Megadeth-got a bunch of stuff signed at the "Youthanasia" opening at Tower Records Hollywood
Elton John-Tower Records again for some album release. Was going to get an autograph for myself, but some guy offered me cash to get some items signed so he could sell them and I was pretty broke at the time
Josh Freese-drummer for A Perfect Circle backstage at a local show. He gave me one of his drum sticks.

ORIGINAL: jacktheexcynic

ORIGINAL: keith
the best are those that are kinda-sorta-pseudo famous, but think they really are famous... like sportscasters for local TV stations... good stuff!

we've got at least one of those on the forum, don't want to name drop though...

Drop, drop!!

In 1967 I was shopping for clothes with my mom in Hollywood, and I saw some conch belts that I really liked, but when I went back to get one, they were all gone. I went up to the register to see if they had more, and a big black dude leaned over and said "here, you can have one of these." It was Buddy Miles! I said "you're Buddy Miles!" and he replied "yeah, some people call me that!"

Back in the late '60s I met Sidney Potier at Gil Turner's liquor store on Sunset Blvd. Our band was playing Gazzarri's, and we went over there on break to get something, and Sidney was there buying a cigar. We passed each other in the small aisles, and he looked down at me and very politely said "excuse me."

I went with a couple of female cousins to meet Sonny and Cher circa 1970 at LAX, and when they came walking down the concourse both cousins took off and latched onto Sonny like he was a teddy bear. I was a bit star-struck walking next to Cher, and didn't quite know what to say, so I asked her "does this happen a lot?" She rolled her eyes and said something about it happening all the time.

Got to go backstage and meet Los Lobos when they played in Colorado Springs one time. Louie was related somehow to a guy I used to work with, and so we had access to them after they finished their set. Nice guys!

Met a few others (Johnny Rodriguez, Pure Prairie League, Riders In The Sky) when I was playing in bands in the '80s.

Same deal as most others - when you hang out in Hollywood for any length of time, you are bound to run into somebody famous at one time or another.

Niel Shon - Journey
EVH and Valarie
John Entwistle - The WHO
Greg Allman - Allman Bros.
Brad Witford - Aerosmith
Doc Sevrenson - Johnny Carson
Danny Joe Brown - Molly Hatchet
Dave Lubeck - Molly Hatchet

John Lennon - Beatles (well, not exactly - he was about 30 feet from me at Disney in Orlando, Fl. He was there with Yoko. I was on a 12 hour "pass" from Boot Camp. He had such a security entourage that you couldn't get any closer then that. But that was definitely cool. Where were those guys the night he was shot?)

Pat Travers
Les Dudek
Lita Ford
Joan Jett

Gary (can't remember his last name - LOL) from the KINGSMAN used to Bartend at the same bar that I hung out in. I actually got into a physical altercation with him in another bar, for hassling my ole' lady at the time! LOL
I believe they did "Wooly Bully", or "Hang On Snoopy"....or something like that. LOL

Pretty funny. If you're in bands and playing the circuit long enough, you actually, eventually, do meet a lot of BIG people.

Cool thread!

.

Met a few Famous people over the years but this takes the cake (pun intended).
I was playing drums in the resident band at the top nightclub in Wellington (New Zealand) in the late 70's, when the Manager of the club came up to us and said that we were to close up early that night as a private party had booked the club from midnight on. This had never happened before so we did one more set and then disappeared out to the green room. After clearing the room of the patrons, the room was reopened about an hour later and a whole bunch of "beautiful" people wandered in. I should explain that the guys I played with were some very talented and experienced session muso's. They were all black (I was the token honkey) and the lead singer had a very good percussion setup, so the line up was Bass, Drums, twin lead guitars, Fender Rhodes and the 5 of us all sang. So we get back up to play and after about 4 or 5 songs, this bloody huge guy suddenly appears at stage right with a Sax around his neck and motioned that he would like a bit of a play. Our band leader waved him on and this guy commenced blowing us away. Then another guy appears with a beaten up old Fender Tele and the same thing happens. I thought "That guy looks familiar" but kept on playing , not thinking too much about it. THEN this big tall Afro-Amercan guy appears and I thought "oh, Geez, I know who that is, and he proceeds to take over the Fender Rhodes. And lastly, I look up to see a guy called Don Alias heading towards centre stage. At that stage Don was classified as the second best percussionist in the world (to Airto) and I quickly held my drums sticks out to him, but he said "I have been on tour for months playing Kit drums and I'm dying for a thrash on percussion. You stay there". And that's how I got to play (for the next two hours) with Blood Sweat and Tears. The guitarist with the Tele was Greg Kihn and for the life of me I can't remember the piano players name. Clayton Thomas was there but didn't sing. Oh and the first song they began to jam on was he he he...Chicago's (Spencer Davis') "I'm a Man" which went on for over half an hour. Much fun

Lona

ORIGINAL: Wookiee

Rick Wakeman at a local gig

Sooty and Sweep

Elton John, I was at a Sound on Sound Expo on the Akai stand. I saw what I thought was an EJ look a like and said as much out loud he came over shook my hand saying actually I am the real thing. His two heaveys convinced me.

Uncanny - I met Rick Wakeman at a pub in Bristol shortly before a gig (these were his drinking days)

Didn't get to speak to him as he was surrounded by a mob of hairy youths, (as was I)

ORIGINAL: Beagle

Most of the famous people I know aren't famous to everyone - only to those who know Christian artists. I have met and talked to Rick Heil of SONICFLOOd and I know Dennis Jernigan and have talked with him on more than one occassion.

the most famous person that most people DO know that I've met was Martin Mull. I had a very brief (but speaking face to face) encounter with him when he was a guest DJ at a local DFW radio station back in 1990 or so.

I'm in the same boat... I played keys for Robin Mark when he was touring around the Canada, and needed a keyboard player for Moncton. That was just this past year, and he was promoting his new album...

One thing I learned from that experience, NEVER try to match wits with the Irish. As strong as my Canadian dry wit was, I was no match.

Dave

Not really "famous," but I've had a few brushes.

First, the negative:
The members of the band "Lush," after a concert in Denver, CO.

All during the concert I kept thinking "man, these guys/gals really suck" - not musically, but because they were angry at us for not dancing more, despite the fact that it was a lemming-fest, with zero room. After the show, went downstairs to what was basically a concrete basement and got shoved out of the way by the red head lead singer, who slammed me with some type of insult before spilling my beer and getting angry at that. The rest of the band seemed alright... burned out by the tour (it was the last show), but she was just over-the-top rude, and I never really listened to them again after that.

Next, the positive (and in every way the opposites of the Lush experience):
Toby Marks, the man behind Banco de Gaia, in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Being a rather fanatic Banco fan (not creepy, just really like his stuff), my friend and I drove to Cincinnati from Charlotte, NC... which is not a short drive for a show, but certainly not the longest I've done.
We arrived the day of the show, about 3 hours before the doors opened. Dropped our stuff off @ the hotel, drove down, ate, and went to the door.
We parked about 4 blocks away from the club and walked over, surprised (and startled) at how dreary the neighborhood had become since I'd last been there years earlier... it was barely lit, and completely EMPTY... not one soul anywhere. We sat outside on the sidewalk waiting for entry, and started a chat with the doorman, a very cool French-African man, who'd been in town for about a year and was solid on leaving very soon because of what he called "racial" about the town. Right on we said, and then he had to lock the door to get set up and we sat on the sidewalk.
Then things got a bit... odd (and I'm NOT making this up):
While sitting there (alone... which I found odd right there), we heard some screaming coming out of the dark at the end of the block. It was getting louder, until finally a naked African-American man ran by (like he was running for his life), closely followed by 6 or 7 police, with various weapons pulled. No one noticed us... they just ran right by.
The doorman watched out the window until they passed, and then opened up and asked us politely if we'd like to continue waiting inside.
Absolutely, we of course replied.
Toby and the band were setting up and checking sound (on the HORRIBLE sound system clearly tuned for hip hop), and came over and asked where we were from. We told him, and conveyed the funky story to him, and he replied something like "You drove 9 hours for a show in THIS place? Thanks. Better get a drink."
So we drank a drink with him, snapped a few pictures, and watched them finish up their sound check.
Stood right across the mixing console for the whole show, exchanging smiles and chuckles whenever he'd do something on the board that killed the already dead speakers. Danced and laughed despite the funky sound quality and ENTIRELY angry thug crowd (who HATED his set), walked out behind him, as my friend flipped off the entire crowd (something I wouldn't have advised, but she'll do that), and left.
Strange night.

The members of Eat Static in Atlanta, Georgia:
Just chatted with them in the hallway leading to the bathroom, the only place they could put their gear after the stage crew took it down between acts. They were nice, but pre-occupied trying to keep wasted folks staggering to the bathroom from flopping over on it.

Used to hang out with the members of the Fleming and John, before shows. They were supremely friendly people, and easy to chill with. We were sort of their... pre-show... spot... to hang out...
More acquaintances than friends, but we got into shows free and they came around periodically for a while.

There were some DJs in Atlanta back when I new people who threw parties there. Big names... too many people around to say they'd remember me, but it was fun. Totally out of touch now though.

- zevo

Okay, I've been debating whether or not to relate this story since this thread started, but I figured out a way to do it, so here it is.

In the mid 80's, my drummer and I got part time jobs doing loadin/loadouts for a concert promoter in the Phoenix, Arizona area. We would help unload the equipment from the trucks to the stage, and hang out all day, and then load the trucks back up after the show. One particlular show was at the old Compton Terrace which was owned by Jess Nicks (Stevie's dad). The band that night was called "Modley Crew" (name changed to protect the guilty). As the opening act was getting close to finishing thier set, a guy comes over to us, and asks "you guys got any blow for the band"? We thought he meant the openers, and said no, but we knew a guy who delivered. He said "how long?" Now this was before cell phones, so he took us to a phone in a trailer behind the stage, and we called a guy we happened to know. He could make it in about a half hour, and would need an escort from the security gate. The guy who asked us about the blow, says, "the crew" will be here in 15 minutes, and that should work out fine, and places the order. Thats when we realize its for the headliner. So while I wait in the trailer, my drummer goes with another guy to the security gate to wait. The band arrives, already in full stage dress and make-up, and comes into the trailer to wait. Of course, the dealer, being the reliable sort they are known to be, is late by about a half hour, and these guys won't even think about going on stage til he arrives.
So he finally arrives, and is brought into the trailer, where he and the manager settle up. The manager dumps out a copious amount of powder on a table and the band goes at this stuff like its thier job. Literally 30 seconds later, they bust out the door and head for the stairs to the stage.
If you've ever turned on the lights in a crummy room, and seen cockroaches scatter wildly, that's what it looked like onstage, for about the first 4 songs. My drummer and I stood behind the stacked PA, and just laughed as these guys went wild, without missing a note.


Randy

OK ,
I'll bite ...I cannot resist the dangling hook ...damn this thread for still being here
first a disclaimer ...
I'm only gonna list a few of the memorable encounters cause I don't feel like crying myself to sleep tonight thinking about how I went from
"whats happening ..to what happened "

most of the the musicians I met were easy for me to cope with, same for them I hope

just a few the most memorable

Ella Fitzgerald...Joe Pass was doing a show at Carnegie Hall and asked me if I wanted to meet Ella backstage before their show ...
he took me to meet her & I was surprised at how frail she was ...
she graciously stood up after much effort and showed me more kindness than I actually deserved....

Dizzy Gillespie ....Ed Cherry was Dizzy's guitar player for years
I met Ed while standing on a line at a Citi bank ..turns out Ed lived right across the street from me ...
Ed & I got together and jammed / practiced together ( I tried to keep up lol)
whenever Dizzy was playing in NYC ...I hung out w the band backstage
man I used to love when Paquito de Rivera & Dizzy did concerts together

George Harrison ....while working at Manny's gtr dept Alan Rogan gave me a little wink .....yeah it's him ..
the store was packed to the rafters & nobody recognized George ...
I made eye contact w George & gave him a sign that I need to finish up real fast & get to him
I introduced myself to George & got to spend 10 to 15 mins talking with him about guitars & getting good sounds
to this day I remember how humble a person he truly was
his energy was so delicate & universal in nature
he kept eye contact , called me by my name as we talked & was genuinely interested in what I had to say
his original inquiry was what did I think of Ovation Guitars for recording sessions ..
I answered him honestly & thought he was better off using what he had been using
I never thought I would ever meet a member of the Beatles in real life
let alone ever having one ask me my opinion on how to get a good sound on a guitar

Chet Atkins .....I was working at Carnegie Hall as an usher (78/79)
Chet was playing there & I had to meet him in person
I was somewhat of a pitiful sight ..the jacket / my uniform was tattered
my white shirt had ring around the collar ...& I had a pair of 2 inch elevator shoes that started life as brown that I dyed black to conform to the dress code
I asked my boss Rudy if it was OK for me to go backstage and meet Chet Atkins on the break ....
after Rudy's nostrils flared up , he gave me a long hard look in the eye's & he growled OK you better make it fast
I went up & got in the line ..took off my jacket rolled it up and braced myself
most of what I heard while standing in line was folks blowing smoke & and talk of lets do lunch ...
Chet seemed polite & gracious to the people that were networking / working him over
when it was my turn to meet him and shake his hand
his eye's lit up a little when he saw me ....
( I knew he could smell me coming cause I was breaking a sweat just standing there in line waiting to meet him )
he knew all I wanted from him was to just be in the same room w him and say hello
he shook my hand , then asked me my name ...after the brief intro
I told him that when I was a little boy I saw him play on the Ed Sullivan Show & knew from that moment on I wanted to play guitar
he leaned in ...
I sensed he felt good about what I said , in a way I think it must of grounded him for a second .....
his energy seemed to warmed up ...we talked for a min
then wished me the best of luck in my journey w the guitar and music

that's it for tonight .....there's many more ....
I consider these encounters with gifted musicians some of my fave's

Kenny

GREAT STUFF Kenny!!!!

...looking forward to hearing/reading more!!!!




Love this site guys!.....really glad I found it!!!

It makes my day.



Mike
.

Spindle,

In NYC my wife was with the Wooster Group (the avant-garde theater collective) and one of the girls had gone to a friend's party since he promised there would be some famous to be there. She started talking to some old guy and after a while ended up telling him he was pretty good looking - if he lost a few pounds he'd have the women all over him. Then she noticed all these people congregating around them. She went to get another drink and lamblast her friend since she hadn't met anyone famous and he told her she had just spent the last 30 minutes talking with Coppela.

And earlier I forgot to mention the Wooster Group famous people we knew - Willem Defoe, Spalding Grey and Steve Buscemi. Steve went to the same neighborhood park with his kid and we'd watch each other's kid sometimes. The kid now has his own band and Steve put him in his last movie - "The Interview." Excellent.

Kenny's encounter with George Harrison doing it for me so far, closely followed by Wookiee meeting Sooty and Sweep, would that be Matthew or Harry era?

Nah, thats not disturbing.

They were comparing "tiny bubbles". Haa...see what I did there?


Randy

ORIGINAL: rsp@odyssey.net
They were comparing "tiny bubbles". Haa...see what I did there?

Ha! Good one... hey, I'm going to start a "strange encounters with famous people" thread... I think I got a couple...