Year: 2012

Life

Today Was A Good Day

I took a drive over to the South Side of Easton today. A place where I had spent the first twenty years of my life. An area that no matter where life takes me will always be “home” to me.

It was a beautiful Spring day. The sun was shining and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Nothing but a deep shade of blue as far as the eye could see. I got off the highway exit and onto South Side proper a man on a mission.

With windows rolled down and the 80’s on 8 station blaring “I Can’t Hold Back” from Survivor it may have seemed a bit apropos but all things considered I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. I pulled into the parking lot of the local pizza shop named Pino’s. One of the last true remaining food joints in South Side.

Growing up in the late 70’s and early 80’s we had places like Barney’s and Hucks for cheese steaks, Lucy’s for penny candy and Brother Brights Soul Food Store for the more acquired taste. Sadly, the proprietors of those establishments have long since gone on to their great reward. The only one that still remains a fixture of South Easton is Pino’s Pizza.

The shop has been called “Pino’s” for as long as I can remember and is still the only place in the area where you can get a real pizza that isn’t from one of those faux pizza places like Dominos or Papa Johns.

Pino’s sits as part of strip mall next to a grocery store. A place where as a child you would grab a slice while waiting for your parents to finish grocery shopping, which I did on numerous occasions.

Over the course of my lifetime its gone through several owners and at least three remodels but as far as I’m concerned, as long as it keeps the Pino’s name and location it will forever be associated with me.

As I got out of my car and made my way to the door I could hear off in the distance the sound of lawn mowers humming along at the housing development nearby. The sound of which reminded me of all the spring days I spent as a teenager covered in grass and gasoline mowing lawns while accumulating money to grab a slice and a Coke at Pino’s.

I walked inside and saw two people who, like me are synonymous with South Side. We’ve been friends since elementary school and try to get together every so often just to catch up. And of course, our rendezvous point is Pino’s. Oh sure, we chat regularly via email and the social networks but there’s just something about being face to face in a familiar place that’s nostalgic. Especially a place where you spent your own childhood.

It amazes me just thinking about how the three of us have all grown up and now lead lives of our own and how, as we discuss the current events in each of our busy lives the conversation always turns to how much we love Pino’s. We all have the same common bond with the place that each of us ate lunch and had late night pizza binges at dozens of years ago.

After we had said our goodbyes and made a promise to get together again soon I decided to drive past the old laundromat that stands not too far from Pino’s. It too is a place that I spent plenty of hours in growing up playing video games while waiting for my Mom and Grandmother to finish drying our clothes.

I peered inside and could smell the familiar fragrance of detergent and fabric softener as the clothes were drying. I thought to myself that one day I’m going to have to go in there again just for old times sake.

I suppose it would have to be at a time when it wasn’t so crowded though. I don’t think it would look right if someone were to see a forty-year old man tearing up inside of a laundromat.

Needless to say, a smile came across my face as I turned up the radio and headed for home. “Our House” by Madness blared through the speakers and my smile turned into a laugh. I love the 80’s.

Every day I am constantly reminded how blessed I am to just be alive and still be able to spend days with good friends at Pinos.

A Conversation With, Interview, Movies and TV

A Conversation With Suze Lanier-Bramlett

Suze Lanier-Bramlett has a story to tell.

A story that has taken her on a journey that’s included time in the theater, television, movies, music and photography.

Chances are, if you’ve been exposed to any of these mediums you’ve most likely encountered her and may not have even known it.

Horror fans know her as Brenda Carter from the first “The Hills Have Eyes” movie. The cult classic that made her the original “Scream Queen“.

Television enthusiasts might remember her for a number of roles she’s played over the years including a stint as John Travolta’s girlfriend on “Welcome Back Kotter”.

Musicians know her for her soulful voice and being the wife of Delaney Bramlett, one of the greatest songwriters ever.

But dig a little deeper and you really get to know what makes this amazing woman tick.

Suze’s latest album, “Swamp Cabaret” is the story of her life thus far. Its also a reflection of her own one woman show in sequence. From her life as a “B Movie Star” to the day she almost made it to Woodstock. With enough blues and cabaret mixed in to appeal to a variety of music lovers.

In my interview with Suze, we’ll discuss “Swamp Cabaret”, her loving relationship and songwriting partnership with Delaney Bramlett, her love of photography and of course “The Hills Have Eyes”. She even dishes on her latest movie project: “Cut!” where she has the challenge of playing herself.

goJimmygo (gJg): It is such a pleasure to speak with you! How are you and how’s your new CD doing?

Suze Lanier-Bramlett (SLB): I’m doing really good. You know, we’re getting some very nice airplay both here and in Europe. The European enthusiasm is surprising and exciting.

gJg: When I first wanted to speak with you it was about the 35th Anniversary of “The Hills Have Eyes”.  Then I started digging a little deeper and found out that in addition to your TV, film and music careers, you’re also a successful photographer too. Tell me a little bit about your photography.

SLB: I’ve always kind of been led through the universe in a spiritual sort of way and photography was actually a blessing. My acting career had been slowing down a bit in the 80’s and I had a son to raise. So I started thinking about other things I could do besides act because I hadn’t really done anything else since I was fifteen years old.

One night I fell asleep and actually dreamt that I was a photographer. That dream reminded me of when I was a little girl and the day my Dad had bought me a Brownie camera. I would go around and shoot Girl Scout meetings, birthday parties and friends. I suddenly remembered how much I loved taking pictures.

Following the dream, the very next day I went out and bought myself a camera. I read the manual, invited a few actor friends over and started shooting. Believe it or not within about three weeks I started making a living as a photographer. It happened that fast.

gJg: It sounds like you had the knack for it right from the start.

SLB: The real trick about photography is understanding light. I think my time spent being in the theater helped me with that. I’ve also always enjoyed looking at fashion magazines. I think because of those two things I had been subconsciously studying light for years.

gJg: Amazing that it all happened for you because of a dream.

SLB: Yeah, and the thing about photography for me is that it’s a fun career. It’s like anything else though, you have to work at it. You have to promote. I think that’s the hardest part of being an artist. There are so many people I know who are fabulous in their art but they can’t make a living of it because they don’t know how to promote themselves. How you get it out there and get people to acknowledge it. That’s the hard part, whether it’s music, acting, painting, etc.

gJg: It’s not an easy road that’s for sure.

SLB: Everyone wants to be an artist, a singer, a rock star, an actor but they have no idea how challenging and difficult it can be. It looks so easy and so glamorous but it’s not. There’s an element of luck involved too. Being in the right place at the right time and finding the right people who can help you take it to the next level.

Songwriting

gJg: When did you first start writing songs?

SLB: The first song I ever wrote was when I was about 10 years old. I had a crush on a boy named Mike and I wrote a song about him called “I Like Mike”. <laughs>

You know, even though it was awful it still gave me the feeling of a creative rush and ever since then I’ve dabbled in songwriting. I found out later that my love for it went deeper than just “dabbling”.

My mother passed away last April and as I was going through some of her things I found poems that she had written all through the years that I never knew about. Her father was also a poet and was actually related to Tennessee Williams.

gJg: Really? Tennessee Williams?

SLB: My grandfather was Thomas Lanier and Tennessee Williams’ birth name was “Thomas Lanier Williams”; cousins of some kind.  I got to work with Tennessee. He was so gifted and intense.

gJg: So it runs in the family!

SLB: Yes it does. But the music didn’t really come full circle for me until I met Delaney in 1977.  He was always in the recording studio and I occasionally would toss out a lyric or two. That’s the way it started and then we eventually began working on songs together.

Later, in the mid-80’s, I formed my own band and performed regularly at The Palomino Club in LA and a bar called The Rose Tattoo, which at the time was the second most popular cabaret bar in the US. Both of those places are closed now. I had a great West Hollywood following.

Around 1991 I decided to stop performing in clubs. It’s hard keeping a band together and I was doing well as a photographer. So I put music on the back burner.

gJg: How did the “Swamp Cabaret” project come about?

SLB: After being away from music for years, Delaney and I started co-writing again. We had been working on some songs for his album.

One night I went to a salon performance party at a friend’s house who was preparing to do a cabaret show in Hollywood.

Her director recognized me from the old days and asked if I’d be interested in performing again. It was truly flattering but I politely explained to him that I thought “that ship had sailed”.  He gave me his card anyway and said: “Lets have lunch.”

I went home and told Delaney about it and, surprisingly, he said he thought I should do it. In fact, he offered to help with the music. With his encouragement, I decided to give it a go.

We had a couple of meetings and rehearsals; however, it was halted when Delaney had a gall bladder surgery and developed complications.

Over the next seven months I never left his side. He passed at the end of 2008.  After he was gone I was devastated and had no motivation to do much of anything. Then one day the director called me and said: “Come on, let’s put your show up!”

gJg: How did it go?

SLB: I was really nervous to be on stage singing again. When Delaney had been involved, he had asked me to include the song “Superstar”.  I kept it in for him.  It was tough getting through that first show. 

It’s actually still a challenge sometimes to face the day without him here. I stay busy and some of his band members play with me, so we keep his memory alive by working and writing together.

gJg: Just listening to the CD you seem so comfortable. It’s almost natural.

SLB: Thank you. I love being in the studio. I just finished recording a song that Delaney and I wrote that was never released called “Angel In The Night”. We wrote the song on Dec 8, 1980, the night John Lennon was shot. It’s a love song and was written initially with Yoko in mind.

gJg: I love your version of “Superstar” on the CD.  I actually grew up listening to The Carpenters version but the song is still one of my all time favorites. The chords and melody are just so beautiful.

SLB: I love it too. Delaney was one of the co-writers of that song. He was such an amazing songwriter. For me to have fallen in love with him and then have him ask me to help him write – you can’t go to school for that. Being married to such a great songwriter and man was a huge gift in my life.

gJg: Another one of my favorite songs on the album is “On The Way To Woodstock”.  It’s so infectious. How true is that song?

SLB: The whole thing is actually true. I was living on The Lower East Side of New York and was very pregnant at the time.

gJg: What encouraged you to put that story into a song?

SLB: ABC news did a documentary on the 40th anniversary of Woodstock in 2009 and they had asked me if they could include a segment about my own Woodstock experience. After I saw it I decided that story could make a cool song. So I sat down at the piano and I whipped it out in about a day.

gJg: Are all of your songs written that easily?

SLB: Not always. Sometimes I’ll get an idea for a song but I’ll need to let it stew.  I might only just have a title or a rough idea about what I want to say but then I’ll sort of just forget about it and not work on it for a while. Then one day I’ll just sit down again and the song will just come out.

gJg: You can’t rush the process.

SLB: You’re right. I, personally don’t like to force the process of songwriting. There’s a formula to it but I prefer to write when the inspiration hits me.

gJg: So a lot of your songs are about personal experiences but you also tend to write from someone else’s perspective as well?

SLB: I do. Delaney would do that too. As a matter of fact, Delaney would often laugh about how all of his wives or ex girlfriends would always think he was writing a song about them personally. He’d say: “Look, I’m not always writing about the person that I’m with. I might be writing about something that I had heard on the news or I’ll write a song from someone else’s point of view.” I feel the same way.

gJg: I love the vibe of this album. Especially with the last track, “Leave Your Hat On”.

SLB: I’ve always loved Randy Newman’s songwriting. “Leave Your Hat On” is one of my favorite songs so I put it on my CD.  I often close my show with that song.

The Hills Have Eyes (35th anniversary):

gJg; You know I’ve got to ask you about “The Hills” don’t you? <laughs>

SLB: You absolutely do! <laughs>

gJg: Do you remember when they crowned Jamie Lee Curtis the “Scream Queen” because of the movie “Halloween”? Well, I did a little research and it looks like you beat her to that title by at least a year.

SLB: I did?

gJg: If you look it up you’ll see. “Hills” came out in 1977 and that’s when you were screaming. “Halloween” didn’t come out until 1978.

SLB: So I was the first screamer?

gJg: You were the first. You have the title and should be credited with that.

SLB: That’s great. <laughs>

gJg: When you think about “The Hills Have Eyes” what’s the first thought that comes into your mind?

SLB: You know how sometimes you’ll do one thing in your life and it changes your whole life forever? That was what that movie did for me.

gJg: Really?

SLB: Yes. You see my agent didn’t want me to do it. He thought it was horrible. But I went against his wishes and did it anyway because I liked the script and I like Wes Craven. It was through that movie that I met Delaney. He had seen it at a drive-in the night before we met.

This last January, I worked on a new movie called “Cut!” because of David Rountree, the director, a fan of “The Hills Have Eyes”. In 2009 I also did another project with Oren Peli (Paranormal Activity) called “Area 51”, another film of the same genre.

Some nice things have come out of me being in “The Hills Have Eyes”. Not bad for a low budget project that your agent doesn’t want you to do in the first place. I’m glad I followed my intuition on that one.

gJg: Do you have any interesting stories from being on the set?

SLB: Well, I’m not sure if I’ve ever told this story before. I remember at one point everyone was a bit on edge about filming the rape scene. Rape scenes weren’t common place back then.

Michael Berryman’s character (Pluto) was going to be the one who raped me first and Michael was a bit insecure about how I would feel about being raped by him.

I was sensing his discomfort so I said to him: “Look, when Wes calls action, let’s just be making out passionately and I’ll act like I’m really enjoying it.”

On “ACTION” they pulled back the curtain and instead of the rape, Michael and I were passionately making out like it was a love scene. It got a great laugh and broke the ice for everyone.

gJg: How was it filming the movie?

SLB: It was fun but it was a hard shoot. It was hot in the daytime and cold at night. We were stuck out in the desert but everyone got along well. It was very low-budget film and probably had more meaning for some of us then others.

I don’t consider “The Hills Have Eyes” a great work of art but its a horror classic and I’m very glad that I did it. It was important enough to make a sequel and a remake.

gJg: I agree.

SLB: Why were you such a big fan?

gJg: I was really big into the horror genre growing up. Just being scared but “safe” in my theater seat. That’s what turned me on to those types of movies.

SLB:  Not me. I don’t like to watch scary films.  It’s cool to act in the horror genre though.

gJg: Do you plan on doing any east coast dates with your band? I’d love to see you in New York.

SLB: That would be great but it’s quite expensive to take a band out. I could possible make it work playing to tracks but tracks aren’t the same as having a band on stage. Besides singing the songs, I do some stand up comedy in the show. My last gig in Hollywood I had video in the show which adds another dimension to it all. 

I want to go to New York sometime in the Spring. I want to catch up on the shows and see some friends. I’ll check out some clubs while I’m there but my focus right now is to stay in the studio until I finish a new batch of songs I’ve written and to release the next CD.

The Changes in the Musical Dynamic:

gJg: What are your thoughts on the way the music industry is changing?

SLB: I think most artists are having financial problems because of all the free downloads, resulting in fewer CD sales. I’ve even read somewhere that the physical product of a CD will probably not be in existence in a few years.

There will soon be nothing that you can hold in your hand and actually look at except your iPhone of iPad.

One of the things that I treasured the most about buying a new album was the artwork.

gJg: I could not agree more. I feel the same way. I’m really going to miss that.

SLB: All of my musician friends are very perplexed about how they’re going to manifest this new business model into income. All of the music that we’re putting out there does not guarantee that people are going to buy it. Especially if they can listen to it for free. Everybody’s trying to place songs in film or on television.

The only way an artist can make money these days is to tour but being on the road night after night is exhausting. Everybody’s trying to figure it out; how to do your art and make a living from it.

gJg: It’s hard to imagine there being any upside to this new model.

SLB: There is one thing about it that’s kind of cool. You’re not dependent on a major label to put a record out anymore. You can do it whenever and however you. The artist can have full control. That part of it is extremely cool.

It’s the same thing with movies. You can do them inexpensively if you really want to. For about $1500 you can use better equipment than Wes Craven did for “The Hills Have Eyes”. <laughs>. You can go buy a camera with a cool lens and have a better quality than he could get back in the late 70’s.

Cut! Movie:

gJg: Let’s talk about your latest movie project. Is it true that you play yourself in this one?

SLB: Yes.

gJg: How did this role come about?

SLB: It’s not a huge role and it was kind of an after thought. They already had most of the movie filmed and I think they wanted a subplot to go along with it. My manager represents David Rountree as well as Gabrielle Stone (Dee Wallace’s real-life daughter). She pitched the idea of using Gabrielle and me. So I eneded up playing the grown up horror film director: Susan Lanier,  former star of “The Hills Have Eyes” with Gabrielle playing my leading lady in the film.

Because we had such a great time on the set, I invited them out to my “Swamp Cabaret” shows and subsequently, they decided to include a scene from the bar into the plot.

The star of the movie is David Banks and he is a very talented actor. He’s also one of the writers.

gJg: This sounds like a very interesting story!

SLB: I’ve seen some of the footage and I think it’s going to be great. I’m grateful to still be working in film. The parts are not that plentiful for more “mature” actors these days.

gJg: Have you ever thought about writing a book about your life?

SLB: Yes I have. Someday I’d like to do that.

gJg: You certainly do! You have a lot to say.

SLB: It’s been a journey that’s for sure. Fame,  fortune and stardom was never the goal for me.  I just love doing the work.  Because a hundred years from now, will any of it really matter? The important thing is to enjoy the process; the ride.

Because… in the end, we’re all just stardust anyway.

For More Information on Suze Lanier-Bramlett: Click Here

Article first published as Swamp Cabaret: A Conversation with Suze Lanier-Bramlett on Technorati.

1980's, Life

Sick Days

Ever have one of those days where you get up in the morning and just feel like calling in sick? Today is one of those days.

Unfortunately, I don’t get “sick days” at my job. Any time off used must be taken in vacation days so a spur of the moment “I don’t feel like going in” day just isn’t worth it.

Why can’t sick days be like they were when I was in school?

When I got “sick” on a school day (which, strangely seemed to always happen the day of a big test) my grandmother (Nan) was always there to nurse me back to “health”.

The kitchen would be filled with the smell of chicken soup (her cure for what ails ya) and I would always plead with her to give me a dose of St. Joseph’s Cough Medicine. My  “illnesses” almost always came with a cough and luckily the medicine had a grape flavor.

But of the dozen or so sick days I took over the course of my school career there are two things I remember most from spending those days with her.

1. The Cash Line: A local AM radio station that played oldies music ran this promotion for years in the early 1980’s. They would start with $100 and at the top of every hour during the work day would randomly look up someone in the phone book from the local area and call them.

When someone answered the phone they would ask that person if they knew the amount of money in the “Cash Line”. If the person got the amount correctly he or she would win that amount. If they didn’t know the answer, the station would add increments to it and continue the contest until someone won. Then they’d start it all over again.

Nan religiously followed this contest for several years. She kept a little notepad near the radio and methodically keep track of every dollar amount. She was SURE they were going to call her one day and she’d win $150 or some other small amount of money.

So, while I got to listen to Dean Martin and old Motown hits all day long I’d watch Nan come running over every time she heard the little promo that they were about to call someone. “Get off the phone!” she’d yell to anyone who dared make a phone call at the top of the hour. “The Cash Line is on!”

The other thing that was always big in my house on sick days for me was watching “The Price is Right” with her from 11 am – noon. There’s something to be said for lying on the couch under a blanket while Bob Barker had people “Come On Down!” And if by some chance they had a $20,000 sports car and a double showcase winner it was the greatest thing ever.

I almost had Nan give me a high-five the one time someone won them both but thought better of it. Surely the jig would be up and she’d send me back to the confines of Easton Area High School.

Eventually though, usually by the end of the school day, I’d recover from the mysterious malady that had afflicted me and be well enough to go back to school. And while I sat in the classroom the next day I’d often wonder if Nan had won the Cash Line (she never did) and if she’d tell me someone had won both showcases when I got home.

You know the old saying, “You don’t know what you’ve got until its gone?” This is one of those moments. I miss them.

Sure I could stay home and still watch the Price is Right (albeit without Bob Barker). And I could make myself some chicken soup. But there’s no Cash Line anymore and sadly, my Grandmother has also gone on to better things.

<Sigh!> Looking up at the clock and it’s time to hit the road. Another day of work lies ahead.

Thought and Opinion

Why I Love Mornings

The break of dawn arrives in the tiny town of Easton, Pennsylvania just as it does every morning. You can hear the sound of birds singing from deep within the pine trees welcoming the sun back from its slumber.

The glistening shine of dew covers lawns in every neighborhood and somewhere in Palmer Township a new day has begun.

I’m an early riser. A morning person. I know my numbers are diminishing and it seems as though I may be the last of a dying breed. Most people can’t believe that if it’s 7 am (even on weekends) and I am still in bed I feel like I am missing out on something.

But ironically, like clockwork I am usually up before then. I have some kind of internal thing going on inside that alerts me when it is time to rise.  It’s not strong enough kung-fu to where I can say in my head “5:15 am”, close my eyes and the next time I open them it is that exact time. But the fact of the matter is that on days that I work the alarm will rarely ever have a need to rouse me. I’m THAT good.

You see mornings are something I long for. A time most others take for granted and would like to skip altogether if possible in favor of slumber. But not me. Nothing can compare to that quiet time in the early hours of the day. It awakens the senses. Seeing the morning light of a new day, listening to the birds singing outside an open window, feeling the air as it passes through,  the smell of fresh coffee brewing, the taste of bacon. From my point of view, it’s hard to imagine someone NOT wanting this same thing.

Critics will claim that you can have all of these things when ever you wake up but I beg to differ. It’s not just the act of drinking the coffee or hearing the birds as much as it is the “experience”. To know that through some divine miracle you’ve been given a new morning and you have the entire day ahead of you. What will you do with it?

It’s a time when you can relax and reflect on the events of the day (whether they be school, work or even nothing at all) without rush or worry. Plenty of time to read the newspaper or Internet blogs for those 21st Century types.

Here’s another reason to like mornings: It’s the only me time you may get before your children (who, ironically as they age tend to become non-morning persons) come barreling down the stairs demanding breakfast.

Sadly though, there is one con to this malady my friends claim I am “suffering” from.  The trade-off for getting up early means obviously going to bed early also. Unless I am out somewhere already I rarely stay up past 10 pm.  I am more than tired by then.  But just one look at programming on television at that time of the night is enough to send anyone running for the sheets so it’s not like I am missing anything.

Unfortunately, this is where family and friends usually find reason to ridicule me because of my “school night” sleep pattern.

Call me an old man if you must but I’m not ashamed. I prefer to look at it this way: The sooner I fall asleep the closer I am to morning.

Good Morning!

1980's, Childhood Memories

Take A Walk

It was one of those afternoons where I had to make a quick run to the store for a few items. Nothing major at all and quite frankly it probably could’ve waited until a bigger shopping excursion was needed. But I was never one to go too long without my green tea so off I went.

I quickly grabbed the keys and proceeded to the garage to take the car on a trek of two miles to the local grocery. Driving everywhere has simply become routine for me, whether it be a bread and milk run or to a neighbor’s house several blocks away.

On the short drive there, and as is usually the case, my peripheral vision took over and my mind began to wander. Funny, I didn’t think about what else I may need at the store or if I should stop and get gas while I’m out. No, I actually started thinking about all the places I used to WALK to growing up.

You see, those were the days when my Mom and Dad almost always said “No” to taking me on short little runs to play video games at the Palmer Park Mall or obtain comic books at Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt. It quickly got to the point to where I didn’t even bother asking them anymore. I’d just gather up my posse of friends and we’d put our boots on the ground (or Chuck Taylor’s with rainbow colored shoe-laces. After all we’re talking about the 1980′s here).

I remember how we used to walk downtown to go to Mr. Monster’s on Fridays in the summer when the new shipment of books arrived. We never even second guessed if we should be doing it. We just did it. The walk was insignificant compared to what awaited us. The new adventures of Spider-man or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles always came before the thought of possibly developing a charlie horse in the leg.

Perhaps it was also because we had nothing else to do but that didn’t really matter. We had no problem walking long distances through green pastures and city streets. Feeling the heat of the sun and the warm summer breezes. It was the camaraderie of teenage boys without responsibility taking a long walk. Talking about life, sports and music. Oh yeah, and girls too of course. They seemed to become less and less icky with each passing summer.

One of the longest walks we used to make was from South Side Easton, Pennsylvania to Phillipsburg, New Jersey to go to a hobby store. An interstate trek of about 4 1/2 miles. It was on this journey that we would take a “short-cut” and use the train trestle bridge that spanned 40 feet above the Lehigh River to cross over state lines.

We’d climb up huge hills and over rocks, scuffing up knees and twisting our ankles just to make it onto that railroad track. And while walking over the bridge our only concerns were one: to never look down and two: hope that we had timed it just right and there would be no train coming.

Far along the other side of the track, on the New Jersey side, stood an old rusty-metal train signal that always glowed a solid red light. And we, with our teenage engineering degrees, took that as meaning there was no train approaching.

On one occasion as we were about halfway across the bridge I noticed that the light had suddenly changed color from red to green and my heart skipped a beat. Even though we couldn’t see or hear any locomotive approaching I don’t think I was ever more afraid in my entire life.

The gaggle of us took off as fast as we could making it to the other side in seconds flat. I remember having to console one friend who was really having a hard time with the situation in mid sprint. “Wood?”, he said. “I’m scared”. I responded the way any caring friend would. “Shaddap! Don’t be scared… RUN!”.

As we sat on the side of the tracks, now well off of the bridge and gasping for air we all looked at each other and began laughing. No train ever came but looking back now and thinking about how we could have easily been taken out by one it certainly was one of the most stupidest things we ever did.

I was quickly transported back to present day as I realized that I had pulled into the parking lot at the grocery store. I could actually feel my heart racing a bit from thinking about that mad dash on the trestle 25 years ago. I quickly stocked up on my green tea and made a hasty return home.

Arriving back in my garage I thought again about those walks. Not so much about my near death experience but the idea of walking when possible. The thought of green pastures, city streets and summer breezes sounds very appealing so I’m hoping that for my next green tea run I’ll be able to lace up the Chuck Taylor’s and two-step it to the store.

After all, it’s not that far… and there’s no train trestle to cross.

A Conversation With, Interview, Music

Bon Jovi, Donnie Iris and Copyright Law: A Conversation With Mark Avsec
Mark Avsec

Here’s a quick Bon Jovi Jeopardy question for you:

“This song, from the group’s first album, is the only song on any Bon Jovi record that was not at least co-written by a member of the band.”

Answer: What is “She Don’t Know Me“?

It was the June 16th, 1984 and my brother and I had braved the Summer heat to drive to the Allentown Fairgrounds and see the Scorpions. They were out supporting their hugely successful album, “Love at First Sting” and we couldn’t wait to see them.

The only thing that stood between two teenaged metal heads and nirvana was having to listen to the opening act: some new band with a bunch of guys out of New Jersey who called themselves “Bon Jovi“.

As luck would have it, I had actually heard of these guys before and had even bought their debut album. They were mostly known for their song “Runaway”, which at the time was getting quite a bit of airplay. But that wasn’t the song that really appealed to me.

As a 15 year-old boy there was only one song on that record that I could immediately relate to. It was the third song: “She Don’t Know Me”. I can’t even begin to tell you the countless times those lyrics came into my head during my adolescence. In certain situations, where the female persuasion was involved I always found myself thinking: “If only she would look my way”…. but “She Don’t Know Me”…

To this day, whenever I think of Bon Jovi the very first thing I think about is the summer night when I first heard “She Don’t Know Me” performed live. The song still gives me chills when I listen to it today.

“She Don’t Know Me” is a song written by Mark Avsec that appears on Bon Jovi’s debut record and to this day is the only song from any Bon Jovi record that doesn’t have at least a co-write by a member of the band. But the story of how the song appeared on that first record is no where near as interesting as the songwriter is himself. For Mark Avsec’s story goes a lot deeper than just a Bon Jovi song.

Mark’s life as a musician, songwriter and producer includes stints with the bands Breathless and Wild Cherry (“Play That Funky Music”). The latter of which gave him the opportunity to perform on stage at the Grammy Awards.

He’s also had a long relationship with Donnie Iris as a member of the Cruisers where the two of them together would write the hit song “Ah! Leah!” and subsequently lose everything gained from the song’s success by defending themselves in a frivolous lawsuit. The outcome of which led Mark himself to become an attorney to make sure that what he went through never happens to himself or anyone else again.

In this interview with Mark we’ll talk about how he came up with what I believe is one of the best and most underrated Bon Jovi songs ever. We’ll also discuss the Ah! Leah! lawsuit and his reason for becoming an attorney as well as what the future holds for himself and his long time friend Donnie Iris.

goJimmygo (gJg): What is the origin of the song “She Don’t Know Me“?  How did you come up with the idea for it and what’s it premise?

Mark Avsec (MA): I was on the road with Donnie during our tour for the first album and I was supposed to go back into the studio with La Flavour (who later became the band Fair Warning) for an album. I was going to write the songs for and produce the album.

So I wrote this on the road in a hotel room.

I generally write music first, and that’s what I did for this song. I don’t know if the lyric is anything to write home about, but it’s a basic story of when you really have fallen for someone and that person does not know you exist.  I felt that in my life. I think probably everyone has

gJg: How did the song wind up on the first Bon Jovi album?

MA: “Luck” is a factor in all of our lives and in any business. But I think “luck” plays a bigger role in the music industry or in the arts in general.  How many super-talented people are out there that we have never heard of?  A lot! Somewhere there is someone who could be as impactful as Bruce Springsteen but the stars have not aligned for that person.

However, I also believe that you have to put yourself in a position to get lucky.  That requires dedication, study, hard work. I wasted a lot of hours in recording studios working on “spec” on albums and songs that never saw the light of day. That certainly seemed to be the case for this Fair Warning album that “She Don’t Know Me” was on. It came out on an MCA label and immediately died.

What happened though, was that record executive Lennie Petze heard the song and loved it and got the song to Jon’s brother, Tony Bongiovi – with a strong suggestion that Bon Jovi should record the song for the first album. This is what was told to me – I have never independently validated this story but it makes sense.

Ironically, Bon Jovi “opened” for Donnie Iris and the Cruisers for several dates – so we got to know the guys in the band a bit. I’m a little introverted until I get to know people so I was not out there trying to meet Jon (Donnie got more friendly with Tico).

“She Don’t Know Me” was released as a second single after “Runaway” – it did respectable.  A lot of people know the song.

I’m not sure how crazy the band was about the song – It’s never shown up on any compilations or anything.

gJg: What was it like when you met Bon Jovi? Did you picture what they would turn into today?

MA: When Bon Jovi opened for us (Donnie Iris and the Cruisers) it was clear something was happening. Jon had all of the rock star moves and he was a great looking guy – the chicks loved him from the start.

gJg:The song was originally recorded by Fair Warning (Also covered by Grass Roots and Sonny Gervaci). Were you concerned at all about overkill of the song?

MA: No. Very few people knew the song until Bon Jovi recorded it.

gJg: Your song is the only one that appears on any Bon Jovi album that does not have a Bon Jovi co-write connection. Do you think this may be the reason why it’s not performed live any longer?

MA: Yes, maybe. Like I said, I’m not sure what Bon Jovi’s perspective on the song is – it really does not show up on any of the “Greatest Hits” compilations or anything, at least not yet.

Writing “Ah! Leah” and Studying Law

gJg: I read where you decided to become a lawyer because you were sued frivolously for the song “Ah! Leah!”  What was that whole lawsuit about?

MA: Some fellow from the Detroit area – he did music on the side – thought we stole a song he wrote called “Here I Go Again” or “Here We Go Again” or something like that. 

Well, I never heard the song. I knew how I wrote Ah! Leah! – I knew where I was when I wrote it.  And I certainly never heard the guy’s song.

I blame the contingency-fee lawyers who took the case, trying to take a shot. 

 

Except the onus fell on me and Donnie – two lower-middle class guys who were simply trying to support their families with music. 

The plaintiff, we learned during the trial, apparently went out to LA pitching the song to some MCA promo guy who promptly discarded the tape after a meeting. So the lawyers concocted this story where somehow the tape made the way to us to copy.  We eventually heard the song during the trial I think – the songs were nothing the same and there were many, many titles registered with ASCAP/BMI called “Here We Go Again” or whatever.

It was suggested I pay the guy settlement money. I would not give him a nickel. The trial went to a jury trial – the whole nine yards. And we won. But Donnie and I lost everything the song made and more because we had to pay our lawyers.

I can now say – and it has taken me a long time to get there – that the lawsuit was the best thing that happened to me. Because I love copyright law – and I love my life now, being an intellectual property attorney, teaching at law schools and speaking – and also still writing music and playing.

gJg: So the outcome of the case made you decide to put the rock and roll dream on hold in favor of studying law?

MA:  I became very interested in copyright law. That lawsuit made me think – “Geez, I did nothing wrong and I can be sued like that?  Without any basis?  I better learn how to defend myself.”  And I began to think about the legal system and if there were mechanisms that could be put in place to dissuade meritless, frivolous lawsuits.

Since that lawsuit was decided, we had the Supreme Court in the United States decide the Fogerty lawsuit – ruling that defendants who prevailed in copyright infringement lawsuits – should be entitled to attorneys’ fees recompense from the losing party. The copyright statute already provided that the prevailing party could recover attorneys’ fees from the losing party.  But before Fogerty, the statute was not applied in an even-handed manner to prevailing defendants and prevailing plaintiffs. So the Fogerty case was a step in the right direction. 

The corporate receipt doctrine is also disfavored now – so that amateur songwriters who send tapes to record companies that nobody wants to hear will have a harder time arguing that so-and-so-big-star stole my song because I sent it in to Universal Records and, you know, this big star now is signed to the label and has a big hit song with the word “love” in it and an A minor chord.

But I still think some lawyers who bring these cases (the so-called substantial similarity cases) – bring them too easily hoping for quick settlement.

gJg: How has that lawsuit and eventual outcome influenced the way you litigate cases?

MA: I don’t have a stomach for baseless cases. No lawyer should. I don’t bring them. And if I’m defending – I will work as hard as I can for my client to get the right result. I have had many successes and I cannot discuss them.

Music

gJg: In 2010, “Angel Love (Come For Me),” a song you co-wrote was included on Carlos Santana’s Supernatural (Legacy Edition) album. How did this come about?

MA: We’re back to “luck” again, aren’t we?  And putting yourself in a position to get lucky. When I wrote that song I had a recording studio in my house. And I worked hard and spent hours writing and recording.  And in retrospect – from an economic perspective – I wasted a lot of time because the lion’s share of that stuff never saw the light of day.

But I had a friend, Alan Greene, who I played with in Breathless – and Alan was a great, great blues guitarist – still is.  And a wonderful guy.  And so we were writing some blues-based songs for possibly an Alan Greene solo project.  And Alan and I wrote the first iteration of “Angel Love” – but it was not called Angel Love.  I think it was called “Too Much About Love” or something like that.  And it had way more of an Allman Brothers vibe to it.  The music was the same as what became the music for Angel Love, but it was even more bluesy and jam-based.  I liked the music a lot.

Well, I have another dear friend – Mason Ruffner.  And I had pre-produced Mason’s Gypsy Blood album in my basement studio.  Mason used to come over and we’d work on it.  And then Dave Edmunds, the eventual producer of Gypsy Blood, even came to the United States and visited my studio. And my studio was one of the first purely virtual, MIDI studios. And so it was decided that I would bring the entire setup over to London – where we made Gypsy Blood for real.

I thought that record was very good – and Mason had a lot of promotion behind him from the record label, but the record did not achieve the success everyone had hoped for.

So, Mason was now thinking about another record – though he had not found his mojo for what he wanted to say yet.  We remained close friends (still are) and he came back to my studio to screw around.  He heard the song I did with Alan and asked if he could write his own lyrics to it. Alan did not care – and so I said “sure.”

And so the song became “Angel Love” and we recorded it with Mason but nobody heard it.  Yet somehow it got to Carlos Santana.

A lot of guitarists – Jimmy Page and Carlos Santana among them – had respect for Mason.  Bob Dylan even devotes two pages in his Chronicles book to Mason (Mason had played on “Oh Mercy” for Dylan and Daniel Lanois).  I think it is because Mason comes from a very real “roots” tradition, growing up in Oklahoma and Texas – spending so much time on Bourbon Street in New Orleans and in Memphis honing his craft.  He is very picky about his lyrics – he is very well-read and is a serious artist I think.

So somehow Carlos heard the song – I think it was on Mason’s album which was not widely released.

Soon after that Carlos began playing the song live – there is a clip on YouTube where Carlos is playing the song in Warsaw, Poland at a huge outdoor festival.  This was the early nineties.

Well, we talk about “luck” again.  Because Carlos was going to record the song – or did record the song (I am not sure which) for his Supernatural record.  Now, if “Angel Love” had been on the original release that sold 25 million copies or so – those pennies really add up and Mason, Alan and I would have done very well.

Unfortunately, the song did not make the cut for the first release.

However, 10 years later – Carlos wanted to put it on the “Legacy” anniversary edition of Supernatural.  And “Angel Love” was the first single.

Of course, the “Legacy” edition sold nowhere near the copies the first Supernatural album did. Still, it is a thrill for a legend like Carlos Santana to record your song.

Ironically, I toured with Carlos in Wild Cherry (when I was in the band that had the hit “Play That Funky Music”). Again, I never got to know him well.  But his band was smoking – and we used to hang with them a bit and go see jazz groups after-hours with them.

gJg: What was it like to perform at the Grammy awards?

MA: It was surreal. I have a tape of the show. I don’t know if you remember the television show, Laugh-In? Because, though the show was state of the art at the time, the graphics and the production seem so amateurish now. But there I was – sitting behind Ringo and standing next to Barbra Streisand backstage. 

We stayed at the Beverly Wilshire hotel and I was waiting for my limo to take me to the show – Andy Warhol was standing there waiting for his limo and so was George Benson, who finally achieved commercial success after years of paying his dues in small jazz bars. We also toured with George Benson a lot during those days. 

As for the Grammy show, we played on the show. We were a one-hit wonder but it was a BIG hit and still is. I really had nothing to do with the success of that song. That was all Robert Parisi. I just showed up in the recording studio. I learned how to make records during that period of time. My relatives thought I was probably rolling in the dough but that was not true either.

gJg: What are the plans for shows in 2012 with Donnie Iris and The Cruisers?

MA: My friendship with Donnie is one of the joys of my life. In fact my friendships with all of the Cruisers are very meaningful to me. 

We have a very respectful band. There is no back-biting. We have always been very positive with each other. I may take the lead as the prime mover – but we have some super-talented people.  Donnie, of course. And he has really become a legend in Pittsburgh.  Marty – one of the most talented and creative guitarists. Kevin Valentine – awesome drummer and a very talented engineer and producer. Paul Goll – who was not the original bass player – but has been with us so long. The perfect guy for us now.  He sings well and plays very nice bass – and is a great person. Our great band extends to our longtime crew – and in particular, Jimmy Markovich, our longtime sound guy.

I spent so much time on Ah! Leluiah! – our Christmas album. I put my heart and soul into that. Honestly, I wept when it was done. I saw it as a legacy for Donnie and for me – and I hoped people would listen to that once a year after we pass. I know, morbid but that’s the way I approached it. I also thought Donnie really shined brightly on that album. That was an emotional record for us.

I am now writing some new songs. We want to go in the studio to record an album for a landmark event – a landmark birthday for Donnie.

I cannot talk about the album yet, except to say it is beginning to take form.

For more information on Donnie Iris and the Cruisers Click Here

 

Article first published as Bon Jovi, Donnie Iris and Copyright Law: A Conversation With Mark Avsec on Technorati.

Art, Movies and TV, NY Ink

New York Groove: My NY Ink Story
The Stencil For My Tattoo

It was a bright sunny day in August. I remember it well because I was in my upstairs bathroom shaking like a leaf. It was around 3 pm and I was getting ready to head over to South Bethlehem for sound check.

It was the summer of 2004 and my band was going to be the opening act for Clay Aiken at Musikfest. On the biggest stage of them all. The fastest sellout in the festival’s history – 6,500 people. We had the greatest female singer ever in our arsenal that got us there. But I was a nervous wreck.

I had dreamed about this forever. Since the first day I picked up my grandmother’s hand held potato slicer and pretended it was a guitar (true story). The callused fingers, the long walks downtown to Ken Brader and Son’s music store for lessons on brutal summer days. The countless number of  hours spent practicing after school.

While other kids went out and played sports or hung with friends I was trying to figure out how Eddie Van Halen got his kung-fu. I even used to write journal entries in high school of what my life was going to be like after I “made it”.

And now here I was, sitting in my bathroom next to the bowl for fear of losing my lunch. I’m still not sure how I held it together.

But somehow my “Rock Star Moment” was here. And I wasn’t about to let it slip away.

Ironically, it was being part of a country band that gave me this opportunity. The last thing you’d probably ever expect from a guy who grew up playing Survivor, Bon Jovi, Ozzy and AC/DC .And yet it was because our singer had won a regional vocal competition that we were invited to be the opening act.

So, a METAL head in a COUNTRY band gets to open for POP star. Musical irony.

Imagine the day in the life of your favorite chart topping artist as they arrive at a venue to perform. That was me that day.

Megan Massacre

All the crew members doing whatever it takes to make you comfortable so you could ready yourself for a night of great music. Ushering you off away from the adoring public. Ok, so this “public” was there to see Clay Aiken but this was my “moment” so I could think what ever I wanted.

Clay had just placed second in season two of American Idol but was almost on the same level as Justin Bieber is today. People were going bonkers for him.

Surreal.

This was the story that I told Megan Massacre as she tattooed me. This was the reason for getting my very first tattoo: to commemorate the day my dream came true.

Although my segment with her never actually aired there is a brief glimpse of Megan tattooing me during a transition between scenes as you can see in the one photo.

Frankly, I’m still wondering if this picture justifies me having my own IMDB listing… I can see it now:

Actor: James Wood:  Appeared in: “NY INK Season 2″… In the role of:  “Arm being tattooed by Megan Massacre“.

I honestly can’t say enough good things about my experience at Wooster Street or the tattoo that Megan did. What’s even better is that I now have a story within a story to tell when people ask me about it.

And I couldn’t ask for anything cooler than that. What do you think?

 

Music, Thought and Opinion

The Rock & Roll Hall of Shame

Is there anyone who cares at all about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame anymore? A shrine that supposedly celebrates music but over the years has turned into one huge joke.

Late last year a lot of brouhaha was made when it was announced that Guns N Roses was going to be one of the acts to be enshrined.

Anyone whose had a pulse in the music industry over the last twenty years already knows that the classic line-up of this band has literally HATED each other for years. In fact, I believe that since it was formed in 1985 the band has gone through almost two dozen different members.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the classic GnR line-up. But let’s be real here folks: if the Hall’s whole intention was to try to have these guys reunite on stage, play again and suddenly come to their senses and get back together, they’re sadly mistaken.

And that poses the question:

Why even have a music award ceremony recognizing a half-dozen acts and none of the inductees even wants to play together?

Yesterday guitarist Slash, a staple of the band in its early inception and one of the first to leave at the height of its success due to drama, told a reporter that the band will NOT reunite and play at the induction ceremony. In fact, he’s not even sure if his “old buddy” Axl Rose was even going to attend. He only “assumed” that he would. What does that tell you?

But the thing that really gets me was when Slash nonchalantly told the reporter that he hates “formal” ceremonies and the honor of being inducted with the likes of Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton hasn’t even sunk in.

He’s on par with LEGENDS and he feels NOTHING?…It just goes to show you how much of a farce the whole thing has become. It’s meaningless.

The Hall inducts bands like Guns N Roses but ignores way more deserving artists. Consider just a few of these bands that are NOT in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:

KISS, RUSH, JOURNEY, FOREIGNER, REO SPEEDWAGON, SURVIVOR,  THE DOOBIE BROTHERS, STYX, IRON  MAIDEN, CHEAP TRICK.

Whether you personally like any of these bands or not you have to admit that the successes they’ve achieved over the years equally match what Guns n Roses did. And in every case these bands are far more deserving because they’ve been doing it longer.

And my guess is, if you inducted any of them and asked them to perform with the most classic line-up they probably would without question. I think they’d probably be honored to. Go figure.

It will be interesting to see if the classic Guns N Roses can put aside their differences and take us where the green grass and pretty girls are one more time. But even if they did do the impossible there’s one thing I know for sure:

I won’t be watching.

Art, Movies and TV, NY Ink

New York Groove (Part 4): Megan Massacre

She’s a model. She’s a DJ. She plays bass guitar. But most of all – Megan Massacre is one really amazing tattoo artist.

I first met Megan one hot summer day last August. I made the pilgrimage to New York with my daughter to visit The Wooster Street Social Club, the tattoo studio where she works. The studio is also the place where the TLC reality based show NY Ink is filmed. You can read about our adventure here. Today’s visit was different though.

Today, Megan was going to give me my very first tattoo and the entire segment was going to be filmed for the second season of NY Ink.

I really loved Megan’s work from the first season. She has such a unique style that was different from most of the other artists I had seen. I mean, tatting a dog dressed as a Victorian Lady or a dude getting hit by a bus is definitely not something you see every day.

Since this was going to be my very first tattoo I wanted it to be special and more than just a “picture” if that makes any sense. So when I gave her the ideas I had for the guitar I wanted I knew she would nail it. And the time was now drawing near.

I was sitting downstairs in a room adjacent to Ami James’ office. Producers and other production type folks all sat nearby with headset communication listening to what was going on upstairs. Finally, I heard one of them say into the microphone “Ok, I’ll send him up”.

And away I went.

Ami and Billy were already in the early stages of their tattoos and I slowly made my way past them to what’s been commonly referred to as “the big comfy couch”.

My View From The Couch

I sat down and peered over to see RoBear helping Megan set up her station. Several members of the film crew were in discussion with each other while others busily adjusted their equipment.

Megan was already well aware that this was going to be my first tattoo and was of significant size but that didn’t stop her from teasing me a bit.

As she was preparing her station with paper towels and ink she’d often look over at me and do her best impression of a nefarious villain by rubbing her hands together and laughing. Sort of saying “There’s no turning back now son… You’re mine!”.  And in some odd way, it was almost comforting.

Finally, it was time and she called me over to her station.

The first thing Megan did after applying the stencil was to make a small line to assess what my tolerance for the needle would be. It felt like a bit of a scratch, no pain. Off we go.

For the next two and a half hours Megan tattooed me as cameras rolled. Until the production crew was ready, telling her my actual “story” was the only thing we couldn’t talk about. Anything else was fine. So it was here where we shared our backgrounds and I got some back stories about her own tattoos. I also found out that much like me, she also grew up in Pennsylvania and has a fascination for not only art but musical performance as well.

Eventually, the production crew came over and began filming me telling Megan my story and reason for getting the tattoo. I think this was where I was most nervous. Its hard to try and tell a story and use coherent sentences when people are holding monstrous camera equipment and lights three feet away from you.

At times I have to admit that the tattoo process itself did hurt a little bit but there was no way I was going to cry in front of Megan. Ok, it didn’t hurt THAT much but it did make me wonder how people deal with the pain of getting tattooed in more sensitive areas.

At one point Ami, Billy and Jessica all came over off-camera to take a peek at the tattoo Megan was doing on me. Seeing these other great artists taking an interest in my piece was very cool and during the actual “reveal” only one word came to everyone’s lips: BAD-ASS. Exactly what I wanted it to be.

People have asked me over and over what Megan is really like in person and the one word that immediately comes to mind is “sweetheart”. She is lady-like and bad ass all rolled into one. A person dedicated to her craft.

In fact, in all the time it took her to do my tattoo she didn’t take one break. Well, unless of course you count the time she went over to check out the tattoo Billy was having a problem with. (Side note: It was episode three of season two. When you see Megan come up to see how Billy is doing on his “first” big tattoo, she was actually tattooing me at the time but my segment never aired).

Also, when you see her talking about her affection for RoBear that’s also genuine. RoBear was like her guardian. He helped set up her station and brought her over snacks and drinks while she was tattooing me. I suspect that if I would have gotten out of line with Meg I would have been on the receiving end of the big guy’s boot.

She likes to text

The whole experience from start to finish was surreal. Although I was a bit disheartened my segment didn’t air I can’t say enough good things about it.

I mean, how may people can say they got their first tattoo by Megan Massacre with a film crew watching and being interviewed about it?

So by now you may be wondering what my story was and even more importantly, want to see the tattoo that Megan did. All will be revealed in the finale which is next.

Next: The Story and The Reveal

Music

Denied

If there’s one thing you can say about me it’s that I’m passionate about my music.

I grew up listening to a wide variety of music. From dare I say Barry Manilow, ABBA and The Carpenters to Survivor, Led Zeppelin, REO Speedwagon, Journey, The Cars, Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi and those other zany hair bands.

So when I was finishing my basement a few years ago I decided I wanted to have a music room/office area. One that would contain my guitars, keyboards and other musical paraphernalia.

At one point I came across a bunch of old record albums I had lying around in a box and had an idea. Rather than throw all of them out since the turntable had gone the way of the 8-track, I decided to decorate my “Rock Room” by hanging them in frames on the walls. Record albums I could look at and think about all the good times gone by.

Then it dawned on me. Putting records on the wall was kind of lame. It would look too “TGI Fridays”….No, the only REAL way to put these things up would be if I could somehow get them SIGNED by members of the band from the time the record was made. No small task indeed.

And to make it even more challenging, I made a single rule for myself. I would NOT buy one of those back-stage pass deals to get it signed. It HAD to be at a show. And it had to be FREE. Not something I purchased where the artist was obligated to sign.

Ok, I made one exception to the rule and that was for the first Beatles record. Obviously, that thing will never get signed. 50% of the band is dead, 25% of the remaining members you’d need to be the Queen to get a signature from and the last 25% has said bluntly that he’ll never sign anything ever again. But I put it on the wall anyway. I mean, c’mon, it’s the Beatles.

Some of the others though I’ve had more success with.

Survivor’s Vital Signs album, my Holy Grail of records. The one with “Can’t Hold Back”, “High on You” and The Search is Over” on it. I was able to get it signed at Hershey Park of all places. The guys came out and signed for everyone shortly after the show a few summers ago.

Another shining moment came during an REO Speedwagon concert at the State Theatre in 2009. I was able to get up to the front of the stage for the encore and had a bunch of the band sign my “Wheels Are Turnin'” record. Wow, this was easier than I thought….or so I thought.

But this note is entitled “Denied” so by now I think you might have an idea as to where this may be going.

I found myself in the 5th row of the Bryan Adams concert at the State Theatre one Sunday night last year. It was on his “Bare Bones Tour” where it was just him, his guitar and a piano player. There was a glimmer in my eye as I held my copy of his “Reckless” album. You know the one. With “Summer of 69”, “Heaven” and “Run To You” on it. The record that was another staple of my life back in high school.

This was going to be cool. Because unlike my other efforts to obtain signatures, this one was for a solo artist. The problem with getting autographs on my other records is that sometimes members of the current bands lineup doesn’t include all of the same players that performed on the album. If I was lucky, maybe there were three of the five still in the band. So some of my treasures can still be labeled as incomplete.

But this one wouldn’t be. Yes sir ree. One signature was all I needed. A signature from Bryan Adams shining in blue Sharpie in the upper left hand corner real big. Can you tell I had this pretty well planned out?. It would happen. It HAD to happen.

One of the best shows I’ve ever seen at the State Theatre, Bryan went through much of his catalog of hits from back in “the day”. My heart got giddy as the end approached. I had done my research (you really have to if you want to do this thing right)…He would leave the stage and come back for a final encore of two or three songs.

Prior to the last songs Bryan persuaded people to come up to the front to which I did with Reckless and Sharpie in tow. As I got to the front of the stage euphoria set in. I could “SEE” him signing my record. I looked around and noticed that I was the only dude in a gaggle of women. Women with NOTHING to be signed. I fondly recalled the line Flounder gave in Animal House when he said “Oh boy, is THIS GREAT!!”

I could hear one of the girls next to me telling her friend that he would do “Summer of 69” one more time as the encore. I snidely looked over at her and corrected her by saying he’d do “Straight From the Heart”. And when he started singing “I could start dreaming but it never ends…”…a smile came across my face as there was no longer any doubt as to who the REAL fan was…

I noticed Bryan look over in my direction several times during the last song and I even had shown him the Reckless album and he kind of smiled. A good sign. Then after the song was over he just said good night and left. And the equation had been solved:

Me  + Reckless Album + Gaggle of Women with Nothing To Be Signed = Bryan signs nothing…

I ask you: Can there be anything sadder than a man standing alone with his un-signed album at the foot of the stage when the house lights come on?

I never know when, if ever, I’ll get a chance to have the Reckless record signed again. But I had a great run of success getting signatures which will continue. This was my first setback.  It was great re-living all those songs again in concert and all the great memories they brought back.

I think I’m going to put this album on the wall anyway.