Memories,Meetings,Memorabilia and the story and pictures behind them.

Bump to shake some more stories loose. 

Yeah! Stories please

My 1st time meeting a member of the band was kinda unusual... 

So even though I'm not sure of the exact date, this was Bay Area/San Francisco, sometime between April-May, 1993. Up until '92, I'd seen and heard the singles from Ten and seen mostly the Alive video, and please don't judge me but I wasn't that impacted by it. And I had a pet peeve at the time of "musicians playing their hair live like it's an instrument", so any video with a lot of hair swinging, I just didn't really pay attention. Sorry, we all have our quirks!

But then the Spin magazine with Ed on the cover standing near a fence, I read that interview. And I was incredibly impressed with the balance PJ was trying to strike of being true to music and values and fans but not becoming "rockstars".  So at least I found the people very interesting, was still undecided about the music.

So then it's April/May 1993 and my boyfriend, my sister and some friends go to see Fugazi in San Franciso.  My little sister is already a MEGA PJ fan, so we're watching the show from near the back when she realizes Stone is standing at the sound board and she is totally kerfuffled because he's her favorite band member. Her story is hers to tell but she talks to him, I think for what would become the 1st of many times, and he's super cool and she's over the moon.  During that convo he mentions to her that Eddie is there.  When she comes back ot us she shares this info.

I scan the crowd for the rest of the show keeping an eye out for him but I don't see him. Once the show is over, my boyfriend (who obviously knows me well and knows I have a lot of friends in other bands & was fine with it, but didn't like the waiting part if there was someone I wanted to talk to) is immediately suspicious and asks "Why aren't we leaving? Let's go!" Me, intently scanning crowd, "Just a minute, one more minute...." and then I see him, standing with just one other woman talking, near the stage on the side in the GA where apparently he'd been moshing the whole show. NO ONE else is around him.  Also by then, I'd read a few more interviews and knew that the "OMG IT'S PJ!" or "OMG IT'S EDDIE VEDDER!!!" was just a hard no, but that wouldn't have been my approach anyway, but I was extra careful not to be intrusive if possible.

So I walk up quietly, don't say anything and after a moment they both realize someone is standing there and they wrap up their conversation and he turns, and I go straight into the Spin interview and ask if it's ok to ask him a few questions about the album they're recording, because they'd recently wrapped recording Vs.  He says sure.  This detail is important: he has his back to the stage, facing the more and more empty room, and I've got my back to the room, facing him and the stage.

So I start asking him questions, mainly I wonder how if they're trying not to be rockstars, what is it like recording at Keith Richards's studio, which I have to imagine has rockstar energy throughout? He gets DEEP into how he's approaching it, what it's been like, it was fascinating, of course I wish I remembered it all but I don't because somewhere along the way I was like "Oh, wow, I'm having a real conversation here, ok, focus, focus..."  We kept talking and it was going fine, and thank goodness my boyfriend didn't come over and drag me away LOL!  Then as we keep talking about a number of things, his face starts to change.  His eyes get bigger and bigger, he looks a bit more and more tense, and I get worried.  Uh oh, what did I do?  Am I scaring htis guy? He's starting to look scared!  But he continues to talk, asks me a couple of questions, tells me it's likely they'll play a secret show and tells me the name of the band that will probably be their fake name, and I finally say "Well this is been amazing, thank you so much for talking to me", and he's super gracious and says a kind goodbye.

And then I turn around to walk away.

And only then do I realize, that where there was NO ONE around when I went up to him and probably for the 1st part of talking to him, what he was realizing was that people were starting ot line up, in a very quiet but longer and longer and LONGER line, to talk to him.  No one was rushing or crowding or even talking, so I had no idea it was happening or I wouldn't have talked for so long. the line was REALLY LONG!  So I really felt for him and never forgot how kind he was to not end it even though - remember this is '92-'93 Ed, so reserved and so trying NOT to call attention to himself, yet there he was watching person after person get in line to talk to him. But I guess Fugazi fans are very chill and I can only assume it's because people were quiet and orderly and not pushy or yelling that he himself didn't run away! I think he actually said hello to each person from what I heard later. 

I had to go because my boyfriend was OVER it LOL!

The post-script is that I did find out about the show, it was what turned out to be the Slims May '93 show, but then eventually a local music reporter let the cat out of the bag and everyone knew. It got so crowded at Slims that there was a big chance it would be cancelled, but they did go through with it.  Was I there? No, because when I told my boyfriend I wanted us to go or at least I go if he didn't want to, he was all upset and we argued about it for so long I missed the show.  But some great lifelong PJ friendships did get made at that show, which I get to benefit from those I knew who were there, and it's ok, I got to see some great ones later.  So that's my story, no things to show for it although I may still have the Fugazi stub somewhere...

My 1st show was later that year, Oct in San Francisco, and I was front and center in the GA pit and needless to say I was more than a convert after that. Been a major fan ever since although I got out of the loop for some years (and lost my totally excellent TenClub # :( ).  Had some crazy experiences too, crazy wonderful, and am truly grateful.  And me and the boyfriend broke up in '95, not because of PJ, but because I moved back to the east coast. Still friends to this day, went to his wedding and love his wife, super cool woman. So no, PJ did not break us up

Thanks, I'm a failure at brevity but it was an interesting start to being the longtime fan I've been.

It is amazing, when you're lucky to do it/get it, to have a physical symbol of a really special interaction or event or experience. I totally get why the pics and autographs are so meaningful to so many. 

Buuuummmm p

NEweather said:

Please, more stories.  those "unexpected encounters" - so fun to read! 

Well, since you namechecked "unexpected encounters" in particular...

A funny one was me on a road trip cross country in '97.  While I'm a big giant PJ fan by then, I didn't know personal stuff about the band, like where each member was from or lived.  So I'm driving through Montana and stop in Missoula, had never been to that part of US ever before.  I see in a local paper that amazing artist Richard Thompson is playing University of Missoula that day I got there, try to buy a ticket, students only.  But then students offer me a face value ticket, cool, I can go.  

At the show it was the intermission between the opener and Richard Thompson, and I was walking from the balcony level down stairs to the lobby when I see a familiar face and a little crowd around the familiar face.  As soon as I see the face I'm like "Wait, I know him... but how?  Who do I know in Montana? I don't know anyone in Montana!" As I walk closer to the little crowd I'm still like "Did we go to high school together?  College?" and I kind of walk up to the guy ready to say "Hey, I know I know you but where do we know each other from??" until at the very last moment as he looks at me and my mouth opens I go "OH.... OH! Ok, well, I was just about to ask you if we went to high school together but I think I know how I know you!"  Jeff smiled because we had met at a couple of PJ shows before that but he was so out of context for me I was just like "Ooooh, someone familiar! Let me go say hi!"  He was super cool, the little crowd around him was very nice, and everyone had a very nice little conversation.  And the rest of the show was great!

JH6056 said:

NEweather said:

Please, more stories.  those "unexpected encounters" - so fun to read! 

Well, since you namechecked "unexpected encounters" in particular...

A funny one was me on a road trip cross country in '97.  While I'm a big giant PJ fan by then, I didn't know personal stuff about the band, like where each member was from or lived.  So I'm driving through Montana and stop in Missoula, had never been to that part of US ever before.  I see in a local paper that amazing artist Richard Thompson is playing University of Missoula that day I got there, try to buy a ticket, students only.  But then students offer me a face value ticket, cool, I can go.  

At the show it was the intermission between the opener and Richard Thompson, and I was walking from the balcony level down stairs to the lobby when I see a familiar face and a little crowd around the familiar face.  As soon as I see the face I'm like "Wait, I know him... but how?  Who do I know in Montana? I don't know anyone in Montana!" As I walk closer to the little crowd I'm still like "Did we go to high school together?  College?" and I kind of walk up to the guy ready to say "Hey, I know I know you but where do we know each other from??" until at the very last moment as he looks at me and my mouth opens I go "OH.... OH! Ok, well, I was just about to ask you if we went to high school together but I think I know how I know you!"  Jeff smiled because we had met at a couple of PJ shows before that but he was so out of context for me I was just like "Ooooh, someone familiar! Let me go say hi!"  He was super cool, the little crowd around him was very nice, and everyone had a very nice little conversation.  And the rest of the show was great!

( " Oh... OH! ..." -Good one!  Wow! )

JH6056 said:

NEweather said:

Please, more stories.  those "unexpected encounters" - so fun to read! 

Well, since you namechecked "unexpected encounters" in particular...

A funny one was me on a road trip cross country in '97.  While I'm a big giant PJ fan by then, I didn't know personal stuff about the band, like where each member was from or lived.  So I'm driving through Montana and stop in Missoula, had never been to that part of US ever before.  I see in a local paper that amazing artist Richard Thompson is playing University of Missoula that day I got there, try to buy a ticket, students only.  But then students offer me a face value ticket, cool, I can go.  

At the show it was the intermission between the opener and Richard Thompson, and I was walking from the balcony level down stairs to the lobby when I see a familiar face and a little crowd around the familiar face.  As soon as I see the face I'm like "Wait, I know him... but how?  Who do I know in Montana? I don't know anyone in Montana!" As I walk closer to the little crowd I'm still like "Did we go to high school together?  College?" and I kind of walk up to the guy ready to say "Hey, I know I know you but where do we know each other from??" until at the very last moment as he looks at me and my mouth opens I go "OH.... OH! Ok, well, I was just about to ask you if we went to high school together but I think I know how I know you!"  Jeff smiled because we had met at a couple of PJ shows before that but he was so out of context for me I was just like "Ooooh, someone familiar! Let me go say hi!"  He was super cool, the little crowd around him was very nice, and everyone had a very nice little conversation.  And the rest of the show was great!

That's awesome, I recently asked the lady behind the deli counter, I know you, how do I know you??  I can't imagine saying that to a rock star.  Great story.

PureandEasy said:

JH6056 said:

NEweather said:

Please, more stories.  those "unexpected encounters" - so fun to read! 

Well, since you namechecked "unexpected encounters" in particular...

A funny one was me on a road trip cross country in '97.  While I'm a big giant PJ fan by then, I didn't know personal stuff about the band, like where each member was from or lived.  So I'm driving through Montana and stop in Missoula, had never been to that part of US ever before.  I see in a local paper that amazing artist Richard Thompson is playing University of Missoula that day I got there, try to buy a ticket, students only.  But then students offer me a face value ticket, cool, I can go.  

At the show it was the intermission between the opener and Richard Thompson, and I was walking from the balcony level down stairs to the lobby when I see a familiar face and a little crowd around the familiar face.  As soon as I see the face I'm like "Wait, I know him... but how?  Who do I know in Montana? I don't know anyone in Montana!" As I walk closer to the little crowd I'm still like "Did we go to high school together?  College?" and I kind of walk up to the guy ready to say "Hey, I know I know you but where do we know each other from??" until at the very last moment as he looks at me and my mouth opens I go "OH.... OH! Ok, well, I was just about to ask you if we went to high school together but I think I know how I know you!"  Jeff smiled because we had met at a couple of PJ shows before that but he was so out of context for me I was just like "Ooooh, someone familiar! Let me go say hi!"  He was super cool, the little crowd around him was very nice, and everyone had a very nice little conversation.  And the rest of the show was great!

That's awesome, I recently asked the lady behind the deli counter, I know you, how do I know you??  I can't imagine saying that to a rock star.  Great story.

I think Jeff found it pretty funny too, because I told him exactly what I was thinking.

That's actually happened to me with a couple of famous actors too.  

But one time I knew who I was looking at but almost TOTALLY embarrassed myself in front of, I was in a mask store in New Orleans and there was this BEAUTIFUL man (with his model-looking girlfriend) in the store, and I realized when I heard him speak that it was Gerard Butler (300, Olympus Has Fallen, other films). I thought I'd be funny and go up to him and ask him - as if I didn't realize it was really him - if people mistake him for him. BUT I'm also an idiot and because he's Australian, the name in my head was Russell Crowe, not Gerard Butler, so I was about to go up to him and say "Hey, do people tell you all the time that you look like Russell Crowe?"  Which, no, he doesn't, and also how rude and obnoxious does that sound!  I was totally going to go up to him and say it but his cell phone rang, and he left the store to take the call.  The moment he walked out, I think everyone in the store realized everyone else was waiting for the right moment to talk to him and now everyone was disappointed.

Thank goodness I didn't get to say it, cuz wow that would be awful!

When I paid for my mask and left the store, as I walked down the street I saw Gerard Butler in a doorway on his phone. He looked up, smiled and nodded his head at me, and I almost collapsed LOL! I just waved hi and walked really fast away.

I guess I just really like putting my foot in my mouth in front of famous people...