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meeting famous people


Gifthorse

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How many of you have met a famous person and you realize after talking to them for a minute that they have you completely blocked.

 

I don't blame them, it is tough to have people coming up to you every second wanting a piece of you I am sure (not that I do).

 

But isn't it dissapointing when you realize you really can't connect with anyone you admire who may be famous because you aren't famous?

 

Like I picture meeting someone like EVH. I mean you go up shake his hand and say something like, "hey eddie you are one of my heros, I love your playing". The response? "thanks alot, I am honored to have effected you."--NEXT!

 

I mean if you were famous, do you think it would be a detriment to give more of yourself? Probably a few losers ruin it for the whole bunch. I mean I am sure all of those guys have had crappy experiences that make them respond that way. You give someone an inch and they take a mile.

 

I haven't met too many famous people, but I have noticed this phenomenon.

 

I am a guitar nutcase. It is all I think about. I wanted to talk to Ty Tabor the night of King's X, but I knew he probably has so many hacks coming up to him and probably wouldn't even be interested in my comments. I don't bother trying to talk to them anymore.

 

For me I will just say good show.

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I have met some of my favorite guitar players (Max Cavelera, Dino, Rob Flynn, Logen Madder). I usually just shoot them a compliment and let them get on their way. I try not to come across like a 15 year old girl meeting the backstreet boys. (tee he he)
What a horrible night to have a curse.
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I wouldn`t go out of my way to speak to a famous person-I just wouldn`t. I have met several of the best due to another guitarist I was in a band with who could talk his way into anywhere-he got into the VH1 awards and partied with Neve Campbell, with NO pass. It`s been my experience that if you want to meet the greats, go to music seminars or shows, especially those that are geared to industry folk-they can be really boring but that`s where those who are serious hang out. I met T.M. Stevens (AKA Shaka Zulu) at a music instrument fair last year and he swore he had seen me before, wanted to know who I played with, etc. and was really gracious to my bandmates.

Come to think of it, I have met Roger Mayer several times now at the same event and last time his wife was there-Um...there must have been drinks going on somewhere, BOY was she ever friendly. Too funny. But it was nice to get an antidote to his standoffish attitude. Still waiting for his latest invention to hit the shelves, a wireless loop control system. 

Same old surprises, brand new cliches-

 

Skipsounds on Soundclick:

www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491

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The coolest famous guy I've ever met was Sir Edmund Hillary who really is a cut above the vast majority of humanity.

 

I mean, this is a guy who's met heaps of other celebrities (dinner at the White House, Buckingham Palace, Polar expedition with Neil Armstrong, etc) and has lived that way since the 1950s. And when we went out to dinner, he was actually interested in what my wife and I had to say.

 

We went to see his lecture twice and the whole Everest thing took up about 20 minutes out of a 2 hour lecture. A lot of the lecture was about his subsequent efforts to help the Sherpas by building schools and roads and hospitals. So he's a guy that has really put something back. I was expecting him to do some bullshit about how climbing Everest is a lot like running a succesful business or something along those lines, you know, chasing a rich audience, but no. He didn't do anything like that at all. Very different to Reinhold Meissner who has taken part in an ad campaign comparing drinking mineral water to climbing Everest.

 

As I said, Sir Edmund Hillary's the coolest guy I've ever met, probably. He's everything you'd expect an explorer and an all round hero to be.

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Having once owned my own sound production company, I've had the privilege of meeting all sorts of folks in the entertainment biz, and I can say, without a doubt, the most approachable, and accessable people tend to be country music stars. They almost always do a meet and greet for their fans, endure long autograph sessions, and will have their picture taken with almost anyone.

Rock and roll folks tend to be aloof and distant, and can't wait to get back on the bus. Some rock guys are pure a**holes, and won't give you the time of day. The friendlist person I can remember meeting was Joan Baez, what a warm and caring person she was.

"Who's gonna teach the children about Chuck Berry?"
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I have heard Steve Vai is a cool guy to meet.

 

I heard Dave Mustaine isn't. My other guitarist met him backstage and he asked Mustaine to sign a paper plate with a picture of him on it. He took the plate and threw it in the trash can and said, "sorry I don't sign trash, but I will sign your jeans." Mackenzie was like, "I like these pants and you aren't ruining them, AND you just threw my plate away."

 

For some reason I picture Yngwie being a cool guy if you met him. Everyone says he is this dickhead, but I bet he is pretty nice.

 

I have heard nothing but good things about Eric Johnson too.

 

But really, if you were in thier shoes it would take a toll on your everyday life to have to give back so much.

 

What a dick.

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I hung out with Steve Vai's nephew, Roger, a couple of times, does that count? :D

 

He was singing in a friends band, and if his uncle is anything like him than his uncle is a real nice dude.

 

I would'nt really bother a famous person too much, cause I'd be thinkin how bad it would be to have people bothering me all day long.

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B.B. King is one of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet, really genuine and appears to be paying attention to you.

 

Waylon Jennings was more than a bit of a dickhead, but sure didn't put on any airs!

 

Phil Keaggy is very cool to have a conversation with. He's humble as hell, but loves to chat about guitars and technique. He'd make a killer teacher.

 

As far as famous people not "connecting", Steve Howe said something to the effect that when meeting fans they've often missed the point he was trying to get across musically, they don't hear the detail and therefore don't make a connection with him.

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Originally posted by ellwood:

Really the best way to meet and get to know famous people is in some other way besides music, for instance having a mutual interest in other things besides music.

Yeah... like HAM radio for example. ;)

 

I actually met Ted Lindsay once when I worked in a factory in Farmington Hills. Apparently, the guy who owned the place knew him really well. I was told that Ted stopped by every now and then.

 

Anyway, I was slaving away at my machine when the foreman tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and there was Ted. It's hard to believe such an old gentleman (a short one too) used to be called "Terrible Ted".

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My father-in law (RIP) was president of The Royalty Burns Club (Licence Trade & 2nd or 3rd oldest inn the world. he called me over & said 'I've got to go off - talk to this guy.' - so I did.

 

When he came back, the guy moved off elesewhere. I said 'Who was that?'

 

'Willie Guinness.' - yes, THAT Guinness. Nice bloke too.

 

Geoff

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power the World will know Peace": Jimi Hendrix

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=738517&content=music

The Geoff - blame Caevan!!!

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Buddy Guy's really warm and friendly. Jeff Healey, being blind, is a bit more distant and disinterested. Karl Wallenda was extremely hard of hearing, but friendly and humble. George Bush Sr. was ever the politician after the Republican Primary while still vying with Reagan for that Party's nomination. Alan Alda and Michael Moore were relaxed and funny. Chris Duarte, Bugs Henderson, and Ralph Cole(Lighthouse) are happy to spend an entire break chattin, though Chris used to put on a new set of strings every set.
Never a DUH! moment! Well, almost never. OK, OK! Sometimes never!
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Originally posted by A String:

When did you meet Alan Alda Reif? I think he's one of the guys I would love to sit down and talk with.

I doubt that he and I would be able to tolerate each other for 5 minutes.
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I was an extra in "Canadian Bacon". It's not like we had much of a conversation, he was just friendlier than Rhea Perlman, John Candy, Rip Torn, and other cast members, who were admittedly busier at the time. If you recall the scene with the rocket launcher being auctioned off, I was the guy bidding against Kevin O'Connell's character, "Roy Boy".
Never a DUH! moment! Well, almost never. OK, OK! Sometimes never!
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Originally posted by HardTail:

Originally posted by A String:

When did you meet Alan Alda Reif? I think he's one of the guys I would love to sit down and talk with.

I doubt that he and I would be able to tolerate each other for 5 minutes.
Yeah, my Dad spits venom every time I bring him up. ;)
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In about '92 I was in a now defunct expensive sushi restaurant in the heart of west London, and was eating with my dad, when Nick Mason, Dave Gilmour and Rick Wright walk in.

Apparently they were regulars there, but have to be honest, was too shy to approach them.

 

I mean I was a 19 y.o wannabe guitarist - what was I going to say to them without gushing like an idiot... Plus I didn't know much about their music then except what I'd read in magazines.

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I was an extra in "Canadian Bacon". It's not like we had much of a conversation, he was just friendlier than Rhea Perlman, John Candy, Rip Torn, and other cast members, who were admittedly busier at the time. If you recall the scene with the rocket launcher being auctioned off, I was the guy bidding against Kevin O'Connell's character, "Roy Boy".
Reif, That's awesome, I've got to go watch that movie again to see that part. I love the part at the hockey game "their (canadian) beer sucks" :D

 

The only somewhat famous people I've met were mainly Baseball Players. Johnny Oates was a very cool guy (God rest his soul), Cal Ripkin Jr was also very friendly. David Sigui very friendly. I remember Dion Sanders was an idiot when he came to Rochester, but that was before his "conversion." There are some other ballplayers we met in Rochester that went on to major league careers as well, can't think of them all though. Oh yea, I don't think many people liked Curt Schilling when he was here.

 

Almost got to meet Meat Loaf when he was playing softball at a local park, but was too late.

 

Oh yea, I still swear to this day that I saw Neil Diamond at a gas station, only he was driving a geo metro. Looked exactly like him and he was in town that weekend. He smiled and seemed freindly, whoever it was. :)

"When learned men begin to use their reason, then I generally discover that they haven't got any." -GK Chesterton
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Originally posted by ellwood:

Really the best way to meet and get to know famous people is in some other way besides music, for instance having a mutual interest in other things besides music.

I agree. I met Jimmie Vaughn at the airport here in town about 15 years or so ago. I recognized him immediately, told my brother not to ask for an autograph (or he would have gotten sucker punched!) and went up to him and talked cars for about 15 minutes. He has several extremely cool kustoms and hot rods, a couple of which had just been featured in magazines. His tastes just happen to be similar to mine, and he seemed about as enthusiastic to talk about cars as I was. Very cool guy. We never even touched on music or guitars, and he was carrying a Fender guitar case with him!

Avoid playing the amplifier at a volume setting high enough to produce a distorted sound through the speaker-Fender Guitar Course-1966

 

 

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That's what they say here about Lou Gramm as well. I guess he's a regular at one of the local oldie car shows. They say he will talk to you for hours about cars, just don't talk about music.
"When learned men begin to use their reason, then I generally discover that they haven't got any." -GK Chesterton
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