BABY WITH NO NAME with CLINT EASTWOOD

Clint Eastwood

When I was in Carmel I had to go the Hog’s Breath which is owned by Clint Eastwood. I was with family and friends and we got a few sheets to the wind when Clint walked in. He was running for Mayor at the time so he had to make the rounds of kissing voters and shaking babies’ hands. Of course, I had to walk over to him but he was engaged in a conversation so I just hung around. I’m almost positive that I heard people call him “Cliff”.

When I got closer to him, I was pretty surprised how much shorter he is than how he appears in the movies but he’s just as cool. He was quite gracious to everyone around him. He didn’t see me. I stood behind him. My friends noticed the size difference and being a little a tipsy, I mouthed to my friends “I could take him”. Beer shot out of my friend’s noses. I have a feeling that just about every drunk guy that walks in there wonders the same thing about Clint, or Cliff.But the fact remains that he can whoop anybody in the movies and he’s faster on the draw than anybody, anyone that’s foolish enough to try. I have the impression he can in real life too.

-wes

MONTANA ON RICE

Joe Montana #16, Jerry Rice #80

Some years back, I was called in to do tech direction for an awards dinner at the San Francisco St. Francis Hotel ballroom.

Sure, why not.  I showed up, we set up the gear, and I learned that it was for the San Francisco Sports Hall of Fame.

A few hours before dinner, the hosts and guests started to show up.  Jerry Rice was the first, he walked up to me, introduced himself and I about fell over.  Then Joe Montana showed up, then Steve Young.  Since they were to be seated on the stage during the dinner, we all ate together at the same table before the ceremony.

Rice, Young and Montana just talked about normal stuff with the crew; very little football, just basic BS and guy stuff.

The three most gracious and genuine gods of sports to have existed, sitting with us, just a casual dinner.

A 49ers fan's dream, and yep, it was fun.

Young and Montana ended up winging footballs at each other across the ballroom during setup.  Rice stayed out of the way for that bit.

I ran into Rice numerous times after that at tech conferences.  He's the best...and the nicest guy you could ever want to meet.  May their level of class, brains and humility grace the NFL again someday.

Lorin Swelk

ARE WE NOT DEVO?

DEVO X-RAY

In the mid 70’s my brother worked with several LA bands. He was the manager of “X” at the time.

Ray Manzerack, former keyboard musician for the Door and one of the nicest living legends you could ever meet, was their producer. My wife and I drove down with him in his VW to a recording session of X’s. (nepotism). When we passed Haight/ Ashbury, I thought how cool is this?  I’m in Ray’s VW on Haight street. If it were 10 years ago, I’d probably be the luckiest kid in high school.

During a break, my wife and I went to the break room to get a soda passing Toni Basil along the way which was cool. When we got into the break room, the guys from Devo were playing this pinball-like machine in the corner. The pinball machine had an old little tune every time you launch the ball. It inspired these guys to sing along. They sang this spontaneous song “Binge and Purge”. It was really good. I kind of hoped they would eventually record it but no such luck.

WES

THE DUKE MEETS THE KING- TINY TIM

Tiny Tim

I had a local “comedy” radio show with a bevy of artists, musicians, jugglers, writers, performers, poets, and pals at the close of the last century in San Francisco. We did it for six years and although it was more fun than funny, we did have a few good bits and they liked us enough to keep us on the air.  

I was always looking for wacky stuff to include on our show so I would go to different bars, concerts, and parties. Depending upon how much I had to drink, I would approach the performers and say “I’ve got a radio show and If you have tape (pre-CD days), I’d really like to put some of your material on.” Sometimes it actually worked.

One of the occasional guests on the show was this guy who calls himself the Duke of Uke. He, obviously, plays the ukulele and he’s really good. The Duke would play covers by bands such as the Sex Pistols and Nirvana but he was, as any self respecting ukulele musician would be, a fan of Tiny Tim.

Tiny Tim was playing at the Great American Music Hall so I thought I should invite the Duke of Uke to come along and see if I could try my back-stage strategy of “I have a radio show”. After a few hot toddies, I gave it a shot. I asked The Duke to bring his uke and join me and see if we could finagle Tiny’s autograph.  The radio line worked and they let us enter the inner sanctum. Tiny was sitting on a comfy couch and surrounded by several adoring and rather attractive women. Tiny was cautious when I introduced myself and he was eating grapes. The Duke stood in awe. I explained why I was there and the Duke extended his uke. Tiny relaxed and was thrilled that he had a ukulele musician there. Without hesitation, he signed it. He didn’t say much but when he did it was in his Tiny Tim voice. The Duke and I met the King of the Ukulele.

I wish I had had a conversation with him but I was kinda stunned that we actually got back stage to see him.

wes

NIXON'S THE ONE?

Richard Milhaus Nixon

I never had an easy way to do this years ago, but I just went to Wikipedia and saw that Richard Milhaus Nixon lived in New York City for about a year in 1980.  He came out from California and lived in a Manhattan townhouse to be closer to family in '80, and moved to Saddle River NJ in '81.

So it was, in fact, him.

In 1980, I was in my second year (of what would be a 23-year stint) as a PR guy in Manhattan, I lived on the upper east side.  I was working on some project, and had to be in the office really early.  Like by 5:30am early.  I left my apartment around 5:00 and walked south, probably on First or Second Avenue, toward work.  There was no one on the street.  Except for two guys walking north, toward me, on the same side of the street.  As they got closer I saw one was younger, one was older.  They both wore crummy black trenchcoats.  It was like the younger guy was taking the older guy for a walk.  Which he was. At 5:00 in the morning.

You know when you see someone famous, and you think "hey, that's so-and-so... well, maybe not... no, it is... I think."  Well, I had one of those that morning.  I mean, it had to be Nixon... just look at that face, I thought.  He was older, but it had to be him.  Right?  I wasn't sure.  But the other guy sure looked like a Secret Service agent walking with him.  Right?  I didn't know.  Who knew where Nixon lived in 1980.

I was trying to decide what to say, but then I thought, A) if it's not him, boy will I feel foolish, and B) if it is him, and I walk up in front of him and start yapping, Mr. telephone-cord-in-his-ear might just decide to "wrestle me to the ground" and ask to see my ID later.  So, I walked on by.  A quiet, peaceful morning.  With Nixon taking his early walk, undisturbed.  No big thing, really, but there's a big difference seeing someone famous give a speech, or in a crowd, versus walking right by them on a quiet street, close enough to touch, glancing eye-to-eye, then moving on. 

Of course, he was a criminal.  Let's not forget that.  But it was fun to see him that morning anyway

Marc K.

JOURNEY INTO A BAR

Neal Schon

Back in 1994 or so, I used to hang out in San Rafael, California. There's a little bar there called T&T's...it's a little hole in the wall.
Anyway, one night I went in to have a beer...and a guy came in and sat next to me. I immediately recognized him, it was Neal Schon....an excellent guitar player in bands as early as the 60's, when he was a member of Santana, but more commercially known when he was the lead guitarist of Journey, a popular band in the 70's and 80's....
So I was sitting there just having a pint of Sierra Nevada, then he comes in and plops down next to me...I looked over and wow! that was him! I totally recognized him from the live shows and videos, but here he was, just a regular guy at a bar...and he WAS a regular...he was pals with the bartender and he gave him a cassette tape, "Well I'm just shopping it around."
There was a baseball game going on at the time which made me look in his direction, in the direction of the tv. At the corner of my eye I would see him glance over and realize I was watching the game..not him...It was at this time that I just wanted to lean over say, "Hey are you the guitarist in Journey? I just wanted you to know that I'm a big fan of yours, I think you're a great guitarist, I love your music, not just with Journey, but your solo stuff too" ....
BUT NOOO! At that moment I also thought, okay well maybe he just wants to be left alone, this guy is a 'rock star' after all and likes to come to this hole-in-the-wall...so I didn't say a word, I was too shy. So I finished my beer and left.
I consider myself pretty socially adroit , I can get along with anyone...but...think of anyone who has ever considered themselves 'shy' in certain situations and then multiply it by ten....
I think me and Neal would have had a cool conversation....

-Dang