GO BACK IN TIME ABOUT 40 YEARS AND THE RUSTY NAIL IN SUNDERLAND
WAS ONE OF THE THE PLACES TO GO IN THE VALLEY TO HEAR GREAT
MUSIC.
FAT, THE REMONEYS, STEVIE RAY VAUGHN AND JAMES BROWN PLAYED
THERE AMONG MANY OTHERS.
THE RUSTY NAIL BURNED TO THE GROUND YEARS AGO THIS JULY.
WE GO BACK DOWN ROUTE 47 TO THE HEYDAY OF THIS GONE BUT NOT
FORGOTTEN LANDMARK.
>> THE RUSTY NAIL, ON A DUSTY AUSTRALIA ¶
¶ ROUTE 47 IS A LITTLE BIT OF HEAVEN ¶
>> IT WAS ONE OF THOSE PLACES.
>> I COULDN'T TELL YOU WHERE IT WAS NOW.
I PROBABLY WOULDN'T RECOGNIZE THE PLACE.
>> IT'S A BAR SITTING OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF A PARKING LOT, CARS
WOULD BE PACKED.
>> I THOUGHT, OH, BOY, THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN.
I EXPECTED CHICKEN WIRE AND I WALKED IN, VERY DARKS A LOT OF
WOOD INSIDE.
>> IT WAS LIKE WALKING INTO ANY KIND OF ROADSIDE HONKY TONK.
THE BAR WAS RIGHT IN FRONT.
>> BEER WAS CHEAP, ALWAYS GREAT SHOWS, REALLY GOOD SOUND.
>> IT SMELLED MUSTY AND ALSO SMELLED FLAMMABLE.
SMELLED LIKE IT MIGHT GO UP ANY MOMENT.
THE RANGE OF SMELLS WAS INTERESTING.
UNFORTUNATELY IT DID FINALLY BURN.
>> IT HOPPED IN THE EARLY 1970S NOWHERE, RIGHT OFF THE 47 IN
SUNDERLAND, MASS.
>> I'VE EMBARKED ON A PROJECT WHERE I'M CASS LOGGING THE LOCAL
CONCERTS, THE FIRST CONCERT THAT I HAVE FOR THE RUSTY NAIL IS BOB
ADRIAN ON FEBRUARY 14th, 1972.
IT SAYS FORMERLY THE MEADOW INN.
>> IT WAS THE MEADOW, THE RESTAURANT.
THEY WERE THE THREE PEOPLE.
>> I GUESS THEY CLOSED THE KITCHEN AND DECIDED TO DO ONLY
MUSIC.
>> IT WAS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO PLAY THERE.
THEY HAD THIS NICE STAGE TO PLAY ON, GREAT SOUND.
>> WE PLAYED THERE, FIRST OF ALL, KIND OF FUZZY, IT WAS IN
THE 1960s AND 1970S.
WE PLAYED THERE AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH IN THE BEGINNING.
>> I SAW PHAT, CLEAN LIVING, MANY, MANY TEARS.
>> WE PLAYED THERE ONE NIGHT AND PEOPLE WERE LITERALLY CLIMBING
UP TO THE SECOND FLOOR WINDOWS.
>> AFRICAN PETE'S 17-PIECE BAND AND ORCHESTRA, TOM WAITS WAS
THERE, STEVE VAUGHN, THE NEVILLE BROTHERS.
WE PLAYED THERE, IT TOOK THE PAINT OFF THE WALLS THERE.
JAMES COTTON, LES McCANN.
THE OLDER MUSICIANS WERE BOTHERED THE LEAST BY ANYTHING.
THEY WERE FUN TO BE AROUND, THEY KNEW EVERYBODY.
>> JOHN LEE HOOKER, I REMEMBER GEORGE CAR LAND THE COMEDIAN WAS
THERE A COUPLE OF TIMES.
>> JUST AN AMAZING ARRAY OF ARTISTS FROM ALL DIFFERENT KINDS
OF MUSIC.
>> WE PLAYED THERE WITH THE RAMONES.
>> THEY TOOK YOUR FACE OFF, THEY WERE A GREAT ROCK BAND.
>> AID GREAT VIEW OF JOEY RAMONE HOLDING UP THE GABAGABA HAY
SIGN.
>> WHERE DO WE EAT.
I'M SURE THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO WALKED INTO DEMO'S EXPECTING A
CHEESEBURGER AND THERE WERE THE RAMONES.
IT WAS PROBABLY A PRETTY WACKY EXPERIENCE.
>> IT FELT LIKE THE 70s KIND OF WASHED INTO THINGS, TOO.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF BLUES ARTISTS, JAMES BROWN.
>> DEFINITELY ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOMENTS WAS SEEING JAMES BROWN
THERE.
>> I CAN REMEMBER JAMES BRAWN DROPPING TO HIS KNEES AND
GETTING THE CAPE PUT ON HIM.
>> IT WAS REMARKABLE TO SEE JAMES BROWN IN SUNDERLAND.
>> I THINK THE RUSTY NAIL CHANGED WITH THE CHANGING TIMES.
IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES" WE DID A HANDFUL OF SHOWS INCLUDING THE
BUZZCOCKS, 999, THE DEAD KENNEDYS.
>> I REMEMBER THE CROWD WAS VERY NEW WAVE BACK THEN, SHORT
HAIRCUTS AND SKINNY TIES.
IT WAS THE BEGINNING TO BE ABLE TO SEE NEW WAVE AND ALTERNATIVE
BANDS IN THE VALLEY.
>> I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZED HOW VIBRANT A MUSIC SCENE THE
VALLEY WAS BACK THEN.
>> YOU IDEA THAT YOU SAW JAMES BROWN OR THE RAMONES IN THE
MIDDLE OF NOWHERE IN A WOODEN SHACK, IT'S MIND-BLOWING.
>> I REMEMBER HEARING THAT THE NAIL BURNED DOWN AND I FELT
REALLY, REALLY BAD ABOUT IT.
IT WAS KIND OF LIKE AN ERA HAD GOFNLT YOU JUST DON'T GET THOSE
KIND OF PLACES BACK AGAIN.
>> IT FELT LIKE A PLACE WE KIND OF TOOK FOR GRANTED.
>> SO RIGHT BEHIND PETER AND ME IS THIS SCENE OF THE RUSTY NAIL
WHERE IT STOOD NO MOST OF THE 1970S THEW TO 1985 AND ALL THOSE
INCREDIBLE ACTS PLAYING HERE.
>> I WONDER IF THERE WAS A HONKY TONK VERSION OF THE AMITYVILLE
HORROR.
SOMEBODY WAKES UP AND HERE'S SINGING.
HONEY, DO YOU HEAR THAT?
THERE'S A LOT OF SOLID GOOD VIBES IN THAT EARTH RIGHT THERE.
>> IF YOU WENT THERE A LOT, THEN YOU, YOU KNOW, IT HAD A BIG
IMPACT ON YOU, INFLUENCE ON YOU TO THIS DAY.
>> THERE'S A CLUB ON 116th, THREE MILES FROM WHERE THE RUSTY
NAIL WAS.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, PEOPLE GO TO SEE US PLAY THERE BECAUSE
IT'S NEAR WHERE THE RUSTY NAIL USED TO BE.
>> WE HAD A REUNION SHOW ON FEBRUARY 12th IN 2012A LOT OF
THE GUYS FROM CLEAN LIVING, ALMOST ALL OF PHAT WAS THERE,
GREAT, GREAT TALENT STILL PLAYING.
REAL TEARS, JIM BRIDGES WERE THERE, AND YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST
REMARKABLE TO REACH OUT AND TOUCH THAT AGAIN.
>> IT'S 30 YEARS, THAT'S WHAT'S AMAZING.
THE PLACE HAS BEEN GONE SINCE JULY OF 1985.
>> IT'S NOT SO MUCH A PRODUCT OF IT HAVING BEEN THE RUSTY NAIL,
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SOMETHING ELSE BUT THAT WAS THE PLACE FOR
THAT GENERATION OF PEOPLE.
THEY SAW A LOT OF BANDS THAT WERE PART OF THEIR FORMATIVE
YEARS.
>> IT WAS COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE AROUND THIS GREAT ENTERTAINMENT.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS AREA WAS ALL ABOUT BACK THEN.
WE PERSONIFIED THE BEST OF THAT ERA.
THAT WAS THE CLUB, KIND OF THE TEMPLE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL.
>> THE RUSTY NAIL, ON A DUSTY TRAIL ¶
¶ ROOT 47, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF HEAVEN ¶
¶ ROUTE 47, THERE WAS A LITTLE PIECE OF ¶