Post #109725 by stuff-o-rama on Mon, Aug 23, 2004 12:35 AM

I was a buyer for 14 years at a record store in San Luis Obispo, CA. Since S.L.O. is located on the coast halfway between L.A. & S.F., people on road trips used to stop in and "refuel" their music on their road trips as the radio stations in between were seriously lacking. We had many celebrities stopping in: Bruce Springsteen, Joan Baez, Moe Tucker (of Velvet Underground fame), Josh Brolin & Diane Lane, Adam Arkin, Lux Interior & Poison Ivy, the members of Los Lobos, Rodney Crowell & Roseanne Cash, Johnny Marr, Eddie Van Halen & Sammy Hagar, Vernon Reid, Patrick Stewart, Michael Stipe & Peter Buck, Weird Al, Margo Kidder, Christina Applegate, George Strait, Big Sandy, Mike Ness, Dave Alvin, John Doe, Jackson Browne, Kenny Loggins, Everclear, Luscious Jackson, so many other people I know I'm forgetting.

Unexpected encouters are:

Turning around in a nightclub and whacking Chris Isaak in the chest with my purse...(unintentionally)

My sister literally bumping into James Brown in Las Vegas, he looking behind him while walking, she looking at me and they hit head on and knocked each other over. I stepped aside to help her up (as his many bodyguards scrambled to him) and tripped David Brenner. Apparently there was an awards show letting out at the MGM Grand and everyone was heading for the restrooms in which we were exiting. Comical night.
More than a decade ago, going to see the Stones at Dodger Stadium, only to find out our floor seats were replaced by a lighting rig. I made a fuss about not being shipped up into the bleachers, so the usher got on his walkie talkie, then escorted us up to the center, 10th row from the stage. Behind us were Dan Cortese, Emilio Estevez, Anthony Keidis and Gina from the Go-Gos. When the show was over and we crammed into the aisles like cattle, I was walking side by side with Jim Carrey. We were cracking jokes about the people who were "moo-ing". Side note--Keith Richards up close is not necessarily a good thing.

The final encounter was after a Dave Alvin show I was standing out in the parking lot waiting for my friend so we could leave. I was a smoker at the time and out of the darkness a guy rolled up and bummed a cigarette off of me. I turned around to see John Doe smiling at me. Now, I have seen X play oodles of times, they are easily my favorite band and I stood there, mouth agape as if God Almighty had touched my shoulder. I handed him a smoke and lit it for him, he said, "Thanks" and before he could walk away I blurted, "What the hell is Top Jimmy doing these days?" He looked at me strangely, like do I know you? and I explained that I was a huge Top Jimmy fan, I knew he was friends with him and that I had seen most every show he played at the Cathay DuGrande in Hollywood (John had sat in on a few shows). We talked about Jimmy for about a half hour and he took my name & address and one week later a 45 rpm record and a demo tape arrived in the mail. John and Jimmy were working on an album and he sent me an advance copy. Jimmy died a few months later, sadly.

Lastly, I am friends with one of the jackass clan, Chris Pontius. It is weird to see people fall all over someone you've known since he was a kid. Through him I have briefly met Wee Man, Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera and Steve-O. Wee Man and Johnny were really cool. the others... 'nuf said.