Originally Posted by
Satiate
Man, I don't know where to start on this...
I've quite a few bands that I've regretted meeting, whether in passing or because I was actually a "fan"... Being a music journalist, I've met a few musicians, that in someways, I really helped in their careers or were there for them, when no one else would back them... But as soon as they got success, they literally would pretend to not know me, if I bumped into them randomly at a show or a party... "Success" hits people in weird ways... And read this one carefully... It's always the smaller fish with a Napoleon complex in the pond that have the worst reactions...
But there've been a few musicians/artists that I've met, well, that I can say I was on the fence about their music or casually liked, that after I met them... Heard their story... The songs' secrets... And I've grew to appreciate their music more because I knew what was behind it all... And heard the magic in it...
I will say people like Gary Finneran (singer from The Ex-Idols) whom is on a very short list of people that I was actually nervous to met... (ie, sweaty palms, knees shaking a bit, hard a bit of trouble just to get normal words out...) He's a small footnote in most people's music knowledge, but is one of the biggest influences on my vocals... (When I heard him scream for the first time, I got goose bumps and KNEW I had to learn how to do that how HE did it... and would practice it for hours...) But after 20 minutes of conversation, and some detailed questions asked about songs, he realized my appreciation for his music wasn't some prank being pulled on him by a band mate, and the next thing you know he's one of the loudest guys screaming up front at my shows... And twice now, I've pulled him into recordings to do duets with me...
One certain now extremely famous songwriter/musician/singer, was down on her luck after a long argous battle with her label over getting out of her contract and owning the rights to her songs... I was a fan of her former band, and really loved her songwriting talent... I was working as a buyer for a certain music retail chain and pulled strings to not only get her an in-store with certain companies investing in the $ to pull of the advertisement (because she was no longer signed and was pushing her own music on her own label with no distribution company to get it out there)... I brought down music journalists from local rags (LA Weekly, etc.) and certain A&R people that I knew would appreciate her new songs... We weren't friends, but we talked on the phone a lot... I would pull strings and get her cd placements on endcaps and listening stations, etc. I even got her hooked up with satellite radio feeds... During this time, she hooked up with a friend of mine to be managed... Again, I really helped her out...
Then out of the blue one day, she gets some oppertunities songwriting for some people... Around the time things started on an upswing with her, she literally "forgot" who I was... I never asked for guest lists, free comp cds... I never pushed for a friendship... But man, when you're sitting with someone over coffee once a month for a year and pulling strings to help someone out because you believe in their talent... And then you bump into them at a club, say "hi" and "congrat's" over their success... And they look down their nose at you and say "Do I know you?" It's really pathetic...
Maybe I'm just conceited... But I'm one of those people you either love me or hate me... But you never forget my face or who I am...
So there you go... I just don't go in expecting much, and sometimes I'm disappointed... Sometimes I'm pleasently surprised... Sometimes I laugh my ass off and learn to appreciate the drive if not the talent... Sometimes I get disappointed enough, that I go and sell their cd off...
But Amelia, I'm keeping that quote "I kinda wish I hadn't helped make the sausage"... Yeah, that make me chuckle!!!
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