AusTiN TeXaS -Like NoNe oTheR!
November 2025 hails a landmark visit for posterity with the kiddos and many many a dear friend after a 25-year hiatus - destination - The Austin Texas! Twas the dawn of the 80's - over 40 years ago - with the first visits including the early 6th Street scene (when it was cool), as well as hanging out at Barton Springs and indulging in the foodie scene in its infancy there and the surrounding Hill country. Then a techie with Hewlett Packard, the drive from Dallas on the then lonely Highway 281 was a joy.
Fast forward to the mid-80s which brought Deep Ellum Dallas Texas warehouse parties to a blighted area east of downtown Dallas moi commandeered, that morphed into the infamous and long lived (20 yrs) Club Clearview. At the same time, hip roaming parties in Austin took shape, the brainchild of Jennifer Jaqua and her Club Iguana scene that found a Dallas perch at Clearview with bimonthly parties in the bombed-out facility that blended the two Texas undergrounds. WriterJoe Nick Patoski discovered the spark in summer of 1986 and penned a ditty for Texas Monthly entitled “Deep Ellum’s Summer of Love”. Shout out to Steve Pietzch who illustrated that cover as resides now in the Texas hill country. We are fortunate to have one of his pieces in our collection.
During that time Clearview became a sister club of the renowned Liberty Lunch in Austin as well as Continental Club, showcasing like entertainment. And don’t forget Club Foot and Raul’s in Austin where many a punk band rocked there as well as at Clearview. As the connections grew the Deep Ellum and Austin scenes became interconnected, sprouting a friendship with Louis J Meyers (RIP - Just LOVE that Guy!)) of Liberty Lunch, who partnered in birthing the SXSW music and media conference in Austin. Swaney in Dallas helped round the clock with touring shows, rounding up panel experts, attending softball games, garnering sponsors and of course, hosting during the weeks of SXSW where Clearview would book up to 10 bands a night in Dallas just to afford them a burger and some gas money. Meyers also managed the Killer Bees (also in the Texas Monthly 1986 story photo) and Killbilly, which became Club Clearview staples in addition to Mojo Nixon, Ian Moore, Bad Mutha Goose, Dan del Santo and many others. Shout out to Jan Mirkin the artist agent rockstar of the Austin 80's and 90's.
The 90’s kept everything rolling and your amigo was hooked, making frequent trips to the Live Music Capitol of the World and Silicon Hills, probably 20 + which sprung from a newly minted entertainment success. Involvement in startups was a natural progression in both Dallas and Austin with over 30 ventures engaged over 40 years, includingbroadcast.com, Advertickets, Stream Energy and Open labs. Shout out to the genius Victor Wong.
Austin is The Place for an epic and much anticipated part of our National Book Tour early Thanksgiving week November 23-25 celebrating "None of the Answers - Racing thru Life in Reverse" the book that covers all this ground and more. There will be entertaining book readings - short and sweet! - "The Interactive Jam", signings, and parties in town.
It may have grown on steroids but if you dig around it still got the cool and unique vibe like none other and some of the best folks on the planet. Enjoy The Ride Pardners!
Come see us and hang at our Events starting SOON! at JEFFSWANEY.COM
Feel free to email me at: JEFF@JEFFSWANEY.COM
You can follow antics at:
Facebook: (mild and family)-
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010416601602
Linked In: (businessy)..-
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/?trk=404_page
Instagram: a tad spicy..-
http://instagram.com/JeffSwaneyAuthor
Tiktok: hot tamale!!-
https://www.tiktok.com/@jeffswaneyauthor?_t=8rCjaHQBuyF&_r=1