I once worked for a retail record chain that had a huge grand opening party at The Palace, in Hollywood (probably 1987). Many record company big-wigs and artists were there.
I got to meet, and chat briefly, with David Gilmour (very gentlemanly, I was awestruck). I've met Neil Schon and Gary Moore (also very gentlemanly and humble). I am personal friends with Oz, from the christian band, Stryper.
wow, this is an old thread :lol
"If you're cool, you don't know nothin' about it. It just is...or you ain't." - Keith Richards
Well, I was on stage with Merle Hagard and Willie Nelson, but that does not really count because I did not actually meet them...
The Best Guitar Photos On The Net!
Photoweborama
I thought I had post this here too, I guess I didn't.
Last December, a friend of mine calls me to drive him to an old aunt of his, his daughter needed his car for her work so he was stuck with no wheels, so he tells me.
Got to my friend's house, he got out with some boxes in his hand. Packed'em up in the trunk and off to his aunt we go.
So I have no real idea who we're going to see.
Once there, he knocks on the door and who answers it?
The Mahogany Rush man himself, Frank Marino.
I was floored.
Ended up spending an afternoon at Frank's house, here in Montreal.
My friend was there to have Frank digitalized some old 2" tapes he had from his old days in a studio (he used to be a recording artist)
Anyways, it was a great surprise for me. Frank's the nicest guy you can meet. Very down to earth and easy going. T'was a fun afternoon.
That's my Meet a Famous People story!
There's someone in my head but it's not me.
I've heard him play and Frank is a sick, sick, sick player! Wish I could slice heads with him. He's a tremendously huge Hendrix and SRV fan and wouldn't mind dualing guitars with his band. :)
Chuck Berry! What do I win?
I've talked with Ted Nugent on a few occasions throughout the years. (I've got a friend who's good friends with him.) I'll tell you this about Ted; it's all an act and he is a VERY good actor. He know's when to do the Motor City Madman bit and when to lay off it. Depending on who's around him and in what circumstance depends on how he acts. But when it's just him and a few other folks sitting around he's about as down to earth as it gets. Funny, funny guy too.
Several for me, mostly briefly. But I have had the opportunity to chat it up with Steve Morse & Allan Holdsworth (different occasions). Allan several times, actually. Both were very nice people, very approachable.
I was chatting with a bunch of people at work about the late Bon Scott,Remanicing about how we saw acdc in the early 70's at various times before they went to England.
There was a lady friend quietly listening to all this and after about 10 minutes of chatting we turned and asked her if she had met or seen him.
She replied " I new him quite well,Oh yeah and I F**Ked him too".
It stopped us dead in our tracks,but sure enough the next day she brought a pile of old photos to work from when they went out together for a while,
I know he's not a famous guitar player but he used to write a few songs with a couple of them,And the story always makes me chuckle,
Watto
Reynolds Valve-art ,The best amps ever made.
I got a call from a backline rental place wanting to know if I could repair a bass in short order, I drove there and did a couple tweaks that removed the buzzing the player was complaining about.
I asked what the crisis was, Night Ranger was doing a few local shows and the bass belonged to Jack Blade. Never met him so I guess this does not count...
Oh well
Here's a funny one.
Ray, remember years ago when the Red Creek was a cool music venue and not a league volleyball yuppie joint? I went to see Matt Murphey, and me and the Mrs. take a table in the corner by the side door right in front of the soundman. Just before Matt goes on, two guys walk in with axes and ask if we would share the table. Steve Cropper and Lou Marini. Chris Beard comes over to say hello to me and we chat. The boys recognize him as Joe's son, and now, since I'm the friend of a friend, I'm kindof one of the boys and in the evening's chat. Very nice guys. We talk about the local scene, the HOG, and things in general.
Matt does a set, and I notice Willie Hall on the kit. Matt and Willie come over and join in. Of course, Mrs. OA has no clue who these guys are. Remember, this was several years ago, I was playing in local blues bands, and here I am drinking beer with the friggen Blues Brothers!
So next set, Cropper and Marini join Mr. Murphy onstage. They do a smoking set, and then come back to the table. And Mr. Cropper asks Mrs. OA how they sounded.
To which she replied, "It was really good, but you played the guitar part wrong on "Soul Man".
"No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim
A few:
Gatemouth Brown
Johnny Winter
J.J. Cale
Freddie King
Albert King
Shuggie Otis
Lightnin' Hopkins
Sam Chatman
Those are the blues guys I've met. Got to know a few of them pretty well over the years.
Ayatollah of Dumbassollah
facebook: Stephen Doc Watson
Toy Caldwell and the whole original line-up of the Marshall Tucker Band. My cousin was their road manager. Used to get back stage passes when they played CT. When my cousin got married they were all there. Had lunch at the drummer's (Paul Riddle?) house the day before.
Met Vernon Reid at Toad's Place. Shook hands in a mob scene downstairs. Basically just told him they's played a great show. He said, "Thanks." :yay
Almost forgot Duke Robillard. Saw him at Club Tip-Toe. Great show!
Seemed like any guy you my shoot the breeze with at a jam.
They seem like normal folks who just happen to be real good musicians.
I was across a record bin, in Cutler's Records, from GE Smith. I decided not to bug him. He was due to hit the stage with Dylan at Toad's in an hour or so. Wound up being a 4 hour show.
I couldn't find a ticket anywhere.
I really should have bugged him. See if he'd stick me on the guest list for being polite.
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
I went to the Peabody Conservatory for my degree so I met a bunch of classical players - Manuel Barrueco, Julian Gray, Bill Kanengiser, and some others.
Otherwise - I saw Adrian Belew do a solo acoustic thing in a small club in Bal'mer. A friend of mine was best buddies with his sound guy.
Anyway, Adrian played for a full evening and then the guy just hung out for another hour or so just chatting, signing CDs, and so on. Extremely humble, gracious, cool gentleman.
One of the employers was at a conference in Las Vegas a few years ago. He spent several hours at a table with a bunch of dudes, chatting, drinking and gambling. He had no idea they were Phish until it came around to "so what do you guys do?" He still had no idea what they meant.
When he came back to the office and was telling the story this one guy I work with about keeled over. Somehow Andy ran into those guys again in Vegas and hung out all night. This time he asked them to sign a napkin for my coworker.
s'all goof.
I've met quite a few including SRV & EVH but a funny encounter happened one day while hanging out at the Westside Pavilion in LA with a friend. After going our own ways in the mall I meet up with my friend again who was all excited and he says to come here!
As we walk down the isle of a B. Dalton Bookstore and he tells me he's got an old friend he wants to introduce me to. Finally get to the section where "his friend" is and when I turned the corner there was John Fogerty who was thumbing through a book. My friend introduces me and I probably looked like a deer in headlights. It took me by complete surprise. :bug
I'd be interested in hearing about your encouter with SRV. :)
Yes.
Heh heh heh.Originally Posted by fezz parka
Yes.
Your list, if you included anecdotes, might gag the server. ;)
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
!
How did Steve handle it, and what was the reaction of the folks around you?
Several guitars in different colors
Things to make them fuzzy
Things to make them louder
orange picks
:hee
Heck. Even mentioning the HMCH's would be impressive.:yay
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
Playing Eddie's Blue Floral thru the Cat's Ass amp with Albert Lee watching me chicken-pick was surreal. I stopped, and Albert said "Keep playing, you're quite good!". Blew me away...
Steve Jones sitting on my couch watching "The Great Rock'n'Roll Swindle", playing along with "C'mon Everybody" on my Strat was also pretty surreal. Until he broke the trem arm off. :hee
SRV was recording at the new Record Plant in Hollywood and the studio had ordered an amp (Marshall I believe) for the session. I got the call to come pick the amp up and the engineer said they weren't happy with the amp and that I should go talk to SRV who was in the kitchen/break room area. After I introduced myself he was very friendly and reached out to shake my hand.
SRV repeated what the engineer told me about the amp not working out and then he asked me if I was familiar with his sound. I said yea, I'm pretty familiar with your sound. :ahem He then asked perhaps I could bring something over to the studio that he might like. Tall order considering what the rental house I worked at had but I told him I'd bring something else over that would be more appropriate.
I went through our inventory and pulled a blackface Bassman and a 2-12 cab and brought it back over. Never did hear any complaints so I hope it worked out for him.
I spent the afternoon with the Foo Fighters. Al Dimieola as a real estate client of mine. Spent a few seconds talking to EVH. I had to ask Allan Holdsworth to excuse me, he was blocking the entrance to the bathroom.
Everyone was extremely cordial & nice.
Dave Grohl is a great guy! I met his wife, father in law, manager and road manager. The drummer, Taylor Hawkins, I spoke a lot with about music. They also took me to dinner with them, a very great day for me!
If I could figure out how to set up pics here , I would show you!
Oh Yeah, I spoke for a minute to Steve Vai,(was playing with Alcatraz), he was a gentleman. I also stood in front of him the whole show.
Don't worry mate,you sort of know me now. ;)
I think,therefore I am
I thought,therefore I was
I am therefore,I thought
Therefore,am I as I think I was
I met Santana. My old guitar player's father was a Chicano writer who had recently died. We were rehearsing in his basement and he stopped in and met the gang. He was kinda a dick.
"Power don't come from a badge or a gun. Power comes from lying. Lying big and gettin' the whole damn world to play along with you. Once you've got everybody agreeing with what they know in their hearts ain't true, you've got 'em by the balls."
Senator Roark - Sin City
Santana and John McLaughlin
Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia
Ray Benson (from the Wheel)
Elvin Bishop
Hollywood Fats and Junior Watson (blues guys should'a been on the first list)
Ry Cooder
David Lindley
Leon Russell (he played a little bit of guitar)
Ayatollah of Dumbassollah
facebook: Stephen Doc Watson
Well it seems that on these stakes I haven't done bad, haven't done great either....
Well, I sold Pete Townshend a washing machine or 2, Mick Jagger over the phone a set of speakers for an iPod, Eric Bibb bought a HiFi, Janick Gers has had a couple of HiFi's over the years. I have watched Keef watch me play snooker. I got backstage at a Clapton concert and met Andy Fairweather and the support act, who was Jimmie Vaughan (very cool, great boots!) but not the man himself, though he has watched me play. At the london blues festival I met Junior Wells, Magic Slim, Lucky Peterson, Tutu Jones, The Hoax, Clarence Gatemouth Brown (and his bass player...was that you doc?), Koko Taylor, John Hammond Jr and Keb' Mo'.
More recently I met Buddy Whittington, hung out with him, and became friends. Thanks to him I've met his boss, Mayall and Stan Webb of Chicken Shack (who was pissed) and hung out in a bar at the same time as a busy looking Gary More and Mick Taylor, and had a long chat with Allan Darby who once toured with EC.
Thing is that every single one of the people I had the chance to talk to has been approachable open and friendly. We musicians are a great bunch.
Wasn't me, monkey. Probably Harold Floyd who's been with him 20 years or so.
I've only played one gig with Gate, New Year's eve back in the early 80's.
Ayatollah of Dumbassollah
facebook: Stephen Doc Watson
I take it you haven't met Prince then ;)
No, but I did hear that Prince does a lot of meeting now that he has become a Jehovas Witness, and has to go and knock on doors to spread the word he follows. Maybe he's got nicer with the contact.
...not glamourous and probably not a very rare experience, but I met Burton Cummings in Toronto, I was with my friend Joe who played keyboards for a band called Crowbar(1970 hit, Oh, what a Feelin{what a rush}) Burton liked to get crushed by the whole smorgasboard in those days and I was only too happy to help and participate, not quite Woodstock though!........only 2 days of fun and music...lol
....through Joey I was also able to meet Alice Cooper.....really cool guy...saw some of Welcome to my Nightmare recorded
...also met Jerry Garcia in Vancouver in the late '70's strummed some tunes with him and some others at a party....really mellow dude very unassuming....
Fast doesn't always mean good
yeah I met Telebob...helped him with a recording session - Shufflin B :)
One of my best friends from the army has a cousin that is Alice Coopers guitar tech. I got back stage passes and got to met Ryan Roxy. He was very nice and seemed to like the fact that I talked to him about guitars and his GMP endorsement.
I was in an airport and ran into Keith Urban. Nobody noticed him but me, so I walked up to him right before he boarded his plane thanked him for the music. He got a big grin on his face and shook his head as to say yes. When I asked for an autograph, he signed it with a peace sign. Nice guy.
Dean
'64 SGJR
'65 ES335TD
'69 VIBROLUX REVERB
'69 TWIN REVERB
'71 PRO REVERB
'76 LES PAUL STANDARD
'00 LES PAUL CLASSIC PLUS
'03 '70s STRATOCASTER
What year was this? For the In Step album, which was released in 1990 and recorded in 1989, he used a plethora of amps, including a lot of Marshalls, but everything kept breaking all the time. I read in an interview that Stevie brought over 30 amps with him and most, if not all of them kept breaking for one reason or another.
He said the only amp that worked perfectly fine throughout the session was a Bassman and that's what he recorded most of the album from. :)
I forgot!
I met and spoke with FEE WAYBILL of the Tubes. Very nice & friendly guy.
I also met and served and talked to Mickey Dolenz at the sub shop I worked at in Van Nuys, Calif.
Cool story and it would be neat if that was the actual time he was referring to! However, the year I met him was '84 or '85. I'm thinking '85 though because I recall the Record Plant was still by the Beverly Center Mall on 3rd St. in '84. But maybe he had a good experience with the Bassman and decided to try another one out later?
Sorry to hijack... Hey Teleman1, what sub shop? Wasn't Union Sub was it? I grew up in that area, stil nearby. For a short time Mickey lived around the corner from me in Sherman Oaks when I was in Jr High.
I'm still in the biz and I've talked to so many name guys I can't even remember. Still do from time to time. I grew up with Steve Lukather and Mike Landau in Jr Hi and Hi school. Talked to them all the time even after they started making head way in the charts. Dave Navarro and Daniel Ash were client sat our studio. Through my ole buddy Paul Rivera, I've had many private sittings with Larry Carlton, Robben Ford and Jay Graydon. As of recent... Bill Kirchen, Yngwie (2x)(even he was very cordial recently) , Neil Zaza. Some friends now and monster players who I think are gonna really breakthrough in the mainstream soon are Greg V (www.gregv.us) who played with Double Trouble and Ronnie Montrose, and Jere Mendelsohn (chicken picker deluxe) and his group The Twang Grennades, whose album we're producing right now.
I have met and chatted with:
Eric Clapton,
Danny Gatton,
Ulrich Roth,
Les Paul,
Michael Shenker,
Flea,
Bill Kirchen.
All very pleasent and positive people.
I once slept with a Jimi Hendrix lookalike, does this qualify?
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