Meeting Celebrities : The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

[Lucas]

The subject of meeting celebrities came up in another thread, so I figured that this topic needed it own thread ...

 

Let's hear your experiences - the good, the bad and the ugly

 

I'll start with what I wrote in the other thread:

 

I have met a lot of celebrities at the conventions, but they are usually on their best behavior - but it is quite easy to tell the ones who are sincere from the ones there to make a quick buck ..

 

I've also met some famous people simply on the street . .

 

The first that comes to mind was, again, around 1980 - My Dad had ordered a beautiful Guild 12 string acoustic guitar for me ( Dad really encouraged me with the acoustic at that age, if ya know what I mean ) .... He and the owner of the store were friends, and because the store was all the way down in Red Bank, NJ ( 2 hours away ), we'd always go down on the weekend ..

 

But the store owner called on a weekday and told us the guitar was there - and being the impatient kid I was, and being the great Dad I had, we drove down on a weekday night after the store had closed to pick up the guitar ... The owner said he would wait, and he had some repairs to do on other things anyway ..

 

So we get there, and the owner lets us in and leads us into the back where my new Guild was ... and on our way into the back, I see a skinny guy with long hair working on a guitar in the repair area ... And I kinda recognized him, but wasn't sure ... So we ask the owner, and he said "Oh yeah, that's Jimmy - he's got a gig a Nassau Coliseum this week and is getting his guitars ready"

 

It turns out that it was Jimmy Crespo, who had just taken over for Joe Perry in Aerosmith .... The owner leads us back there and introduces us - I was a big Aerosmith fan, so I was pretty star-struck ... Jimmy Crespo could not have been kinder or more receptive - when he found out why we were there, he wanted to see my new Guild - the guy stopped everything he was doing and spoke with us for a while ... He was so nice, and even my Dad ( who was a guitar player too, but Aerosmith or KISS was not quite his cup of tea ) loved Jimmy Crespo ..

 

He was so respectful and took the time to show me his guitars and told me about how it was pretty overwhelming coming in for Joe Perry ..... He left a huge, lasting impression on me ....

 

On the other hand:

 

I think everyone here knows by now that I am a huge KISS fan ... so a few years back when Paul Stanley was hawking his paintings at a local art gallery, I decided that I'd go see ...

 

The art gallery was in The Short Hills Mall - and if you are familiar w/ NJ, it is a very nice mall - Neiman Marcus, Gucci, etc etc ... Real expensive and exclusive ..... Anyways, in order to get into the art gallery, you were required to purchase one of Paul's dreadful paintings - and then you could meet him ...

 

So me, my girlfriend, and about 20 other people stood outside the art gallery where we could see Paul, and everything that was going on ... There was only one way in and out, so we figured that when the gallery closed, we'd have a chance to to say HEY PAUL, and maybe - MAYBE - get him to stop and chat ...

 

After waiting a few hours, Paul finally came out ... by that time, there were about 12 or 15 of us waiting ( this is a mall, so we were just kind of standing near the railing and hovering around )

 

There was no big commotion - no hysteria - but as Paul walked by us, there were the usual HEY PAUL , and WE LOVE YA directed at him ..... Now, I wasn't really expecting him to stop are belt out a song, but the mother****** turned his head and didn't even acknowledge any of the HELLO PAULs

 

As it became apparent that he was intent on just beating it outta there, I remember saying - loud enough to be heard by everyone - "THAT'S OK, HE'S PROBABLY JUST ASHAMED OF HIS LOUSY PAINTINGS"

 

 

[The Analog Cub]

Who would have guessed that a member of Kiss was an asshole towards his fanbase? :P

[Lucas]

A few celebs that I've met at a convention that were sincerely nice:

 

- Betsy Palmer: the Mom and killer in the original Friday The 13th ... She was beyond gracious and kind - very talkative and personable ... She listened and laughed when I told her how much she scared me when I saw the film in the theater as a kid - I told her that her portrayal of Mrs Vorhees and Anthony Perkins' Norman Bates were the two most convincing horror film characters ever ... She, of course, thanked me, and then humbly joked "The only reason I got that role is because I was the only one who had a car and could get myself out to the filming location" ( ... it was actually filmed in the boonies of NJ )

 

- Peter Criss: KISS' original drummer .... Yes, it was at a convention, and there was line of people in front of me and behind me - but as I rambled on to Peter about how much the band meant to me as a kid ( and still does ), and how my Dad took us to see KISS in 1979, Peter Criss actually started crying - I am NOT joking - He then called his wife over and told her to take a Polaroid of me and him, no charge ..... as I walked away, he tapped his chest and said to me "You really got me with that story, thanks"

[Lucas]

Who would have guessed that a member of Kiss was an asshole towards his fanbase? :P

 

I know, I know

 

But also see my other post

[The Analog Cub]

The closest I ever got to meeting a celebrity of sorts was at a Buddy Guy concert at the age of 8. I was the one kid in the front row and halfway through the set some really bad thunderstorms started rolling in, and Buddy played the rest of his show unplugged. He led us through an acoustic rendition of the very fitting "Feels Like Rain" and he eventually noticed the little kid visibly in shock and awe at what he was witnessing, a master of the blues being so intimate with the audience and playing his acoustic guitar, so he came over to me and "played for me" as he continued to sing the song for a bit. It was truly a magical experience.

[Tombstone Mountain]

I met Greyfriar...he was cool. Bought me a drink even.

[Ancient Ways]

I've run into quite a few "local" celebrities around town Nd most of them have been great. Lots of sports types such as Fred Mcgriff, Lee Roy selmon, Warrick Dunn, Josh Freeman, Vinny Testaverde, etc... I ran into James hetfield at Epcot once. I saw him coming and simply made eye contact and said what's up man without stopping. The look on his face was pure panic. I would never bother someone at a place like that but I guess not everyone is very thoughtful towards them and create scenes.

[Union 5-3992]

I've met Steven Wilson at a meet and greet and he was quite a nice guy. I was starstruck and I think he picked up on it a little

[Turbine Freight]

I met Axl Rose in Manchester by accident on the Appetite tour. He barged into my now ex-wife & said "Get the f**k out of my way, bitch" as we were turning a corner. She was pregnant at the time. He was a c***. I threatened to kick his f*****g face in & he disappeared into a taxi behind a phalanx of knuckle-dragging minders.

 

Pygmy ginger caterwauling c***.

[Chronos]

They may not quite qualify as "celebrities," but I've met all the guys in King's X a few times. Without exception, they've been very open and gracious.

[Turbine Freight]

The nicest celeb I ever met was Walter Trout. A real gent, very funny, self-aware & generous with his time.

[Narps]

I met Jim Nabors once in the mid 90's in Georgetown. He was staying at the hotel that I worked at back then. He was super nice as you might expect him to be...

[Rod in Toronto]

Russel Allen, Glenn Hughes, Dream Theater twice - with and without Portnoy, Queensryche, Fates Warning.

[Narps]

Famous in the professional golf world I met Payne Stewart at the Kemper Open in Potomac MD in the very early 90's. Super nice guy just as one who knows anything about professional golf would expect. The "ugly" is standing next to him... :)

http://s29.postimg.org/uzkqbwd9j/IMAG0628.jpg

Edited September 12, 2015 by Narps

[Turbine Freight]

Famous in the professional golf world I met Payne Stewart at the Kemper Open in Potomac MD in the very early 90's. Super nice guy just as one who knows anything about professional golf would expect. The "ugly" is standing next to him... :)

http://s29.postimg.org/uzkqbwd9j/IMAG0628.jpg

 

That pic really made my day.

[bathory]

I've never met anyone actually famous but there's:

 

- one of the guys from the sword

- drummer for corrosion of conformity

- smoked weed with saint vitus. brent from mastodon was at the same show, as he is an atlanta local and a huge fan of the bands that were playing, but he was pretty f***ed up and I've heard some asshole stories so I just ignored him. I wish I'd talked to him because, I mean, he's in mastodon.

- could've met keith morris from black flag/circle jerks/OFF! since he walked past me at dinosaur jr but I didn't realize it was him until he got on stage. I remember thinking "that looks like keith morris." firsat band up was OFF! and keith's their singer, I was like, shit, that is keith morris.

- saw king buzzo (buzz osbourne) from the melvins in front of a pizza place before a show, yelled BUZZ at him and he smiled and waved at me.

 

I used to want to be a journalist when I was 14/15/16 and so interviewed henry rollins via email. I think he was being extra nice since I told him I was a kid, but he seemed a little annoyed by all the black flag questions at the end.

[Turbine Freight]

I've never met anyone actually famous but there's:

 

- one of the guys from the sword

- drummer for corrosion of conformity

- smoked weed with saint vitus. brent from mastodon was at the same show, as he is an atlanta local and a huge fan of the bands that were playing, but he was pretty f***ed up and I've heard some asshole stories so I just ignored him. I wish I'd talked to him because, I mean, he's in mastodon.

- could've met keith morris from black flag/circle jerks/OFF! since he walked past me at dinosaur jr but I didn't realize it was him until he got on stage. I remember thinking "that looks like keith morris." firsat band up was OFF! and keith's their singer, I was like, shit, that is keith morris.

- saw king buzzo (buzz osbourne) from the melvins in front of a pizza place before a show, yelled BUZZ at him and he smiled and waved at me.

 

I used to want to be a journalist when I was 14/15/16 and so interviewed henry rollins via email. I think he was being extra nice since I told him I was a kid, but he seemed a little annoyed by all the black flag questions at the end.

 

That's a nice story that buzz waved at you. I like that.

[Chronos]

That's a nice story that you smoked weed with Saint Vitus. I like that.

[bathory]

That's a nice story that you smoked weed with Saint Vitus. I like that.

 

wino, dave chandler and mark adams are as cool as it gets and their smoke was top-notch. they've got some great stories about shows from the 70s, shows they've played, etc. their drummer, henry, is a dildo of the highest order. RIP armando

[Segue Myles]

I love it when celebrities get to meet me.

[x1yyz]

I've met tons of musicians back in my days of working in radio and nightclubs. Most of them were minor celebrities in the alternative/goth/industrial scenes. The bands/people I remember meeting were:

 

Front Line Assembly a couple times

Wire

Buzzcocks

couple of the Ministry guys

Project Pitchfork

Marilyn Manson (some kid in the audience asked me to bring something to him backstage)

The Mission

Peter Murphy

Lars Ulrich

 

There were more people I never bothered meeting because I didn't really have anything to say to them. I've been to Kirk Hammett's house, but that was during an open house after he had moved out ;)

 

[bathory]

I've met tons of musicians back in my days of working in radio and nightclubs. Most of them were minor celebrities in the alternative/goth/industrial scenes. The bands/people I remember meeting were:

 

Front Line Assembly a couple times

Wire

Buzzcocks

couple of the Ministry guys

Project Pitchfork

Marilyn Manson (some kid in the audience asked me to bring something to him backstage)

The Mission

Peter Murphy

Lars Ulrich

 

There were more people I never bothered meeting because I didn't really have anything to say to them. I've been to Kirk Hammett's house, but that was during an open house after he had moved out ;)

 

some of those are pretty big deals but on TRF music like that's not very popular. I love wire and the buzzcocks

[invisible airwave]

I met Axl Rose in Manchester by accident on the Appetite tour. He barged into my now ex-wife & said "Get the f**k out of my way, bitch" as we were turning a corner. She was pregnant at the time. He was a c***. I threatened to kick his f*****g face in & he disappeared into a taxi behind a phalanx of knuckle-dragging minders.

 

Pygmy ginger caterwauling c***.

 

Karma got to him. He looks like a fat David Spade now and even got roughed up by Tommy Hilfiger!

Edited September 12, 2015 by invisible airwave

[Narps]

I've met tons of musicians back in my days of working in radio and nightclubs. Most of them were minor celebrities in the alternative/goth/industrial scenes. The bands/people I remember meeting were:

 

Front Line Assembly a couple times

Wire

Buzzcocks

couple of the Ministry guys

Project Pitchfork

Marilyn Manson (some kid in the audience asked me to bring something to him backstage)

The Mission

Peter Murphy

Lars Ulrich

 

There were more people I never bothered meeting because I didn't really have anything to say to them. I've been to Kirk Hammett's house, but that was during an open house after he had moved out ;)

At least there are a couple I have heard of... ;) Edited September 12, 2015 by Narps

[Lucas]

I met Axl Rose in Manchester by accident on the Appetite tour. He barged into my now ex-wife & said "Get the f**k out of my way, bitch" as we were turning a corner. She was pregnant at the time. He was a c***. I threatened to kick his f*****g face in & he disappeared into a taxi behind a phalanx of knuckle-dragging minders.

 

Pygmy ginger caterwauling c***.

 

oh man - did that actually happen ?

 

oy vey

 

What a ****