Jimmy Page Cursed Me Out - Page 2 - Guitars101

ericgtr · 07-11-2004, 07:43 PM

Okay, here is a repost of when I met Eddie Van Halen.

I went LA (from Oregon) 2 times in the late 80's, early 90's for various reasons but the main reason was to find Eddie and have him autograph my guitar. My ax was a flying V knockoff that I painted up red with white and yellow stripes, pretty cheesey now that I look back but I was young.

One of the first places I went to was Gil's Liquor store in Hollywood, when I walked in I was star struck with all the photos on the wall of everyone from Bruce Willis to Charlie Sheen on the wall with their arms around Gil (I am assuming).

Just above the door was a picture of him with Ed and when I went up to the counter I pointed at the picture and asked the guy if I could have a map of the stars so I could get his address. He said "sure, but it doesn't have his address in it" so I proceeded to ask if he knew where he lived. He gave me explicit directions to his house while assuring me that there wasn't a chance that I would get past the gates, I was just thrilled to get the info.

The next day me and my buddy went there and sure as shit, there was a big ass gate (this was the first house before he moved) and my buddy said "dude lets just get the hell out of here" as I walked up to the gate and commenced to pressing the button, my buddy was sure there were armed guards and bolted for the van.

The gate started to open and I couldn't see anyone, I almost shit my pants. After it opened up a guy that I had never seen before walked out and asked if he could help me. "uh.. is Eddie here"? The guy could tell what I was up to and told me that it was his personal place and politely asked me to leave. What could I say to that? at least I didn't get my ass kicked.

Two years later around Christmas time I go back to LA and back to Ed's house (still the original) I didn't bother to ring the gate this time (I partially learned my lesson) I just thought it would be cool to catch a glimpse of him. In true stalker syle we are parked right across from his gate just below Stevie Nicks driveway, we didn't care if we blocked her off and we figured we could take anyone from fleetwood mac on.

We had been parked there for about an hour and it was getting dark so we decided to pack it in and take off down the hill (or private drive) as we are driving down we saw someone waving us over to them, it was dark so we couldn't tell, I told my buddy "that's Eddie dude!" he said no way so we pulled over and it was indeed Ed.

He signaled for us to roll down the window and he stuck his head in the window and said "are you guys delivering something for Christmas or something"? (you could smell beer on his breath) Obviously he had seen us in stalker postion for the last hour from his newly built house. My friend said "no my buddy here was wondering if you autograph his guitar for him" Ed stood there for a second then said "sure pull it out" as he slapped the trunk so I did and he was cool enough to even ask who he was making it out to. He introduced himself to us both and shook our hands then said "well guys, I gotta run, dinner's waiting for me, Merry Christmas".

It was the coolest experience of my life and I will never forget my buddy's dad laughing at me for putting a sharpie pen in my guitar case thinking I would be let down. The guitar is long gone (long story) but its pretty trivial compared to actually meeting him and shaking his hand in that setting. Sorry this is so long winded but I hadn't shared that for many years, so there ya go.

DannyBoy · 07-11-2004, 07:49 PM

awesome story eric man . made for an interesting read . must be awesome to meet your idol and find out how really nice they are [img]images/smilies/smile.gif[/img]

frozenfury · 07-11-2004, 07:50 PM

OHHHHHHH WOW! That is cool Eric.

3fingers · 07-11-2004, 08:20 PM

Wow...that is amazing Toastmaster...I would have said, "loved your stuff on Live Aid...didn't miss a beat..."
[img]images/smilies/icon_lol.gif[/img] Truthfully, I love Jimmy and took his photo in the French Quarter with the whole band way (even John Bonham)..way back..i gotta dig that photo up...I was about 15 feet away. still on Kodak paper....Eric...you are one determined cat..!! [img]images/smilies/icon_thumb.gif[/img]

**VanMan2000** · 07-11-2004, 08:21 PM

Wow, Eric that was a great story. I don't think I want to post another one now. That's hard to top.

**VanMan2000** · 07-11-2004, 08:44 PM

Fuck it, Check out Not Everybody Hates Me(Zakk Wylde) for my encounter with the incomprable Zakk Wylde.

**bluesplayer** · 07-12-2004, 03:38 AM

Maybe Jimmy just had a bad day , it happens to us all , and i guess its hard work been socialble to all of his zillions of fans all of the time . I would guess if he met you again , he would buy you a beer ...........

blahblah · 07-12-2004, 04:14 AM

haha vanman, maybe they didn't like drunk people..lol

TopJimmy78 · 07-12-2004, 05:26 AM

That was an awesome story Eric, thanks for sharing that one! [img]images/smilies/icon_thumb.gif[/img]

wahwah · 07-12-2004, 07:05 AM

I got one for ya. I played at The Old Marquee in Wardour Street, London back in the day...we were supporting a band called Terraplane (they went on to be Thunder...great Brit rock band in the Humble Pie meets Def Leppard sort of style). At the time I was a big fan of Gary Moore. Anyway, we go on stage and there he is in the audience. I'm chuffed to bits and after our set the band and me went to the bar to see if we could get to chat. He was surrounded by 'suits'...this was just before the release of his 'Corridors Of Power' album. Anyway, all I wanted was an autograph but he was an obnoxious twat and wouldn't even acknowlege me except to send one of his entourage to ask if he could buy my Gibson Melodymaker off me! I was pissed off meeting him cos it left a bad memory of someone I still worship as a guitarist. The only plus side was that there was another guitarist in the audience...Brian May from Queen! He bought some of the guys drinks and had a long chat about what we were doing...he was a gent and very friendly. I think you gotta expect that people have bad days and all that but the attitude thing doesn't bode well with me. Joe Perry did the same thing in London outside a radio station. Steve Tyler was happy to sign autographs and have photos taken but Perry wouldn't get out of the blacked out limo [img]images/smilies/mad1.gif[/img]

**Mondy** · 07-12-2004, 07:30 AM

I'd gone to see Ugly Kid Joe at Nottihngham Rock City. As I didn't have an Ugly Kid Joe t-shirt, I went in my Van Halen Balance t-shirt.

During the after show party, the D.J. kept giving out Marillion prizes. Eventually, he announced that Marillion were upstairs, signing copies of their Afraid Of Sunlight album.

I rushed upstairs to meet them. I shook Steven Rothery's hand (guitarist), and was talking to him as he just turned away and blanked me and started talking to the singer, H (Steve Hogarth). As they were talking, H pointed over to my t-shirt with a look of disgust on his face. I couldn't hear what they were saying, and so I asked what the problem was. They just continued to blank me.

Anyway, they'd signed my copy, and as they just continued to blank me, I just moved on to the drummer, Ian Mosley. I had thought of calling Steve Rothery a fat bastard, but I hadn't got Ian's autograph yet, so let it go. I asked Ian what the problem was, and he just shrugged and laughed. But he continued to talk. Ian Mosley was one cool chap. I thanked him for all of the music, and he seemed genuinely pleased.

We chatted a bit more, and then I buggered off back downstairs.

To this day, I don't know what the problem was.

I mean, they were there unannounced, so it wasn't as though I was wearing a Van Halen t-shirt to their gig. Also, I was attending an Ugly Kid Joe concert, so if they thought it was inappropriate, then they could have said. Well, they could have said anything, to be honest...

Anyway, later that night, I won tickets to see Marillion up at Leeds. It was during my exams at University, so I passed them onto my brother. My brother was at the front whilst watching them. He started shouting to his mate, "Isn't Steve Rothery a fat b*st*rd now !!!?" However, he'd only got the first word out when the band finished the song they were playing at the time, leaving him to yell out, "...Steven Rothery a fat b*st*rd now ?!!!" at the band during a period of utter silence. So in a way, he got them back for me.

[img]images/smilies/icon_lol.gif[/img]

Anyway, these guys have written some great tunes, that I still love to this day, so I was gutted to have pissed them off. But it leaves me with a sour experience of meeting them, and I'd still love to know what the issue was, but Ian Mosley more than made up for it.

However, my older brother met Thunder once, and asked the guitarist what he thought of Eddie Van Halen. It was met with a very pissed off response. Maybe it's just the mention of Eddie or anything to do with him over here that just pisses people off, I don't know. Anyway, Luke (the guitarist) wouldn't talk to him after that, so he ended up talking to the singer (Danny) for the rest f the night instead.

VanMan has met H out of Marillion, and says he's cool. I still believe he is, but he has a problem with Van Halen t-shirts !

[img]images/smilies/headscratch.gif[/img]

**VanMan2000** · 07-12-2004, 03:23 PM

[ QUOTE ]
3fingers said:
Wow...that is amazing Toastmaster...I would have said, "loved your stuff on Live Aid...didn't miss a beat..."

[/ QUOTE ]

Or maybe, "Hey Jimmy, I saw you at Live Aid and it looks like you pissed your pants as you drooled all over yourself. "

**marfish** · 07-12-2004, 03:26 PM

Great stories guys!!
I wish I had time or patience to type out some of mine!
I have tons!!! Just a couple overviews:
Ugly KId Joe - Awesome guys, bought drinks all night!!
Yngwie - Whatever...
Zakk - Where's my Picks Dick???!
Pantera/Damageplan - U don't get any cooler!!!
Motley - Very gracious to fans!!
VH - M. Bruck saved me from getting my ass BEAT!! '91
ZZ top - "I still like your tunes prick" my quote to B. Gibbons

blahblah · 07-31-2004, 08:19 AM

nice story wahwah"I got one for ya. I played at The Old Marquee in Wardour Street, London back in the day...we were supporting a band called Terraplane (they went on to be Thunder...great Brit rock band in the Humble Pie meets Def Leppard sort of style). At the time I was a big fan of Gary Moore. Anyway, we go on stage and there he is in the audience. I'm chuffed to bits and after our set the band and me went to the bar to see if we could get to chat. He was surrounded by 'suits'...this was just before the release of his 'Corridors Of Power' album. Anyway, all I wanted was an autograph but he was an obnoxious twat and wouldn't even acknowlege me except to send one of his entourage to ask if he could buy my Gibson Melodymaker off me! I was pissed off meeting him cos it left a bad memory of someone I still worship as a guitarist. The only plus side was that there was another guitarist in the audience...Brian May from Queen! He bought some of the guys drinks and had a long chat about what we were doing...he was a gent and very friendly. I think you gotta expect that people have bad days and all that but the attitude thing doesn't bode well with me. Joe Perry did the same thing in London outside a radio station. Steve Tyler was happy to sign autographs and have photos taken but Perry wouldn't get out of the blacked out limo" heh i can only understand your feelings now after my bad experience at the Vai aftershow, feeling totally sucks big time.