Ever met a famous musician…. but not realised at the time?

[ras52]

[quote name='Norm' timestamp='1462799193' post='3045704']
Tell him from me, next time you see him, his dad was a great darts player! ;-)
[/quote]

[ivansc]

My wife is the champ.

She spent a whole evening/night chatting to Mrs Elvis Costello in the dressing room at a gig.
Was saying to me a while later how much she liked Elvis Costello and did I know his music.
Same with Shaking Stevens.... who she had told me SO many times was "her favourite"..... never recognised him at all until he and band actually went on stage!

Mind you back in the days of vinyl she used to refer to albums we owned as "the yellow one with black line" or " the red one with the picture of that chap with a guitar"....

*sigh*

Edited May 9, 2016 by ivansc

[goblin]

[quote name='Norm' timestamp='1462799193' post='3045704']
Tell him from me, next time you see him, his dad was a great darts player! ;-)
[/quote]

It crossed my mind first time round

[Beedster]

In a different life I met many famous musos, most were prats to be honest (this was the '80s), and some were among the most arrogant and self centred people I've had the displeasure to meet. In the context of the O/P, most seemed only too keen to limit the chances me or anyone else not realising who they were by making it very clear that they were indeed who they were! The most curious exception was the singer from the world's most famous rock'n'roll band who was sufficiently unassuming and low key for me to assume that he was simply a bloke who looked like Mick Jagger.

[Bobthedog]

[quote name='ivansc' timestamp='1462812069' post='3045879']
My wife is the champ.

She spent a whole evening/night chatting to Mrs Elvis Costello in the dressing room at a gig.
Was saying to me a while later how much she liked Elvis Costello and did I know his music
[/quote]

I may be missing a point here but Mrs Costello is Diana Krall a supremely talented pianist and singer in her own right. Unless of course it was a previous Mrs Costello.

[TrevorR]

Two anecdotes... some friends and I went to the London Guitar show many moons ago. We arrived quite early and the place was pretty quiet so we did some mooching around looking at stands. First up was the huge Marshall stand which dominated the whole room. A tubby old bloke wearing a Marshall sweatshirt who was rolling up posters, putting an elastic band around them and filling up goody bags noticed us and ambled over. We spent a nice ten minutes chatting about stuff before we said bye and headed off clutching the goodie bags he had given us. As we walked to the next stand I said "That's nice that the big boss guy is still down to earth and mucks in with the rest of the staff.” The other guys looked at me and said, “What are you on about?” “That was Jim Marshall, the guy who set up the company and who made amps for Clapton and Hendrix and everyone.” There was a general round of “Ah, p*ss off”, “What do you take us for?” comments, especially from my mate Rich. So, after five minutes of this (it clearly wasn’t going to get old any time soon “Oh look! Arnold Schwarzenegger!” – pointing at a greasy haired teenage boy etc) I grabbed his arm and marched him back to the other side of the stand where a young lady was similarly making up goody bags. “Excuse me miss, but could you settle something for us please?” “Why of course, how can I help you?” “That nice old man over there that we were chatting to. Could you tell us his name, please?” Puzzled look. “What… Jim? You mean… Jim… Marshall”

At which point Jim, having spotted our reappearance ambled over to us and said “What’s this… Back so soon? There must be something else to look at!” At which point Rich just stood there trembling having completely lost all power of speech!

And the second one… A songwriter chum of mine got invited by her publishers to the Brits a few years back. As she was enjoying a few drinks at her table she started to become increasingly annoyed by Ken-flippin’-Livingstone who was at the next table holding court like some sort of rock star, chatting to people who came up especially to shake his hand. What a poser! And so it went on until she mentioned this to the person sitting next to her. He looked a bit puzzled and said. “Well, he had made quite a few good albums. You know, even AFTER Roger left the band.” “Roger?” “Yeah, Roger Waters… of… Pink Floyd?” Yes… much to her eternal shame and ribbing “Red Ken” turned out to be Dave Gilmour… of Pink Floyd!

[ivansc]

[quote name='Bobthedog' timestamp='1462814028' post='3045913']
I may be missing a point here but Mrs Costello is Diana Krall a supremely talented pianist and singer in her own right. Unless of course it was a previous Mrs Costello.
[/quote]

Nope this was way back. An EC and the Attractions gig where we shared dressing rooms. The ladies were nattering allnight whilst us blokes went to work.

You have to have "done" Cambridge May Balls week to appreciate this.... A bit like being in the trenches in WW1 (I imagine) but with champers and damp sausage rolls.

Also: How the hell does anyone mistake Dave the Rave for Ken Livingstone?

Edited May 9, 2016 by ivansc

[Bobthedog]

[quote name='ivansc' timestamp='1462816472' post='3045958']

You have to have "done" Cambridge May Balls week to appreciate this.... A bit like being in the trenches in WW1 (I imagine) but with champers and damp sausage rolls.

[/quote]

I have done, as an attendee, but do not see the connection?

I would not know a famous person from a non famous person, or at least when I have met famous people, I just regard them as people in a different line of business to me. Some like to be fauned over, some like just to be treated as ordinary folk.

[TrevorR]

[quote name='ivansc' timestamp='1462816472' post='3045958']


Also: How the hell does anyone mistake Dave the Rave for Ken Livingstone?
[/quote]

I know, I know... But she swears blind. I suspect a glass or two of champers may have been involved...

[sunburstjazz1967]

A mate at work spent a whole evening telling Roy Wood that he was Ronnie Wood, even now my mate tells people it was Ronnie Wood that he was calling Roy Wood, yes he was drunk.

[BrunoBass]

A few years ago I was working in Solihull. As my wife's birthday was approaching I decided to wander into town at lunchtime to look for a present for her. I went into a boutique and was mooching around looking at stuff she might like when a middle aged but very charismatic couple came in. They spent a short time looking around before they went to the till to buy some items. I was in the queue behind them, they paid and left, and it was my turn to pay. 'Pretty cool to see him in here!' beamed the woman behind the counter. I hadn't recognised Mr and Mrs Ronnie Wood.

More recently (a couple of years ago maybe), I had a lunch meeting with a client at the Zetter Townhouse hotel in Clerkenwell, London. While we were sitting there a gentleman came in and went up to reception. He certainly looked every inch the rock star, and every head turned and neck craned as he walked through the room. As I was sitting close by I could hear him ask, very politely, if his band mates had checked in yet, that he had got a later flight (he was American) and was meeting them there. I tried my best to hear what his name was but I didn't catch it, I didn't recognise him either. Who was it? I have no idea!

Edited May 9, 2016 by PaulGibsonBass

[bluesparky]

A few years ago, working for a popular pop-funk band who's bass player may or may not be better than flea, returning from a gig in deepest darkest Germany somewhere and sitting in an airport having a beer with them, a few of the band started talking to a few guys who were sitting near us.
I eneded up joining in the converstation and had a nice chat with everyone and as they left I asked politely "so, who were they?".
It turns out it was Kim Wilde and her band, complete with Nick Beggs too.

[bluesparky]

I also had a VERY long to-and-fro battle with someone in crew catering at a gig once, about pun-based food shops and kebab houses we'd encountered.
I won with Jason's Doner Van and Kebabestan (it's in Vienna).
It turns out it was James Dean Bradfield

[bluesparky]

Whilst in Mexico in 2012, once again working for a popular pop-funk band who's bass player may or may not be better than flea, we were at the (really rather posh) hotel complex and killing time before the stroll along the beach before the band were due on stage, and playing some pool with some american chap we were talking to.
Turns out I found out later the American chap we were playing with was John Patitucci who I simply didn't recognise at the time.

[BrunoBass]

[quote name='bluesparky' timestamp='1462831011' post='3046167']
I also had a VERY long to-and-fro battle with someone in crew catering at a gig once, about pun-based food shops and kebab houses we'd encountered.
I won with Jason's Doner Van and Kebabestan (it's in Vienna).
It turns out it was James Dean Bradfield
[/quote]

I've met JDB (I recognised him as well) and he is indeed a top bloke. Bone crushing handshake too...

[Kex]

[color=#000000][font=Calibri, sans-serif]Quite a long time ago, must be around 1990 I was sitting in the waiting room of a holistic centre in in Bath waiting for a friend who worked there and just chatting about the weather to the guy next to me. After me left my mate came out and said you do realise who that was. Mope. None other then Peter Gabriel, ironically one of my heroes. [/font][/color]

[font="Calibri, sans-serif"][color="#000000"]Fast forward to last year and am at the Walnut Tree restaurant near Abergavenny when I recognise the voice coming from the table next to me, this time I recognised Peter. As we were about to leave I popped to the loo, guess who came in and stood at the next urinal, yep Peter but this time i could not resist saying hello (bit odd given the location I know). On the way out he actually held the door open for me, what a nice [/color][/font][color=#000000][font=Calibri, sans-serif], totally normal, totally unassuming chap.[/font][/color]

Edited May 10, 2016 by Kex

[ivansc]

[quote name='Bobthedog' timestamp='1462821932' post='3046052']
I have done, as an attendee, but do not see the connection?
[/quote]

You have to be one of the workers to appreciate the significance, you elite-ist, over-educated swine!

[Bobthedog]

[quote name='ivansc' timestamp='1462897961' post='3046803']
You have to be one of the workers to appreciate the significance, you elite-ist, over-educated swine!

[/quote]

Thank you but it was my brother and my girlfriend at the time who where at the Uni - I merely was given tickets each year! I suppose I am therefore elitist by family.

[Simon.]

In the swagger of my (long departed) youth, I was 18, had just played iconic (and also sadly departed) Venue in Edinburgh for the first time and so full of myself I was probably a right annoying twonk.

By agreement with the venue staff, we had left some gear there after the gig, so I wandered down the next day to pick it up. Went in, noticed some random guitarist guy on stage setting up and sound-checking. Asked if he minded if I went on stage to get my gear, and he was most obliging. It wasn't until I was leaving and looking one more time at the posters outside to bask in the glory of seeing my band's name up there that I realised who it had been on stage... Midge Ure.

[ivansc]

Who?

[Fitz666]

[quote name='Simon.' timestamp='1463048386' post='3048038']
In the swagger of my (long departed) youth, I was 18, had just played iconic (and also sadly departed) Venue in Edinburgh for the first time and so full of myself I was probably a right annoying twonk.

By agreement with the venue staff, we had left some gear there after the gig, so I wandered down the next day to pick it up. Went in, noticed some random guitarist guy on stage setting up and sound-checking. Asked if he minded if I went on stage to get my gear, and he was most obliging. It wasn't until I was leaving and looking one more time at the posters outside to bask in the glory of seeing my band's name up there that I realised who it had been on stage... Midge Ure.
[/quote]

Ah, the Edinburgh Venue, size of an airplane seat but it was awesome!!

[Leon Transaxle]

As a student Radiographer in the 80s in NW London I x-rayed members of a well know band from the 70s. They must have lived locally as, during the course of my training, I managed to x-ray three out of four of them. I was only told who they were by my supervising Radiographer after the event. I don't think I can name the band due to patient confidentiality.
I also met someone I most certainly did recognise who was accompanying his Dad for a Radiology appointment and a group of female singers who were visiting a member of their road crew on one of the wards.

[bassace]

During the last week I've sent a piece of kit over to a guy who contacted me via Talkbass. Nice chap so I googled him. Turns out he's Tony Bennett's bass player and was on Duets2. To the younger members, Tony Bennett is an American purveyor of popular songs.

[bassbiscuits]

A long time ago I worked for Roland, and one day we spotted two scruffy guys we didn't recognise wearing denim strolled about in the car park of our HQ.

Turned out they were two guys from Status Quo (not Francis or Rick obviously) who were coming to visit someone there.

I also got rung up by a guy asking for details of a Drum and Bass sound board thing for a JV2080. He gave me his name and details to send some info, and it was Marcus Miller.

[bassbiscuits]

Around the same time i also worked in a jewellery shop, and a cool looking, older guy came in one day. He looked faintly familiar.

We got chatting, I served him etc and when he handed over his bank card to pay, the name on it is "Mr A Stardust".

Cool.