The city was awash in immense depression back then. It quickly recovered, but the memory of those dark weeks in SF history are still ingrained in the mind.
Thank God for Herb Caen and Bill Graham. Two very distinguished and impenetrable San Francisco icons who were very fundamental figures in 1970's Bay Area culture. Graham, the fiery, successful, daunting rock and roll impresario who ruled the concert biz here and beyond. If you lived here in the 70's, you most certainly remember Graham's "Days on the Green." They were a staple of rock concert nirvana with acts like the Rolling Stones, the Eagles, Elton John and Led Zeppelin filling the "Oakland Stadium", (Coliseum), 60,000-people strong. One show in particular I'll never forget: July 26, 1978, Jagger's 35th birthday, (with "Happy Birthday, Mick" t-shirts among the blue coats). I was there and won't soon forget the giant-sized inflatable female dolls dropped from the helicopter into the sea of humanity).
*Caen was the journalistic rock that drove the Bay Area; particularly San Francisco and its political, social, and sporting scene. His six times-a-week column in the Chronicle was a must-read by the local pols, the PR people and those who just liked to know where Willie Brown was eating. (I'd say that Brown's Sunday scribbles in the Chron are patterned after Caen's style). Sure, everyone knew that Caen had several helpers and tipsters that aided his pieces, but big deal, he was widely respected both in the Bay Area and nationally. What Jimmy Breslin was to New York; what Mike Royko was to Chicago, Caen was to his beloved "Baghdad by the Bay."
*70's/80's Bay Area Images and memories: Dr Donald B. Rose, KFRC, (or just plain "Dr. Don) San Ra-QUEL! KYA. Larry Brownell. Channel 7. "NewsScene". Happy Talk. (The slogan, "If it bleeds, it leads" reportedly evolved from the Golden Gate Ave. studios). The SLA. Patty Hearst. Milt Kahn. Steve Sommers. Eddie Alexander, ("Good luck, everybody!"), Van Amburg. Pete Giddings. Jerry Jensen. John O'Reilly. Karna Small. Dennis Richmond. Claud Mann. The Hambrick brothers. Stan Borhman. Evan White. Rigo Chacon. The KQED auction. Dialing for Dollars. Charlie and Humphrey. The Swingin' A's. World Series at the Oakland Coliseum. The Grateful Dead. Eddie Money. Ronnie Montrose. Van Halen. Peter Frampton at Day on the Green with the Eagles. Dolly Parton too. Winterland. The Band. Joe Alioto, (SF's best mayor). George Moscone, (second best). Ronn Owens, (when he had a backbone and KGO was king.) Jim Eason. Owen Spann. Monte Stickles. Gregg Jordan.Wayne Walker. The KRON building at 1001 Van Ness. The Golden Dragon massacre in 1977. The International Hotel. The Giants in decline. Jack Clark. Charlie Fox. Candlestick with artificial turf. Al Michaels broadcasting when about 787 were in the stands. Lon Simmons. Joe Angel. The great Bill King. Warriors win the NBA Chapionship, 1975...at the Cow Palace. Paoli's, (best Italian food in the city and some of the best-looking women in biz suits that we/I tried to charm). The Mel Belli office on Montgomery. Davey Rosenberg walking the streets of North Beach and acting like a SF numbers runner, (which I think he was). Carol Doda in her prime. (Both of them). The Condor. The "Streets of San Francisco", a Quinn Martin production! Ford LTD's. The Embarcadero Freeway. The Zebra Murders. Marcus Foster assassination. Dinner at Scoma's. Dinner at Alfred's. Tadich Grill. Marcello's out in the avenues. Westlake Joe's. Spenger's in Berkeley. Oakland Raiders. John Madden. Rick Barry. The guys with the white construction hats in the Oakland Arena that chanted, "defense." 1975. Keith Wilkes. CJ, Charles Johnson. Alvin Attles. Clifford Ray. Skyline High graduation, (for me) in 1980. "Do the Hustle" by Van McCoy. The Oakland Seals. Charlie Finley. Sal Bando. Reggie Jackson. Kqik Way burgers in Oakland. Franchesco's. Earth, Wind and Fire at the Greek Theatre in 1978. Mickey Klutts. The Oakland Tribune. Ron Bergman. Bill Fiset. Dave Newhouse. Art Finley. Russ Coughlin. The "Owl" backpage of the Saturday Chronicle. Belva Davis. Wayne Shannon. Mike Hegadus. Jan Yanehiro. The "MTWTF Show." KPIX on Van Ness. Robert McCormick. Pat McCormick. Mel Wax. Bob Jimenez. Jim Paymar. Steve Davis. Don Sanchez. David Louie. Bob Melrose. Barbara Taylor. Hunan on Battery. Vannessi's on Broadway. The Hippo. Henry Africa's. Lord Jim's. Hamburger Mary on Folsom. Bill Lee on KFRC. Marvelous Mark on KRFC. John MACflanagan on KYA. Gene Nelson on KSFO. Jim Dunbar. Ted Wygant. Jim Eason. Jerry Brown, the Guv, going to Africa in 1979 with Linda Ronstadt. Al, "Jazzbeaux" Collins in the "Purple Grotto." Dario's pizza. Doyle Drive. Rennie Stennett. Bob Lurie. Jim Barr. Ted Kwalick. Jimmy Johnson. Bruce Taylor. John Brodie. Kezar Stadium. Winterland Productions. Keystone Korner. Todd Barkan. Tower of Power. The Pointer Sisters. The Venetian Room. Carole Vernier. The Carnelian Room. Cazzie Russell. Roy Steele. Crazy George. Duffy Jennings. Sam Singer. Carl Finley. Mike Epstein. Kenny Holtzman. Curt Gowdy. Joe Roth. Chuck Muncie. Joe Kapp. Brennen's. The Hof Brau in Oakland on Broadway. Kings X Bar, (the birthplace of Fantasy Football), Fenton's. Lionel Wilson. The Black Panthers. Jerry Garcia. Bob Sarlatte. Bobby Slayton. The Punchline. Alex Bennett. The "Quake"--KQAK. Tommy Thomas. Jan Hutchins. Joe Interante. Liz Bentley. Harry Denton. John L. Wasserman. Gerald Nachman.
Have I left anyone out?
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