How bad meet and greets can really be (New KISS one especially)

[alfierose]

By this logic that guy in Australia that got his teeth wrecked with the mic should be paying Axl instead of suing him.

He should be grateful to have such an honour bestowed for free!

He is one of the elite now, if he tries hard enough he might be able to get a full book out of the experience.

[tr420]

Back in the old days bands used to record cds and do cd signings. I met Kiss, Pantera, Ozzy, Megadeth, Motley Crue, Sebastian Bach, Twisted Sister, Dio (the nicest one) and a shitload more..... never had to spend more than the cost of a cd.

Thats just CD signings. Way more people than that just made themselves accessible after shows.

Maybe bands still do this? I dont know. The only band I bother going to see is GnR these days. No time for shows unless its my gig. Too much money now also.

[dalsh327]

Back in the old days bands used to record cds and do cd signings. I met Kiss, Pantera, Ozzy, Megadeth, Motley Crue, Sebastian Bach, Twisted Sister, Dio (the nicest one) and a shitload more..... never had to spend more than the cost of a cd.

Thats just CD signings. Way more people than that just made themselves accessible after shows.

Maybe bands still do this? I dont know. The only band I bother going to see is GnR these days. No time for shows unless its my gig. Too much money now also.

I think for the most part, band members enjoy interacting with fans, but the autograph and posing for photos is more like an obligation. They usually can assess who the collectors are and who the fans are. I think conventions played a big part in cashing in on meet and greets, because the "ebayers" were selling it in hours. To me, if you have a fan club that people are paying into, they're your "P1s" and should be building a relationship with them of some sort. They shouldn't even be paying for concert tickets, that should just be included in the membership.

[jimb0]

Fuck paying for Meet and Greets.

[robin2002]

Apologies for bumping this thread, just reminded me of my meeting with Duff... it was awkward.. He was playing a gig in my hometown (Highlands of Scotland) with Loaded and had a meet and greet deal going on, I'm very much of the opinion that I will never pay to meet anyone, no matter who they are... anyway, the gig was really good (through in So Fine, Attitude etc) and I went round the back to try and catch him before he goes on his tour bus and away. Eventually he comes out, there's a small group of us waiting, and he just ignores us and heads to his bus...at this point the girl I was at the gig with shouting 'ASSHOLE' to him... he stopped as he was getting on the bus, turned round and said 'who called me an asshole....', everyone obviously went silent... for some reason I decided to ask 'hey Duff why are you charging for a meet and greet dude' in an attempt to sway the conversation away from the asshole comment ... didn't work, he comes right up to me and got right in my face (he's well over 6 foot, and a small 5'8 guy) and kept asking 'did you call me an asshole!? why do you think I'm an asshole ... whats your problem...' ...FUCK this was horrible... luckily my wee bro (RIP) was standing next to me and tells him 'hey Duff he didn't call you and asshole and doesn't think your an asshole, your one of his heros'... with that Duff s rage turned to a smile and he apologised and posed for some photos for us and was really cool... but fuck that was a horrible 20 seconds or so!!
Have also met Matt and Dave from Velvet Revolver and Bruce Dickenson from Iron Maiden, no dramas to report there, I generally don't like meeting my heros, the reality is unlikely to ever be as I would hope it would be...

Anyone else had a bad encounter with anyone? GNR or other fave band members?

[Axl_morris]

Apologies for bumping this thread, just reminded me of my meeting with Duff... it was awkward.. He was playing a gig in my hometown (Highlands of Scotland) with Loaded and had a meet and greet deal going on, I'm very much of the opinion that I will never pay to meet anyone, no matter who they are... anyway, the gig was really good (through in So Fine, Attitude etc) and I went round the back to try and catch him before he goes on his tour bus and away. Eventually he comes out, there's a small group of us waiting, and he just ignores us and heads to his bus...at this point the girl I was at the gig with shouting 'ASSHOLE' to him... he stopped as he was getting on the bus, turned round and said 'who called me an asshole....', everyone obviously went silent... for some reason I decided to ask 'hey Duff why are you charging for a meet and greet dude' in an attempt to sway the conversation away from the asshole comment ... didn't work, he comes right up to me and got right in my face (he's well over 6 foot, and a small 5'8 guy) and kept asking 'did you call me an asshole!? why do you think I'm an asshole ... whats your problem...' ...FUCK this was horrible... luckily my wee bro (RIP) was standing next to me and tells him 'hey Duff he didn't call you and asshole and doesn't think your an asshole, your one of his heros'... with that Duff s rage turned to a smile and he apologised and posed for some photos for us and was really cool... but fuck that was a horrible 20 seconds or so!!

Have also met Matt and Dave from Velvet Revolver and Bruce Dickenson from Iron Maiden, no dramas to report there, I generally don't like meeting my heros, the reality is unlikely to ever be as I would hope it would be...

Anyone else had a bad encounter with anyone? GNR or other fave band members?

Hahaha that's so awkward. I think that's ever autograph/picture hunters worst nightmare, luckily it ended cool. He may have been rushed because the bus was waiting to leave or out of respect for the fans that paid to meet him. I dunno.

I haven't had any awkward moments but my girlfriend asked if she could hug slash and he said no. Hahaha, I couldn't stop laughing.

Edited January 22, 2014 by Axl_morris

[RussTCB]

My wife walked right up to DJ and asked why he doesn't play the TIL solo right. He was actually really nice about it and gave her this big explanation about how he can't quite "wrap his head around the progression" so he decided to make up his own thing.

[Smoking Baby]

My wife walked right up to DJ and asked why he doesn't play the TIL solo right. He was actually really nice about it and gave her this big explanation about how he can't quite "wrap his head around the progression" so he decided to make up his own thing.

Nice! I'm sure DJ is a lot more likable in person than his online/stage persona.

[wfuckinga]

Awful expierence meeting Slash. He showed zero interest in the fans, barely said a word, refused to take pictures, and rushed us along. It was like "give mW your shit to sign, don't talk to me". Todd Kerns was the opposite. He posed for a picture, signed my copy of Slash s/t, chatted with me and told jokes for a good 10 minutes. Todd is the nicest, humblest most down to earth person I've met. I am paying around 1k for the Crüe meet and greet, but it has a front row ticket, meet and greet with the band, tour onstage and backstage, and the usual VIP stuff (laminate, etc).

[DR DOOM]

I'd never pay a thousand fucking dollars to meet a rockstar or celebrity, fuck that.

[Young_Gun]

In it for the money. I will never pay an extra dime to see my favourite artist. To me it has to be a spontaneous meeting and not an arranged one. Sad to see that bands like Metallica, GNR, Kiss and so on have become a brand rather than a band.

Yeh... When I saw Metallica flip flops on their official website.. Seriously...

[volcano62]

That's mental! Who on earth is going for that? There must be a market for it.

Maybe Axl should give it a go. Ten thousand dollars and Axl Rose will smash a camera for you and punch you in the mouth.

[RussTCB]

My wife walked right up to DJ and asked why he doesn't play the TIL solo right. He was actually really nice about it and gave her this big explanation about how he can't quite "wrap his head around the progression" so he decided to make up his own thing.

Nice! I'm sure DJ is a lot more likable in person than his online/stage persona.

Agreed. He was overly nice to her if anything. She didn't ask the question to be an asshole and she didn't phrase it that way either. He honestly had every right to not even bother answering.

Awful expierence meeting Slash. He showed zero interest in the fans, barely said a word, refused to take pictures, and rushed us along. It was like "give mW your shit to sign, don't talk to me". Todd Kerns was the opposite. He posed for a picture, signed my copy of Slash s/t, chatted with me and told jokes for a good 10 minutes. Todd is the nicest, humblest most down to earth person I've met. I am paying around 1k for the Crüe meet and greet, but it has a front row ticket, meet and greet with the band, tour onstage and backstage, and the usual VIP stuff (laminate, etc).

The only time I've met Slash was in 2004, the week before Contraband came out. Both he and Duff were extremely nice to my brother and I.

[Axl_morris]

Lol 1K for a meet n greet. Come on, that's ridiculous. They aren't exactly topping the charts right now (or ever).

A Laminate, front row ticket, a tour and a meet n greet costs the band nothing.

Edited January 22, 2014 by Axl_morris

[Axl_morris]

To be fair to slash he does sign everyone who waits for him at the end of the shows. Every night of the tour he will sign. You are not allowed photographs or more than one item signed. He is fairly high profile and been in the business for over 25 years so it's pretty lucky that he is very patient with everyone. There could be up to 200 people and just wants everyone through. Then there are the people at hotels and airports hunting for him. His bouncer can be pretty difficult though.

[DR DOOM]

I dunno, as soon as I have to pay to meet (or have sex with) someone I'm not interested.

What the fuck is some spotty Herbert going to talk to *insert famous person's name here* about anyway?

[Powerage5]

I've only ever paid for one M&G, and another one coming up in March. The one I've done before was Anthrax, the one I've got coming up is Scott Ian solo. The Anthrax one cost $75 and included your ticket, a shirt, a vinyl banner, a laminate, a 1 year membership to their fan club, and the actual M&G; it basically paid for itself in what you got included with it. The M&G itself was nice - you could bring 3 things to get signed and everyone in the band took their time with you; all in all you got to spend about 10 mins with the band. It was the first time we met anyone in Anthrax besides Joey, and he ended up telling the rest of the guys how we were always coming to his solo shows It was cool, but I wouldn't ever do it again - mainly because nowadays we always get put on the guest list and get to hang out backstage at at least half of the Anthrax gigs we go to anyways.

Doing the Scott Ian one for his spoken word show in a few months because it sounds like a good time. $50, and you basically just hang out with Scott for a couple hours after the gig, with an open bar. He tells more stories that he doesn't in the actual show, and that alone is worth it for me. This one also comes with a shirt, vinyl banner, and I think a pint glass.

My wife walked right up to DJ and asked why he doesn't play the TIL solo right. He was actually really nice about it and gave her this big explanation about how he can't quite "wrap his head around the progression" so he decided to make up his own thing.

I must've caught him on a bad night - he's the only member I've met that I didn't care for. BBF, Tommy, Pitman and Dizzy were all extremely nice.

[The Real McCoy]

I've been to a ton of meet and greets thanks to my job, and honestly, everyone that I've met has always been super nice. There's only been one or two awkward experiences in the past, but nothing horrible.

My only complaint is that so many meet and greets are literally cattle calls. Wait your turn, shake the artist's hand, get your picture, get your autograph (if allowed), and make way for the next person. It happens more than you'd think.

The Keith Urban meet and greet that I did a few months back was one of the better experiences that I've ever had. It wasn't too rushed, Keith was super cool, and I got to talk to him for about 5 minutes or so. (This is almost unheard of today.)

Most country artists are usually pretty good about giving their fans chances to score meet and greets, whether it's through their fan clubs, or just random giveaways on Facebook an Twitter.

[jonah]

Black label was sit around drinking with the band for $60. Got in at 6 had an open beer bar with finger foods. At about 6:50 they told us it was time to go and we were led onto the stage for a quick look before we had to go on the other side of the guardrail so they could then open the doors

[EvH]

M&G suck.

[Paulywauly]

Guns N Roses UK Birmingham gig 2012, got talking to a stunning girl after the concert round the back of the venue, was trying to find where the guys come out to try and catch Axl.

Anyway, she's outside having a smoke so I ask for a light and we get chatting, then I notice that the door she's stood outside, in the room are about 20 people that have been at the gig.

I ask her what's going on and she says it's like an after party or something and invited me in. So I go in and we sit down chatting. Next minute in walks Bumble, I get my pic with him and say what a great gig, nice guy. Quite a few people leave after this, the girl I'm with starts chatting to a few other stunning girls and they head towards the far door that leads back into the venue, she invites me with her. Next minute we're stood in a long hall way where I can see the tour buses at the end and a few back stage staff. Then walks over Del and Pitman, have a short chat, I think pitman was drunk.

Then, some guy runs down and says, Axl wants you you and you, to these 3 girls, one of them being the girl I was with, and off they head toward where the tour buses are.

The rest of us then get escorted out and that's the end of that.

So, I'm then waiting with a few other people outside where the tour buses are, hoping to see Axl, around an hour later at about 3am, there's some comossion and out comes some people, one of them the girl I was with earlier, who is now either drunk or high on drugs, she shouts over to me, things are a little wild in there everyone's naked, comes over gives me a hug and heads off on her own down the road.

Around 10 minutes later, out comes Axl with 2 girls, everyone's shouting, he stops and comes over to sign stuff, get my pic with him, cool guy. Then he heads back over to the tour buses where the 2 girls are, takes one on each arm and gets on the bus.

I then head off half hoping that I see the fit girl who I was with earlier and maybe fuck her in the carpark but I didn't so I headed home. Ha ha.

[seely]

Guns N Roses UK Birmingham gig 2012, got talking to a stunning girl after the concert round the back of the venue, was trying to find where the guys come out to try and catch Axl.

Anyway, she's outside having a smoke so I ask for a light and we get chatting, then I notice that the door she's stood outside, in the room are about 20 people that have been at the gig.

I ask her what's going on and she says it's like an after party or something and invited me in. So I go in and we sit down chatting. Next minute in walks Bumble, I get my pic with him and say what a great gig, nice guy. Quite a few people leave after this, the girl I'm with starts chatting to a few other stunning girls and they head towards the far door that leads back into the venue, she invites me with her. Next minute we're stood in a long hall way where I can see the tour buses at the end and a few back stage staff. Then walks over Del and Pitman, have a short chat, I think pitman was drunk.

Then, some guy runs down and says, Axl wants you you and you, to these 3 girls, one of them being the girl I was with, and off they head toward where the tour buses are.

The rest of us then get escorted out and that's the end of that.

So, I'm then waiting with a few other people outside where the tour buses are, hoping to see Axl, around an hour later at about 3am, there's some comossion and out comes some people, one of them the girl I was with earlier, who is now either drunk or high on drugs, she shouts over to me, things are a little wild in there everyone's naked, comes over gives me a hug and heads off on her own down the road.

Around 10 minutes later, out comes Axl with 2 girls, everyone's shouting, he stops and comes over to sign stuff, get my pic with him, cool guy. Then he heads back over to the tour buses where the 2 girls are, takes one on each arm and gets on the bus.

I then head off half hoping that I see the fit girl who I was with earlier and maybe fuck her in the carpark but I didn't so I headed home. Ha ha.

I was at that show....kind of wished i'd waited around now...

[Axl_morris]

Haha, I can just imagine people waiting at 3am to get an autograph from axl outside his bus while he is smashing his way through two young woman less than half his age. True rockstar.

[Paulywauly]

Yeah it was a fun experience ha ha

[dalsh327]

Haha, I can just imagine people waiting at 3am to get an autograph from axl outside his bus while he is smashing his way through two young woman less than half his age. True rockstar.

Assuming that's what even happens. There's reasons why he wouldn't bang groupies unless they signed non disclosures and he had a vasectomy.