True stories (for my fake podcast)
High School
I had a talent for sneaking backstage at concerts in high school…. got locked in a closet for 5 minutes alone with Dave Grohl in ’95, gave Beck a demo tape in ’97, and embarrassed myself in front of Winona Ryder sometime in between (in an incident that may, or may not have involved a kazoo).
In 1996 I followed Steven Tyler into an antique shop on Newbury St in Boston, and introduced myself by saying that my band played its first show at the same High School that Aerosmith had (NIPMUC) almost 25 years later to the day. I was polite, respectful of the intrusion, and excused myself after just a few seconds… he then launched into a 3-minute speech about how “drugs aren’t cool”, and I should stay away from that stuff if I was “serious about a career in music”. I was about as square as teen could be at the time, but I guess the unsolicited advice worked….
Just Say No
Free Tibet
MTV News footage from the ’98 Tibetan Freedom Concert in DC caught me red handed with a water balloon slingshot we snuck into the stadium (took like 20 minutes to fill them in bathroom sink at RFK).
Stage Fright
In 2000, Questlove handed his drumsticks over to me to keep the beat for Roots crew (ft. Tre from The Pharcyde) in the middle of a 3-hour Black Lily jam. The Village Voice write-up ended with “a nervous white boy takes the stage, and they played on…”
Bono, Edge, Daniel.
After setting up U2’s dressing room for a show at Irving Plaza, I camped in front of the stage so I could be front row for their set…. Only 3 faces are clearly visible in the AP photo that was published the next day.
College Rock
I booked The Strokes to play 1st of 3 at an NYU show before they had an agent, after seeing them at a venue called “The Orange Bear”. It was among the first, and hands-down the worst attended show, of my booking career.
A Blur…
In 2002 I performed at just about every great rock venue in NYC, from CBGB to Roseland, and graduated from college onstage at Radio City Music Hall.
Neil Night(s)
I have met Neil Diamond 3 times…. All on consecutive days. Soon after, I sat in with a friend’s band to play a set at an event called “Neil Night” where we covered his song “Kentucky Woman”, and Neil Young’s “On The Losing End”.
I have since met Neil Young.
Starstruck
Backstage at Beastie Boys final MSG show, I finally met both the group and my childhood TV crush…. Melody from Nickelodeon’s “Hey Dude”