They say never meet your heroes...

littlegreenman

Sometimes they're wrong. I met Marianne Vos yesterday backstage at Le Tour de France and she was totally charming. The most successful woman in cycling, ever, and she had all the time in the world for this old fan.

57Deluxe

also - Heroes are nearly always really short...

TheMarlin

Nice one. 

I met Pete Townshend once.  Colossal twat. Also met Roger Daltry, he was the exact opposite - nice man. 

I worked in a music venue, had two or three gigs a week.  I regularly hosted the Green Room and VIP bars. I met lots of bands, some experiences that spring to memory...

Jools Holland was utterly charming. 

Mr C from The Shamen - just awful. The ‘unt’ is silent. 

Ian McNabb, played gig to just 12 people, most of whom were close friends I’d got into the gig for free. He got off the stage, and played and sang amongst us. Just the loveliest chap, and a memory i’ll treasure forever. 

Carter USM. Fun guys who seemed very down to earth and genuine. 

Captain Sensible, lovely man. Buy him a beer, he’ll give you all the time in the world. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting him about six times, always a pleasure, always entertaining.

Sky Sunlight Saxon, and the rest of the guys from The Seeds, such fun, courteous, gave me a hug and humous. Awesome live too!
 
and...best memory of the lot.....Voice Of The Beehive.  The girls from VOTBH were sweet, gracious, and funny. They insisted in helping me clean up after a gig, Tracy loved sweeping up, so swept the entire venue out. Such a laugh, very sweet. 

darthed1981

TheMarlin said:

I met Pete Townshend once.  Colossal twat.

Did you ask him when the book is coming out?

jonnyburgo

Great pic @littlegreenman ;I've met Captain Sensible too, absolute big kid at heart, How can he be this enthusiastic after being at it for 40+ years, a real lust for life that fella. Met Mike Watt after a gig, I was a bit starry eyed being a massive fan but again, top guy with an amazing work ethic, he talked about Iggy and of course had to mention D Boon, total motormouth, very cool indeed, I bought him a pint of Stella which he quaffed in about 3 seconds.

Pete Townshend just seems to be a po face old fud, but then he did when he was in his 20's so maybe that's just the way he is..

TheMarlin

darthed1981 said:

TheMarlin said:

I met Pete Townshend once.  Colossal twat.

Did you ask him when the book is coming out?

No, but I have been wondering about that for some considerable time.  It'll probably be out at the same tome as Winona Ryders 'shoplifting' movie.

midlifecrisis

darthed1981 said:

TheMarlin said:

I met Pete Townshend once.  Colossal twat.

Did you ask him when the book is coming out?

probably still needs to do some research

Kittyfrisk

I was unemployed for a while, so helped out in Durham Students Union venue for a few years in the early 80's.
Did loading in & out, security, helping the band's merch people etc. & ended up as unofficial ENTS deputy  
More tales than I can relate here 
We had the Skids playing one night, so I was working there all day.
About an hour before the show started, I saw a bunch of the local punks from my then local, the Wheatsheaf in Bowburn.
WTF are you doing here? I said. 'We're with the band' was the response. 'Yeah right' says I, 'pull the other one'.
Turns out the band had stopped at the nearest place with rooms off the motorway, went for a pint, ended up chatting, then having a game of football with the lads in the street & brought them all to the gig!
We ended back there for a lock in after a great gig and a lovely bunch of blokes the band were too.
Happy, simpler days.

axisus

Always meet your heroes. 
1) if they are cool it is a great experience
2) if they are a nasty git then you might as well know that fact and mark their card appropriately

Fuengi

I met Graeme Souness a couple of years ago, absolutely not a hero of mine but he was absolutely charming. Quite changed my mind. 

FarleyUK

Met Lemmy once - well, actually, Lemmy met me, but that's another story - was very down to earth and no-nonsense.

Also met Cliff Williams from AC/DC - was stoned off his nut, but a really decent chap.

Met Justin Hawkins as well - he's as arrogant as you'd expect (although I think he's mellowed now he's not on the nose candy).

Saxon are a bunch of miserable sods though. Really turned me off their music.

EricTheWeary

FarleyUK said:

Met Lemmy once - well, actually, Lemmy met me, but that's another story - was very down to earth and no-nonsense.

Also met Cliff Williams from AC/DC - was stoned off his nut, but a really decent chap.

Met Justin Hawkins as well - he's as arrogant as you'd expect (although I think he's mellowed now he's not on the nose candy).

Saxon are a bunch of miserable sods though. Really turned me off their music.

I have my,  very old now, story about bumping into members of Saxon and Biff couldn't have been more polite and took time out to take an interest in me. I guess with a lot of these things it depends what mood you catch them in. 

Kittyfrisk

The late John Peel (peace be upon him) once told me to 'fuck off' at a disco he was doing.
Didn't like my suggestion for a track.

rolls1392

Met the lead singer, can't remember his name, of Zig Zig sputnik. 
Not a pleasant experience  however the circumstances didn't help.
They were doing a gig at the local Poly in the early 80's and got caught miming.

fields5069

57Deluxe said:

also - Heroes are nearly always really short...

I wouldn't say he was a hero of mine, in fact cruising around Brighton high street in an open-topped Ferrari is a sure sign of a dick in my book, but Chris Eubank is quite small. Like 5'7" ish.

Philly_Q

57Deluxe said:

also - Heroes are nearly always really short...

It's my standard answer on these threads, but I met Mick Box.  Not exactly a hero but I do like Uriah Heep.  He seemed like a very nice bloke.  And he is indeed really short.

Mark1960

I met both Chaz & Dave having a piss in the students union bar back in the day. Both very nice ordinary blokes.

Mark1960

Also met David Gower in a pub - absolute gent!

Mark1960

Met the above, plus Bob Wilson (motorway service station) Wayne Shelford (Centerparcs)

& Graham Rowntree (also Centerparcs) all within about 18 months. Never met anybody famous before or since!

Alterlifeson

I met Geddy Lee on his recent book signing tour, was a pleasure. There were fans with kids there and he seemed to make time for them all. 

Also met the guys from Alter Bridge outside the Colston Hall, took time to shake our hands and chat, had a quick photo and wished us well. Being a massive Tremonti fan that was quite the moment!

boogieman

Andy Fraser played a gig at a football club near me. I saw the gig listing and thought what, THE Andy Fraser? Why’s he playing a tiny venue in front of a couple of hundred people ?? Turns out he was promoting a protege called Tobi who was signed to his record label. I got to speak to Andy after the gig and he was a lovely guy, put up with all my embarrassing waffle about seeing him with Free.