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Location: nashville | I saw JB at the Ryman about 18 mo. ago. just him a piano and about 2 dozen guitars on stage.
No set list just people shooting out songs and he would pick one. Me and 2 others hung around the tour bus after the show for an autograph he didnt sign anything. When I presented my guitar strap and sharpe he said. "No I dont do that".
So lets just say there is one less Jackson Browne fan, at least when I comes to me buying any new album or concert ticket.
Same Goes for Peter Frampton almost the exact story. |
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Location: Scotland | I fail to see how refusing to sign an autograph makes someone a jerk. Playing devil's advocate, some people might consider asking for an autograph to be somewhat jerk-like.
A lot of celebs don't sign autographs because there are professional autograph hounds out there who just want to sell them to make a fast buck, or use them to provide provenance for an artefact unassociated with the celeb in question, so rather than have a genuine fan potentialy ripped-off down the line, they just don't do it. And that's OK. Some do, some don't
I was at a Jackson Browne/David Lindley gig a few years ago and an old aquantance was running the FOH board. He invited us backstage after the show ane we were introduced to both of them. Lindley was clearly tired and dissappeared but JB hung around for a while and we talked about vintage Gibson Roy Smeck guitars, tunings, pickups and a bunch of other stuff. He was friendly, talkative and gracious. But I didn't overstay my welcome, and I certainly didn't ask for an autograph. |
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Location: SoCal | Temp, tell 'em about John Stewart..... |
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Location: Utah | Recently in Guitar World magazine there was an article written by a guy who accompanied Jimmy Page on a trip to the Hall of Fame. He wrote that there were bunches of kids with guitar pickguards asking Jimmy to autograph them. Apparently the kids then go home and attach the pickguards to guitars and claim the guitar was owned or played or something by Page, and they sell them.
Kind of like pro ball players. A lot of times the autographed ball ends up on eBay right away.
So I don't blame a star for not autographing something. Though I would expect them to sign one of their albums or other merch I just bought from them.
I've not met a lot of famous people, and none were an outright jerk. |
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Location: Vernon CT | One thing I have always refused to do whether a Musician, Athelete or Actor/Actress is to bother them. They desereve privacy to.
I once ran into Geno Auriemma the UCONN Womens Basketball coach at a Mobil station in Bolton CT. (He lives in Manchester. Bolton is the next town over on the way to Storrs)) You could tell he was tierd and when our eyes met I only nooded my head and smiled. You could tell he appreciated me not "Bothering" him. |
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| You also have to consider that when these guys spend their lives around a lot of people who are constantly telling them how great they are, they start to believe it.
My approach to most famous people I've encountered was simply to ignore them, or nod to them if I pass them at sound check. There might be a handful of authors I'd be interested in engaging in conversation; absolutely no entertainers of any sort fall into this category. |
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Location: Nashville TN. | Originally posted by FlySig:
Recently in Guitar World magazine there was an article written by a guy who accompanied Jimmy Page on a trip to the Hall of Fame. He wrote that there were bunches of kids with guitar pickguards asking Jimmy to autograph them. Apparently the kids then go home and attach the pickguards to guitars and claim the guitar was owned or played or something by Page, and they sell them.
Kind of like pro ball players. A lot of times the autographed ball ends up on eBay right away.
So I don't blame a star for not autographing something. Though I would expect them to sign one of their albums or other merch I just bought from them.
I've not met a lot of famous people, and none were an outright jerk. Bosephus doesn't sigh thing anymore becausr turns up on ebay. |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | I've met plenty and most were down to earth and friendly, particularly if you're part of the show. Even some divas with reputations for having an attitude were o.k. behind the scenes. It only takes a few burns to be cautious with fans you're not performing in front of or where you do not not have absolute control over the situation. The biggest jerk I ever personally met was a professional baseball player named Bill "Moose" Skowron. Maybe he was just having an off day. |
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Location: nashville | I totally get the pick guard-ebay thing, I have seen artist refuse those, but sign other stuff. I'm sure JB,PF are overall a ok guys, I just see a difference between the artist that come out to sign autographs for the little people waiting by the bus and the guy that walks by 3 people on the way to the bus. That strap was singed by other before the JB show and I did say this was my personal strap.
Recently saw Sister Hazel warm up Train and SH came out to the T-Shirt booth after thier set to met and greet the folks. I know not every artist can do that. |
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Location: ms | Hes got my old Roy Smeck. |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | by Paul Templeman:
I fail to see how refusing to sign an autograph makes someone a jerk. Playing devil's advocate, some people might consider asking for an autograph to be somewhat jerk-like. Back in Oct/Nov 1978 I talked with John Lennon three-or-four times on Bleecker Street in NYC.
He actually crossed the street to talk to us after the first time we met, and we always asked him for spare change, which he didn't have. (All's I got is Plastic)
But each time we talked for fifteen minutes or more.
I Never asked him for an Autograph!
Which may have something to do with why he would cross-over to talk to us.
People asked me "Why didn't you get his autograph?"
"What would I do with it? Stick it in my wallet and lose it?"
"No... You could Sell it!" was always their response.
[BTW- Once we did end-up in the corner market at the same time and Mr. Lennon put our beer and cigarette purchases on his store account. So I guess he eventually did give us some change.] |
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Location: South Windsor Connecticut | I catered a concert for the Beach Boys and I thought they were "least friendly" of them all. Not only to me and the staff but to the fans as well. |
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Location: los angeles | I sat at a table with JB at a party. Couldn't have been nicer. I didn't ask him for an autograph. Oddly enough, when I was a wee lad, I met Gordon Lightfoot. He clearly did not want to be bothered, bordering on rude. |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Gordon Lightfoot has.....a bit of a reputation.
When getting a lifetime achievement award up here he would accept it on camera only if Bob Dylan handed it to him.....because he's the 'Canadian equivalent' don'cha know? Bob obliged.
Most stories about rude acts say more about the complainer though, IME. Met a star in the 80's once who I thought was quite a jerk to me...until it was pointed out I was quite...um, altered, at the time. (it WAS the 80s) |
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Location: enid, ok | I guess I've been blessed. I've met Steve Morse on a couple of occasions, he's very fan friendly. I've had a beer with Allan Holdsworth and his band, and the guys from Rush. Saw Joe Bonamassa a few years back, after the show he's back with the folks selling t-shirts and the like, making sure it's the right size, buy a shirt or cd, get a free dvd, signed everything, the whole band did. Johnny A was very engaging as well. No Rudy Rude-a$$ stories from me. |
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Location: Newington, CT | Originally posted by ProfessorBB:
I've met plenty and most were down to earth and friendly, particularly if you're part of the show. Even some divas with reputations for having an attitude were o.k. behind the scenes. It only takes a few burns to be cautious with fans you're not performing in front of or where you do not not have absolute control over the situation. The biggest jerk I ever personally met was a professional baseball player named Bill "Moose" Skowron. Maybe he was just having an off day. I had a very positive experience with the Moose. He signed autogaphs for a long time at a charity golf tournament in CT years ago. He must have been having a bad day for you. It happens.
I personally have NEVER turned down an autograph request... |
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Location: CA | I've not met that many famous musicians, but all the ones I have were fine, at least when you consider they didn't know me from Adam.
I had a friend who used to book acts. His least favorite 'star' was Yngwie Malmsteen (or however you spell it) who thought he was god's gift but in fact was a total jerk. His favorite? Van Morrison, who I understand also has a bit of a 'reputation'. The gig was an early afternoon show followed by another later that evening. After the first show, Morrison comes up to my buddy and says, "Where can you get a good hot dog in this town?" "Come with me," says Gee, my buddy. The two of them ended up spending the whole afternoon drinking beer and talking about everything under the sun. Gee finally looked at his watch and said it was time to go back for the evening show. As they're pulling up to the auditorium, just before he gets out of the car, Morrison turns to Gee and says, "Who the hell are you, anyway?" Ha ha ha.
Long as we're on the subject (and I'm in a blabbing mood), had another friend I went to high school with who ended up as a DJ in Vegas for years. He used to get free passes to all the shows and usually got to meet the performers. The biggest jerk? Sorry: Glen Campbell. The coolest guy, with charisma exponentially greater than anyone else? Elvis. Haven't seen Steve in awhile but I'm sure he still has the blown-to-lifesize photo of him and the King standing together backstage. |
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Location: Whitecourt, Ab | I was helping out with security for a concert in Calgary, twenty-some years ago, and met Sid Viscous, but he kept falling asleep, so I spit on him... |
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Location: Location Location Location | I must be the jerk. Celebrities have avoided me like the plague.
Re: Jackson Browne. My brother was a conductor on the Long Island Railroad and met Jackson Browne traveling to NYC. They spoke for about half an hour, and my brother said he was the nicest, down to earth guy in the world. Everyone's got their own perspective I guess. |
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Location: Nashville TN. | Originally posted by ProfessorBB:
I've met plenty and most were down to earth and friendly, particularly if you're part of the show. Even some divas with reputations for having an attitude were o.k. behind the scenes. It only takes a few burns to be cautious with fans you're not performing in front of or where you do not not have absolute control over the situation. The biggest jerk I ever personally met was a professional baseball player named Bill "Moose" Skowron. Maybe he was just having an off day. Overall that was my expirence as well.
I had issues with Ace Freilly |
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Location: Nashville TN. | Originally posted by TOPDOGJIM:
I catered a concert for the Beach Boys and I thought they were "least friendly" of them all. Not only to me and the staff but to the fans as well. I was treated great by them.
Then again I was there with a friend of Mike Kowalski. |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Not having met any musical artists of renown other than some of the OFC, I'd have to say Joe Cocker on stage! |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | I have had the good fortune to meet many personalities over the years...most were at least cordial and some were outright friendly...and one or two were having a bad day...but, ya know, I was on the road and playing live music for nearly 18 years straight...I can guarantee there were days I was not in the best mood for whatever reason...I took treating folks nicely very seriously but I'm only human...so who am I to rag someone because they didn't do something I thought they should...I can't and won't do it... |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Anne and Nancy refuse to return my calls. Had their numbers changed 13 times and don't even talk to me about that Court Order thingy...
Seriously though, I can't say that I have never been "less than cordial" or narrowly escaped having my mug shot taken at 3:00a.m. following a too long day of bad decisions.
I do know a certain OFCer that wore his C.F. Martin shirt to an OFC Tour though... |
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Location: nashville | Glad to know Jackson Bronwe is not a Jerk. Did get to meet Gordon Lightfoot about 2 yrs ago at a Chattanooga show. Before the show I ask one of the road guys if Gordon signed after the shows. they said yes but I was able to crash the meet and greet and got my strap signed. Seemed nice enough for an old guy. Good show took his voice a couple of tunes to warm up but once he got going still sounded perrty good esp for his age. |
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Biggest JERK Artist your ever met.
