Rock stars you met in person

[GeddyLeeRoth]

Goddamn it. At first glance I thought this thread said 'Rock Stars You Met In Prison'.

 

Anyway, the coolest ones for me were:

 

David Lee Roth

Dave Mustaine

Dave Ellefson

Kerry King

Glen Danzig

Steve Harris

Savatage

Chuck Schuldiner

Prong

Edited April 1, 2020 by GeddyLeeRoth

[Huge Ackman]

I saw Adrian Belew in a very tiny club in Petaluma, CA, in 2009. I was in the frontest front row and spent the night just a few feet from Mr. Belew. After the show, the band was out and talking with fans and I had Adrian sign me. I snagged the pick he used that night as well as a set list from the stage. I worked for a company in Detroit and Jack White's "Third Man Records" was next door. Jack came around often and I met & talked with him a number of times. Al Jarreau was a college friend of my dad's. I met him and got to hang after the show with him and George Duke. This was a very special meeting. I had a great sound check meet & greet with Andy Gill (R.i.P.) of Gang of Four in Denver in 2015. I saw Stick Men in a tiny club in Detroit and met Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto after the show. Got an autograph from Tony and snagged one of Pat's used sticks from the show. Does Michael Bolton count? :laughing guy: How about Paul Simon? Met them both. I was in Michael Bolton's movie, "American Dream - Detroit", helped him test ride the bike he eventually bought from us. Alice Cooper was a pretty frequent visitor also. Met and spoke with him quite a few times as well as had a nice back stage meet & greet at his show in Kalamazoo. Oh, and then there was this funny looking Canuck "singer" I met at a book store in Chicago last summer. Can't imagine what his singing voice must be like. He sounded like he had been breathing helium when he talked... Gary something.... Rock on!

 

 

I've heard nothing but good things about meeting Alice Cooper. He seems to have a very similar approach to meeting fans that Dio did.

 

Indeed. He was always super friendly and even remembered my name on the third or fourth time he came around.... In fact, all of these "stars" were all incredibly down to earth. The least receptive was Geddy but that was so understandable under the circumstances. We we just starting to roll through this book signing at 4 p.m. and there were 600+ of us lined up around the block. Word was that he had attended the Cubs game earlier so had been out & about all day, now faced 5-6 hours, or more, of us fawning fanbois to deal with. Luckily, I was about the 10th body to stop and say, "Hey..." so he was pretty attentive. The idea of the book signing was just turnstyle GO! as fast as we can but I had a small gift to give and short story to tell so did that. I got his attention when I mentioned that I had been at the Aug. 1, 2015 show at The Fabulous Forum as a guest of Irving Azoff (I guess Irving should count as another rock star that I've met.... he was among the 2020 RnRHoF nominees, wasn't he?). I told Geddy that I'd sent a gift to the band via Irving's wife and wondered if he remembered getting it. I had sent three leather journal covers, along with the writing journal to fill, embossed with each guy's nickname.... Dirk, Lerxst and Pratt.... "I guess I should ask if you got those?"..... "No, I'm sorry. I don't recall seeing that...", said Ged. "Well then. The three new journals, meant as refills are now just new journals for you to put to use if you like.... Thanks for everything over the years. It has meant the world to me...." And we left with a fist bump and Ged's, "Cheers..." and his caution not to close the book too quickly to avoid smearing the ink of his signature.... So, I guess that was a pretty awesome encounter after all, eh?!

 

I should mention that I also spent a couple of days hanging with Lukas Nelson and the members of his "Promise of The Real" band when they played a gig for our store in Detroit in 2014 or so.

 

And one last boast... Not really a "rock" star but a wonderful encounter none-the-less... I had a very quality meeting with Steve Martin and all the members of The Steep Canyon Rangers when they came to visit us in Detroit. He was very nice but skiddish and scooted out as soon as customers recognized him and started taking photos. This photo is from The Bridge School Benefit that I attended in 2012 and where Steve & SCR performed. Rock on!

 

Oh snap.... I remember a few more that I'll share...

 

I met Billie Joe Armstrong at the airport in Burbank, CA, and James Hetfield at a High School "Battle of the Bands" in San Rafael, CA. He was judging the contest.

 

I helped to support a charitable concert event for a few years and met a number of the performers at the various rehearsals & events:

Brad Whitford

Derek St. Holmes

Jean Beauvoir (of The Plasmatics)

Suzy Quatro

Mark Farner

Kip Winger

Micki Free

Marshall Crenshaw

 

OK.... that's all... Rock on!

Edited April 2, 2020 by Huge Ackman

[Chicken hawk]

I met Carrie Underwood way back in the later part of the 2000's outside the civic center in Portland Maine where she just finished her concert. it was a pure accident. My friend and i were standing out back of the arena just talking about the concert and she happen to come out a back door and was talking to fans. She was very polite and nice to everyone. She was on her way !

[Rutlefan]

Brian May, at work last year, in his role as Dr. Brian May, astrophysicist. Short conversation. I told him that '39 is my favorite Queen song and he liked that (it's about space travel/time dilation if you don't know, but if it was about basket weaving I'd probably still love it for the tune). That's the only big name.

 

Saw Dave Grohl in an L.A. diner in '94, before the first Foo Fighters album came out though I didn't bother him. A friend I was with knew he had started a new band; I still only knew him as Nirvana's ex-drummer.

 

After show conversations include Brix Smith of The Fall in '88, Pat Fish and Max Eider of the Jazz Butcher Conspiracy, Cleveland ca. '01, Dave Gedge and Terry de Castro of the The Wedding Present in '05, and Colin Newman and Graham Lewis of Wire just last month.

[apetersvt]

Was lucky and won a contest for meet and greet passes on R30, so met Alex and Geddy. Also met Geddy on book signing tour. As others have commented, it is hard to count these as they are pre-arranged.

 

In the same light, met Warren Haynes (with Matt Abts) at a music store promoting their new album Dose back in '96. Also met them in Jamaica at the Gov't Mule Island Exodus. Once again pre-arranged.

 

But at the Island Exodus, the main resort was full and we were on the waiting list. However, we got in at the sister resort. Shuttle bus taking you back and forth. The good thing about this was that all the band members stayed at the sister resort so they wouldn't be bothered all day. So, ended up with random conversations (a couple times they ended up sitting at the table next to me for brunch) with a several of the Govt Mule members and members of the other bands playing (especially Rob Baracco (keys) and John Molo (drums) who have been in many Grateful Dead post-Jerry bands). Leaving Jamaica and going through customs in Atlanta, JJ Grey (Mofro was there as well) was right behind us in the customs line. So had a nice little chat with him.

 

Sat right next to Ed Roland (Collective Soul) on a flight. I travel a lot for work and got a first class upgrade. No clue who he was. As I do anytime on a plane, I greet the person next to me. He completely ignored me. I ended up talking with the drummer who was sitting behind us and learned what band they were.

 

Was in a bar in the Detroit airport when two 'rocker looking' dudes sat next to me. I asked them if they were in a band. Turns out they were in Skid Row. My first response was that "I am in a band too." Of course my band hasn't actually played out in public yet. It was the singer (many years after Bach had left) and drummer. They bought me a round and then I ended up buying them a round. Good times. Had to look up later to verify they where they claimed and it checked out.

[Fridge]

Fish (Derek Dick)...before he was famous...used to drink in some of the same pubs

 

Shirley Manson - see above

 

"Big" John Duncan (Exploited/Nirvana touring) - also see above

 

Stuart Adamson --early eighties in a pub

 

John Martyn

 

The guys from Kings X - utter legends and very nice people....I have a couple of stories that I'll need to dig out and link to.

 

James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich on the Damage Inc. tour 1986 in a bar after the show....James was a gent, Lars was a prick.

 

Billy Connolly----again in a pub.

[driventotheedge]

........James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich on the Damage Inc. tour 1986 in a bar after the show....James was a gent, Lars was a prick.......

 

Why does this not surprise me?

[Fridge]

........James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich on the Damage Inc. tour 1986 in a bar after the show....James was a gent, Lars was a prick.......

 

Why does this not surprise me?

 

Rude little c***......if it hadn't been for all the roadies and flunkeys about them I would have decked him.

[Laurabw]

Fish (Derek Dick)...before he was famous...used to drink in some of the same pubs

 

Shirley Manson - see above

 

"Big" John Duncan (Exploited/Nirvana touring) - also see above

 

Stuart Adamson --early eighties in a pub

 

John Martyn

 

The guys from Kings X - utter legends and very nice people....I have a couple of stories that I'll need to dig out and link to.

 

James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich on the Damage Inc. tour 1986 in a bar after the show....James was a gent, Lars was a prick.

 

Billy Connolly----again in a pub.

 

Well Fish is totally awesome. But JAMES HETFIELD!! Be still my heart. Lol. Isn't he super tall?

[Fridge]

Fish (Derek Dick)...before he was famous...used to drink in some of the same pubs

 

Shirley Manson - see above

 

"Big" John Duncan (Exploited/Nirvana touring) - also see above

 

Stuart Adamson --early eighties in a pub

 

John Martyn

 

The guys from Kings X - utter legends and very nice people....I have a couple of stories that I'll need to dig out and link to.

 

James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich on the Damage Inc. tour 1986 in a bar after the show....James was a gent, Lars was a prick.

 

Billy Connolly----again in a pub.

 

Well Fish is totally awesome. But JAMES HETFIELD!! Be still my heart. Lol. Isn't he super tall?

 

Not really.....I'm 6'4" and I was a couple of inches taller.