Are You Following Me? Part 1 by : Toney Burkhart

[Lyon]

Yes! I'm agree with you, 7277...Toney, c'mon!!!

[Molly]

I got a job working for Bill Graham at the Carousel Ballroom down on South Van Ness Avenue at Market Street in the summer of 1967.


We then left the garage and walked out side and Janis told me that this city is sure bad on clutch’s this is the fourth one in less than a year and on top of that my car is hard to get parts for. I asked her what type of car it was and she told me it was a Porsche and pointed it out to me setting parked inside the garage.

Ok, you're story was nice, indeed.. But are talking about the Porshe? Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Janis buy her Porshe in 1968?

[7277]

It was a 65 as I recall.......????????/

[Maggie Mc'Gill]

I don't understand you, people... It is interesting to read about Janis's childhood (what influenced her and what could lead to her parsnip years), to read about her influences and her friends, about her tastes and feelings... but why do you want to read everything what includes Janis's name?
I think anybody who read any biography of any artist of 60's could make-up such story. I'd like to know Michael's opinion on this.

[Molly]

It was a 65 as I recall.......????????/

Yes, it was a '65 Porsche but she bought it in '68..?

Oh, here's a link: http://www.officialjanis.com/porsche.html

And here's more info: "In 1968, with the first real money she made, Janis chose--not a Mercedes--but a used Porsche." (From here: http://www.officialjanis.com/dave_richards.html)

[7277]

Are we positive that Dave remembered correctly??? Just because its a part of the forum, doesn't mean its necessarily fact. I'm sure everyone is a little fuzzy about dates 40 years ago. ????????????????????/

[Shadow_of_A_Doubt]

Where is Janis 1965 Porche today ? does it sit in the Forever 27 club parking lot in the sky next to Jim Morrisons 1966 Ford Shellby Mustang ?? does it sit in some auto museum somewhere or was it sold at some auction for some outragous price ??

[7277]

Yo, Mr. Shadow....at the museumofthegulfcoast. ?? Port Arthur they have a porsche convert. on display....they say its Janis'car . Not sure if it is THE car???? 7277

[bean13cs]

I mean really... are we competing here for who knows more about Janis or are we just fans looking for anything we might not already know...I personally am the latter. Tony very well could have been an employee for Bill Graham at the time and he indeed could have had this experience with Janis. Why would he lie and if he is lying thats the risk you run of chatting online! As for "the drugging" comment...it [i]was[/i] the 60's... I mean Owsley Stanley was spraying the crowds at Dead shows with his latest batch, acid tests were held regularly....i really dont think involuntary intoxication was a big issue back then, but these are just my thoughts!

[selinas]

your right, i was being a little shit.

[bean13cs]

its ok salinas...aint no thang!!! we all can be a little shitty sometimes!!! :)

[Toney_Burkhart]

It was a 65 as I recall.......????????/

I am not sure either, but I saw the Porshe before it had the ncie paint job in 1967 or it could have been in 68. You see I have trubble recalling dates I do know I met Janis after I was working only a few weeks at the Fillmore and it should have been in 1967. I do know that she already had the car in 1968 for sure. And it would have not be as early as 1965 for sure as she did not have the money at that time to buy such a car.

[Vivian]

I, too, "was there" and, in fact was a downstairs neighbor of Janis' when she lived on Noe St. The Porsche (which I have heard is now in the Rock 'n Roll Museum) was parked out front whenever she was home. (Also went to her housewarming party at her new house in Marin. Wonder what ever happened to the mobile we made for her as a housewarming gift! It was huge - driftwood, shells, beads.) Since you, Tony, mention the Carousel Ballroom, you must be legit. People tend to mention only the Avalon and Fillmore and my best of times were at the Carousel. Also, you had to "be there" to understand the scene as it was, including the drug situation. Remember, not everyone made it out alive or sane but those of us who did, may not remember dates very well but we sure as hell remember the feelings that those memories hold for us. There is no explaining that era except to say "I was there." And I will say that the Hell's Angels may have been there as bodyguards but they abused their power and ended up hurting J. one night.

Also, just to say, I think Melissa and Joss did a terrific job with tonight's Grammy tribute to Janis! Joss has "got it going on" as they say these days!

[Toney_Burkhart]

Hi Vivian,

Thank you for your vote of confidence!
I am so happy to meet someone else that knew Janis.
A lady friend of mine said that she saw the Porsche on display at the modern art museum here in San Francisco last month for a 1960’s show. It is now over and I did not know it was going on or I would have loved to have seen it.

You are sure right about some of us not making it out alive.
When I worked at the Fillmore West back then one of my jobs I took up on myself was being the person who took care of the people who took an over dose of a drug. I was called the doctor. I had two soda cups and in them I had uppers and the other downers.

A few times I was called to help someone who overdosed either on Speed or Valium.
Then we called for the ambulance to take them to SF General.

Sad to say but one poor guy got so stoned that he fell out one of the Carousel Ballroom windows and killed himself. From then on we had to keep the windows locked.

BTW: I was there the night the Hell's Angels came to hear Janis.
It was the same night that Cheap Thrills was recorded live.
The place was packed. We I think had over 7000 people in the place.
Not a good thing. Any way, I was taking some ice out to the bar and in waving my was from the restaurant to the bar I must have bumped into a guy and he got all upset at me and pull a 45 out and pointed it at me. It scared the heck out of me!
About then Bill and the leader of the Oakland Hell's Angels came up and stopped the guy. This little guy who was the leader of the Hell's Angels stepped up in front of me and the big guy who was pointing the gun at me and said what are you doing? The guy said I bumped into him and he did not like that. What the Oakland Hell's Angels guy did was took the gun away from the big guy and started slapping him around and to my amazement the big guy did not do anything back to the little one.
He also made the guy apologize to me and had him cool it or else he said.

However, I did not know they mistreated Janis that night.
If so then I would have ask that Oakland Hell's Angels to fix who ever did that.

Oh BTW: Do you still live in San Francisco? If so then it would be nice for us to meet for a coffee somewhere one night. I went over to the house in Marin once with Janis. I however do not recall seeing the mobile you gave her. But it could have been there and I just did not notice it.

What I do recall is her dressing table in her bedroom, it had lots of beaded necklaces hung all around the round mirror. I also met a girl who lived with Janis in that house do you recall who she was? She was taller than Janis and had long black hair.
Oh yea, the reason I was there that evening was that Janis was to play in a bar in Marin City that night. Forgot the name but its still there the last time I was over in Marin last year.

Regards,

Toney

[7277]

Just wanted to bring this thread up again written by our old friend Toney in San Fran. If some of you newbies haven't read it, please go to the first page here and READ. It's about a brief relationship of Toney with Janis. Its special reading.

Peace....enjoy

Read the other threads by Toney also....he WAS THERE....SF in the 60s.