If you have a story or memory that you'de like to add ,send it to me and i will post it here.
june 2010
I really loved Mikey, and was very sorry to hear of his passing. Whenever I think of Downtown San Jose, I think of him more than just about anyone. The day I first arrived down there
he was there, already a legend in town, this kid already running the party scene in his own happy-go-lucky way.
Even though he was rough on himself with his lifestyle choices, I believe he loved life and loved
his family and friends. He was a good person, and I don't think that many people realized how smart Mike was: for people who
just thought he was only a party guy, the answer is no - he was more than that.
My strongest memories of him are these two things:
1) The day that Scotty taught him to shave and got him a little shaving kit. That moment made
me so happy... for both of them. Two punk rock dudes who would leave us way too soon, one acting to the other like a big brother
does when a father is gone. I seriously get a tear in my eye for that... and it is a happy tear.
2) The night at a drunken beach party when Mikey
swallowed his tongue and layed there alone, dying, when Ingrid and I literally stumbled upon him, tried to wake him, and then
discovered that his tongue was down his throat. Ingrid reached into his mouth all the way ang pulled it out. He gasped for
air after I Heimliched the shit out of him. Then, realizing that we had to get him out of there, a couple of us (for some
reason I think Greg O may have been there?) put him over our shoulders and walked up a giant dune of sand in the pitch black
to get him up to the road. After that trudge up the hill, trust me, I thought *I* was the one that was gonna die. I wonder
which of his 9 lives he burned that night?
Well, Liz, thanks for putting up this site. This was an awesome and overdue idea, and no one
could have possibly told the story of his life better than you did.
Love to you,
Adrian
I remember one time me and tierna (i think it was tierna) doing mikes hair
when i still lived with my parents in
southside. we did his hair up in
big-ass nail spikes with knox gelatin, it took us hours but it was worth it,
he looked
great! it was for an embalmed show i think the show was at the
(old) works on vine, around 83' or 84'. thats
one memory i have
Love Brenda Opp.
Liz,
The site for Mike is wonderful. He was such a kind,
funny, and loving person. It is so sad that he had
to
die the way he did. Kim Maystree
Its Mike Carlson the guy from Santa Cruz who use to hang with the early/mid
80s SJ crew Mostly at Timmy and Cindys
house but every where miss those dayz!!
Funny you emailed because i was just thinking about all the wild back yard and
house partys you and your Bros use to through!! those were great fun times
back then!! Remember a huge party
that i think Pat thru in the backyard of were
yall lived in down town SJ with allmost every SJ band pluse the FUCK UPS
SF!
But remember that party well it seemed like it went on for 7 or 8 hours till
cops showed when LIVING ABORTIONS
were playing and watching band from over the
fence at the apartment complex next door while 6 or 7 were out front getting
ready to shut the party down but it was not 10pm yet so they hung for about 20
mins before 10pm then shutit down!
But it started about 2 or 3 so it was a
way fun party/allmost show do to the fact there was allmost every SJ band there
playing the party!Yeah i was pretty drunk by the time the cops got there! Suprised i did not go
to jail but i was
lucky i guess!!.. Cause there were cops every where it
seemed mostly out front of the house! But by that time i was ready
to eat and pass
out from drinking for 5 hours or more!
My name is Alaina. I met you many many times, a long time ago.
I wonder if you remember me at all. Little
girl with blond hair.
I was madly in love with Mike - and chased him like a lovesick kid.
Mike was my first love.
He
was my "first". And I got him that tattoo on
His chest with the can can girl with the "A" in between her legs...
A
long long time ago.
I have many many photos of him - back to the day he got his Scotty Vollmer
tattoo. And many
of his shows and such. The San Jose Downtown Crew "peace
love and never take a bath." Lyrics, all kinds of
stuff - that I completely
treasure to this day.
I met him at 13. Now I am 34.
No one will ever be like him.
I
am fortunate to have known him how I did.
I saw and did things with him - that even I can't believe.
I would love to
pass on my memories of him. He changed my life forever -
And will continue to do so...
I feel very empty inside right now. Not sure how to process this news or
grief I feel...
Like I am carrying a package with no address...
when I
first spotted Mike. I think it was at the Varsity in Palo Alto. I told her
- "that's him, that's
the guy! Who is he? I want it to meet him! He's the
one!"
And I think a year or so passed until I was able to find out who he was,
where he was, and how to meet him.
Essentially I tracked that gorgeous
wonderful mysterious rock star down...! How to have him be that special
first
one... But it finally happened....
I remember this night very clearly that she talks about. And that song by
U2
"Bad" ALWAYS reminds me of him...
the photos I found last night! I completely treasure them
and I am glad these images are the ones that stick
in my mind.
But I thought this recollection of Mike was touching.
Last night that's exactly what I did. Found
a drink and a cigarette.
I vividly remember that night listening to that U2 "Bad" song with Mike.
Mike said it really fit him... You
are right in your recollection, Suzie.
Every time I hear that song I think of him and that night.
Last night I started
digging for photos. Whoa. Wasn't quite ready for that
one. I knew then it was important to remember everything.
I kept a meticulous record of his life somehow. I knew someday I would be
thankful for doing so. Wanting
to tell and show the world how I knew him.
I was so proud to know him - he was the coolest! Reckless, daring - all
out
- balls to the wall daring - unique. Fucking gorgeous and sexy as hell.
Even when he wasn't trying!
Totally himself and effected everyone around
him like a sexy punk rock tornado blazing through a room! Unforgettable.
I put him on such a pedestal. I idolized him.
Perhaps in some sense we all crave being that special to someone. Being
remembered. Counting - a life
that gives impression and impact. Someone to
be remembered on this planet - not slipping away in forgotten times...
Meaning
something. Anything. In our spent youth - out there so alone we
were desperate for attention, love, to fit
somewhere - to matter. Perhaps
there is a little bit of that in all of us.
It is truly amazing how I recorded and documented those times like I did.
Those young punk rock dangerous times.
We all felt that every day was our
last. That right then in that moment everything was fucking intense.
Living
every day so fast - like it might be our last. Bring on the world,
we were invinceable with uncrushable determination
to make it or break it...
In our youth we could do anything, dream anything, destroy and create
anything. The
future was wide open.
Now I am quite thankful to have photos, memories - a glimpse of the past - I
feel like
a big part of Mike's memory lies in my hands. I think I loved him
more than even I understand. He will remain
such a powerful icon to me.
Being with him changed the way I felt about myself.
And he gave me so much. He made
me feel like a million bucks. And even
though it was I whom idolized him - he always made me feel special in this
world
- like a rockstar in fact.
As Andrew Felsinger put it, "You should feel proud that you knew Mike. He
was special and daring. He needed a lot
of love, and you offered that, I'm
sure."
I remember the night of my "first" time with him. Leaving this house in the
middle of god know where San Jose.
I was just a little kid. I didn't even
have bus fare and I was late for school. I felt reckless. Like
a badass.
And I closed that door and I was so fucking proud of myself. Perhaps that
was the first day I felt I
could take on the world. For so long I had
chased this dream of a person. I wanted to meet him - and for him
to be
that special person for me. And he was and is.
Isn't it odd that I always wanted Mike to remember me. - and now it is me
remembering him?
Alaina
BAD
If you twist and turn away
If you tear yourself in two again
If I could, yes I would
If I could, I would
Let
it go
Surrender
Dislocate
If I could throw this
Lifeless lifeline to the wind
Leave this heart of clay
See you walk, walk away
Into
the night
And through the rain
Into the half-light
And through the flame
If I could through myself
Set your spirit free
I'd lead your heart away
See you break, break away
Into
the light
And to the day
To let it go
And so to fade away
To let it go
And so fade away
I'm wide awake
I'm wide awake
Wide awake
I'm not sleeping
Oh, no, no, no
If you should ask then maybe they'd
Tell you what I would say
True colors fly in blue and black
Bruised
silken sky and burning flag
Colors crash, collide in blood shot eyes
If I could, you know I would
If I could, I would
Let it go...
This desperation
Dislocation
Separation
Condemnation
Revelation
In temptation
Isolation
Desolation
Let
it go
And so fade away
To let it go
And so fade away
To let it go
And so to fade away
I'm wide awake
I'm wide awake
Wide awake
I'm not sleeping
Oh, no, no, no
