Music opinion/question of the week...

[Dr. Medulla]

I've probably shared this one before, but perhaps not. Not my story, but of a friend who was just getting started in the music journalism game (he's since moved on to tv and movies). This was probably late 90s, maybe earlier. One of his musical heroes was/is Elvis Costello and thru his employer he got backstage access (I don't think he was there to review the show or do an interview, just there as a thrill). The moment arrives when he gets to meet EC and his brain locks up entirely and he stammers something about EC having written some of his favourite songs of all time. And Elvis just vivisects him with his eyes for several very long seconds and then walks away. My buddy was gutted but he can laugh about it now. Still, some of your heroes are warmer than others.

[Heston]

Strummer is no doubt the coolest I've met, he was great. Me and a couple of mates got backstage after a Newcastle gig in 2000. We smoked joints and had a few beers from Joe. It was a bit of a blur but I remember chatting about Cut the Crap. I told Joe it was a bit unfairly treated and he seemed to agree, he said there was some good songs buried on there. We also spoke about the extended coda of Inoculated City on Rat Patrol, I think he said it was only bit that they shouldn't have excised. He was much smaller in real life than I'd anticipated.

I met Mick twice in 1986 with BAD, he was great both times, though he took the piss out of my shoes on the second occasion. I also interviewed Mick in 2005 for my mate's college mag, that was a great experience. I posted the interview on the old board, but I think I've lost it now.

Had a piss next to 'Doctor' from Doctor and the Medics, we had a brief chat about the Clash.

Also had a slight scuffle with Barrie Masters from Eddie and the Hot Rods in a pub. Didn't know who he was until afterwards.

My band has recently supported Neville Staple, he was total gentleman, we had a right laugh with him. His keyboard player couldn't make the show and he told our keyboard player that he had to fill in and learn the set in 15 minutes. The look on his face was priceless when Neville eventually burst into a grin and told him he was just having a laugh. We also supported XSLF last year, featuring Jim and Henry from Stiff Little Fingers. We had a drink with them afterwards and they were brilliant, especially Jim, a totally lovable rogue.

[Heston]

I'm still waiting to meet Heston and I hope he's armed with badges and a CD.

I'm such an unorganised twat, but one day the badge will come.

[Heston]

I forgot to add Lars from Rancid. I met him in Belfast at another gig. Another great bloke who was only too happy to chat. I've been lucky that most of the musicians I've met have been great. The only exception was Rick Buckler from the Jam who was a bit of a miserable twat.

[eumaas]

Wolter and I met the Manics and they were great!

[eumaas]

I have also had a drink with numerous NC-based musicians.

[Wolter]

Wolter and I met the Manics and they were great!

It’s a shame they had to get back to the shire for second breakfast.

[hairydot61]

Hello,
in about 1980 and while living in South East London I used to volunteer at a unit at London Bridge near a place called Borough Market, The Stanglers were running S.I.S, Stanglers Information Service, I used to pack T-shirts, records, Fanzines etc, I'd been a fan since 77' Rattus, I liked to draw and did an Inking of their Black and White album cover, I went there to pack their stuff and took the picture along to leave it there as I went fairly regularly but had not seen any of the band there, the day I took it Jean Jaques Burnel arrived on a Triumph Bonneville, I was prompted to ask him to sign it, he did and we had a short chat about the picture, I did answer him in a coherent way but I can remember at times of just standing there wide eyed like the rabbit in the headlights, he liked the picture, really friendly attitude, I left the picture there to get it signed by the rest of the band (still have it), I might possibly doubt whether some of the remaining signatures are the rest of the band because the regular staff there used to get up to all sorts of mischief but they were funny with it, ...also in 89', Oct to be precise, I was in a bit of a flux state relationship wise, a band I'd seen that made a big impression on me were from Tamworth up near Birmingham, Wolfsbane, incredibly they were offered a record deal by Def American, they had not been to the States before but with the tie in to Def Jam they did a short tour of clubs in L.A., I had some savings so made up my mind to see if I could coincide a holiday around the 3-4 dates they had, I think the first gig they did was at a small club called The Red Light District, it was a good crowd for their debut show, I was a few beers in and the band not yet played, just investigating the venue when I saw David Lee Roth chatting with what looked like a musician, the beer that I had worked as the provebial dutch courage, I apologised for interrupting the chat and proceded to gush about seeing his solo show on the Skyscraper tour at Hammersmith the year before and how good it was, Steve Vai on lead et al, he was really gracious with his reply and I think pleased that I bothered to 'we are not worthy', (DLR gets some bad press for varying different reasons, he is a switched on individual and I see the person behind the Ego, I would even say that he might be on the high fuctioning Autism because the man don't stop to breath), I saw Rick Rubin there too but I didn't even try to chat, I saw all Wolfsbanes gigs there, Jeff Hateley the Bass player was great and we did a bit of clubbing & stuff, the Band also was on a birthday celebration for a rock magazine and they had about 6 bands on, Headlining was Guns & Roses, Wolfsbane were Great, G N'R ( I can't describe how stratespheric the intro was, Axl Rose wearing a Kilt!, ...I could go on, it was a Life affirming 3 weeks, saw The Rolling Stones with Guns and Roses , Living Colour at Los Angeles Coliseum in those weeks,... In 1984/5 The Saxon Tavern in Southend Lane, Catford, Screaming Blue Messiahs not long going as a band, had seen them in a place called Woolwich Tramshed, viceral I understand now!. I got there fairly early and in the Pub, Bill Carter &:Chris Thompson having a pint, I took the Good and Gone e.p for signing, said hi and got tapped up by Bill to see if I had 'any' drugs, as it happens, no!!, great gig though, he didn't need them :o), ...I was standing on an Underground train station in north west London, reading the large route map, intently scrutinising it as I didn't live in the area, I look to my direct right standing next to me, Micheal Palin, he looks at me and appears to physically jolt in surprise as I open my mouth to speak, he gives me the eyes and sort of slopes crablike and cleese like across the platform rendering me tickled, couldn't help but grin.

[Marky Dread]

I'm still waiting to meet Heston and I hope he's armed with badges and a CD.

I'm such an unorganised twat, but one day the badge will come.

Yeah right and one day England might win the World Cup. Hey now I like the sound of that.

[Marky Dread]

Strummer is no doubt the coolest I've met, he was great. Me and a couple of mates got backstage after a Newcastle gig in 2000. We smoked joints and had a few beers from Joe. It was a bit of a blur but I remember chatting about Cut the Crap. I told Joe it was a bit unfairly treated and he seemed to agree, he said there was some good songs buried on there. We also spoke about the extended coda of Inoculated City on Rat Patrol, I think he said it was only bit that they shouldn't have excised. He was much smaller in real life than I'd anticipated.

I met Mick twice in 1986 with BAD, he was great both times, though he took the piss out of my shoes on the second occasion. I also interviewed Mick in 2005 for my mate's college mag, that was a great experience. I posted the interview on the old board, but I think I've lost it now.

Had a piss next to 'Doctor' from Doctor and the Medics, we had a brief chat about the Clash.

Clive. Hope you didn't piss on your shoes while looking up at him.

Barrie Masters would've chinned you back in the day. Ex boxer I think.

[Heston]

Strummer is no doubt the coolest I've met, he was great. Me and a couple of mates got backstage after a Newcastle gig in 2000. We smoked joints and had a few beers from Joe. It was a bit of a blur but I remember chatting about Cut the Crap. I told Joe it was a bit unfairly treated and he seemed to agree, he said there was some good songs buried on there. We also spoke about the extended coda of Inoculated City on Rat Patrol, I think he said it was only bit that they shouldn't have excised. He was much smaller in real life than I'd anticipated.

I met Mick twice in 1986 with BAD, he was great both times, though he took the piss out of my shoes on the second occasion. I also interviewed Mick in 2005 for my mate's college mag, that was a great experience. I posted the interview on the old board, but I think I've lost it now.

Had a piss next to 'Doctor' from Doctor and the Medics, we had a brief chat about the Clash.

Clive. Hope you didn't piss on your shoes while looking up at him.

Barrie Masters would've chinned you back in the day. Ex boxer I think.

I'm an ex-ITV wrestler.

[JoseUnidos]

Sometime in the late 1980s I sat between two dudes from 38 Special on a flight between San Juan, Puerto Rico and Baltimore. We chatted briefly about hamburgers before I put on my walkman & blasted Husker Du for the rest of the flight.

I nodded to Gregg Allman when I passed him on the sidewalk walking home from work a couple of years ago.

I once pet a dog that was in an REM video.

[Marky Dread]

Strummer is no doubt the coolest I've met, he was great. Me and a couple of mates got backstage after a Newcastle gig in 2000. We smoked joints and had a few beers from Joe. It was a bit of a blur but I remember chatting about Cut the Crap. I told Joe it was a bit unfairly treated and he seemed to agree, he said there was some good songs buried on there. We also spoke about the extended coda of Inoculated City on Rat Patrol, I think he said it was only bit that they shouldn't have excised. He was much smaller in real life than I'd anticipated.

I met Mick twice in 1986 with BAD, he was great both times, though he took the piss out of my shoes on the second occasion. I also interviewed Mick in 2005 for my mate's college mag, that was a great experience. I posted the interview on the old board, but I think I've lost it now.

Had a piss next to 'Doctor' from Doctor and the Medics, we had a brief chat about the Clash.

Clive. Hope you didn't piss on your shoes while looking up at him.

Barrie Masters would've chinned you back in the day. Ex boxer I think.

I'm an ex-ITV wrestler.

Hesto Nagasaki.

[JennyB]

Sometime in the late 1980s I sat between two dudes from 38 Special on a flight between San Juan, Puerto Rico and Baltimore. We chatted briefly about hamburgers before I put on my walkman & blasted Husker Du for the rest of the flight.

I nodded to Gregg Allman when I passed him on the sidewalk walking home from work a couple of years ago.

I once pet a dog that was in an REM video.

This is my favorite post so far.

[Silent Majority]

Met Mick while with an even bigger legend, Mr M. Dread. Shook the guitarist's hand and wished him the best.

Badgered Shane MacGowan after a gig in Nottingham in 2007.

Gave Shaun Ryder a friendly hello on the Southbank of the Thames outside a pub.

Suggs - my childhood hero - was on the same late night flight back from a cheap holiday in the canaries. I did him the favour of leaving him alone as a thanks for the music.