Judy - That 70s Girl Remembers

My friend Judy got word of my original questionnaire and emailed her responses January 10, 2010:

Do you remember the song “Summer Sun” recorded by the group Jamestown Massacre? Remember it being played often at dances?

Yes, but vaguely. I want to bring it up on google to refresh my brain- I wonder if that song is out there on the internet music, etc.

What were the names of the bands? Who were the members? Where are they today?

Carry On, Windfield Summit, Crosswinds..(Craig Lee's band) Prism band (James Ibusuki from Washington Irving Jr. High) , Hiroshima in J-town I re-read your blog and all those posted band names out there...I did not think about it until now. Yep, great memories!

Where did you go to a dance? UCLA fraternity house? Baby Lion’s? Gung Hay’s? Rodger Young’s? Tell me about those places. Where were they located? What do you remember about the venues?

All the places that were listed in your blog. Especially La Mirada Country Club, Loco's- MB. Yes, to Baby Lions (around the corner from where I worked) South Los Angeles, Gung Hay- Torrance, Asian Blend- WLA a few times? Rodger Young, vaguely. It is strange/crazy to think about now...Friday and/or Saturday nights, we would leave late to go to the dance parties. I remember all the Asian guys acting cool, standing around and not talking. HAHAHAHAHAHAAH HEEHEHEHEHE

Weekends were for fun hanging out with my girlfriends and see all my friends at the dances. Wondering..WHO IS THAT CUTE GUY? WHAT DO I wear ? (???? and I must go shopping again! I have to shampoo my hair first! (hahahahahaahah) Sorry to say but UCLA/USC Asian people at that time were a little snobby. hahaha (sorry) unless you were introduced by a common friend. Then, it was ok to talk and hang out.

What music do you remember hearing and dancing to?
Tower of Power, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chicago, Motown anything, some early Hiroshima.

Who were the organizers of the dances?
Yes, George Tong for sure, Mitchell Matsumura@ Jockey Club.

Did you go cruising, or enjoy being a spectator? Spectator but I had boyfriends with their hot (?) cars, Datsun 240 Z rear spoiler, racing mirrors, sunken steering wheels and recoro bucket seats, etc. from Marshall High School & Cal State Univ.,Los Angeles. Seemed like all guys "worked" on their cars and did car talk with all their friends. Washed and waxed their cars every week.

What other experiences did you have, minor, inconsequential, or major? Just pure fun experiences, (WHO is smoking that joint? ) and thinking back now those were the best days and I should of made the best of them. No more fun after moving out of the house, getting a full time job, and go to work, etc. I had to going out for some freedom at least one night a weekend . I remember my DAD saying "WHY do you have to go out so LATE?" 10:00 pm "Do not tell me you were at the library." "Nobody leaves the house this late." "Why can't you leave at 7:00 pm and come home by 11:00pm? One particular great memory was eating late at Holiday Bowl in the Crenshaw neighborhood. First time, I had oyako domburi!" Coming home at 1:00 am or 2:00 am and sleeping in Sunday morning was normal for me as long as I kept up the grades in college and worked part-time at CSULA.

In your opinion, how does the social outlet, or the leisure time of the Asian American dances fit in the overarching general culture of Los Angeles and Southern California? I was glad to do all those fun things while I was going to college. Yes, when I read your blog it was fun to think back to those good old days...........Great memories for me. It is now history (SADLY) but interesting Asian social history! LA Chinese New Year and Nisei week carnival season was lots of fun, too! On K-earth, they play lots of oldies song..Today, I heard a song called "Precious and Few" by Climax, the band (?), it was popular song for slow dancing (and not your typical but cool R&B song. ) Starting this blog was a GREAT idea! Betty!