Tina Lucchesi: I was totally sad when the PO closed, but it had to happen. Tom couldn’t run it anymore, he wasn’t capable of having it together enough to keep it together. It was a total bummer.

 

Jon von: It was the end of something great! It kind of corresponded to when I left town in August 1999 and consciously or unconsciously contributed to a feeling that things were ending for me in SF.

 

Michael Lucas: Of course I was sad when the PO closed. But the place was in its death rattle for a while.

 

Jay Hinman: I wasn’t sad, actually. I’d kind of had my fill of garage rock by that point, and the bills which once seemed kind of exciting were really paint-by-numbers. I’m sad that the venue stopped having shows, but I probably ignored that place the last three years of its existence.

 

Beth Loudmouth: It was heartbreaking when The Purple Onion shut down but the place — and Tom — felt so unstable… seemed like it was time to go. It was the end of an era! Tom was having issues paying bands, the shitty pay was getting shittier and shittier. He was having trouble keeping it together and running things. I wondered what drugs he was doing and was sad it had come to this.

 

Carolyn Keddy: Every time I walk by 140 Columbus I am still sad.

 

Dulcinea Gonzalez: I was bummed to hear he lost the club, but Tom’s years of running The Purple Onion will live on in our minds forever. Thanks Tom!

 

 

 

Jay Loudmouth: I’ve seen Tom a few times. Most recently we talked for a while outside the Fillmore before a Damned show in spring 2017. Also at the Rotfest at the Hemlock Tavern a few years ago.

 

Carolyn Keddy: He came to some Budget Rock shows. I have seen him most recently at Rotfest at The Hemlock.

Dulcinea Gonzalez: Ran into him lotsa times, he’s still a complete marvel. He was getting kicked out of the Hemlock last time I saw him...

 

Jay Hinman: I've seen Tom a couple of times. The first time around 2006 or so he was on a “street crew” cleaning the sidewalk outside of Moscone Center. He seemed really embarrassed to see someone he knew. The second time was in a club just a few years ago, and it was like twenty years hadn’t gone by at all. He was exactly the same guy as in the 90s, maybe just a bit more subdued.

 

Michael Lucas: I’ve seen Tom plenty of times! Often around North Beach, where’s he’s been staying in one SRO or another, but he’s also been known to occasionally “make the scene” at shows when least expected.

 

Beth Loudmouth: I have run into Tom a few times over the years in SF. I remember a night at Mad Dog (bar on lower Haight Street) when he was picking up glasses off tables like he worked there (but he didn’t), that was maybe a year after the PO closed so we were all surprised to see him. I think it was that same night he got behind an apartment door gate outside next to the bar, and yelled at us “CLUB’S CLOSED!” and it made us all laugh.

 

Another time I saw him outside of Slim’s, the Adicts were playing. He was carrying a reel to reel tape of “A Clockwork Orange” and wanted to give it to the band but didn’t have a ticket to go inside.

 

Also saw him outside a Sonics show at the Fillmore. Someone had an extra ticket, I think it was Carolyn Keddy, so she gave it to him. He had one of those little wire carts with wheels that was full of bags and bedding and stuff, because he was homeless. We helped him find somewhere to stash it and he came into the show with us. I was smoking pot and drinking with him... (and was wondering if this was a good idea!) but it was fun, we were dancing together and being silly. A few of us took some pics with him outside. It’s always good to see him and just to know he’s OK... It’s worrysome with him being homeless or whatever it is that he is.

 

I’m friends with him on facebook and sometimes he will have little bursts of activity and post weird things on my page, but it’s mostly strange gooblygook that doesn’t make any sense. I wanted to interview HIM for this memories website, but he never answers when I facebook message him and I haven’t seen him around lately.

Tina Lucchesi: Tom disappeared for a bit, then he’d be at shows sometimes drunk and causing trouble, mouthing off and getting in fights. Before I moved to the northwest I’d see him around and he seemed OK. I love that guy and hope he’s doing good. I’ll never forget those good times. It was when SF was thriving and it was our city. So much great stuff going on then. And cheap rent! Shit, Tom was able to afford opening a rock-n-roll club!

 

THE END

 

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