Meeting "rock stars"...

[Geoff]

Just curious to see if I'm alone here.

 

When I go to a concert I go there to see the band, I thoroughly enjoy the show with a few beers and then I go home. As much as I enjoy the artist and the music, the last thing in the world that I want to do on the night is wait around and have an awkward conversation with who I'm sure is generally a group of wonderful gents... but in the end, they're just a bunch of dudes I don't know.

 

NOW, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying this is a bad thing to want to meet them - it's cool that people love their idols and want to talk to their favourite bands... and I'm sure a lot of bands really enjoy and appreciate it too. But just for yourself personally, how do you roll?

 

Me personally; I'm very shy, I hate crowded situations, I actually don't idolize anyone on this planet, regardless of how much I might like a person's music or sexual appearance, I don't like awkward situations and I don't know, it's just not for me.

 

I know the majority of people on this board love catching up with the band after the show. Any fellow hermit crabs amongst y'all?

[Metal T]

For me when i go to a show its for the band's music period.I don't hang around like a groupie to see if i can get a guy to sign my balls or whatever...was fortunate enough to have met Marc from 'Krokus' after a show,a few guys came out afterwards and the place had pretty much cleared out.Walked right up to the guy by the merchandise table and had like at least a 15 minute chat--great guy! Never really expect to meet anyone after a show though.When i was in a band id always hoped id be meeting/opening for these bands but unfortuately never happened...

[SamboraRocks86]

Met a few people at the Love/Hate LA Guns gig i went to and i have different reasons for it...

 

with Phil Lewis, i really valued the time he gave me because i had questions that i wanted answered why they left certain songs out of the set, how he came to write this song or general other music questions.....with Stacey it was just in passing while he signed my CD but that was cool cause we got to rag on Tracii together

 

i also aproached Jizzy Pearl, but the guy had no time for me....i dont know why i wanted to tal to him to be honest, i think i wanted to ask about the covers sessions he did (for the GnR and Bon Jovi tributes among others) but i never got the chance cause he wanted to high tail it outta there!

 

and i also met the drummer from Love/Hate and the guitarist, i think the drummer was just bored....but the guitarist noticed i was watching him for most of the show so he came up to me afterwards (actually i was talking to my bro when he tapped me on my shoulder) and he just wanted to chat about our influences and stuff, so that was cool that he approached me instead of vice versa

 

generally i hate to feel like a fanboy since we're all just musicians, and i dont bother going up to a musician unless i have a reason to, usually the singer or guitarist will get my attention for obvious reasons....but i dunno, depends on the guy i guess.....id love to meet Steel Panther for obvious reasons...

 

i dont think its cause i idolize them so much as i have things that i want to know/get their opinion on and i wouldnt have a chance otherwise....if that makes sense

[Dave]

Paul Rodgers and Mike Onesko would be the only two I would go out of my way to meet because like you Geoff, it means nothing to me as well. I'd rather just see the show and then just piss off.

We did it once, hang around waiting, waiting,waiting, but it just felt as though you're standing around like a spare prick at an orgy and it simply just does not interest me one little bit.

Some people love it, some people don't, so each to their own and good on em' if they like doing it

[Dave]

Paul Rodgers and Mike Onesko would be the only two I would go out of my way to meet because like you Geoff, it means nothing to me as well. I'd rather just see the show and then just piss off.

We did it once, hang around waiting, waiting,waiting, but it just felt as though you're standing around like a spare prick at an orgy and it simply just does not interest me one little bit.

Some people love it, some people don't, so each to their own and good on em' if they like doing it

 

Oh....I would like to meet Rob Lamothe just to ask him why he chose to abandon the great stuff he use to do with the Riverdogs to doing the absolute drivel he currently does

[Geoff]

We did it once, hang around waiting, waiting,waiting, but it just felt as though you're standing around like a spare prick at an orgy and it simply just does not interest me one little bit.

Nicely put. But yeah, that's how I feel... just like some creepy lingerer.

[Blue Charvel]

For me all the planets have to align, otherwise I feel pretty much like Geoff and Dave. If the person isn't already besieged by fans, I'm not feeling overly shy, I feel like I have something to say, etc. Otherwise often not.

 

I will say it's much easier when you're playing the same gig, but sone of these guys either act like they're on a different level, or I just feel that way already. Fortunately, most of the people I've had the opportunity to meet lately have been super cool... Firehouse, Joe LeSte, Y&T, Donnie and the touring guitarist from Enuff Z'nuff, etc.

 

Usually it seems like the guys with the LEAST reason to be acting like rock stars are the ones with the biggest fucking attitudes... Kenny from Prophet/Edgar Cayce comes to mind...

[Jez]

I generally don't bother at all and definitely won't hang around waiting for people, but ocassionally I go to a gig and know someone, who knows someone in the band etc and we get chatting. I was at the bar at the Airrace gig on Friday, getting a beer after the show and all the Airrace boys and Rock Candy label crowd were in there aswell. My mate knew the Bass player & introduced me. I got talking to the vocalist Keith Murrell and Fillipo from Rock Candy at the bar - just an ''alright mate'' which turned into a full blown conversation about times gone by. Had a quick chat with Laurie Mandsworth the guitar player aswell - all very down to earth guys that enjoyed a bit of banter with some fellow musicians.

[eaglesfan3000]

I don't drool over the opportunity meet bands unless they make an effort to mingle with the crowd after the show and then I'll go talk to them. That's one cool thing about seeing bands at small venues. I did meet the guys from Morbid Angel after the show they were signing tickets and CD's.

[JC_AOR]

Yeah I usually don't have any interest to hang around and meet the band members, and like Geoff I hate crowds and like to get the hell out of there as soon as I can. Having said that, on a few occassions I have hung around and met people (Jeff Scott Soto and Bruce Kulick come to mind) and walked away thinking what awesome dudes they are for taking the time to talk to their fans and sign shit.

[Geoff]

Yeah, I should say in regard to the last two posts that when I went to see Tuff with Lindsay he introduced me to some of the dudes he knew from The Deadthings and also Stevie Rachelle at the end of the night. It was pretty awkward () but they were all very nice chaps.

[Fat Freddy]

I've met my share of band members over the years but I wouldn't say I'm a stalker by any means. Many of them were at "meet and greets" where the musicians were there for the sole purpose of meeting the fans, and others were chance encounters where I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I've never hung around outside the backstage door of a venue waiting for a band to come out after a show, or any such obsessed-fanboy behavior.

[Captain Howdy]

Not sure how it is in other countries, but there certainly seems to be a relaxed atmosphere over here for a lot of bands who are now playing smaller venues, to the point they will automatically come out during or after the show, and either just hang out at the bar or sit at the merch table signing stuff and chatting with people.

 

I like chatting to the guys in bands that I have always been a fan of because there is a common ground that helps you be able to talk to these guys.

You start off talking to them about their band and music, and it just all kind of rolls from there.

 

Its not a groupie thing, its about being able to humanize them, and start to understand that they are no different to you or I.

 

I've chatted to quite a few people over the years, from LA Guns to Enuff Z Nuff (did chat to Poison, but it wasnt on the back of their bus), and very few of them have been total cocks or rude.

The only exceptions I can think of is Richie Kotzen.

When I met LA Guns were going through the motions, signing shit, and barely spoke to people, but wheni I met Kotzen he wouldnt even look people in the eyes, the miserable cunt.

The rest of the band were all friendly and chatty (he was in Poison at the time), but Kotzen couldnt even bother making an effort.

 

I was taking photos of all the guys in the band, and they were all happy to pose and smile for the camera except him.

I was running out of film on my camera (those were the days) and asked Rikki if he wouldnt mind posing with Richie as I only had one picture left.

He was cool about it, and kept tapping Kotzen on the shoulder and saying his name, but he still wouldnt look up, so I just said to Rikki "Fuck him, he's a miserable cunt, I'll just take a photo of you!"...he just laughed and posed for the photo.

Didnt even try to defend his band mate.

 

Coolest people I have met though, have to be Steve Summers, Enuff Z Nuff (specifically Chip) and Thunder.

 

I did once meet Steve Harris of Iron Maiden in a shopping centre, but he was so shocked that someone recognised him, it was actually quite funny.

[hardrockhaven]

Kip Winger signed my hat once after a show, dunno if that counts for anything....just felt the need to share

[zrock63]

Just curious to see if I'm alone here.

 

When I go to a concert I go there to see the band, I thoroughly enjoy the show with a few beers and then I go home. As much as I enjoy the artist and the music, the last thing in the world that I want to do on the night is wait around and have an awkward conversation with who I'm sure is generally a group of wonderful gents... but in the end, they're just a bunch of dudes I don't know.

 

NOW, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying this is a bad thing to want to meet them - it's cool that people love their idols and want to talk to their favourite bands... and I'm sure a lot of bands really enjoy and appreciate it too. But just for yourself personally, how do you roll?

 

Me personally; I'm very shy, I hate crowded situations, I actually don't idolize anyone on this planet, regardless of how much I might like a person's music or sexual appearance, I don't like awkward situations and I don't know, it's just not for me.

 

I know the majority of people on this board love catching up with the band after the show. Any fellow hermit crabs amongst y'all?

 

I'm with you Geoff, I never had the desire to meet any artist or bands after I had seen them played. Just seeing them play was always enough for me. Over the years I have got to know a lot of local NJ/PA bands from going to clubs and seeing them play since the early 80's, but, I never went out of my way to meet or try to talk with them, same with national bands, I'm just not an autograph type of person or one to chit chat.

[glam_junkie]

At massive stadium or arena shows... I don't bother. (ie bon jovi, def lep, motley, kiss...... ect)

 

However at club shows (faster pussycat, hardcore superstar, tuff, mike tramp,...) I always hang around after cos they guys come out for drink and a chat 99% of the time. I think these sorts of artists really appreciate it.

 

Geoff, pretty sure PBF will do the same. So if you grow some tits, S.Summers may even notice you!

[glam_junkie]

Kip Winger signed my hat once after a show,

 

 

Damn, ....

Just what you needed, to have to buy a new hat cos your favourite one was ruined!

[hardrockhaven]

Kip Winger signed my hat once after a show,

 

 

Damn, ....

Just what you needed, to have to buy a new hat cos your favourite one was ruined!

LOL, kudos, that was good!

[Geoff]

Geoff, pretty sure PBF will do the same. So if you grow some tits, S.Summers may even notice you!

What do you mean, if?

[Guest glamrockgirl]

I've met all the guys of Slaughter and Bret Michaels...I'd really love to meet CC DeVille...

[Jez]

I've met all the guys of Slaughter and Bret Michaels...I'd really love to meet CC DeVille...

 

For guitar lessons or hair tips? I'd wouldn't bother with either if I were you

[Swazi]

I met Jez !!! :beerbang:

[Jez]

I met Jez !!! :beerbang:

 

Bernd you rock. I'll sign your breasts the next time mate

[Swazi]

I met Jez !!! :beerbang:

 

Bernd you rock. I'll sign your breasts the next time mate

 

Thanks, mate ! That's what I was hoping for !!

 

[Chris]

I wanna meet Jez and Pete. Does that count?