Well, it happens to the best of us. We feel old. It seems to be happening more and more as the years go by (I guess thats only logical…hmmm?) maybe we become a little more self aware. One thing is for damn sure though, trying to recapture your youth is more than likely going to bring this on.
As much as I’d like to pretend otherwise, I’ve been guilty of serious hero worship on several occasions with musicians. The Tweedy most recently, the Trey during the college years…but it all started with the top hatted man himself, Slash. Seeing Guns N Roses on the MTV awards circa 92 was the reason I picked up a guitar. Slash climbed the piano to tear up a solo unlike anything I had ever heard, I don’t think I knew what a guitar was before that. Such an iconic image, the top hat, the hidden face, the les paul, it was timeless.
Myself and David Joseph Buonocore saw one of the few Slash’s Blues Ball performances when we were in 7th Grade at Tramps, the old East Village Haunt, when it was still a crack neighborhood. Somewhere there is the cassette I bootlegged, where our pre pubescent voices shreak endlessly the moment the band took the stage. Beatlemania had nothing on us.
My last night in LA, I was lucky enough to get into a taping of Jimmy Kimmel, when Velvet Revolver was the musical guest. I thought I was over it. “whatever, they’re not in GNR anymore”, I was only fooling myself. I was 12 again. Yelling my head off, full on fist pumping action. The only difference being my slightly lower voice. I was so inspired, I went to Melrose the next day and bought leather pants. You know I’m not kidding.
And so it goes, every few years my love is reawakened. But I’m here to tell you, its over between Slash and I. I’m sorry Saul, you just don’t do it for me anymore. Around 4:00 today, I checked my Amazon order status for the newly released Slash Autobiography, and thougt “why dont I google Slash book signings?” Lo and Behold, he was scheduled in Ridgewood, TONIGHT. Well, my hero visiting the town where I was born is not something to be taken lightly. I walked up to my boss and said “ed, i have a stupid favor to ask, can I leave to go to Slash’s book signing?” He said go for it, we hi fived, i left.
But something was wrong as soon as I hit the road. It was as If I was forcing the enthusiasm. Like when you are at that Journey show, and they encore with “Wheel In The Sky” and you pretend like that was the jam you really wanted, when we all know you are feeling unfulfilled without “Seperate Ways”. I was 2.5 hrs early, already the line was around 2 blocks of this lovely little suburban town. Sometimes you wonder where all those early 90’s Jersey Metal people went? I’m here to tell you, they went to the Slash book signing. One guy next to me was WAY too excited. He seemed well intentioned, but he could not contain his enthusiasm. it was like “WOOO SLASH!!! YEAH!!!!” every few minutes, and I’m guessing he failed to notice we were 3 blocks away, waiting in front of a nail salon on a quiet street of anytown USA.
Around 6:00, I had made a decision: I would rather be enjoying my one night off this week accomplishing any menial errand, running at the gym, eating popcorn, practicing…ANYTHING. I did not want to be on a cold street with 500 metal heads who have not left New Jersey since 87. My love for slash was just not strong enough. Sure, once we got in I felt a momentary rush in his presence, I shook his hand, he scribbled his name in my book, and it was over. There no photos allowed, his handlers pushed everyone right along. At least when I met Trey years ago, we were each given a few seconds to chat and a photo, this just felt cold and mechanical. Like the time the afore mentioned Dave met Ace Frehly (who played guitar for those guys KISS, he wore makeup too) his childhood hero in addition to slash. He walked up and said “Ace, I love you, you’re the reason I play” ace responded “I Know”.
Last month it was the Sound Tribe show reminding me of the Ghosts of Jambands Past, this month its Steve Weiss: The Metal Years….what comes next? This is not a monthly occurrence I’m prepared for.
what will happen next is big d is going to stop at rasoi on the way to a gig in hackensack, the drummer is going to get the shits, dave’s gonna run into on the street, and you’re gonna play the gig, they’re going to like you much better, and you won’t be able to turn down touring the country playing ska n ska n ska n ska n ska n ska
Comment by Skanska — November 2, 2007 @ 11:17 am
man, two kinda sad blog posts in a row. you seemed more excited about this in person when you told us about it.
slash’s book looks pretty dirty on the inside.
Comment by Paul — November 6, 2007 @ 5:39 pm