Skate-A-Round USA

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Prompted by the 'what got you into hip-hop' thread. Stories of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, episodes in roller rinks - music, loves, etc. Nostalgia wallowing.

― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 17 October 2002 04:43 (twenty-three years ago)

Fat Boys shoelaces

― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 17 October 2002 04:46 (twenty-three years ago)

my first kiss was behind a roller rink.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 17 October 2002 04:46 (twenty-three years ago)

i also got slapped by a girl for the first time at a roller rink!

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 17 October 2002 04:54 (twenty-three years ago)

At Skate-A-Round (which still exists, Man or Astroman played a show there a few years back) they have this drink called 'The Shotgun' that's one part Coke, one part Sprite, one part Dr. Pepper, one part root beer, etc. on down the fountainline. In fifth grade, after Rebbecca V*rner (* to prevent googling) dumped me I sidled up to the snack stand and told the barkeep "Give me a shotgun" and stood by the foosball table and drank it to the strains of Patti Labelle and Michael McDonald's "On My Own" with the melodrama only a fifth grader who's just been dumped can muster up (even though I wasn't that sad really, since the move allowed me to go with Kristy Blu*tt, who I'd already fingered *ducks*, at Skate-A-Round USA, to the romantic strains of Falco's "Vienna Calling").

― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 17 October 2002 04:56 (twenty-three years ago)

Jesus, wasn't "couples skate" good enough for you two??

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 17 October 2002 04:57 (twenty-three years ago)

james you are nasty!!

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 17 October 2002 04:59 (twenty-three years ago)

Blame it on Falco!

― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 17 October 2002 05:01 (twenty-three years ago)

what about taco?

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 17 October 2002 05:03 (twenty-three years ago)

Refferring to that part of a woman's anatomy that way is just vulgar Jess.

― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 17 October 2002 05:07 (twenty-three years ago)

"put it on a ritz"

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 17 October 2002 05:10 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh dear....anyhow, referring to Falco (RIP, See you when I get there!), I also remember inundating the dj they had there with requests for the half dozen versions of "Rock Me Amadeus" (Falco3 got much airplay in my household) and the Miami Vice theme. I do know that at least once I went to Skate-A-Round USA wearing by white Easter Suit blazer with an Ocean Pacific t-shirt underneath a la one Sonny Crockett. Also, the only time in my life I have knowingly used hair mousse was in fifth grade. It's all been downhill from there.

― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 17 October 2002 05:15 (twenty-three years ago)

How do you touch a girl's taco at the skating rink?

I remember it was 6th grade when I began refusing to participate in the Hokey Pokey.

― Aaron A., Thursday, 17 October 2002 05:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Skate East playlist, from what I can remember:

Thriller and Bad from MJ
You Give Love... and Livin' on a Prayer from JBJ
Reflex from DD
You Be Illin' from Run DMC
Rock Me Amadeus
Saw Him Standin There from Tiffany

the only slow skate song I remember is Debbie G.'s "Lost in Your Eyes"

― Aaron A., Thursday, 17 October 2002 05:44 (twenty-three years ago)

Skate-A-Round USA has these booths along the wall behind the wall enclosing the rink itself. The rink isn't very well lit - blacklights, mirrorball, etc., maybe some strobes (it's been a long time), so the back booth is fairly hidden away. It was a classic makeout spot - away from prying eyes. And I'm only talking about going digital, nothing too complicated. Get a little Falco going, and let the digital revolution begin.

― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 17 October 2002 05:53 (twenty-three years ago)

The Hated played a gig at SuperSkate on Route 50 once. It was at this concert that I decided that GBH really stood for "Great Big Haircuts".

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Thursday, 17 October 2002 07:35 (twenty-three years ago)

all the roller rinks are gone in worcester and its surrounding towns. i remember a lot of Talking Heads would be played in particular "Burning Down the House". I was the fat kid that no one wanted to skate with. I pretty much skated around alone and listened to the music.

― Chris V. (Chris V), Thursday, 17 October 2002 12:12 (twenty-three years ago)

I went to lots of roller skating birthday parties. I was the one who held on to the wall the whole time, ever-so-slowly making my way around the circle. Sometimes other kids would come up and hold my hand so I could skate without the wall. My biggest fear was that when they'd announce speed skating I'd be stuck far from a ring exit.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Thursday, 17 October 2002 12:18 (twenty-three years ago)

Ha, this is great timing -- a good friend of mine just wrote up a small piece on her experience with music in roller rinks that I've asked Tom to publish in FT. :-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 17 October 2002 14:12 (twenty-three years ago)

I loved them back when I was in middle school...it was the place to hang out, and they were guaranteed to play "Jungle Love" at least once a night.

When I tried going back around 3 years ago, it was an unmitigated disaster. It was like I lost my ability to skate! I nearly ended up with a broken tailbone from falling so much. I think it's because back when I used to skate I was still very small/short, and now I'm much taller my coordination was all thrown off.

― Nicole (Nicole), Thursday, 17 October 2002 14:20 (twenty-three years ago)

i had to stop going when they stopped having skates in my size :`(

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 17 October 2002 14:24 (twenty-three years ago)

I never went to the one in my hometown of Groton, CT to skate, I was too uncoordinated. In my early 20s I took my little sister (ten years younger than me) to an all ages punk show. It was a bunch of New England hardcore bands and the Exploited. I thought it was dreadful--all these Johnny Come Latelies and their stupid in joke punk rock sarcasm. Boy, was I a Class of '77 snob! There was also this creepy punk rock chickenhawk I used to see around every so often-- there but for the grace of God, etc.. etc. I couldn't believe he could put up with such shitty music just to hang out with a bunch of cute jocks. (By the way, Suzy, you were right on the Vice thread, I think I was so annoyed by the disingenuousness of that Albini quote I oversimplified things a bit myself). Anyway, we left before Watttie and the boys. I think my sister hated it. She was a Duranie at the time, as was I.

― Arthur (Arthur), Thursday, 17 October 2002 15:24 (twenty-three years ago)

"they were guaranteed to play "Jungle Love" at least once a night" - soooooo true.

― James Blount (James Blount), Thursday, 17 October 2002 15:31 (twenty-three years ago)

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