “paisley underground” stuff like The Bangles and The Salvation Army.
I had the band’s first 12” ep and I wrote to tell them I liked it. I remember at the time being put off by the fact that a fan club guy wrote me back and not Susannah Hoffs herself. What rockstar b.s.! I did not “join the club”.
Now it’s super charming to me. A handwritten note saying “(The Bangles) were surprised to find someone in Washington even knows about them!” Yes there were probably about a dozen Bangles fans in the Northwest at that time. That would soon change.
Still would’ve been cooler if Susannah had written me. “Thank” a lot!

BANGLES FAN CLUB LETTER TACOMA 1983

I’ve been looking through some boxes of old correspondence lately and I found this letter that was sent to me in response to a letter I’d written to The Bangles in 1983. In the early 80’s I was primarily into hardcore punk, a little smidgeon of metal and a sprinkling of garage rock and “paisley underground” stuff like The Bangles and The Salvation Army.

I had the band’s first 12” ep and I wrote to tell them I liked it. I remember at the time being put off by the fact that a fan club guy wrote me back and not Susannah Hoffs herself. What rockstar b.s.! I did not “join the club”.

Now it’s super charming to me. A handwritten note saying “(The Bangles) were surprised to find someone in Washington even knows about them!” Yes there were probably about a dozen Bangles fans in the Northwest at that time. That would soon change.

Still would’ve been cooler if Susannah had written me. “Thank” a lot!

(Source: thirstysurfer)

12:21am | URL: http://tmblr.co/Zl8DhvIX7zq2

(Notes: 7)