Girls (and Boys) Together Outrageously
Back when Pamela Des Barres was bedding and abetting rock stars like Jimmy Page, Mick Jagger and Keith Moon, and chronicling it all for her book I’m With the Band, the “groupie” label was anything but derogatory. Unfortunately, the G-word is now associated more with the airheaded hussies who stalked the Sunset Strip in the ’80s than the artsy muses of her time. The rock & roll love tome’s recent republication probably won’t change that, but one thing’s for sure: This GTO’s still got it. Celebrating the book and the new line of Smashing Grandpa T-shirts it inspired, Des Barres hosted a swanky bash at the Chateau Marmont penthouse just steps away from her old stomping grounds on Tuesday, 11/15, attracting übersexy rock stars past, present and future. Attendees included a healthy-looking Scott Weiland, Slim Jim Phantom, James Intveld, Paul Reubens (a.k.a. Pee Wee) and Carmen Electra, not surprising considering the soiree was co-hosted by Dave Navarro (who penned the paperback’s new foreword), John Taylor (swoon!), Bryan Rabin, Pammy’s ex Michael Des Barres, Leslie Gardner, Steve Jones (in a Smashing T emblazoned with the words “Groupie Music Heroine”) and Rodney Bingenheimer (donning duds from his English Disco days . . . which, by the way, he’s in talks about reopening soon).The next day, Jonesy pithily summed up the gathering on his radio show: “I felt like I was in The Doors movie.” And speaking of movies, we’re still waiting for the cinematic version of Band, which has been rumored to be in the works for so long, the actresses interested in parts are now way past their pubescent-groupie primes.
Shock and Awe

Blink-182/Transplants drummer Travis Barker got a big surprise last Monday at LAX nightclub, when a party for his new DC shoe line turned out to be a 30th-birthday bash, too, complete with a full marching band playing “Happy Birthday” and little gifts like a ’67 canary-yellow Cadillac. Onlookers included Nicole Richie and fiancé DJ AM,Jackass’ Steve O, and bandmates Skinhead Rob (Transplants) and Mark Hoppus (Blink). Look for the whole shebang on the second season of MTV’s Meet the Barkers . . . Checked out the opening night of Lounge One Eleven at Walt Disney Concert Hall on Friday, but it wasn’t that grand. Though the performances (DJ Nobody, Steve Spacek & Troubleman, Unkle’s James Lavelle) may have been, the little “experiment” (as host Jason Bentley called it) failed to excite, mainly because the room — in a prominent corner of the Frank Gehry–designed structure — doesn’t have much going on vibewise. Still, it’s nothing that better seating and more dramatic lighting can’t fix . . . Readers who were bewildered by Nightranger’s attempt to explain The Ruby’s closure situation last week: Prepare to be illuminated. The club has fixed its fire-code issues and reinstated all of the promoters who fled to other venues, though retro fans will now have two options on Sundays: Club ’80s at the Rubyand Beat It at Avalon. If you’re reading this on Wednesday, check out holiday parties from the former tonight and the latter on Friday. Gobble-gobble.

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