Sitting on my balcony that summer of 2001, I kept on having disturbing visions of planes hitting the house. I would ask myself if I'd have enough time to run out of the house and save my life. Planes like great big balls of fire. I am psychic but I wasn't prepared for the calamity which was to ensue. 

 

After the release of their CD CRISIS, Menace had scheduled a tour of the North American East Coast. John Lacey, the singer, had told me months before that after the CD and tour, he would quit. He had been with Menace since the reunion in 1998, instigated by Mark Perry. But he had set very precise objectives for himself, determined to follow through. Without telling anyone, apart from me. John is also psychic, and a very powerful one at that.

 

There's no doubt in my mind that he knew something was afoot. He knew he was going towards danger, what, he wouldn't have known exactly. In any case, he insisted on bringing a friend along as a roadie just in case.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9/9: Menace plays the legendary CBGBs. The tiny space is packed.

 

John Lacey: "We played a sold-out CBGB's, it was organised by Bran Swirsky. I gave my all and we went down great. As you know, the only way to exit the stage is through the crowd. As I sat exhausted in the dressing room, I found myself berated by an irate young lady for messing up her mohican hair style when climbing off the stage. At that very moment, I realised that punk was truly dead. Now, that's a funny gig story." 

 

They would be the last band playing the CBGB's before 9/11.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9/10: Menace are invited to play live on a local radio. A picture of the band is taken on the waterfront with the Twin Towers right behind them on the other side.

 

In the picture at the top, John is looking up to the sky, two vertical coffins behind him, the last sunny and bright day on earth for the people inside. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Someone in the band suggests to go and visit the Twin Towers on the following day. John's mate objects, saying that the top of the Chrysler Building would be a better place to oversee New York.

 

9/11: the band oversleep. When they wake up and look out of the window, all they can see is paper raining from above, floating all over the place, filling the space. 

 

Their first thought is that a paper factory has exploded. Then, they learn the news. Beyond, all they can see is a plume of smoke rising above the towers. 

 

London: It's the afternoon and I am putting the last touch to the Sniffin' Glue Special for Punk Aid 2001 with Mark Perry, totally unaware of the tragedy. 

 

My daughter comes back from school and put the TV on. But instead of her usual children's programmes, all the channels are showing the news on the loop. The Twin Towers being hit by planes. We send my daughter to her room, sit on the edge of the sofa and watch, incredulous. Soon, our thoughts go to the band. Menace are over there, are they safe?!

 

I call, no answer, I leave a message. We immediately think they should cancel the tour and come back. Unbeknown to us, they are stuck there, no plane, no means of communication, with their gear, unable to get out of the country or tell us what they're going to do. 

 

Actually, they are stuck for good reasons. They literally can't afford to cancel the tour. It is the only mean for them to be able to afford their return tickets. So they carry on. Totally traumatised by the events, I think it is just mental torture but they have no choice. One of them manages to get a computer working and we get the low-down on the situation.  

They will eventually return after completing their tour but cancelled the Punk Aid gig. They wrote a terrific song about the event "Praise the Lord" which will appear on a compilation. It would be the last song John Lacey records with Menace. He would quit the following year, unable to fulfil his commitment for a tour of the West Coast. I don't think the girl with the mohican had anything to do with it.