Snotty Scotty and the Hankies ….

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Part Deux, Dah
By Terry Miller

With a very extraordinary 25 year anniversary gig coming up next month for Snotty Scotty and the Hankies (to commemorate their debut album on Doo Dah records in 1988 ), we asked some prominent community members what they thought of the close to legendary status of the celebrated Pasadena band that has been around longer than Mayor Bogaard has had held his seat in the grand Palacial office at city hall.
This week’s contributor, appropriately enough, is Tom Coston, President of Light Bringer Project – the mastermind behind Doo Dah events every year. Coston and Managing Director Patricia Hurley somehow manage to pull off the funniest parade each year despite some overwhelming obstacles…not the least of which is whether Snotty Scotty will turn left or right on Colorado in the beginning of the parade.

Where do you think the Hankies will be in the next 25 years?
-Unfortunately, they-and we-may be pushing up daisies – reminiscing over the good ol’ days (daze) at one of God’s dives (I presume we’ll be going north-not the other way)…EXCEPT, Snotty Scotty will still be among the living, because he’s part-pickled and part-super human…He’ll be a little lost wondering where his band-mates are as he leads the 2038 Pasadena Doo Dah Parade!!!!!
Did they influence you?
-They definitely influenced me on two levels…I wouldn’t have drank all that beer for one (if I had a nickel for every pint…) and on a serious note they inspired me to keep it real (I hate being serious, especially about the Hankies)
Do you have a favorite ‘Hankie’
-Haha, lest I suffer the wrath of any one of them I will say that I like each Hankie in their own way…but I love them in their totality…so they prove the theory that the sum is greater than its parts!!
Why Do you think their influence on Pasadena is legendary (if it is)
-It is legendary…Their influence is so great because they’re entirely unique…This is a band that chose its own path and is still standing after how many years? 40+!!! (well, sometimes sitting and falling)…Every town has its legend – the Hankies are our living legend…I believe they are masters of their own musical destiny and that’s why everyone embraces them…We love that blend of musical anarchy and good rock’n’roll!!
Did the Hankies ever go to school?
-Yes, but can you imagine Scott Finnell sitting in chemistry class? Wait, I just thought of some scary possibilities. No PhDs on board, I’d bet on it.
Has any Hankie ever been a Rose Queen?
-Drake the bass player was not a queen but was on the royal court in 2003.
How many hankies have accompanied Snotty over the years?
-I’ll go 23…23 is a number that works for everything.
Why didn’t they break into the big time?
-They did if you consider the big time in anyone’s career is doing exactly what you want to do…They are true to their own ambition and we locals are better off for it…I actually think they’re incredibly unusual and I say this in a loving way – they Hankies are true freaks…And if the big time means-what?-record deals and the usual commercial fluff job-well, they chose differently.
What color is their favorite parachute?
-The Hankies have made this very clear over the years…their favorite parachute color is the one in front of them.
How many groupies has the band actually had….do they have any now?
-I’m gonna guess from observation, they’ve had 10 groupies…9 of them are women and 8 of them are human.

Special Thanks to Tom Coston for his invaluable insight into the irreverent world of Snotty Scotty and the Hankies. Remember….don’t miss their 25th anniversary convert celebrating the first album on Doo Dah Records.
Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the 1988 Snotty Scotty & the Hankies LP record on the Doo Dah Record label, the legendary lads will play the album in actual order of the original vinyl, in its entirety – for the first time EVER. Saturday Night – November 2, 2013 – starting when they feel like it.

According to our inside source, Sierra Madre Sue, the lads will perform at T. Boyle’s Tavern in Pasadena – it was Toes Tavern when/where the record release party took place on 11/13/1988.

This is a MUST DO for any music fan in Pasadena. Beacon Media will be interviewing some of the band members in the coming weeks and tell you a little more about one of the longest running bands in history ( aside from the Stones, naturally).

In the meantime if you have any funny stories relating to the band or pics you want to share with our readers, send them to tmiller@beaconmedianews.com

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