Neil sighting (Freddie Gruber's bday)

**circumstantial tree** · May 16, 2008

I wish Neil was a little more approachable though. Since I don't know the man personally, I guess I shouldn't care about his personal life or his tragedies - afterall I can't pretend a stranger (Neil) is my long-awaited friend.

**skyswing** · May 16, 2008

QUOTE (Marathonist @ May 16 2008, 09:07 AM)

QUOTE (skyswing @ May 16 2008, 08:42 AM)

It sounds like Michael takes his role as Neil's Praetorian very seriously and probably is acting on Neil's standing wishes to be left alone by anyone he doesn't already know or who attempts to initiate the contact with him on his or her own.

That's what Michael is paid to do. According to the CP thread, Neil's been threatened with bodily harm by a "fan" before, and we know there have been plenty of incidents where the bus gets followed, or someone manages to sneak onto the bus and wait for him. Heck, if I logged onto the internet and saw photos of me and my bike that someone had taken from a hiding place in the bushes fifteen feet away from me, and I'd had no idea that anyone was there at that time, well. . .that's pretty creepy.

A big part of Michael's job is to be on the alert for and assess any potentially threatening situation. It isn't all about isolating Neil from his fans just because Neil doesn't feel like chatting.

Yeah, you're right Marathonist. Michael's not just being a jerk to be a jerk.

Neil documents on his own a number of creepy incidents with fans which would give most of us the willies. In one of his books, he talks about a guy who left him some beer at his hotel room and then called to see if he liked it (obviously after having seen that Neil had retrieved it from the doorstep.).

Like you said, Michael was conducting threat assessment and following Neil's wishes.

**JDL2112** · May 16, 2008

QUOTE (wrekinboy @ May 16 2008, 02:56 AM)

If one wanted to get a response from Neil then the last thing they should say is "Hi Neil". Immediately he knows that as this person is someone he had never seen before then they must have recognised him from Rush and he goes on the defensive, as it could be an annoying fan with requests for pictures, inane conversation etc.

However if they just treated him as a human being and said something like "Great show huh?" or "Can I get a light?" then there is much more chance of an interaction. Still may not work but at least it is not intimidating.

You bring up an excellent point...and from an experience I had once, it's just about right on the money!

Several years back when Page and Plant made "No Quarter", they were on Rockline or some national show, and I was fortunate enough to actually get through on the 800 number and was screened for what I was going to ask/say/talk about.

The last 15 callers all said the same thing..."You guys are the greatest...do you think you will ever put the 3 members together and tour as Zeppelin again...Jimmy you are the best guitarist ever....how long did it take you to make Dazed and Confused...." One rambling Zeppelin question after another and you could tell they were just sick of it and the calls lasted...45 seconds.

I had noticed that during the interview, they were speaking of the new music they made on No Quarter...with the Middle Eastern sounds and how they were inspired by that sound.

I had been to an Egyptian shop in New York about 2 years before that, and thought I'd let them know about it.

I got on the phone, and said hello...they both said "Hey...how's it going"

"Hey, have you guys ever been to The Clover Trading Company in New York? (I can't remember the exact name, but I believe that's it) They have some really great Egyptian items...etc etc"

I proceeded to have a 10 minute conversation with Jimmy Page and Robert Plant and they seemed like they were all over this conversation and just talked and talked away about the influences on the album, and asking me questions about the shop and other places I may have seen.

After I hung up, I remember thinking "Well, I just spent 10 minutes talking to a couple of rock legends, and they appeared to have been in to it". For me, what we talked about was really interesting and I don't believe they thought I was some crazed fan. The fact that I was listening to the show probably told them I was a fan.

That was a very long winded story, but at the end of it, I believe you are right. Perhaps if I ever saw Neil just standing around looking bored, and wanted to talk to him, I'd talk about motorcycles or something...anything BUT Rush and try to refrain from saying "You are the very best".

**Mara** · May 16, 2008

And Neil used to answer all of his fan mail personally, until this particular fact became widely known thanks to the 'net. After that the volume of mail was just too overwhelming, and he did express regret that he was going to have to stop.

**circumstantial tree** · May 16, 2008

QUOTE (Marathonist @ May 16 2008, 11:40 AM)

And Neil used to answer all of his fan mail personally, until this particular fact became widely known thanks to the 'net. After that the volume of mail was just too overwhelming, and he did express regret that he was going to have to stop.

Like 1001001 said, it's like people want to get Neil's attention if just for the sole purpose of coming back to the message boards for something to brag about.

**ReflectedLight** · May 16, 2008

QUOTE (JDL2112 @ May 16 2008, 09:53 AM)