We Weren't Angels (With Author Geoff Alexander)

Show Notes for We Weren’t Angels

 Episode Title: We Weren’t Angels (With Author Geoff Alexander)

Episode Summary: In this week’s riveting episode, we delve into the gritty underworld of Boston’s Combat Zone with author Geoff Alexander, who shares his experiences and insights from his book, We Weren’t Angels: A Memoir of Sex, Drugs and Crime in Boston’s Combat Zone. The Combat Zone, once the largest adult entertainment district in the United States during the latter half of the 20th century, was a hotbed of vice where sex, crime, and drugs thrived.

Through the eyes of a Boston cab driver married to a star dancer, Geoff Alexander takes us on a journey into the lives of strippers, club owners, transgender performers, prostitutes, and the cops who patrolled the streets. What made this district, which attracted everyone from white-collar professionals to law enforcement, so resilient despite decades of efforts to shut it down? And what happened to those who lived and worked there when the lights finally dimmed in 1985? In this episode, Alexander provides a comprehensive and unflinching look at a world where survival often meant walking a fine line between success and danger.

Guest: Geoff Alexander, author of We Weren’t Angels: A Memoir of Sex, Drugs and Crime in Boston’s Combat Zone

Key Points:

• The Combat Zone: A detailed exploration of Boston’s infamous adult entertainment district and its lasting impact on the city.
• Life in the Zone: Personal stories of the strippers, club owners, and performers who made their living in the Combat Zone.
• Cultural and Social Dynamics: Discussion of the social forces and political pressures that allowed the Combat Zone to thrive for decades.
• The End of an Era: Insights into what led to the decline and eventual closure of the Combat Zone by 1985.
• Geoff Alexander's Perspective: Unique reflections from an active participant who lived and worked in the Combat Zone.

Contact Geoff Alexander: geoffalexander.com

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Additional Links: During the episode, Gavin mentioned the band Lou Miami & the Cosmetics.

Here is a link to see the band perform:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXQueTMTNi0. In addition, he mentioned that the band The Cars was a popular band during his time in the Combat Zone.  Here is a link to one of my favorite Cars songs:

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=4ghKhEg8VX8&si=C1wmIa6WJLYpR1Tb

Credits:

• Executive Producers: Marc Veazey and Aleks Litts
• Assistant Producer: Kaci High
• Music: Desain
• Hosts: Marc Veazey and Aleks Litts

Be sure to join us next week as we continue to uncover the stories and histories that shape our world.