BG 111

14" x 21" 1968

Stanley Mouse whipped this one out in about half-an-hour, I expect. The photo of Playland-at-theBeach is by a compadre of ours, Bob Seidemann, who pretty much photographed all the bands along with Gene Anthony.

I love this poster for lots of reasons...it's completely non-psychedelic, yet sports this hip photo of freak musicians from England out at the beach. Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi are in there. This was as far west as you can go in SF (I wonder if the boys dipped their toes in the Pacific?). I grew up by the beach in the Sunset, and used to walk or ride my bike over to Playland to scarf down cotton candy (which I was addicted to when I was 12), or spend a wild afternoon with my friends in the fabulous Funhouse, the building with the clown on the top behind the Roller.

In the corner front window of the Funhouse was the fat laughing lady....and you COULD NOT stand there and look at her for more than 10 seconds without beginning to laugh yourself. She was fantastic!

The Funhouse had the world's longest slide which extended out into the bowels of the Big Dipper roller coaster, and was a blast to scream down on gunny sacks (the climb back up the long, narrow stairs after sereral trips was a pain, though).

The building to the right, and just across the parade from the Funhouse, held the carousel (OK, Merry-G0-Round) that was surrounded with turn-of-the-century penny and nickelodeon flip-card machines. You could also record your own voice for 50 cents on a little 78 record. They were terrible, but pretty nifty back in the fifties.

Dad used to take me to Sutro's, a wonderland of a multi-pool indoor heated salt-water Victorian swimming complex built in 1890 just above the Cliff House, about 1/4 mile away. It looked like a Victorian London main line railway station inside. On our way back down the hill, we would stop at the Yum-Yum shop just behind where Bob was standing to take this picture, and buy a box of YUM-YUM! The BEST caramel popcorn I have EVER tasted. It really was yummy. I'd love to have their special recipe, you could make a kiling with it today.

The amazing Sutro Baths

If you want to read more about this (and plenty of other fascinating stuff), go to the "books" link and order "The Loop." You'll get the whole story.

This poster is in perfect condition.