My Journey to the Dogstar ~ By Wendy Allen

My Journey to the Dogstar

Hey Reeves-land!!!

My name is Wendy. I don’t know about you, but I stopped watching television, going to the movies, reading newspapers and watching the news back in the ‘80’s. All the information I receive is via word of mouth and since I grew up and still live in the Hollywood, California area I have billboards galore. If something caught my eye movie-wise I’d go see it.

I escaped into work and the local music scene of the 1980’s. The Sunset Strip niteclubs were my playground as a teen and young adult. Through the 80’s and into the early ‘90’s I volunteered to help promote the local bands I adored. I enjoyed meeting their fans and getting them to join their fan clubs. I loved coming up with various ways to promote their gigs.

This was how I was able to see Dogstar perform. A manager for a band I volunteered for was setting up his first gig as a promoter and asked if I could come and bring some friends to FM Station in the valley – he never mentioned the bands he always just asked if I was available and would I bring folks – I could never say no. I gathered 25 of my rock ‘n roll buds and caravanned to rock out!

We arrived as a band was just getting done with their first song. I noticed the bass player, he looked familiar. I thought to myself “I know that dude from somewhere.” I was digging the sound, as where my friends. I couldn’t take my eyes off the bass player. He had a nice tone. (The rhythm section being my fave and I was teaching myself how to play bass) I watched his hands explore the body of the instrument. I love watching musicians hands – always have. This fellas hands were beautiful. I couldn’t take my eyes off of them. Maybe had I looked at his face I would’ve figured out who he was. But no me, being me I watched as his fingers caressed each note.

After the band performed, I overheard someone next to me say – “Man, that Keanu’s a pretty damned good bass player!” WHAT!?  I tapped him on his shoulder and said “Excuse me, who?” He informed me that that bassist was Keanu Reeves. All I thought was “RIGHT ON! That’s why he looked familiar!” Reeves rocked! I made a mental note to see them again and thanked my friend immensely for that very special treat.

It was a “slow” night. I was the designated driver and my intoxicated friends needed a ride home. As I left FM Station – my thoughts were, this will probably be the only nite where the club would be empty. Something told me a band with Reeves in it – hmm…as soon as people find out their gigs will sell out sooner than they know. As with all the bands on Sunset Strip that I’d seen and had this feeling about – they all got really big, really fast.

Time flew by and life and work got in the way. One day I realized – “Hey! I haven’t seen Dogstar again!” I checked the LA Weekly and omg! They were playing the Troubadour – a place I’d been hanging out at since I was 11 years old. I decided to go check them out.

I pulled up to my old stomping ground and saw a line that went down the street and around the corner. This definitely wasn’t anything like that night at FM Station. I wasn’t worried. I knew all the doormen in town and knew I could get in. As I walked to the door, my pager went off – t’was a call for work in Downtown L.A. Dang! I looked up at the marquee -- waved at it and said to myself “I told ya so!!!” I turned around and sped off to work.

More time passed - now it’s 2006. I realize, “Hey, I gotta see Dogstar!” I start asking around and was told good luck, they haven’t been a band for a while now! They’ve broken up!” WHAAAAAAAAAAAT!?!?

I was told by all the naysayers that I would never – ever find any of their albums. They told me that they were out of print and the real super irritating response to my query was “Good luck with that!” GRRRRRRRRRR. When someone tells me I will never find what I am looking for – it sets off an alarm in me – my inner being screams ‘OH REALLY – WELL I’LL SHOW YOU!!!!!!!!! I’ll find it and be able to say IN YOUR FACE!!!’

I mourned the disbanding of yet another band I totally dug and didn’t get a chance to thoroughly enjoy! Live is where I want to see my bands – you can do anything on a recording – it’s live where it counts. Work always gets in the way o’ my fun.

One day I was driving in Burbank, CA and saw the Wherehouse record store was now an F.Y.E – I’d never heard of it. This lil’ voice inside my head said “Dogstars in there!”  I laughed and thought to myself…NO WAY! Then I realized every time I didn’t listen to that voice – I was wrong, so I decided to walk in and take a look. Hey, I hadn’t been in a music store since oh, I don’t know…1992.

I walked straight up to the Dogstar section…OH MY GOODNESSES!!! There in front of the plastic divider was one lone copy of “HAPPY ENDING!” AWESOME! Not only is it there, but it’s got an orange cover – my fave colour! I said outloud “In your face naysayers! Thank you Universe!” The dude looking at the cd’s across from me looked at me as if I were insane and I smiled a massive smile at him.

The Universe seems to bring the gift of Reeves to my door and ya know what? I kinda like it! My friends over at “To Keanu With Love(TKWL) have asked me to come out of my cave and create a Dogstar blog! Well, here goes – I will take you on my journey (and hunt) in acquiring the Dogstar cd’s!

I was told I could never achieve this. I snoozed, so I’ve lost out! Well, ya know what I’ve told each and every one of them? I told them I believed in manifest destiny and I see all the Dogstar CD’s in my future. It may take a while, but they will come! So, here my friends is where our journey begins – it start’s at a “Happy Ending” and ends with me receiving a message from a friend visiting Thailand.

He remembered that I dig that Reeves fella and saw a couple of Dogstar CD’s and said he shipped them to me – however the day he sent them – a huge storm came and disrupted service everywhere. So as the storm rages in the town my friend’s in – we prayed for his well being and the safe arrival of my “surprise.” The surprise being – he didn’t tell me WHICH cd’s he found – there are 2! I love a good surprise!

While we wait for my treasures from Taiwan – let’s discover “Happy Ending.”

Please – never say NEVER!