If you were listening to Jacky BamBam and 93.3 WMMR Philadelphia tonight, you heard the heartbeat of the Young Rumblers, drummer Jim Hannum—Jimmer!—promoting Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers opening for Mötley Crüe this weekend for two nights at Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena in Atlantic City! 🎸🎸🎸
DJ Caterina (steps up to the microphone): The “I’m 17” music video is a 1990 mini-film whose importance grows even more with 34 years hindsight: director Gus Van Sant’s release of “My Own Private Idaho,” the death of River Phoenix, the rise of Keanu Reeves into movie superstardom, and Oregon representation in movies. In this 189-page dissertation, I will show how Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers changed the landscape of youth culture…”
Clerk: *interrupts* EXCUSE ME, MA'AM, THIS IS A GUITAR CENTER.
In the fall of 1991, Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers made a music video with director Gus Van Zant in Portland, Oregon, for the song, "I'm Seventeen," from the Guitar Trouble record. Gus Van Zant directed “My Own Private Idaho” in Portland the year before starring River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves.
Images ➡ Cinematography (3) from “My Own Private Idaho; screenshots (2) from TCYR’s “I’m 17.”
Last week on Friday, March 29—two concerts in one day from a band that I found out about in 2004. When I shared my “Buzz Zeemer reunion” meme last year, I did receive a couple of “yeah, it’ll never happen”-type comments. So, I never thought I’d get to witness them live in my lifetime, but dreams do manifest themselves in the most unusual ways! 🤩
The WXPN Free at Noon was a solid performance, but I could never have imagined the transcendental event that would transpire later that evening. What Frank Brown, Tommy Conwell, Dave McElroy and Ken Buono, brought to us onstage that night didn’t happen by magic—they must have practiced for a long time and been really thoughtful about their performance to give us the kind of quality show they knew we would be expecting from them. Buzz Zeemer was the best band in America in their prime and they truly lived up to it! 🎸🎶
I went through a universe of emotions with each song as it was playing and thinking about the years I’ve spent enjoying them: Don’t Hang Up, This Town, Porch, Sometimes, Lost and Found, Crush, Don’t Pull Away, These Things, Shelly Don’t Mind—so many songs! 🥰
How awesome was it to hear the cheers of “one more song”—the audience was so loud! And seeing the younger kids in the audience flashing “heart hands” after “Through It All” in the encore—amazing!
Life can make us see our past in rosy shades and attempts to recreate moments may only muddy our memories. But the music experience with Buzz Zeemer in 2024 has left a positive impact on me--getting to meet new friends, hearing their stories and realizing how much the music means to any community willing to support their artists.
While working on my master’s thesis in 2012, I spent a lot of time trying to track down the live version of Buzz Zeemer performing The Upper Crust’s “Let Them Eat Rock.”
It’s a rare find from April 4, 1997–with Tommy Conwell on vocals at Upstairs at Nicks. PHILLY, USA! 🎸🤩🎶
Thanks to Buzz Zeemer for rolling this tune out at Ardmore Music Hall on March 29.
