I have so many fond PUTS memories. I remember I was in Oakland once for work, and PUTS was doing a show in San Francisco. I met Meaty Ogre there that night for the first time. Serg and Stef (RIP) were there, and a whole gang of other Bay Area strutters. PUTS put on a great live show like they always do. I got drunk, which is what you did, and then I remember riding around san francisco with them after the show. I just remember being in the car with Thes and Double K... on a warm san francisco night...
I remember another show they did here in La Jolla, and hanging out backstage with them and Ugly Duckling before the show, and I'm just a regular dude but because of the 'strut here I am hanging out backstage goofing off. They ended the show with everybody singing "on a warm san diego night" and afterwards we went to the hotel they were staying at and hung outside drinking beers late into the night. I think Cas was hammered that night.
Facebook tells me this was 2009. Can it really be that long ago?
PUTS knew how to rock a crowd. Their shows were always LIVE, and always FUN. I think in the beginning people thought they took themselves seriously, and maybe that's why they came out with FUN DMC, to let people know they were having fun. They walked their own path. It didn't matter what trends were popular in music. Album after album they came with their own and stuck to it. I respect them both so much for it.
I never really knew Mike that well, but it's a strange feeling. PUTS put out their last album, but I still just sort of assumed they would always be there, Chris and Mike. Even if they weren't still making records together. It's not fair that he's not going to be able to grow old and look back at it all, and think "I did that". I don't really know how to put it into words, but it's just not fair. My heart hurts for Chris, and all of Mike's friends, family, and loved ones.
