Take Another Little Piece of My Heart: A Groupie Grows Up (49 page)
Read Take Another Little Piece of My Heart: A Groupie Grows Up Online
Authors: Pamela Des Barres,Michael Des Barres
I have been teaching writing classes for almost five years and I’m loving it so much. The quality of the writers that walk through my door every week is truly inspiring. I write three monthly music columns and am working on a book called
My Back Pages: A Fan’s Obsession with the Byrds
. I have probably the world’s most-stuffed Byrds scrapbook, which will be part of the experience along with my gushing teen diary entries. “January 30, 1966: Chris Hillman. He’s the One. He stared and stared at me, yes he did! We talked to them ALL. (even Chris this time) And Mike Clarke gave me a LOOK. Oh yes he did! They played for an hour, boy, that’s really groovy! (as Gene would say). I was backstage for awhile. I know Chris doesn’t have a girl. Yay!”
For four years I had a wonderful boyfriend, Mike Stinson, the best country singer-songwriter on the planet. We separated not too long ago and once again I am in the throes of heartsickness. Even though it hurts now (Ouch!), I have been through enough heartache to know
that this too shall pass (more wise words from Jesus). I am really working hard at staying in the moment and not lollygagging around in the tempting past. It takes constant vigilant monitoring, dolls. But I am grateful for our loving, delicious time together, and I’m certain we will be friends one day. Probably even before this book hits the stands.
Fascinating things continue to happen on a daily basis. My dear friend and James Dean cohort Kip Brown was working at Rockaway Records in Silverlake recently, and someone brought in loads of boxes he bought from none other than my old manager, Herb Cohen. (He was Zappa’s manager way back when, and you probably recall him from Cynthia’s court case. He wanted her dicks, remember?) Kip called me, very excited, insisting that I come down to the shop to take a gander at the goods.
Trapped for decades in decaying cardboard boxes were pages and pages of notes, contracts, photos, lyrics, poems, and articles by and about Frank Zappa’s Girls Together Outrageously, circa 1968-69. I was agog and gasping, instantly transported back to my teenage glory days. Miss Lucy, Mercy, Sandra, Miss Christine’s giant green eyes peered at me with eternal sassy wonder. Unfortunately the new owner wanted $20,000 for the lot, but good old Kip made copies for me before the girlish relics were put on display in the tall glass cases. One of the forgotten innocent ditties was all about women’s liberation, entitled “Brassieres.” (
Bailies
, by the way, was the GTO’s term for our titties.)
What, may I ask you
Is the purpose of a bra?
Why does each girl wear one?
Is it a special law?
I appeal to every one of you
Get rid of those silly things
And listen to the joys
The brassiereless generation brings.
No straps! (No straps, no straps)
No more tissue paper! (Tissue pa-per!)
No more tugging! (And pulling on your bailies)
In junior high you stuffed them
with scarves, Kleenex, and toilet paper
And dreamed of the bosom
That you would grow later (-Ah! Bouncy!)
In high school when they didn’t come
You resorted to Frederick’s specials
Foam rubber, plastic inserts, and blow-up types
Parading around in tight sweaters
Hoping the boys wouldn’t call you falsie!
(Wasn’t it traumatic!)
Forget those days, start anew
Listen, listen as I appeal to you.
No straps! (No straps, no straps)
No more tissue paper! (Tissue pa-per!)
No more tugging! (And pulling on your bailies)
INDEXWho needs the hassle?
Who needs the worry?
Throw that brassiere in the trash
And hurry, hurry, hurry!
acting:
Michael’s career in,
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Pamela’s abandonment of,
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Pamela’s career in,
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Adler, Lou,
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“Adolf” (therapist),
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Aggie (astrologer-psychologist),
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–184,
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Alcoholics Anonymous (AA),
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Alexander (Melanie Griffith’s son),
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Animotion,
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Anton, Susan,
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Arden, Don,
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Ariana (psychic),
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Arnold, Roseanne,
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Arnold, Tom,
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ASAP,
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Asher, Jane,
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Aspen, Colo.,
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Assante, Armand,
68
Aura (Linda’s daughter),
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backstage scene, changes in,
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Bakker, Jim,
219
Barrymore, Jaid,
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–266,
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,
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Barskin,
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Bateman, Justine,
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Bators, Stiv,
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Bauer, Steven (Rocky),
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Begley, Ed, Jr.,
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Berlin,
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Berman, Susan,
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Bernhard, Sandra,
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Bert, Aunt,
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Beverly Hills Health Club,
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Big Rig Jackknife,
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Bitzer, Robert,
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Blacknell, Stephen,
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Blue Velvet
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Blush
(Des Barres),
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Body Double
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Bolas, Niko,
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Bonham, Jason,
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Bonham, John (Bonzo),
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Book Soup,
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Boston Phoenix
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Pamela’s correspondence with,
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Brown, James,
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Burke, Clem,
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butter queen,
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Camelletti, Rob,
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of Myer,
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Carina (Nick’s girlfriend),
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Carlos, Bun E.,
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car wax commercial,
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Case, Peter,
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century cactus barbecue,
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Chapman, Mike,
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Chequered Past,
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child psychiatrists,
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Chinn, Nicky,
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Church of Religious Science,
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Clapton, Eric,
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Clark, Dick,
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Michael’s use of,
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Pamela’s use of,
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codependence,
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Cohen, Herbie,
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Cole, Karak,
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Cole, Richard,
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Coming Home
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Connors, Chuck,
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Conrad, Charles,
67
Cook, Paul,
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Costas, Bob,
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Costello, Elvis,
44
Cottonwood Camp,
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country music,
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Crawford, Broderick,
68
Creem
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33
Criss, Peter,
27
Cruise, Tom,
109
Cynthia (graduate student),
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“Dancing in the Dark” (Springsteen),
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Danson, Ted,
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D’Arbanville, Patti,
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at Aspen wedding,
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at
Blue Velvet
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book title supplied by,
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at Dylan’s party,
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Pamela’s therapy and,
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at Prince concert,
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Davies, Ray,
260
Davis, Geena,
128
Davis, Stephen,
138
death, communication after,
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Debbie (airline stewardess),
32
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Decker, Emil,
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Dellaquilla, Denise (Dee Dee),
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DeLoach, Darryl,
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Demme, Jonathan,
209
De Mornay, Rebecca,
109
De Niro, Robert,
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De Palma, Brian,
144
Des Barres, Irene Gladys (mother-in-law),
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–35,
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husband’s death and,
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son’s relationship with,
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Des Barres, Michael (husband),
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at AA meetings,
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acting career of,
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affairs of,
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in Aspen,
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blackouts of,
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