I met Marc by accident, I thought he was his twin brother Fred Bell - they were identical twins! I don't think alot of people outside of NY know about that. The only difference was in the way they dressed, both are musicians, Fred plays guitar.

A friend had asked me to come and meet them at Max's one night to see this band "Public Problems" (or private problems) I remember the year it was 1977 it was the summer this psycho killer was on the loose in NYC called "Son of Sam" and it was the best summer I think CbGbs had. The who scene exploded there were new clubs opening and closing every week and an avalanche of bands coming out from every where. It was a great time despite a very large fear about this killer. I even wrote this poem about it., that today you'd call a rap. At this point I had thought I was sick of living in the East Village, I wanted to have a nice big apartment in an area were I'd see little kids playing and trees and flowers not freaks and winos and cockroaches. I wanted air so I moved back to an area in Brooklyn, I also had a boyfriend I almost married that I was living with part time but we broke up and I wanted to change everything, but I could still hang out.

I grew up in Brooklyn and was glad to be back except this son of Sam thing hit and I knew he'd never go to CBGBS or the East Village and now I was scared. As it turned out his next hit was in Brooklyn and I prayed I wouldn't meet him! I seemed to meet alot of people but this was one freak I didn't want to !

I went to Max's and saw the band but don't remember their music, sorry but I remember the singer was cute and was kinda like a Steven Tyler Aerosmith type. It turned out they lived in Brooklyn too and would be happy to give me a lift home in their van. I remember someone mentioned one had a twin brother who was in some other band but it went over my head. In the van on the way home everyone was stoned and drunk except hopefully the driver! I was sitting next to Fred Bell who was totally and completely drooling drunk it was like 4 in the morning and this guy Fred was all over me trying to put his hand up my shirt. I'd scream "Get off !" and he'd say "Hey I like that - a challenge!" and he was bugging me and just a total ass but I took it into account he was very very drunk and mostly everyone was laughing and shrieking all the way home and saying "Fred leave her alone!" and "Forgive Fred, he's drunk" and it was alright. It was kinda funny though at one point I hit him and screamed "Keep your hands OFF ME I MEAN IT". Finally they got to my house and NO Fred you don't have to walk me to my door.

And like alot of girls I had had a crush on him but Chris Stein once caught me in a corner with him backstage at Maxs and grabbed me and just lectured me about Johnny, that he was into drugs and I was a nice girl what was I thinking and actually I had NO IDEA I thought Johnny was tired because it was late and he was falling asleep! I didn't know he was nodding out. but that was years earlier when he first quit the Dolls and cut his hair, it did turn me off and I didn't want Chris too be disgusted with me but I still liked Johnny alot. I had hung out with him several times and I grew to understand him and knew about his private life over the years and I had alot of heart for him. I still do.

And there's no way you wanted to miss a Heartbreakers show! They put on the best shows!

So I'm in Max's, there was a back staircase on the first floor that led upstairs to the backstage, I was on the permanent guest list because Tommy liked me and he knew I was friends with alot of people who played there, the same at CbGbs Hilly liked me etc. So I'm heading for the back because its so crowed in the staircase leading upstairs where the people go up and pay. And who do I see but that manic Fred Bell who was mauling me the week before, but he looked a little different. First he wasn't drooling drunk but the night was young!, and man did he change his style! Last week he was all English Rock star and velvet jacket and boots and that whole trip now here he is in a tee shirt jeans sneakers a beat up jacket his hair was a little different longer? messier? I thought I guess that was just his stage look.., and here's his regular hanging out look.

I went up to him and said "Hey hi Fred!" and he smiled and said "Hey hi!" then I said "Wow you sure changed your style! ..what you don't remember me? you were pretty drunk last week" and he just laughed and I thought oh he's so much nicer when he's not drunk., I also thought he looked better. Then I said "Are you going upstairs? I am I'll see you there".

And I went up stairs and backstage to hangout. I remember seeing Johnny he looked beautiful in this really sharp black suit and he was walking around with this huge guitar tuning it. I thought how can someone so little seem so big. Then Johnny said hi and he said out loud "Anyone got a joint" and everyone laughed so I said oh I do so we were standing in the hallway outside the dressing rooms near the office smoking, talking.

Thunders was very soft spoken I thought he looked sad that night I said "You okay ?" and he smiled "I'm great !" then he pretended to walk off with my joint and I grabbed his arm and said "Oh no you don't., get back here" then somehow Johnny got someone to bring drinks up and I got one and then I heard some laughing so I went by one of the dressing rooms and people were in there, some of the Heartbreakers and friends and some girls and I sat down next to Fred, then I looked up and in walked Fred! and I went WHAT! YOUR FRED!? who's Fred? then I remembered being told someone was a twin and I looked at Marc and said "Who are you ?" and he said "I'm Marc" and it was really funny and I pushed Marc and said "Well why didn't you tell me I'm talking to you and calling you Fred!..", then people were laughing and I was telling the story that I thought Marc was Fred and it was all very funny, everyone was laughing. There was drinks and joints going around.

Then the discussion turned to Son of Sam and everyone was saying how scary he was and making jokes maybe he's in a band etc. Then I announced I wrote a son of Sam song., I was pretty high and feeling full of fun and someone said lets hear it so I started doing it

I remember part of it, it went something like

44 calibre Son of Sam

shoot em up shot them up bang bang bam

don't walk the streets don't park in cars

oh sorry I suddenly forgot it ! Anyway, everyone got into it clapping and repeating the bang bang bam and Marc was playing drums on his legs then the wall and on me and it was alot of fun. I remember Thunders standing leaning against the doorway being real quite and smiling holding that big guitar. For some reason that picture stood out in my mind always, its this permanent snapshot I have in my head of Thunders.., the Lonely Planet Boy., the way he was standing there so quiet and still watching everyone acting crazy., and smiling like the way a grown up watches little kids play.

But that's the night I met Marc and became friends with him and he lived not far from me, he lived at that time on Ave J in Brooklyn. And we would run into each other at the clubs then I realised he was in another favourite band of mine The Voidiods. Why I didn't recognise him who knows ? He was back there behind the drums. We hung out in the same places for years but until we met and spoke we didn't notice each other, Now I knew him so I saw him everywhere and we became friends. I had some of the best times hanging out with Marc. And with him and Dee Dee it was hilarious! And Marc I would say was one of the nicest boys around ... yeah I know I say that alot but sorry! Marc was a very kind sweet lovely boy and a lota fun. Sometimes I hung out with him and Dee Dee and it would be near Chaos. Its through Marc I got to know Dee Dee and then Joey, But at this time he was in Richard Hells band, the Voidoids.