Later with the big stage at the end of the bar they built this little booth you had to climb up a ladder to get to that was were the stage lights were, run by this loveable teddy bearish guy Cosmo, it was the best seat in the house!

Debbie Harry holds The Stiletto ! - photo by Chris Stein

At this time Television were playing, The Stilettos with Chris and Debbie, and other new bands, it still wasn't full house but it was growing. I don't remember who else was playing, I didn't know about the Ramones yet I was still living at Chris Steins apt., maybe they played the same night as Chris and Debbie. Sometimes I'd bring Chris these giant black platform boots from the apt. He was mostly at Debbys apt on Thompson Street, he didn't want to walk around in them. He wore mostly these red high top converse sneakers so Id bring em and take them home since the apt was only a few blocks away, and I didn't mind. Chris was like a big brother to me and very kind and protective in many ways warning me about people., watch out for this one or that etc. He was around 27-8 Debby was 31 I was 18. I didn't go to CbGb's every night and the Ramones were new, Chris probably said something like you have to come see these guys.

I remember sitting there and these guys came on all in jeans, T shirts - looking like any guy you'd see with long hair. The singer was incredibly tall all hair and sunglasses, long skinny legs, then not knowing at all what to expect I hear 1-2-3-4 ! then BAM blast off ! They banged out this song like a machine gun. I was sitting up front and I could feel the wind coming out of the amps and the whole place was vibrating!

The singer was sorta singing like he had an English accent which I thought was really cool and clever and despite how fast it all was I could hear he had a really great voice I really liked how he sang, then suddenly the song was over! Then they did it again! My mouth just hung open I didn't know what to think I got hysterical laughing they were so absurd BUT great! I loved it. I could barely make out the words but there was alotta "I don't wanna", they were like a live Rock and Roll comic book. I didn't know if they were so awful they were great or great or what but I was blown away and EVERYONE LOVED THEM! By the end of the set I was really impressed.

They were very different from anything I ever heard before and they were different than any band that were playing at CbGbs at that time though there was some kind of common thread going on. I just couldn't believe how fast they played. It was like being shot out of a cannon SWOOSH. I thought oh there gonna be SO BIG! After that I always went to see them and I loved bringing people down who had no idea of what was going on, they still didn't understand Jimi Hendrix and watch there mouths drop and be stunned! But they all loved it.

Once I brought down this girl, she worked as a waitress in my restaurant, she knew nothing about music except hit songs on the radio but she was very wacky I wanted to see her reaction. I loved doing this bringing people from the outside world into this other dimension CbGb's and watch them react, this girl was from Forrest Hills Queens. The Ramones came on and her jaw dropped and she started shrieking " I know that guy! I know him from school., that's Joey Hyman !! Oh my god he was this real tall geeky guy I cant believe it !, that's Joey"! I didn't know them yet and I didn't know where in NY they were from. It was really funny watching her flip out I wish I could have taped her she went nuts. She sure looked at that geek Joey a different way. I guess Joey showed them all !

Today Queens NY, tomorrow The World.

Well looking at them I thought they certainly had a look. Dee Dee was the cute one, he really was adorable and he had the shiniest hair. Joey looked like Joey !

The one I remember meeting first was Tommy E the first drummer. It was quite a while after they were playing around. I was finally going to move out of Chris's apartment for good. It was time to grow up and leave the nest! I had moved out for a short while and I was very miserable and lonely. The landlord of the restaurant I ran sold it out from under us and cut it up into four small stores and I had worked literally non stop for a few years there. I was exhausted and didn't want to work in a restaurant. I didn't know what to do, that bass player was harassing me, I had these two crazy neighbours these 2 guys from south America who were gay and they'd fight constantly and end up on the fire escape fighting outside my window and the little one would run into my apartment to hide.

I hated this apartment, and I missed being around Chris and Debby. Fred Smith who had played with Chris and Debbie in The Stilettos had lived in Chris's apartment too he was a great great guy he used to tell me about John Lennon whose guitars he'd fix - he worked in this music shop and he'd deliver them to John's house and tell me how cool Lennon was and how he'd invite Fred to hang out I know I say that this one and that one was so nice, but there were alot of wonderful people - some horrid ones too and I wont mind saying who or why!

Eric moved out when Barbara Winters bought a big loft on around 24th and 5th near Max's. Later Fred left to join Television and Television became GREAT one of my favourite bands and Hell was with Thunders and Nolan in The Heartbreakers. I missed them all. I felt very comfortable and protected in Chris's house and I wasn't ready I guess to be all alone so I was crying called up Chris and said can I move back home. He said sure when? and I said Uh Today!? So I moved back, I forgot for how long I lived there a long time but finally I had it! I was going to go out on my own move FAR FAR AWAY and ended up around the corner! From my new apt I could see into my old one.

When I moved out Tommy E from the Ramones moved in. I know Dee Dee had lived there and I think Johnny too at some point. Dee Dee always referred too it as Debby Harry's apt but it was Chris Steins. It's where he wrote Chinese Rocks. When I moved out Chris let me have his record player, it was an old cheap thing that when we got robbed the robber didn't even take it! They tied up Chris and Debbie too but lets try to stick to the subject! I will tell it later if you guys out there wanna hear it! I wanted to pay Chris he said NO forget it, and remember I never paid rent he never asked for a cent except once he needed change for the bus. But I always bought home tons of food from the restaurant, I'd cook big pots of stuff for everyone. They were my family too me, I really loved them all and loved cooking for them and gave open invitations to any musician friends to come to the restaurant and eat for free, Chris took food to Debbys apt I gave him a bunch of spices and stuff for them to use.

No one was making big money at all. Alot had day jobs, alot got Dr. notes from this one corrupt Psychiatrist saying they were nuts and couldn't work and they'd all get their rent paid by welfare. I was very appreciative of Chris so after I moved I went back to the apartment and Tommy answered the door and I gave him a envelope to give to Chris with a thank you note and some money for the record player. Not much but I just felt it was the right thing to do. And I spoke with him and said I said yeah I was the one who just moved out and he asked me about the neighbourhood, where the Laundromat was, which stores were open late etc. So I told him.

Sometimes when Id look out my new apt window I'd see Tommy and we'd yell "Hey hi" and wave "what's up!" And then I gave him a little tour where the best places to shop were to get great bread which fruit stand and all that. Tommy was really the nicest guy very quiet, laid back, mellow. You'd never think he was in a band so LOUD and FAST. And for a while Tommy was really the only one I knew.

Johnny was a nice guy but he didn't seem the type that wanted to hang out and run around he seemed a pretty private guy. Some might think cold and off putting but I just thought he didn't want to socialise and go nuts like say Dee Dee who was very into hanging out and like a kid. He wanted to go out and play. I think Johnny just wanted to go home and relax, cant say that I blame him!