 Hello, I would like to welcome you to our video oral history project, and we're so pleased to have you here I'd like to introduce you to the world and I am introducing Lonnie Boucher Averich Do you ever need nicknames your friends call you Lonnie? They call me Lon. Lon. We learned of the hidden information here And Boucher is for my professional name. Your professional name and and Averich was your married name Continued wonderful. I'd like to ask you something about your early life. I'd like to know What are your parents names? What nationality were they? Where did they come from? How did you arrive in San Francisco? Did you have any brothers and sisters? Cousins anybody that I would love to hear their name Well, my mother's name is Dolores and my father's name is Ted and my father was Scandinavian and he was born in Seattle, Washington, and my mother is was Irish and French and Well, my father's Scandinavian and Al says these must be you know, so and then my mother and father my father was in the war which one? World War II and my They met in San Francisco. Wow, and my father was Not mortally, but he was very badly wounded in the war, right? And he spent a whole year in the hospital in Stanford and They got married here actually at my grandmother's house on Washington Street and But my father wanted to move back to San to Seattle where his family was and that's where I was born My sister was born, but my mother couldn't take the weather. What's your sister's name? Pammy Pamela, Pamela Yeah, and we came here in when we were four years old So I consider San Francisco my home totally Where did you where did your family land back at that time? Where did you live? We lived on Washington and to visit arrow and We went to Grand School, which is no longer It's one of the most was the most wonderful grammar school in the whole world And we still I still have all of our friends that we still get together the ones Why are you know and high school and then when high school is low, which I went to the original low along the sonic What's across street? It's across I'd say hey, it's baby. It's so it's part of the part of the lower hate hate. Yeah It's still there. Yeah, and then the What the new low moved to the other side of the avenues at that time I think a lot of people are aware there ever was another Right. Yeah. Yeah, and I moved away went to Hawaii my parents got divorced and Then I went to Los Angeles and as soon as I was at high school and first year college I wanted to go back to San Francisco And so you did yes, I did and Where did you move to? My first apartment was on Jackson Street the back to the kites and then We moved and that's that's about the time that actually my mother called up and she said the Longshoreman's Hall was having a great dance. You should need to go and My brother was playing No, we were just talking about that. That's what I'm thinking of the charlatans. I Didn't go to that. I'm only what year this was It was It's a high sixty five and I'm at 75 so 65 We went to the California Hall and that's where I'm now a husband and the charlatans were playing I think what was his name And the big brother and holding company and then the next weekend the film world opened and For we went Friday Saturday and Sunday. I did Jefferson Airplane Jefferson Airplane and we were talking about just remember seeing the doors and I'll never forget seeing the doors and how I used to go from speaker to speaker to speaker and you know and then Jimmy Hendricks and Janice, you know all the people we saw but it was basically Friday Saturday and Sunday And you go and you'd have an apple and at that time no one really drank, you know, right? You spoke pot, but that's about you know, you go a little alcohol on the scene Yeah, you just go and dance the smoke pot and you know, but it was just and it cost a dollar. It's right You know, I'm gonna have to a big two. It's yeah and you know you think back then you'd get you come in and you get your apple and you get your poster and You think back and the posters got better and better and and also during that time I was involved with One of my childhood friends who you're gonna meet next week for the rest of us Jimmy rest and her brother a well and Bill and They started the straight theater and I Basically, it's my mind ball was cleaning it Clean the toilets, which are gonna think there's a great man bill around that said it's more than just the artists on the stage Yeah, security clearing the aisles to make it safe somebody what looking and making sure the place is an environment ready So they were creating that that that environment and but there's one thing that part of the 60s that I'll never forget them Sitting in your car. You're driving in the car and on the radio They said that this is the summer of love and people are coming to San Francisco and you need to open up your homes and Invite everybody in because people are coming to And there's not enough love and there's right and and the hate at that time Well still is but that not as much at that time the hate was a haven because all every all the big Victorians and all the big flats and and everyone could just hang out and it was a really actually happy time It was not a you know There are one of the big drugs didn't come until a couple years later So it was still fun and it was just Every day was just it was just a wonder how old are you right about this time? 16 perfect, so when you come into the hate Just walking down the street. Yeah was a party was well. Yeah, it was a party and you know and The Beatles everything was just a very just happy time and that and then and you just the peace move I mean the marches and There just really was a lot of love going around and people just had a wonderful time And you just and at that time at that period of life You know and work. I mean we're work, but everyone's half an unemployed or Somehow it was all covered. Yeah, somehow it was all covered. Yeah, it was all covered and And he just met and people were coming to droves to San Francisco. Did you have any feeling? Well, maybe there's a change happening in the world. Did you have any I mean I've heard all different opinions people saying well coming to the hate Ashbury in the 60s made me feel Like I didn't have to have that nine to ten nine to five job that my parents always said I had I can be myself I can Contribute I can try to help towards informing people Well, I think at that time you didn't think of a career or a job and you you basically most of us didn't grow up to We're about 40 so yeah, I mean, you know, you didn't know one was there The ones got married very young had the children the most of us really either got married later Just you know you just you worked if you had to work you got by Did you have any favorite bands? Did you did you? Were you there at the straight theater for the for the events? Yeah, that's could you remember Any of the the things that happened at the straight theater? That's terrible. I don't okay Do you remember lights? Well, I remember the light shows. You can't forget the light shows, right? You know and we just found out Brian Epps Who's what who did who did the light shows and he's the founder of brotherhood light. He's coming. He's coming. Yes next week and And the reggae in Caitlyn and a lot of their dance classes. Yeah Caitlyn taught them. Yeah, they had a Saturday morning breakfast or they had a Sunday morning meditation or The straight was used when they had vents on the street. Oh, yeah You know, but I there was a blank there. Yes So I can't really remember you remember some of the Happenings with your relationship with the people there. Did they were there any problems in operating the straight you over here any? There was another building down the street that later became the I be Before that was a masonic large. Yeah, I know there was problems, but I don't really remember, you know That's just running to run a venue with that many people and Everybody just having fun makes a lot of work for you Yeah, but there were events happening at the straight theater the same way there were events happening at the film Artiforium and as you're talking well Friday night, we went here here in here There was also the Avalon Ballroom. We went to the Avalon ballroom. We went to every single one, you know You you go to yeah, the Avalon ballroom is really big And then there was the of course the film Artiforium, but then there was the film or west on Vanessa and market That opened when the film or East open. Yeah before that it was called Carousel ball, right? Well, yeah, I remember more of that. I didn't go to film on West. Which went to the Carousel. Yeah That was the early years the Carousel ballroom the Avalon the straight theater. Yeah, and Whatever you do you remember walking down the street in the hate and seeing Five people thousands of people walking into the park. I'm interested in knowing some of your firsthand Information of anything you might remember, but it's not actual the spirit of it. Well, it's more of the spirit I'm thinking of the was it to be in and just I'll never forget, you know, I did get it. I did get it all tomorrow. Okay But I just remember just the everyone just really just the colors people wore a lot of colors and I don't think you could really duplicate what people look like during that period. Oh, I mean even though people try You know the velvet and so the velvet the dye the tie dye that you know I mean sometimes I think you look at it now and you might laugh but at that time, you know the beads and There's a crater expression. Yeah, it was you know in the incense And the way we looked in the long hair and You know, it's just a lot of love and people caring about each other at that time You feel in any way in a small small way I mean one person can only do so much but thousands can do more at that time. We did I think we did we were How do you feel that the pressure got put on the world by what was going on then do you on small way any of the Well, I think we had a big part of it with the Vietnam War. I think with the protests that we did I think there was it. I mean it was taken very seriously at that time I don't know. I'm not sure now as much as a best man because I mean people really felt I think we felt really we not united at that time right as a whole Right, you know and it's the war a lot easier to say it together than with as one person Right and be part of the community that you felt as if did you have this feeling a family? Yeah, I think everybody felt that way. I think and there wasn't just I just think there wasn't the violence there Right, you know in groups was crowded and ended up masonic and continued into the part Yeah, but I mean as a group people never really didn't feel afraid of the crowd You know 18 is very formative years in the couple of years before that is very formative In in the artwork in the music in your friendships Do you think you can think of anyone that might you might have respected that might have influenced you In agreeing with your bullet with what you believed or inspired you to believe do you feel You are who you are now as a product of what did you you've lived? Do you feel that there's anybody in your life? my many people a friend someone that Can you remember anybody anything or even a song or the music that might have Influence you when you were young to say yeah, this is true. Come on people. Let's get together or whatever it is That's a good question There's not a person no but I can say but a group of Musicians or the way people dress in the freedom of expression or the any of that helped you be today Who you are because we all are who we are from just trying to be the music had a big part of it A big part of it. Yeah, a lot of people that have sat in your chair have told us that it's the music and actually I think the Beatles had a big part the Beatles were a big part The Beatles when the Beatles came everything. I mean, there's something about the Beatles music It was just every album they did everyone would look forward to the new music Because it was it was the only type of music that was different Right, you know, and it was just everyone would come and and oh my goodness. There's a new beat You know just and it was just strawberry fields forever Exactly. Yeah Um Someone we interviewed left us with the word of John Lennon. Imagine Well, you'll never forget the day he died Exactly. It was a really tragic day. I mean, it's you know, yeah, so it really was I mean, just couldn't believe the song, you know, that he someone would kill So some of the message of the Beatles and the I think the music affected you And we find we're finding that a lot with people are any viewing that if they may not put it in words They can they say it in a song they've heard it in a song and it's music So kind of a tribute to musicians is a very powerful Place to be because you affect so many and then there was um, he was killed Who wrote let's get it on Marvin Gaye Marvin Gaye was it? Yes, it was he was a big voice during that time. Yes A lot of some of the people on real as how much of the r&b and the blues played so much of a part in We had that midwest influence as well as the english influence coming in at the same time changing the music forever Exactly Did was when when you worked at the straight theater Was that a job you had to work all day? It was something you did at the night or you did in the morning or We just were there alone. Did you have a lot of friends? Yeah with friends, you know, you wouldn't do it You didn't and you would just if things need to be done. You would just help out, right? Um, that's kind of the way major events in the park. They play. Yeah Excuse me Where do you live now in San Francisco in San Francisco? And uh, Do you ever come to the hate now? Do you ever Once in a while? Yeah, actually this is the first time in a long time in a long time um Writing down the streets of the hate now and Riding here and from what you remember um Do you have any thoughts on it? Are you ever you have any thoughts on The future of young people young people still come here from all over But it's not the way the problem is there's not the music in the park and there's not the What was there then so part of what i'm asking you what was there then? and Well, there was You know the drug the um heroin the heavy drugs came into San Francisco later time and destroyed really well the beauty that was here Yeah, a lot of people have said the the lower hate hit the higher hate and There was no control. I mean, I don't really see very old Right I'm curious uh The the friends you said you had from the straight theater um What has moved away and stayed and some are local and I just think it's amazing Uh, he's kept a relationship on on some level. You you know these people. Yeah Uh, and you were friends before the straight theater. We grew up together. You grew up together. Oh my goodness So this is a life friendship. Oh, yeah most of the kids we you know The ones who are still are friends the ones we went to school with And we're into doing a few people um next well next week hello regi regi and uh author And uh some other employees of this right there. Yeah, you'll be able to give you you know They were just so entree. It's wonderful that you're gonna be able to talk to them They have every flyer and every which is only one part of it But you worked there. You were part you were friends with them And I had to feel there were people with the public coming in You were part of the backstage. You were part of the staff there And did the staff itself Have uh as you saw it you remember any of it did the staff evolve where they're in the beginning? No light shows and all of a sudden we're gonna bring music in or um Did you interact? As friends even though people did their own jobs I mean, did you have a team feeling a family feeling among the people that worked at the street? Oh, that's how it was. It was yeah more it was like a family And uh jib would go out down the street to have a cup of coffee or eat together that yeah Yeah, everyone did that together. Yeah, so there were many things going on the psychedelic shop the oracle the straight theater And all these things and within each of these Places that no longer exist There was a team of people that felt like family and that family extended to the larger family of what was going on Everybody felt they were part of something. Yeah, exactly. Um I'd like to ask you what what kind of work you do in your life I mean, we've always wondered where people were and what they're doing now and And do you still love music? Do you still listen to music and I still Enjoy listening music and I love to dance and um I'm a chef Any chef. Did you ever do any cooking in those days? Oh, yeah, I've cooked my whole life I've been you know, I mean, I said, I mean, you know cooking my whole life and when I did the Renaissance fair I cook did all the Did all the staff with that take place. Where was that the Renaissance fair and um Black point up in the bottom in the bottom And uh, you did a lot of cooking there and uh, I did a lot of cooking there and then I after that I had my own catering business and after that then I I had a coffee shop and after that. Wow I went to uh I worked at the Ritz Carlton and Now I'm the executive chef of the arch, I'm the executive chef for the Archbishop of San Francisco And is that cooking for him or more than him? I cook for him and I do all the The special events and I handle the household. Wow And what part of the city is that? It's over in The cathedral, which is over in japan town on gearing and golf You might too so As far as your future goes We pray for a long life for everyone and and and dreams should not stop so If you from what you've come through in the sixties from we've grown to be where you are now um Do you still dream about peace on earth? Do you still hope that our young people have a shot to you? If the world would listen to you What advice would you give the world if young people were watching this 50 years from now? Well, I just think for us We were really blessed to be able to be a part of that period and I really wish that most children were able to experience that And I do wish peace for children and I just would hope that If people and as a whole could get along You know, it was sort of like when you saw the pope when the pope Passed away and to see all those hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people together Sleeping on the streets and giving each other water and blankets and all the The dignitaries of the world that never get along but somehow got along that day, right? You know for just one day people could be able to do that You know and just be caring and loving to each other because that's the way it was in the sixties It was it was like that thousands of thousands of people in the park. Yeah, sharing their blankets It was there, you know Like I said when they sit over the radio and people open up your homes and you know and and let everyone in And you are proud of your city and you wanted people to come and and take care of them and You know, so you still wish that for them. That's why you know I think you are we are special people being able to grow up in San Francisco during that time Because it never leaves you so this tape will inspire someone in the future as part of this collection and It's hearing it secondhand but hearing it from somebody who lived it Who sees it the way they saw it is a way to inspire other people Yeah, you know, well because I'm sure I mean a lot of kids everyone. That's why they tourists come here Exactly they come to the hate during the weekends to see who knows what is it looking for And that's what it's about. Yeah, you can't you can you have to be able to be there to feel have a feeling but still it's It's a wonderful, you know, a lot of people who said that too. I can just tell you and I can tell you But you had to be there or people who said I mean, it's an old attitude It's like say I wish I could told you so but it's it is just we were just very lucky Yes, and I if if We could be left with anything maybe be left with the inspiration of the Beals And Marvin Gaye and the music that goes on forever. Yeah, because they don't make the music I mean, it's it was always that musical never changed. That's just classical will never change. Yeah The message is strong and that's what makes the music last. It's it's eternal message You know, well, I would love to thank you Rebecca Rebecca Nichols would love to thank you for being part of this And sharing your life with us And and helping us put the pieces together of the past And document it so that somehow people in the future can be inspired by There's so many people that made this happen Not only the major artists on the stage, but it took everybody to do their part To make the whole scene happen as you said share some water share a blanket And be part of you're gonna meet so many more new people next week. They're really well, you know, they just do such a There are there are many many people coming on this. It's just being so Be we're being so happy to document the straight theater that was not there anymore I know that's to be able to document this the psychedelic shop that was not there anymore and the masonic The it just goes on and on all of the things that weren't there whether it's because Of what came up on the street because the rents all of a sudden jumped because of the All of a sudden it's valuable property and moved the creative people out, you know But the spirit of the 60s still lives. This still is in here. I can tell and many and many others and Hopefully in the future when people do research and look back. Hey, what happened that day They hopefully will get the message So I so want to thank you for being here and sharing with us Because because it's it's many pieces of a puzzle that that gives us the picture and we want to thank you so much For your help your help locating some of the some of the people who founded the straight theater as well as your encounters Um, but that that there is no memory. So thank you so very much. Thank you very much