Famous Prog Artist You Met

I remember meeting Frank Zappa in 1976 or 77. I was 19 or 20. Anyway, he was in Toronto for the Zoot Allures tour. Like a kid who listened to Zappa quite a bit, I was excited to meet him. I asked him for a autograph which he gave me and which I lost long ago. Oh well. I ended up with something a bit better. I remember giving him a cassette tape of some of the crazy antics a few of us were doing at the time. A bunch of us would do skits and record them. Anyway, I said to Frank, "if you ever wanna get rid of anyone at a party or whatever, just play this tape." He took the tape, and much to my delight ended up using some of what we did on the tape. We did a skit where we used the phrase, "ram it, ram it, ram it, ram it up your poop chute". In fact we used to say it all the time long before Sheik Yerbouti came out.

I had to laugh after hearing Sheik Yerbouti's Broken Hearts are for Assholes. My buddy and I just looked at each other and said, "he must have listened to our tape". Well, I will never know for sure, but I get the feeling he did, because I do remember what was on that tape.

Part of the lyrics for: "Broken Hearts are for Assholes"

That’s why I say
I’m gonna ram it, ram it, ram it
Ram it up yer poop chute
Corn hole
Ram it, ram it, ram it
Ram it up yer poop chute
Fist f**k
Ram it, ram it, ram it
Ram it up yer poop chute
Wrist-watch; crisco
Ram it, ram it, ram it
Ram it up yer poop chute
Pud!

I got all the members of Camper Van Beethoven to sign an album.  Sat behind Firefall on an airplane several years ago.  Watched one of my kids get a signed drum stick from Phil Ehart.

meh - that's about it.  Pretty pitiful actually...

For non-prog, I have met:

Paul McCartney

Julian Lennon

sat at a table next to Roger Waters (shoudla put this in the other thread--PF is totally prog!) but didn't bother him

Albert King

The Crickets (of course without Buddy Holly)

Mark Wood

Cyndee 

Sacred 22 wrote: ViolinCyndee wrote: HAHAH!! I have met, and played with both Nik Turner and Harvey Bainbridge of Hawkwind.  Also played with members of The Muffins (Paul Sears, Dave Newhouse), Illuvatar (Jim Rezek), Stinking Lizeveta (Yanni Papadapoulous), Present (Keith Macksoud).. Also know all of the band Gong--several different lineups.  (Daevid did my coverart!!) Hung out with Ozric Tentacles, met Annie Haslam several times, met Tony Levin.. Cyndee   Very cool indeed.  I hear Tony is quite the eccentric

He was very down to earth and sweet!  He even mentioned the idea of playing with me!!  (yes I was in total shock!)   Of course, I'd be in shock even more if it were to actually happen!!!!! 

Cyndee

i have met California Guitar Trio members and Pat Mastelotto

also all the members of Cabezas de Cera

I've met Steve Hogarth,Steve Rothery and Peter Trewavas from Marillion during the Marbles tour in 2004 in Montreal.They were just coming after dinner to the venue for the concert and passed near the fans who were in line for the concert and they simply came talking to us! Those guys are really cool and they like their fans a lot and it was a pleasure talking to them.They are not phony and are very simple guys.

Another band member I met(even if it's not prog) is Nicolas Godin from the french band Air.I met him during the "Moon Safari" tour in Montreal in 1998.I was going to this concert with my uncle(who is 12 years my senior) and was waiting for him at a newstand near the venue of the concert.I was reading some music magazines when I heard someone asking with a french accent"Do you have french newspapers here?".I turn my head and recognize Nicolas.He pay for his newspapers and came near me checking some music mags.Then, I began talking to him and we talked a lot about vintage synthesizers and mellotrons.He was a little rushed by the time and he invited me backstage during the opening band where I met the rest of the band and specially Brian Kehew and Roger Manning of the Moog Cookbook,who were side keyboardist for Air during that tour.There, we talked more about synths and mellotrons(those guy are real amateurs and connaisseurs on the subject).We had a very good time backstage,drinking a beer and chatting.My uncle didn't beileve his eyes when I say to him that we will meeting the band when he arrives for the concert.He was laughing at me for my love of old synthesizers and mellotrons some time before this concert saying it was the past music(he loved prog music but then he just discovered techno music and renied everything he loved as a youngster).After that,he never laughed at mellotrons again.

Air came two more times in Montreal after that tour in 2001 and 2004.I've never remet Nicolas but each time he waved his hands at me (I'm always near the stage).My friends,with wich I came for those two latter concerts(they replace my uncle) where very suprised by that.

For those who don't know this band very well, I recommand the "Virgins Suicide" soundtrack wich is more close to progressive music.That album is influenced by early Pink Floyd and King Crimson and all the tracks contain (real) mellotron and is very dark in atmosphere.Very recommanded.

In the early Eighties I had a short talk with Peter Gabriel when I noticed him opening a side-door from the building were he should give his performance, we were sitting in a queue, waiting for the door to be opened. He was very friendly but avoided my question when I asked his opinion about 'poppy Eighties Genesis'...  

I met French progrock legend Francis Decamps in the dressing room shortly before the Ange concert in 2003 in The Netherlands. He was pleased with my words of appreciation about 30 years Ange and gave me literally a big hand  !

I had a long talk with Thijs Van Leer about vintage keyboards after his concert with Focus on a open air festival in Holland a few years ago, he was very enthousiastic. I even helped him bearing his Hammond L100 from the stage to his van, a historical moment for me!

In the Nineties I did interviews (working for several Dutch progrock magazines) with Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon), the late Rick Van Der Linden (Ekseption/Trace), Ton Scherpenzeel (Kayak/Camel), all the members of Finch (drummer Beer Klaasse from Q65 and Finch appeared to live 5 minutes away from me!).

These were unforgettable experiences for me because when I was young I admired all abover mentioned musicians and many years later I could have a pleasant talk with my childhood heroes!

I have met the man himself, Peter Gabriel, in 1977.

I also met all of the City Boy band in 1979

I met the Swedish rock act Wasa Express

I saw BB King in an airport

I saw Sinead O Connor in another airport

I just happened to be in the same record store as Evergrey two weeks ago in Malmö! They were signing records.

I do live quite close to where Ayreon lives, so I hope I will get a chance to meet him