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La Mere Vipere's Interests
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Heroes
In memoriam: Noe Boudreau, Carol "Punky" Blank, Gary Brasher, Adrian Byrd, Pat Day, Barbie Goodrich, Daniel Narducci, Gavin, Jim Nash, Lydia Tomkiw....................................... ..........................................................................
Punks Emeritus (still alive and kicking as far as we know)Mike "Sparkle" Rivers, Taco Ramone, Jeaane Genie and Mary Alice Ramel.
La Mere Vipere was the world's first punk dance club. It began life as a gay bar, a satellite of another gay bar owned by Noe Boudreau named "The Snake Pit". Located at 2132 N. Halsted St, LaMere held its first "Anarchy Night" on May 8th, 1977 (Mother's Day), at the suggestion of Mike "Sparkle" Rivers, a LaMere bartender who also worked at Sounds Good Records, one of the few Chicago record stores to carry the latest punk releases from England. A subsequent "Anarchy Night" on May 29th was reportedly delayed so the bar could play the first Sex Pistols single "God Save the Queen". A three-day event called "Punk-O-Rama" featuring punk films, live performances by local bands and a punk fashion show was held in late June, marking the club's transition to a full-time punk bar. The club soon drew a steady barrage of media attention, the hostility of it's neighbors and the police, and an onslaught of gawkers and tourists. The band Chicago was famously turned away at the door because the bar was already too crowded. According to an interview with former LaMere bartender Monica Lynch, NY culture mavens Steve Maas and Anya Phillips visted the club before Maas opened his own punk disco in downtown Manhattan, The Mudd Club. LaMere was destroyed by a fire on April 27th, 1978. The cirumstances surrounding the fire have always been suspicious and many folks at the time said that there was foul play involved. Some say the police had a hand in the fire, but that could never be substantiated. At a Patti Smith concert at Park West just following the demise of the club, Patti responded to the audience's vocal despair over their loss with the advice that they "build a new one". The untimely end of La Mere Vipere could be seen as the close of the first generation/wave of the Chicago punk movement. Noe Boudreau never opened another punk bar, but did later dj at other clubs including Club 950 and Neo's where he sometimes held nights called "One Eon of Eno by Noe at Neo's". Noe later died of AIDS. After LaMere closed down, the scene shifted to Oz and O'Banion's, the latter opening a couple months after LaMere's demise. An early 80's attempt by promoters to open a membership-only club called LaMere Vipere in a former near north porno theatre never got off the ground. The former site of LaMere re-opened as a liquor store.
Information from the Chicago Punk Wiki:
http://punk.dee-nee.com/wiki/La_Mere_Vipere
Who I'd like to meet: People who were regulars at LaMere Vipere, people who only went to O'Banion's but claimed to have gone to Lamere Vipere, people who would've gone to LaMere Vipere had they been old enough to get in, bands whose music was played at LaMere, local bands beloved by LaMere regulars, punks of every description. No gawkers!
Willie Was there! And on Sunday, July 6th, Les Voyeurs will be celebrating 50 years of service from the venerable clown prince of Chicago punk. We're kicking off the evening early to celebrate the release of our new CD "The ABC's of Walking Wisely". We say early, only because there's no guarnatee that we can keep him sober any later! We're also honored to announce that The Effigies will be the headliners for this special event. July 6th, 7p.m. Liar's Club 1655 W. Fullerton Chicago, Il.
Let us now praise Noe Boudreau, the mind, heart and soul of La Mere, and the most wonderful guy you could ever hope to know. You are not forgotten, dear friend. And yes, the true godfather of punk/new wave in Chicago.
Other responses: Jerome lives in NYC with his wife, fellow La Mere person Elaine. Last I heard some years ago, Todd was knitting sweaters in, I think, New Buffalo. I did used to see him on the train in the 90s! Yes, Saturdays were amateur night and to be avoided, except that is was fun to be brought in while the tourists stood in line. I used to love to have breakfast with Adrian at the Medinah. A lovely guy.
I am sorry, but I think it is funny that someone made a film called You Weren't There about Chicago punk in the 80s! I wasn't there on purpose. But that's just me.
Always hearing about these events too late. We were just talking about Ken Ellis and the Rainbo Room. Maybe I should ask now whether somebody is celebrating Johnny Thunders' birthday.
Anyone remember a new wave pretty boy getting jumped out front and the Black Dragen boys coming to my rescue? One of the losers ended up in the hospital with a broken chest plate. Also - who was the naked chick leaning against the parked cars holding her red dress. Finally I want to know what MF drugged me so I couldn't get off the bathroom floor - or maybe it was doing shots of tequila on an empty stomach?
Having worked for Noah at La Mere & Neo I just want to make sure that he is given the credit for being the Godfather of the Chicago Punk scene,& tip a glass for all the sisters & brothers who are no longer with us. I WAS THERE !
So... now that I, Coconut Girl, have my own MySpace page, I can tell you about how I was offered a role in a Punk Rock Soap Opera that's being developed for a cable tv show. AND, my dear friend Mary Alice won me a cute Coconut Guy who plays a guitar, in a contest, so, we might even start a band!
Things are just beginning to take off for us Coconuts... I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my Coconut Guy...
