This was 9/15/76, and the Duchess was a real boat, not some poorly-named North Shore bar. The New York branch of the Hells Angels–friends of the Dead since the ’72 Academy of Music benefit–threw a party in a location they knew could not be raided by the cops. It wasn’t a dinghy, either. Check this fucker out:
Did you check that fucker out? (The Duchess used to be called the Bay Belle. Ships can change names. For example, in the 60’s the SS Lew Alcindor changed its name to the SS Mohammad Ali.) A boat’s officially big when it’s required to have other, smaller boats hanging off the sides. (One day, Carnival Cruises will build a ship so large that its lifeboats are so big that they themselves need lifeboats.) They didn’t go much of anywhere–just circled Manhattan a couple times–but Jerry Band played, so it was probably worth putting on your floaties. (This was the version of Jerry Band with John Kahn in it, just in case you’re a stats nerd.) But why listen to me? Read about the show from someone who was there.
Or just watch it.
Whatever floats your boat.
I remember reading about the duchess gig back in the day. So not actually the year it happened.. I would have been thirteen, but sometime before I hit 20. So like 1978-1982
I might have had a copy of relix, but I thought the article was in the rolling stone, or something.
The Bay Belle show (September 5, 1973) was also fun, cruising circles under the George Washington Bridge. A bit of that is in the HA movie.
jerry, geraldo, and melba moore. plus the Angels of course.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6-mTEMGmEU
and Miriam Purloff
Everyone is so young there!
I just listened to this tape! What I like is how rowdy, yet how into the show, the angels are. I’m working through all of JGB 1976 right now. It’s mainly auds. In lots of the Keystone recordings especially, the audience barely seems to be listening. I get that it was more of a cabaret show but the band definetly feeds of the energy at the cruise show.