Brushes with Greatness: Tales of Meeting Musical Icons

Greetings everyone. Today I decided to write about my experiences of meeting some of my idols in the music industry. It all started back in the late 80's and early 90's. I use to hang at a concert venue called Harpos in Detroit. I would go there every weekend to see live bands, I am talking legends like Slayer, Candlebox, Napalm Death, Danzig, Sepultura and April Wine just to name a few. Locals would open these shows as well. Harpos was the place to be. We had a record store in Garden City called Rock of Ages where they would hold meet and greets, as well as many Harmony House Record Stores. This is where I got to meet a lot of my favorite musicians, famous musicians. I never dreamed that I would ever get to meet any of them, but it happened. My actual first famous musicians I ever met was when I was a kid and that was Chubby Checker and Bob Segar. It didn't matter to me back then, but as I got older it did. So I will take you back to 1990, I had a friend from when I was in school who use to be my best friend, his name was Rob. Well Rob after he graduated went and got a job traveling the world doing lights for all the big bands, I am talking Michael Jackson, Motley Crue, Poison, Ratt, Metallica and so many others. Well one day he called me and asked me if I was going to see Poison and Warrant at Joe Louis, and I said I wanted to but didn't get a ticket yet, well he told me grab a ticket don't worry about where you sit. I said ok why. He said when you get there go down to main floor and ask security for Jr. So I said ok. I had no idea what was going on. So I bought tickets. Rob knew that I love Poison and that Bret Michaels had become my favorite singer. So the day came, it was December 2, 1990, I went with my then boyfriend Kurt (my daughter's father) and his little sister Tracy. We got down there and got in, yes we had to buy merch lol but we got down to main floor and I asked the security for Jr. So as we waited for this guy Jr to come, I was still trying to figure out what the hell was going on. As I looked at a guy walking over it was Rob, he was called Jr by the company he worked for I think it was Light and Sound Design, but anyways he walked over and hugged me and preceded to hand me, Tracy and Kurt backstage passes. He told me after the show head to the main floor and they will direct us backstage. I could not hug him enough. My dream of meeting Bret Michaels was happening. So we went to our seats and enjoyed Warrant and Poison. We then went after the show to the main floor along with a bunch of others, mainly women wearing the skimpiest clothing lol.. Yes a lot of groupies. So once we got backstage there was a room with snacks and drinks, they told us all to hang out and that the members of the band would be out soon, they told us sometimes not all of them come back. So we hung out and I ran into a friend of mine and Rob's, Marc, he had gotten a pass from Rob as well. I can not tell you how nervous I was, what would I say? What would I do? Would I fumble my words? Would I not say anything at all? Well the first ones to come out were members of Warrant, we talked to them and hung out, then C.C. Deville came back, the guitarist of Poison he talked for a few and left. Next Rikki Rockett the drummer of Poison came out, we talked to him for about an hour, he was so cool, we talked about music, his favorite bands and just normal everyday stuff. Now mind you back then you didn't have cell phones to capture pictures and you couldn't bring in a camera unless you had a press pass. We were lucky enough that Marc's buddy had just that and got pictures. People started getting upset thinking Bret was not coming out, they started to leave, Kurt said you ready to go and I said no, I know he will come out here. It started to thin out and only a handful stayed. About 30 minutes went by and I could hear foot steps coming down the hall, I turned and looked and my heart went insane, it was him, holy shit I was right Bret Fucking Michaels was coming. He walked in and said hello to everyone. Tracy looked at me and said omg we need to get a picture with him, I said so ask him and she said she was to afraid, so I said ok and I walked up to him and asked him if I could get a hug and a picture, he looked at me and smiled and said of course. That hug was the best hug I ever got, I was in my glory. We got the picture (of course Tracy and I had our hands on Bret's ass lol my fondest memory of Tracy R.I.P.) and Bret started talking to me, and it was weird because I felt comfortable and totally forgot that I was standing with this famous musician. It was like I was meeting a new friend. We talked about his diabetes, he explained to us how everyone would say he was using drugs but it was his insulin, then we talked about life and touring, just normal stuff. It was the best hour of my life. I went home happier then ever. So that is what started my fascination of meeting musicians. After that I got to meet Sebastian Bach of Skid Row at the record store, total hottie, but very snotty. I met Pantera, yes I am talking Phil, Rex, Dimebag and Vinnie Paul. A memory I will never forget, Dimebag and Vinnie were two of the nicest musicians I have met. R.I.P to them both. I met Glen Danzig another douche musician. One of the funniest and friendliest musicians I met was Rob Halford of Judas Priest when he had his band called Fight. We stood in line with my oldest son, my daughter and my husband at the time Jason for hours waiting to meet Rob Halford. His band was playing Harpos that night. So as we were standing there and my daughter was like 2 she was running around yelling slayer dude holding up the metal sign with her hand, she actually ended up in a rock magazine, they asked for my permission to take her picture lol... any ways so we are standing outside the door we were like 4th in line and next thing you know someone comes over and said you guys can come in, and they stopped everyone else. We got in and there he is the legend himself Rob Halford, well it turns out Rob had us come in and he looked at my son and said what is your name and he said Justin (he was like 6 at the time), and he said well hello Justin, do you know who I am and Justin said yes and started singing Breaking the law lol Rob laughed and said you know what Justin and shook his hand, He said you can have anything in our merch that you want. Justin smiled and said he only wanted the poster, Rob said okay grabbed the poster and they all signed it, he then handed Justin an album cover and a shirt. We all got their autographs and they all hugged my daughter Kira. Justin looked at him and said thank you very much. Rob looked at him and smiled and said you are very welcome and keep singing Justin, you are good at it, it was nice meeting you sir. Justin smiled and said you to. We went and seen Fight that night complimentary tickets from Rob Halford and the Radio station that was hosting it. My next cool moment was we were at Harpo's again watching Flotsam and Jetsam, Jason Newsted's (former bassist of Metallica) old band as we partied at the table with pitchers of beer (they were only .75 cent pitchers) a guy came over with a pitcher and gave it to me and my friend. He started talking to us like a normal dude, he was a tall bald guy, he was talking about how awesome it was to be hanging out watching Flotsam and how he loved playing with them back in the day. We were like oh that is cool, and just conversing. Well he walked away and we were like what a nice guy to give us a pitcher of beer, he was pretty cool, as we are saying this hear comes the guys (our friends we went there with, my husband at the time and her boyfriend) and they look at us and said do you have any idea who you guys were just hanging with? We were both like no just some guy who bought us a pitcher and they were all like NO that was Jason Newsted Metallica's bassist, the old bassist of Flotsam, we were like no way that guy was bald Jason has long hair. They started laughing and said no Jason shaved his head. We were literally shocked here we were hanging out with the legend Newsted and had no clue lol we walked by him a few times and waved and noticed yep it was him. Hanging at Harpo's you could meet all the bands because a lot of them would be cool enough to walk around. But in 2000 all my meeting famous musicians was put on hold, I moved to Northern Michigan. I never thought I would have the opportunities again until I started going to Streeters in Traverse City, I met Josey Scott of Saliva, I met Mushroomhead, I met Enuff Znuff, LA Guns, I met Bret Michaels more times living up here than I have living down in the Detroit area lol. The one time I got to go on stage with Bret and of course got a hug, and he seen my tattoo on my hand which is a dedication tattoo for him (music note) and he looked at me and said we are kindred souls. Oh how I loved hearing that lol. I remember being so excited to go see Testament at Streeters, I had to be in the front row and had to be right in front of my favorite guitarist Alex Skolnick and favorite bassist Greg Christian. Testament my favorite thrash band. When I say favorite guitarist and bassist I mean of all time. Well I made my way to the front and boy did I sing and headbang. I was standing there looking up and in my mind saying holy I am so close to them, so close that Alex reached down opened my hand and put his guitar pick in my hand. Well after the show we were standing around and Greg Christian walked out into the bar area, my heart dropped I was like holy shit, I need to get a picture with him, me being me and having no fear of talking to famous musicians I walked right up and said can we get a picture with you and he smiled and said sure. So I got that picture, after that the band who opened we knew them and they said hey want to meet Testament, my heart dropped and I was like YES. I was really hoping to meet Alex but he was not back there. I got to meet Chuck Billy the singer and of course formally met Greg. I talked to Greg for a few and then we left. About 3 months after this I became friends with Greg on Facebook. We chatted every now and then while he was on tour through messenger until one day he sent me a text and the rest is history. My favorite bassist became my best friend. We talk just about everyday to this day. I have had his other bands here to play and I got to hang with him for a few days. Yes people you can become friends with your favorites lol. I think I will leave you all hanging until my next blog because it will contain more famous musicians that I have met, along with how I started doing all age shows and hosting National bands. Until next time. Peace, Love and Rock N Roll

Mickey

Me, Bret and Tracy 12/02/90 all of us with Bret and Rikki Rockett and my backstage pass. Then Testament Me and Janelle with Greg Christian. The pic of me with Bret from Streeters the pick he handed me while on stage also me getting a hug on stage. Also Alex and the pick he gave me. Mushroomhead, Enuff Znuff, Bullet Boys