The Rocky Horror Picture Show - (Here's me playing Riff-Raff)
As a young and creative man I was desperately in search (though I didn't know it) of an outlet. Further, as a social pariah, it was very important because I created, or entered an environment where I was accepted and cool. June took me the first time, and introduced me to all the weirdoes there as "Space", the name I adopted for years. Before you get too judgmental, remember it was 1980, I knew fellows 'named' Sting, Fraf, Feyd, Anodyne, Zeus (who charmingly enough, later changed his name to 'St. John'). Here's an interesting secret: I never got laid in High School (more or less) But each week, put on my costume, and my persona - and I got to be this wonderful and desired 'star'.
I got a taste for it, and for the counter-culture folks I ran into there. And the girls - To this day I have a 'thing' for thigh-highs and fishnets - YUMMY! No problems getting the ladies, (singularly or in groups) there.
I recently had someone important get back in touch with me from my past. A girl, that while pivotal, probably won't be mentioned here. She has been reminding me of some of our personal adventures (and mis-adventures) together. I will cover my frighteningly spotty memory later in this document. Just know that I don't recall so much of what I have done and been, other than as stories. But I do want to give credit and praise where I can.
Because of Rocky Horror, I met two other people who helped craft or steer me. One of the biggest influences ever was Dan Sullivan. Dan was playing Brad at the show. Dan helped convince me to play Riff-Raff. Dan wore make-up, even though he was straight. Dan listened to cool music and slept with all the coolest girls. I remember two conversations I had with Dan; during the first I was wearing a flannel shirt over a Baseball-sleeved band shirt (sort-of a uniform for the very early eighties) and trying to figure out why he was so outlandish, why he was wearing make-up - why he was so un-afraid to stand-out. For the second, a year-or-more later, I was wearing Purple satin pants, blue boots, wild hair and make-up -and reminiscing on the changes. Dan taught me the power of being ME, whether it was cool or not. Taught me to be bold, the power of true non-conformity. For that matter, Dan indirectly influenced me to both join the Navy, and get married. Dan was my trailblazer. This part of the story doesn't have a happy ending. When last I talked to Dan's beautiful ex-wife, she said that he was a street musician in Seattle; he'd pretty much lost his mind - and was dying of aids.
The other person of note was Joe Greenwell. Joe was my best friend, companion and partner-in-crime. I won't even begin to list the trouble we got into, but his biggest contribution? He came and got me from my house in spring of 1980, and dragged my unsuspecting ass to this crazy event taking place in the park behind the Largo Public Library. He helped me dress in this ridiculously absurd costume, and took me to:
