..jerks.

Well, perhaps "jerks" is too strong of a word for when I met the Posies recently, before and after their show. But when you you've been a fan for 15 years like I have, bought all their albums (and side projects, etc), and finally meet them in person to thank them for all the great music they've done and to congradulate them on the great show and in return they look bored...
...(long sentence, I know) it's disheartening.

It's not like I followed them around and pestered them, but it's like they really could care less for my kind words.

I know, rock stars are human and have egos and are prone to bad moods now and then. But after you've put your heroes on a pedestal for so long and they come across as, well, JERKS, you want to not listen to their music for a long, long time.

Pretty depressing.

That sucks.
Sorry to hear that experience.

I've been lucky to meet a few people I admire and, thankfully, all have been very gracious.

That is just a bummer of a story, sensei.

That's why it's best to enjoy the show, and then blow out of there, still high as a kite.

Thats why I turned down a chance to meet greg dulli on two occassions...ive heard conflicting stories on his personality, and didnt want to chance it and be dissapointed.

When I saw the Cure a few years back, it's funny.. I got to meet the band, and the keyboard player (name I can t recall) was a atotal tool, but Robert Smith was very gracious and friendly. Really got chipper when I told him my favorite CD was 'Head on the Door'.

Besides meeting Morphine and Primus at a Horde Festival meet & greet, I haven't met a whole lot of people besides the ones that play club shows or basement shows at Sokol in Omaha. All of these people have been cool, but don't really seem to into being fawned over by fans all that much.

From my experiences at my job, I have always happened to have the opposite of my expectations. We book alot of mainstream talent that I don't happen to enjoy listening to, but in person most of these people are very nice to me when I handle a meet&greet for them or am assisting in the concert set-up. It makes it harder to despise their work after they are so polite. Train is the greatest example of this.

I wouldn't mind hearing this story.

fp

The Posies didn't seem very gracious, sadly.

I wish I never went to the show. Great show, but the other experience of meeting them ruined it for me.

I guess it's best that I try not to meet my musical heroes anymore.

How long did you spend thanking them? Did you ramble? Were they surrounded by other people? Who had spoken to them prior to you approaching? How long after the show did you speak to them? Did the entire band act bored? Did you approach each member separately? What sort of setting was it?

Not to defend them, but your music heroes are people too. They might be tired, moody, etc. Of course, you're gonna find assholes in every music corner of the world. But, in my experience, waiting to talk to a band has mostly been good. Talking to them about something other than "oh my god, you're my favourite band in the whole wide world" is better received.

Just sayin'...

as much as i adore ani difranco, i really don't think i want to meet her.

I haven't seen/heard anything to the contrary that Beth Orton and DJ Shadow are good people.

I've met DJ Shadow twice -- nice guy each time. Took the time to chat to his fans, sign stuff and hang out.

Others:

Joey Ramone - very cool, although he refused to take pictures with anyone.

Gene Simmons - no comment.

Sebastian Bach - great the first few times, then no comment.

Tori Amos - very sweet.

David Bowie - super friendly.

Marilyn Manson - very very nice. who woulda thunk.

P.Diddy - walked past a bunch of us at a show, and said 'shout out' to almost everyone he passed. i consider that meeting him. lol

Perry Farrel - saw him at a radiohead show. he was standing at the back door. asked if we enjoyed the show as we walked out.

Howard Stern - didnt actually meet him. walk passed him at a Barnes and Noble. he was with his daughter, so I didnt bug him, but i gave him a friendly nod, and he nodded back, kind of as saying, thanks for not making a scene here as he was with his kid.

bout 1000 different rock/metal band members - nobody stood out as being a jerk. for the most part, everyone is cool.\


hmm, theres mre..but i gots work to do.

Oh, and I'm amused by all the wonderful things said about Rob Zombie.

it's probably the underarm hair, right?

No. She'd prolly hit on our lovely Jengersnap. And let me tell you - Ani's no M. Gyllenhaal. She's nice, but still a greasy, swarthy wop.

By the by, I find Ms DiFranco quite a stellar beauty.

And if I weren't to have a penis, I would be able to fuh.

Richard Lloyd (Television/Matthew Sweet): Interviewed him. Was a good interview and gave me thoughtful answers.

Jonathan Richman: Very nice, but a difficult interview.

Nash Kato (Urge Overkill): Nicer than you'd expect. Just a regular guy, when he let himself drop the Rock Star thing.

Blackie Onasis (Urge): A sweetheart

Jim Ellison (Material Issue): A very sweet guy. I was very sad the day I heard.

Pat Metheney: Gracious

Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs/Kansas/Deep Purple): Stunningly nice. Met him at the NAMM show when I was 16 and he invited me to take a walk with him and talk guitar. Gave me some very useful advice about playing (always practice with a metronome), and was just plain cool.

Larry Damore (Bophal Stiffs/Pegboy): Physically intimidating, extremely nice.

Neil Schon (Journey/Santana): A complete tool.

this is why i've avoided meeting many music heroes. i've actually crossed streets to not run into them. whenever i meet them, though, i'm usually out in public like a record store. and i don't like interfering with anyone's record shopping, so i usually just say "hi" and leave it at that. then there's not enough time for them to be a jerk.

like, i saw jeff tweedy at the record store in my neighborhood a few months ago and we just kinda nodded "hello" from across the aisle.

one of the radio stations in town is offering a meet-and-greet with depeche mode when they come through town, but my friend who works there said it's going to be lame because there is apparently no photo op available. then again, that may not be the band's decision and rather some manager or whomever.

The key is to get drunk beforehand and not say a word but just hug them and run off. My old band opened up for a band, and one of their members was a former member of this other band I dug. I don't remember quite how it went, but I hugged two of them to raise the odds that I hugged the right one.

Saw Porno For Pyros on their first tour in '93; while Mercury Rev was playing I looked up and Perry was standing right in front of me. He ended up talking to me and a few others for about five minutes. Nice guy, pretty out of it....

Was standing outside smoking when Henry Rollins opened up for the Beastie Boys at Georgia State in the early 90's....Looked down the corridor and there is Rollins in his bare chest and feet outside in the freezing cold stretching. I yelled his name and he came over and talked to a few people standing there; seemed really nice; intense.

A few others but those stood out as two dudes who you might think would be dicks who were pretty nice.

I've met many bands before, but as far as musical "hero" is concerned, I met John Taylor of Duran Duran once, very briefly, about 3 years ago. He was on his way out of the venue, and I asked him to sign something for me. He did stop to sign it, which was nice, but he wasn't very chit-chatty and seemed rarin' to get the fuck outta dodge. I guess that's not really rude, but not super friendly either. I must admit, he was very tall and he smelled wonderful. I have a feeling any of the other guys in Duran Duran (aside from the lecherous Simon le Bon) would be very nice upon meeting. I've heard Nick Rhodes is super friendly with people.

a guy i used to work with knows them. he auditioned to play guitar for them in the late 80s and didn't get the gig, but they liked him and have kept in touch since. so, i'd say they sound pretty nice.

Mmm...wonderful smelling boys.

Aural, you don't even know.... I'm standing there, gazing up at this 6'2" guy, who is nattily dressed, smelling wonderful and looking just as divine as he did about 20 years ago (albeit with a few more wrinkles now). But goddamn, why do men get better with age???

The Toadies: All awesome. My roommate at the time actually traded shirts with Todd while I tried to convince the drummer to go to a titty bar with us.

Dickie Barrett (Mighty Mighty Bosstones): Really cool and accommodating to a decent sized crowd in the lobby after the show.

Will Johnson (Centro-Matic): Super nice, quiet, down to earth. We traded Budweisers for a couple hours.

John Vanderslice: Very nice guy, seemed somewhat determined to avoid the superfans. I talked to him for a half hour or so, but I don't really like his music, so maybe that was my allure.

I also got a demo tape and some posters from Three Six Mafia from the trunk of a car once (Wu-Tang Style!), but I have no idea if it was one of the actual members or not.