Too Late for Apologies
Pete relaxing on floor next to bar at L'Amours Rock club, Brooklyn 1986
I have a couple of regrets when it comes to Peter.
One: I wish I had taken him up on his countless offers to go on tour with him. Especially when he formed TON, he would be getting ready for a tour. He'd ask me, my cousin Nancy and her daughter Siobhan if we wanted to go with him for a few months to Europe on tour. Because of my career schedule, I was never able to do it. THAT would have been an amazing memory ... traveling with the guys ... seeing the music business up close and personal.
Two: That I didn't get to see Peter the last time he played in NY area. I was on a tour with client and unable to get any free nights to see Pete when he was in town. I heard it was a great tour -- with him sober and the band tight -- and I wish I could have predicted it was the last time seeing him live. PS: I'd love to hear more from people who have seen Peter during this time. Peter's ex GF Summer told me Peter looked fantastic and sounded amazing at the show she saw him. My mom and Cathy said the same.
Pete and I behind Aunt Nancy's Summer house on Clam Island 1975
(which I believe is off-shore of Connecticut)
Peter is 13 yo & I am 7 yo
However, I thought I'd share with you what it was like seeing Peter live -- for those of you who never went to a concert. Probably my favorite venues were Hammerstein Ballroom and Roseland because one of these venues had two stages. One where the band played and the other stage (almost like a balcony) where VIP sat, about a six feet above the crowd.
When Peter knew he was playing at a venue in the city, he would leave the info with his mother and then call the sisters to get a head count of who wanted to come to the show. We were all guaranteed a VIP seat if we wanted and of course, Pete would invite us backstage before and after the show so we could give him well wishes and congrats.
Sitting on the balcony stage was the best. You had superior access to seeing the stage and you were high enough to see the mosh pit -- which always intrigued me. When I asked Peter one time (when I was 16 yo) if girls did the mosh pit, he said yes, but there was an excellent chance I'd get hurt or abused. He also said if he saw me there he'd have to jump off the stage and kill people if they hurt me. He wouldn't allow it and I never asked again.
During Carnivore shows, Pete would throw bloody animal parts into the audience, which in turn, would cause a blood bath between the fans. People would be slipping around in the blood on the floor. They'd be throwing pig and cow organs at each other. After a couple of shows, that end-of-the-show favor ended.
TON shows were mostly about the toilet paper exchange. After a few rounds of fan chants of "YOU SUCK," Pete would pull out the toilet paper rolls and start flinging them into the audience, and the fight would begin. Fans would throw them back - causing the streamer effect - trying to hit Peter or the other guys in the face. They'd do the same back at the fans untill the entire place was filled with unrolled toilet paper. Then the lights would come up and it was over.
Note to readers: If you find a video of the toilet paper roll wars from TON's live performances, please let me know.
A big thanks to Leah E. for suggesting this video. It's a fantastic live version of my favorite song, Too Late/Frozen.