| "If
your gonna drink and drive...drink that Jaegermister" There
was a time when Dave Atkins drank. Beer. Not that that was necessarily
a good or bad thing - just a fact. I loved the Witch Hunters
and when I moved down to Columbus in '86, a guy I knew here
and I brought them and D.O.S. to Stache's a coupla times. Both
occassions kind of blend, so I'll just pretend it was one long
night. Now, Staches used to have this long bar and a short wall/counter
that ran parallel with it so that people could sit and drink
and watch the band. Ledges and Dave were meant for each other.
The Witch Hunters were fantastic and, as he is one to do, Dave
left the stage during an instrumental break and prowled around,
mic chord snaking behind. Vocals started up again and Dave was
singing from the top of the bar, walking about 4 feet above
the ground. As he approached the end of the bar nearest the
stage... WHACK...the ceiling fan slammed into his forehead like
a propeller. Of course Dave just got back on stage and continued
singing - blood trickling down his face. An after show party
was happening at my friend's house, so Dave bought what was
probably two postal workers' days pay worth of beer and we headed
out. (Ironically, the next time I tried to convince the club
owner to bring 'em down again he said "We never really sell
much beer when they play here.") Approaching the house, somehow,
Dave noticed an opposum, dead, "with some green stuff comin'
outta its ass". Dave naturally invited the critter into the
party, where it had an honoured place on a chair. I lived south
of downtown and a bunch of people were staying the night. Directions
were given and everyone arrived except for Dave, who was driving
by himself. It got later and later, and people finally found
enough floorspace to crash. Still no Atkins. About 7:00 or 8:00
am and there's a knock on the door. Dave comes in and tells
us that he somehow ended up in Alton, OH where the only thing
there was "a cow patch and a strip joint." For years, I could
never find Alton on a map and I'm still a little unsure of its
existence. |
