7.19.2006
Brush with Fame
Over the years I have had the chance to meet some famous
and infamous people. Several folks have encouraged me to share those stories,
so here they are, chronologically.
1972 – terrible Ted Nugent, fresh from his acrimonious split with the Amboy Dukes, Ted was touring for the first time as a headline solo act. Well, if playing to 1,200 kids at the Marion Palace was really “touring” hah. I worked out a deal to be a roadie for the day, helping to load in heavy equipment, mostly, but at least being “backstage” as it were. This was my first ROADIE experience and it wasn’t going too well, I must say. We lugged a ton of heavy amplifiers and cable boxes up an old wooden ramp to the stage area, trip after trip of heavy stuff until the whole stage was littered with gear. I was very schweaty but had not yet met a groupie or a rock star. And then he arrived.
I met Ted backstage as he was sitting on a wooden folding chair, tuning his guitar. I immediately asked if he was going to play Journey to the Center of the Mind – an amazing psychedelic tune with a great nasty fuzz lead guitar solo. He looked up from his guitar and gave me a penetrating stare - not saying a single word. The silence was deafening and I will never forget that look on his face. That moment seemed to go on forever. I did not know at the time that he (a) had quit the Amboy Dukes because of an Alpha male struggle for control of the band and (b) was sex addict with a thirst for young girls. A little while later, the Palace Stage Manager (crusty old guy in a blazer) caught Ted trying to sneak 5 teenage girls upstairs to his dressing room. That crust old dude put the kye-bash on Ted’s fun in little Marion, Ohio.
I actually got a backstage pass and saw some of the show from stage left. A local rock band opened and they were pretty decent. Ted later went on stage dressed up in a fur loin cloth, attacking his repertoire with an insane passion. I went down front to check it out and Ted was lying down at stage edge, leaning off the front of the stage, looking back at his amp. He proceeds to shoot with bow and arrow at these flaming mannequin heads sitting on top of his amp. Some poor schmuck was filling these styrofoam heads with lighter fluid and placing them back on the amp, only to have Teddy shoot em off again in a flash of fire. I remember thinking to myself… “jesus effing christ…. this guy is whacked” uh huh.
Some of my early rock concerts:
1972 – Michael Stanley Band at the Note in Ruggles Beach, Ohio
1972 - Blood Sweat and Tears at Gray Chapel, Ohio Wesleyan, Delaware, Ohio
1972 – Lou Reed with opener McKendrie Spring. Odd pairing, I thought
1973 – J. Geils Band with opener Tranquility. VERY odd paring.
1974 – Pink Floyd at Three Rivers Stadium on Wish You Were Here tour
1975 – The Rolling Stones, J.Geils Band and Tower of Power, Cleveland Stadium
1983 – Kenny G, aka Kenny Gorelick, Tennessee Amphitheater, Knoxville, TN. The Jeff Lorber Fusion were playing a gig at the Knoxville World’s Fair and I went down to the venue early to see if I could catch the sound check. JLF was such a great early jazz fusion group and I was excited to hear them even in soundcheck. I had heard plenty of Kenny’s playing on record, and was pleased to meet him and the bassist Danny Wilson in the hallway, near the dressing room. Kenny found out I was working for a local radio station and wanted to know if there was anyone in the record business I knew that could help him to get out some solo material he was working up. Apparently he found someone, he has 126 items listed at Amazon, hah.
1985 - Huey Lewis and the News, Stokley Arena, Knoxville, TN. I met Huey after the sound check, as I was hanging with a few of our radio station staff (WIMZ-FM). I have always been a Tower of Power fan, ever since I heard ‘Live in Living Color’ on a Cleveland radio station back in the mid 70s. The staccato horns and amazing soulful arrangements kicked my arse. The News was using the ToP horn section on this tour, including the legendary Stephen ‘Doc” Kupka on baritone sax. Huey described traveling around with Doc, and the joy of listening to all of these arrangements Doc was working up on some little traveling keyboard. I would have loved to hear some of those tunes. Doc later started Strokeland Records and released a record called Strokeland Superband, featuring, you guessed it, Huey Lewis on vocals on the tune “Funky White Blood”. Go get it, its amazing. www.strokeland.com
1986 – Terry Zwigoff – Dinner and discussions about the world of american blues, during the promotional tour for Louie Bluie, an independent film about two old blues pioneers (indie film release). Zwigoff also directed Crumb, Bad Santa (2003) and Art School Confidential (2006).
1986 – ZZ Top, Eliminator tour, Stokley Arena, Knoxville, TN. The crew I was supervising was finished in the arena prior to sound check and I was sitting I the front row of empty seats, just taking a breather. Dusty walks in with Billy and they stand there for a second, just gazing around the joint, taking it all in. Nice guys, not an ounce of pretension. We chatted briefly and they walked up on stage and played an amazing soundcheck. The show opened with a giant Sphinyx-esque lions head that snorted a giant white sheet covering the stage, as if it was a huge pile of....baking soda. I wish ALL texans were like these guys. http://www.famoustexans.com/zztop.htm
1986 – Chicago, Stokley Arena, Knoxville, TN. The radio station guys went to the hotel where the record duck (Warner Bros rep) was throwing a party in a suite. I talked to Jimmy Pankow and Walter Parazaider for quite a while about the early CTA and Chicago days, Terry Kath and horn bands in general. They spoke passionately about Terry’s influence on the band with songwriting. The new singer (at the time) Jason Scheff, had become friends with a good friend of mine. They kept in touch for a long time after that. Jason’s dad played bass for Elvis, so that’s a good pedigree. They sure don’t miss Peter Cetera in the line-up. What a pain in the ass that guy was. I think Jason has been their singer longer than Pete anyways. Jason is a nice guy.
1987 – Heart (and Steve Pearcy) Knoxville Civic Center, Knoxville, TN. I was working as a Runner for the promoter as well as doing radio station functions before and during the show. I met Ann and Nancy Wilson backstage and also chatted with Howard Leese, the lead guitar player. Later, I set up a meet-n-greet with some radio station listeners that won some contest and the Wilson’s. Ann and Nancy were very nice to everyone and Ann let many people pet her little dog she carried with her under their arm. She had put on some weight and I think the dog was a bit of a security blanket for her. She still sang her ass off and Heart kicked a bad-ass show that night. I wish thier fan club was free http://www.heart-music.com/
Sometime before the show, I was at the backstage door when I heard a tour bus pull in. All the band buses were already here, so this was odd. It was the guys from RATT on their way from North Carolina to some other gig and they stopped to see Heart. I was talking with Steve Pearcy and Bobby Blotzer when they pulled me aside and said “hey, do you have a little room we can use?” Well, sure, I said, and we proceeded to get very buzzed. I asked Steve where the band was from. He said, in a very singing style: “ Holly-Wood” while sort of dancing around. Hmm, Hollywood, eh? Ratt really were the epitome of the L.A. hair metal scene. Round n' round, dude.
1987- The Beach Boys and Chicago, Stokley Arena, Knoxville, TN. Carl Wilson was still alive, plus Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston were there too, but it was Mike Love that wanted to be the center of attention. I walked the band from the dressing room through a section under the bleachers to get them to the stage. A big ASBESTOS warning sign was posted under those bleachers, as the asbestos fireproofing was sprayed all over that joint. Carl saw that sign and flinched in a serious manner – then walked swiftly to the exit doors leading to the stage, heh. I hope he didn’t die from asbestos disease?? Whoa. Earlier, I saw Mike Love walking around with this twiggy little blonde local Knoxville TV news babe on his arm. Even at that stage, he was still finding groupies. She was all swooning and he was all cheshire. I was kinda grossed out, really. Even in the 80s, Mike Love was kind of stiff and leathery. And not very talented. They had a hired gun guitar player, likely from L.A. He kept turning around to face his amp and spitting over it on to the gym floor behind the stage. Like he was on a sidewalk or something. Hey, dude, I gotta walk back there! Ewww.
1987 - Johnny Winter, Tennessee Theater, Knoxville, TN. I knew all the local promotions guys so I went to the show and drifted back stage. Johnny was upstairs, getting ready for the show. I spoke to him briefly, but was stunned at how fragile he looked. Like a stick, just so very thin and pale. The first time I had seen Johnny was in the early 70s at Cleveland’s Public Hall. He had James Cotton touring with him, a really great combo. Some local promoter had the brainy idea to add a third band. Not a blues band. A band with one single on the radio: “Lady” The band was called Styx. James Cotten did a wild harp-driven set, whipping the crowd up. And then we heard from Styx. Uhh….okay. Johnny came out last and everyone came back in from the halls and restrooms. He got Cotton to join him in a smoking set of power texas blues. If I ever meet JY or Tommy Shaw, I will ask them about that show!
1988 – Senator Al Gore, Jr. at University of Tennessee for a presentation regarding the Migetman Missile program. We (several honor students) had dinner with Al and some other wonks before his presentation. Quite charming in person, Al was very warm and genuine person. When we met, he spoke with phenomenal eloquence and technical detail regarding the missile program to replace the aging Minuteman. A program I opposed, but still – one must hear all sides of an issue to make an informed opinion. What happened in the 2000 election is a mystery to me, he should have land-slided. http://www.algore.org/
1989 – Joe Satriani, the Surfin’ with the Alien tour, Kansas City. Stunning. Nuff said. http://www.satriani.com/2004/
1995 – Bela Fleck and Flecktones, Janis Landing, St. Petersburg, FL. I was hanging around early in the evening when FutureMan (Roy Wooten) strolled up to the gate with a bag from the Salvador Dali Museum. We talked for a while, about Dali, the band’s roots, Nashville, etc. His Brother, Victor LeMonte Wooten, is my favorite electric bass player of all time. Not of this world, really. I had seen Stanley White and Alsphonso Johnson and so many other great bassists before. That night I saw him play two electric basses simultaneously, one around his neck and one on a stand in front oh him, using hammer-on technique. I was just stunned. Shaking my head in disbelief. http://www.flecktones.com/
1996 – Tower of Power, Janis Landing, St. Petersburg, FL. I finally met one of my bass playing heroes, Francis ‘Rocco’ Prestia. Rocco is no large fellow, standing about 5’6 and maybe a buck fiddy. When I shook his hand, I thought I was meeting a brick-layer. Jeezus his hand was rough and tough, man. If that is only from playing bass, then he woodsheds like no other human being. OR he works construction somewhere. Rocco had a liver transplant last year and seems to be recovering. An amazing bass player and very humble about it. http://www.bumpcity.com/
1997- Joe Walsh, Glenn Frey, Bob Costas, St. Petersburg, FL. A friend of mine was putting together live entertainment for the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association gathering for a couple of years. Mudcat Grant fancied himself a singer. At the banquet dinner, he joined us on stage for a few numbers, as did Joe Walsh. Joe came up to do a solo “Desperado” but the drunk version, and on piano no less. After that, we joined him for “Rocky Mountain Way” – the drunk version. I met Stan Musial that night. He was nice, I suppose. The next day we all ended up at the ballpark with Walsh, Frey and Costas all in baseball uniforms. Phil Niekro, (a five-time Gold Glove Award winner) and Tug McGraw were there, plus so many other great players. Field of Dreams, really. Costas was a pretty good player that day. Frey missed a sure OUT in right field, ending up on his belly. The back of Joe Walsh’s uniform had his name spelled out and his number below it. It read: FUNK…….49. Perfect.
1998 – Steve Morse and Dixie Dregs, Janis Landing, St. Petersburg, FL. I met Steve Morse outside the joint about an hour before the gig. He drove down from Gainesville in a pick-up truck, his amp tossed in the back, heh. Very nice dude and a stunning guitar player. The Dregs are uhh-mazing. http://www.stevemorse.com/
2005 - Kevin Richardson of Backstreet Boys. Pittsburgh in hotel bar after he played the lead character “Billy” in the touring production of Chicago at the Heinz Theater. His slight Kentucky drawl was charming and he was very gracious.
More to come....
and infamous people. Several folks have encouraged me to share those stories,
so here they are, chronologically.
1972 – terrible Ted Nugent, fresh from his acrimonious split with the Amboy Dukes, Ted was touring for the first time as a headline solo act. Well, if playing to 1,200 kids at the Marion Palace was really “touring” hah. I worked out a deal to be a roadie for the day, helping to load in heavy equipment, mostly, but at least being “backstage” as it were. This was my first ROADIE experience and it wasn’t going too well, I must say. We lugged a ton of heavy amplifiers and cable boxes up an old wooden ramp to the stage area, trip after trip of heavy stuff until the whole stage was littered with gear. I was very schweaty but had not yet met a groupie or a rock star. And then he arrived.
I met Ted backstage as he was sitting on a wooden folding chair, tuning his guitar. I immediately asked if he was going to play Journey to the Center of the Mind – an amazing psychedelic tune with a great nasty fuzz lead guitar solo. He looked up from his guitar and gave me a penetrating stare - not saying a single word. The silence was deafening and I will never forget that look on his face. That moment seemed to go on forever. I did not know at the time that he (a) had quit the Amboy Dukes because of an Alpha male struggle for control of the band and (b) was sex addict with a thirst for young girls. A little while later, the Palace Stage Manager (crusty old guy in a blazer) caught Ted trying to sneak 5 teenage girls upstairs to his dressing room. That crust old dude put the kye-bash on Ted’s fun in little Marion, Ohio.
I actually got a backstage pass and saw some of the show from stage left. A local rock band opened and they were pretty decent. Ted later went on stage dressed up in a fur loin cloth, attacking his repertoire with an insane passion. I went down front to check it out and Ted was lying down at stage edge, leaning off the front of the stage, looking back at his amp. He proceeds to shoot with bow and arrow at these flaming mannequin heads sitting on top of his amp. Some poor schmuck was filling these styrofoam heads with lighter fluid and placing them back on the amp, only to have Teddy shoot em off again in a flash of fire. I remember thinking to myself… “jesus effing christ…. this guy is whacked” uh huh.
Some of my early rock concerts:
1972 – Michael Stanley Band at the Note in Ruggles Beach, Ohio
1972 - Blood Sweat and Tears at Gray Chapel, Ohio Wesleyan, Delaware, Ohio
1972 – Lou Reed with opener McKendrie Spring. Odd pairing, I thought
1973 – J. Geils Band with opener Tranquility. VERY odd paring.
1974 – Pink Floyd at Three Rivers Stadium on Wish You Were Here tour
1975 – The Rolling Stones, J.Geils Band and Tower of Power, Cleveland Stadium
1983 – Kenny G, aka Kenny Gorelick, Tennessee Amphitheater, Knoxville, TN. The Jeff Lorber Fusion were playing a gig at the Knoxville World’s Fair and I went down to the venue early to see if I could catch the sound check. JLF was such a great early jazz fusion group and I was excited to hear them even in soundcheck. I had heard plenty of Kenny’s playing on record, and was pleased to meet him and the bassist Danny Wilson in the hallway, near the dressing room. Kenny found out I was working for a local radio station and wanted to know if there was anyone in the record business I knew that could help him to get out some solo material he was working up. Apparently he found someone, he has 126 items listed at Amazon, hah.
1985 - Huey Lewis and the News, Stokley Arena, Knoxville, TN. I met Huey after the sound check, as I was hanging with a few of our radio station staff (WIMZ-FM). I have always been a Tower of Power fan, ever since I heard ‘Live in Living Color’ on a Cleveland radio station back in the mid 70s. The staccato horns and amazing soulful arrangements kicked my arse. The News was using the ToP horn section on this tour, including the legendary Stephen ‘Doc” Kupka on baritone sax. Huey described traveling around with Doc, and the joy of listening to all of these arrangements Doc was working up on some little traveling keyboard. I would have loved to hear some of those tunes. Doc later started Strokeland Records and released a record called Strokeland Superband, featuring, you guessed it, Huey Lewis on vocals on the tune “Funky White Blood”. Go get it, its amazing. www.strokeland.com
1986 – Terry Zwigoff – Dinner and discussions about the world of american blues, during the promotional tour for Louie Bluie, an independent film about two old blues pioneers (indie film release). Zwigoff also directed Crumb, Bad Santa (2003) and Art School Confidential (2006).
1986 – ZZ Top, Eliminator tour, Stokley Arena, Knoxville, TN. The crew I was supervising was finished in the arena prior to sound check and I was sitting I the front row of empty seats, just taking a breather. Dusty walks in with Billy and they stand there for a second, just gazing around the joint, taking it all in. Nice guys, not an ounce of pretension. We chatted briefly and they walked up on stage and played an amazing soundcheck. The show opened with a giant Sphinyx-esque lions head that snorted a giant white sheet covering the stage, as if it was a huge pile of....baking soda. I wish ALL texans were like these guys. http://www.famoustexans.com/zztop.htm
1986 – Chicago, Stokley Arena, Knoxville, TN. The radio station guys went to the hotel where the record duck (Warner Bros rep) was throwing a party in a suite. I talked to Jimmy Pankow and Walter Parazaider for quite a while about the early CTA and Chicago days, Terry Kath and horn bands in general. They spoke passionately about Terry’s influence on the band with songwriting. The new singer (at the time) Jason Scheff, had become friends with a good friend of mine. They kept in touch for a long time after that. Jason’s dad played bass for Elvis, so that’s a good pedigree. They sure don’t miss Peter Cetera in the line-up. What a pain in the ass that guy was. I think Jason has been their singer longer than Pete anyways. Jason is a nice guy.
1987 – Heart (and Steve Pearcy) Knoxville Civic Center, Knoxville, TN. I was working as a Runner for the promoter as well as doing radio station functions before and during the show. I met Ann and Nancy Wilson backstage and also chatted with Howard Leese, the lead guitar player. Later, I set up a meet-n-greet with some radio station listeners that won some contest and the Wilson’s. Ann and Nancy were very nice to everyone and Ann let many people pet her little dog she carried with her under their arm. She had put on some weight and I think the dog was a bit of a security blanket for her. She still sang her ass off and Heart kicked a bad-ass show that night. I wish thier fan club was free http://www.heart-music.com/
Sometime before the show, I was at the backstage door when I heard a tour bus pull in. All the band buses were already here, so this was odd. It was the guys from RATT on their way from North Carolina to some other gig and they stopped to see Heart. I was talking with Steve Pearcy and Bobby Blotzer when they pulled me aside and said “hey, do you have a little room we can use?” Well, sure, I said, and we proceeded to get very buzzed. I asked Steve where the band was from. He said, in a very singing style: “ Holly-Wood” while sort of dancing around. Hmm, Hollywood, eh? Ratt really were the epitome of the L.A. hair metal scene. Round n' round, dude.
1987- The Beach Boys and Chicago, Stokley Arena, Knoxville, TN. Carl Wilson was still alive, plus Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston were there too, but it was Mike Love that wanted to be the center of attention. I walked the band from the dressing room through a section under the bleachers to get them to the stage. A big ASBESTOS warning sign was posted under those bleachers, as the asbestos fireproofing was sprayed all over that joint. Carl saw that sign and flinched in a serious manner – then walked swiftly to the exit doors leading to the stage, heh. I hope he didn’t die from asbestos disease?? Whoa. Earlier, I saw Mike Love walking around with this twiggy little blonde local Knoxville TV news babe on his arm. Even at that stage, he was still finding groupies. She was all swooning and he was all cheshire. I was kinda grossed out, really. Even in the 80s, Mike Love was kind of stiff and leathery. And not very talented. They had a hired gun guitar player, likely from L.A. He kept turning around to face his amp and spitting over it on to the gym floor behind the stage. Like he was on a sidewalk or something. Hey, dude, I gotta walk back there! Ewww.
1987 - Johnny Winter, Tennessee Theater, Knoxville, TN. I knew all the local promotions guys so I went to the show and drifted back stage. Johnny was upstairs, getting ready for the show. I spoke to him briefly, but was stunned at how fragile he looked. Like a stick, just so very thin and pale. The first time I had seen Johnny was in the early 70s at Cleveland’s Public Hall. He had James Cotton touring with him, a really great combo. Some local promoter had the brainy idea to add a third band. Not a blues band. A band with one single on the radio: “Lady” The band was called Styx. James Cotten did a wild harp-driven set, whipping the crowd up. And then we heard from Styx. Uhh….okay. Johnny came out last and everyone came back in from the halls and restrooms. He got Cotton to join him in a smoking set of power texas blues. If I ever meet JY or Tommy Shaw, I will ask them about that show!
1988 – Senator Al Gore, Jr. at University of Tennessee for a presentation regarding the Migetman Missile program. We (several honor students) had dinner with Al and some other wonks before his presentation. Quite charming in person, Al was very warm and genuine person. When we met, he spoke with phenomenal eloquence and technical detail regarding the missile program to replace the aging Minuteman. A program I opposed, but still – one must hear all sides of an issue to make an informed opinion. What happened in the 2000 election is a mystery to me, he should have land-slided. http://www.algore.org/
1989 – Joe Satriani, the Surfin’ with the Alien tour, Kansas City. Stunning. Nuff said. http://www.satriani.com/2004/
1995 – Bela Fleck and Flecktones, Janis Landing, St. Petersburg, FL. I was hanging around early in the evening when FutureMan (Roy Wooten) strolled up to the gate with a bag from the Salvador Dali Museum. We talked for a while, about Dali, the band’s roots, Nashville, etc. His Brother, Victor LeMonte Wooten, is my favorite electric bass player of all time. Not of this world, really. I had seen Stanley White and Alsphonso Johnson and so many other great bassists before. That night I saw him play two electric basses simultaneously, one around his neck and one on a stand in front oh him, using hammer-on technique. I was just stunned. Shaking my head in disbelief. http://www.flecktones.com/
1996 – Tower of Power, Janis Landing, St. Petersburg, FL. I finally met one of my bass playing heroes, Francis ‘Rocco’ Prestia. Rocco is no large fellow, standing about 5’6 and maybe a buck fiddy. When I shook his hand, I thought I was meeting a brick-layer. Jeezus his hand was rough and tough, man. If that is only from playing bass, then he woodsheds like no other human being. OR he works construction somewhere. Rocco had a liver transplant last year and seems to be recovering. An amazing bass player and very humble about it. http://www.bumpcity.com/
1997- Joe Walsh, Glenn Frey, Bob Costas, St. Petersburg, FL. A friend of mine was putting together live entertainment for the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association gathering for a couple of years. Mudcat Grant fancied himself a singer. At the banquet dinner, he joined us on stage for a few numbers, as did Joe Walsh. Joe came up to do a solo “Desperado” but the drunk version, and on piano no less. After that, we joined him for “Rocky Mountain Way” – the drunk version. I met Stan Musial that night. He was nice, I suppose. The next day we all ended up at the ballpark with Walsh, Frey and Costas all in baseball uniforms. Phil Niekro, (a five-time Gold Glove Award winner) and Tug McGraw were there, plus so many other great players. Field of Dreams, really. Costas was a pretty good player that day. Frey missed a sure OUT in right field, ending up on his belly. The back of Joe Walsh’s uniform had his name spelled out and his number below it. It read: FUNK…….49. Perfect.
1998 – Steve Morse and Dixie Dregs, Janis Landing, St. Petersburg, FL. I met Steve Morse outside the joint about an hour before the gig. He drove down from Gainesville in a pick-up truck, his amp tossed in the back, heh. Very nice dude and a stunning guitar player. The Dregs are uhh-mazing. http://www.stevemorse.com/
2005 - Kevin Richardson of Backstreet Boys. Pittsburgh in hotel bar after he played the lead character “Billy” in the touring production of Chicago at the Heinz Theater. His slight Kentucky drawl was charming and he was very gracious.
More to come....
