2003-06-27 | GOD (AKA LEMMY) GAVE ROCK AND ROLL TO YOU

I remember one time Darett and I left a concert early that had a "no ins and outs" policy.

It was the Pietasters (who didn't show up), the Scofflaws, and the Toasters.

The Scofflaws were really good, and we wanted to watch the Toasters, because we had never seen them in concert before. (We ended up seeing them a few years later with Hepcat)

So what was it that made us leave the concert early?

Skankin' Pickle were playing the next night, and we heard that Mike "Bruce Lee" Park was outside the venue just hanging out.

We thought about it for a few minutes, and decided it was worth it to sacrifice a good show to meet one of our musical heroes.

So we went outside and talked to Mike. He was relatively nice. A little unenthusiastic, but pretty gracious nonetheless. It was about a five minute encounter, and we didn't gain much from it, except to say that we did it, but I wouldn't trade it back.

Sometimes you have to take risks, even when in the grand scheme of things it doesn't really matter.

I mean who knows what could've happened? We could've ended up partying in his hotel room, or he could've been an asshole and told us to fuck off, but who cares?

At least we took a chance.

That's what I see missing from a lot of people nowadays.

The enthusiasm, the innocence, the risk-taking. It pisses me off. There's so much beauty still out there in music, but all we can do is whine because MTV and radio sucks.

Do a little research, kiddies.

Go to some concerts.

Grow some balls.

There's an ocean of possibilities out there for you, and that's just within the walls of music.

I hope that you will like my band when I finally have one, because I don't want to have to give up just because of laziness. If we have to break up I hope it's because we suck. Not because nobody noticed us, or because somebody in the band got an ego and went solo, or because our record label dropped us because we didn't sound like the direction they wanted to go with their company this month.

And stop judging musicians based on their brand of music.

Boy bands could have members who are the coolest guys ever, but you'd rather hang out with your moody hero, as he slowly crushes your heart with his rock star behavior.

I haven't met the musicians I've wanted to meet most. Some-Kurt, Bradley, Jeff-I never will.

But the ones I have met for the most part have exceeded my expectations. Mostly because they weren't members of my favorite bands, or because I already had a (wrong) opinion of them, or because I just didn't know what to expect.

But that's the whole point in trying.

You never know what will happen.

Even if I do have a band and it turns out to be successful, there will still be people who don't like me, and musicians who laugh at me, and musicians who have no interest in collaborating with me, even though I've been planning it all in my head since I was a wee lil' lad. (no i'm not Irish)

So to prove my point, here are the top 5 coolest musicians I have ever met.

Laugh while you can, monkey boy!

5. Eddie Voodoo/Castilla bassist for Voodoo Glow Skulls

4. Lupus of Bloodhound Gang

3. one of the guys from Pennywise (sorry, I just can't remember who. I wonder if it was the guy who died. That would be deep.)

2. Bud Gaugh, drummer for Sublime/LBDAS/Eyes Adrift, etc.

1. "Diamond/Dimebag" Darrell, guitarist for Pantera

I shook Method Mans hand, and I had "a moment" with Dave Grohl, but I can't truly say I have "met" them. Mike Park was really cool at one of the Pickle concerts I went to. He kept letting me sing into the microphone. I also remember the bassist, Ian making perfect eye contact with me, as he sat atop a tower of amplifiers, and returned the Star Trek "live long and prosper" hand signal. I'll never forget that, you know? God, concerts may not be as cool as they used to be, because maybe the fans are ruining it. I just don't know. But when it's really good it's just amazing. Nothing can replace that live moment. That interraction with the artist. For that moment you are equals. When you truly connect with the person on stage, and you can see in their eyes that they know that you are one of their truest fans, it's just an amazing feeling that brews inside you. It's almost like you're their hero in that moment.

I'm never going to give up on music, or give up on fans, or musicians, or record labels, or concerts, because there's always that possibility that those few hours could become a part of the best day of your life.

By the way, the assholes were one of the guys from Black Eyed Peas, who makes it a point of walking among the crowd at shows (i've seen him do it 3 times, now) and pretending not to see anybody. It's like he wants to be seen, but when you notice him it's like "what the fuck are you looking at". I just don't get it. Why would you come out there if you didn't want to truly be among the fans. I mean it's not like you have to sign autographs, but at least acknowledge another human being who is sharing the earth with you. Luckily, I can't think of too many other bad experiences with musicians.

I just hope that I don't contradict myself once I'm in a band.

I will honestly do my best to give kids hope, just like many gave to me over the years.

I want people to get their moneys worth, but more importantly, i want them to leave feeling like we are the same. I want them to think of me as not just "cool for a rock star", but also just nice in general. I don't want them to think of me as larger than life, but I'll be glad if my attitude blows them away in a positive way.

So I'll thank you in advance, those of you who do get it.

There's no better feeling than that is there?

- premature ejaculation | tantra +