Jay informs me that this is Carnivore at the Old Ritz (thanx Jay)
As you asked, here is some more info about The Rock Capital of Brooklyn:
Before Peter started hanging out at Duffs, he hung out at L'Amour. And, he knew everyone. It was common to see him there to see other bands, cheering on his friends, a fixture who stood upstraight, with his arms crossed watching the crowd around him as he towered over most of the people. You could mistake him for a bouncer - because he was tall and muscular like one - but he mostly smiled and cracked jokes at whomever's expense.
I do remember being there with Pete and some guy coming up to him trying to pick a fight. This guy was clearly drunk, so if Peter just blew some air in his direction, the idiot would probably fall down. But, instead this guy decided to say things like, "wow, you are tall. I bet you think you are tough too." Pete ignored him a bit, smiling at us. Then the guy said, "Hey, big guy. How's the weather up there?" So, Pete responded "It's raining." And he spit on the guy.
The Great L'Amours: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4s_EKNl0gI
I remember that when you walked in, the stage was on one side of the room and it was large. The photos don't do it justice. On one side of the room there was a bar and then up a couple of steps was a huge bar in the back. I think there may have been another bar in the far back, and there were places all around the bar to stand with cubbyholes along the edges to sit.
The barmaids would walk around on the large "dance floor" directly infront of the stage with their drink tray positioned over their head as they went through the crowd. Clad in tarzan and jane outfits, wearing the highest heels you've ever seen, they'd shimmy through the crowd asking if you wanted a drink or a refill. They were usually very attractive and dramatically dressed, with fur bracelets and leopard dresses that hugged their bodies. If you were a L'Amour Bar Girl you could make some great tip money when the club was it's busiest - Thursday, Friday, Saturday nites.
Carnivore at L'Amours 1986
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CPPabbVfIQ
OMHG I laughed my a** off with Peter's "its raining" comment. love it!
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*ROFL* 'How's the weather up there? It's raining' awesome answer & reaction ;-) I hope to remember this whenever in future someone might ask me this stupid question ;-) Guess Pete would not mind if I borrow this reaction ;-) Describing the scenery at L'Amour is just great - never even been to NY but now I have a very clear image of this club - thanx. I hope that we would have clubs with waitresses like these - I mean in the middle of the crowd asking if you want some more drink is great - I only know boring rows in front of bars and long waiting times - WOW - guess you had great times there. Once more thanx for sharing your memories.
ReplyDeleteMuch love & respect & take care
-Sabine-
[gapes] Crazy wicked place to 1. Hang out as a teen at and 2. Get your start at. Wild. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGreat story....The part about peter saying it's raining is humorous that guy deserved what he got...lol Very interesting sounds like a lot of good times. Thank you for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteHello ladies,
ReplyDeleteAs always, I have enjoyed another wonderful blog entry from you all! I was watching the Carnivore performance (which was killer by the way, one of the best quality I've seen!), and happened to notice a ring on Peter's left hand, and remembered that he was once married before. I was wondering if you could tell us more about that, and what happened. If not I understand, but I have always wondered why Peter was never able to have the romantic life he seemed to crave. Did he just keep meeting the wrong women for him, or was he not really cut out for exclusivity? It would be interesting to hear what you all have to say about it, if you'd like to.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your candidness and willingness to share all that you have with us. Your family seems like a fun, colourful, and caring group! I love starting my day with you and your blog, and my morning coffee! It has become one of my favourite new morning rituals! Much love, respect, and best wishes to you all!!!
~Vic
I used to go to L'Amour in the 1980's, but since it was a long drive from Suffolk County, it wasn't too often. Strangely, I didn't see Type O Negative play until I moved to Nashville, TN! Because the crowd was smaller there, I was able to elbow my way right up to the stage... BLISS!
ReplyDeleteA friend and I drove to Brooklyn from Boston for TON's very last L'Amour show. It is probably my favorite of any TON show I saw. We sat next to the sound guy all night who shared stories of Peter with us - he talked about his car and how he would drive up and down the street blaring crazy music! It is one night I will never forget.
ReplyDeleteThat pic is actually NOT at L'amour..It's the old Ritz in Manhattan, April of '86.They played with Overkill and Venom..The first time i was turned on to Carnivore--A VERY impressionable experience for me! I was hooked every since.R.I.P.Pete,you are missed bro..
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great place to hang out. The clubs back then has a better atmosphere than now days but I'm not sure why. Maybe everyone wasn't as up themselves as nowdays and was there for the music and to have fun. Dont know. So many of the old good clubs are gone to make way for some stupid office building that means nothing. All the clubs I went to are gone. Is it still called L"Amour? The youtube Carnivore footage is such good quality! Great to watch.
ReplyDeletei am also from the boston area, south of boston actually,but this sounds like a really cool place to hang out.my son lived in NYC in the mid 90,s for a couple of years,and i was wondering where in brooklyn is l,amour?my son lived in the east village and then in bay ridge brooklyn,is it any where near bay ridge? i wish i had seen type o there i sounds like it really would have been fun.i love these stories, really make my day. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteTY @Jay for clarifying. It makes sense because of the balcony, but my pic had L'Amour written on the back of it. @Laurie J - L'Amour was in an area between Boro Park and Dyker. Not too far from Bay Ridge. If you son loved Rock music, he was probably at L'Amour. It doesn't exist anymore. At one point they split the club into two - making one side a disco (been there with Pete)& the other side a very small rock club. Then it closed down. I heard the owners reopened in Staten Island, but I haven't seen anything about it.
ReplyDeleteI still remember that show like it was last week..Words cannot describe how it molded me into the musician that i am today..God Is Dead was what did it for me!.I wish i had a time capsule and can go back to being a wet behind the ears 15 year old and experience that show again..So i could take notes..lol
ReplyDeletethanks for answering me. i looked up bay ridge and yes it was close. i will have to find out if my son ever went there. I think i wore out mt cassette yes thats right cassette of bloody kisses on those bus trips to and from NYC.sure brings back memories. thanks again.
ReplyDeleteI laughed a lot with this piece: " Pete responded "It's raining." And he spit on the guy."
ReplyDeleteOMG!!! O love it!wanted to see it.Thanks
I was a regular at L'Amour for a few years. I knew Pete pretty much from hanging at the club only. I remember being at one of Type O's last shows there, Pete had two lovely ladies on either side of the stage working kegs of beer and handing them out to the crowd, and I remember him saying to us in between songs. "Thanks for helping me pay my phone bill". Always that great sense of humor. Later on after L'Amour closed, Pete hung out briefly at another Brooklyn rock club called The Roadhouse. A lot of L'Amour people went there too, because of its relatively close proximity to the former venue. Not as big, but two floors with a pool table upstairs. I went upstairs one night and Pete was shooting pool with Alex Kayne, who was the DJ/VJ at L'Amour. There was an open chair near the pool table and Pete said to me "Sit down", so I sat and watched them play. Afterward, Pete told me a story about how one night he was with a bunch of friends at a Staten Island bar and they were on their way to L'Amour in Pete's car. All of the guys in Pete's car had long hair, and a car load of "Guido" disco types got behind them and started following them because according to Pete, "they thought we were chicks". Pete pulled the car over on the the Verrazano Bridge, and the Guido types did the same thinking they were gonna meet some girls. Then Pete got out of the car, and stood up. When the "Guidos"saw this huge guy get out of the car they hit reverse, and tore off really fast with a loud screech and Pete and his friends laughed all the way to L'Amour. I laughed so hard and of course, never forgot that story!!!
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