Met my two heroes about the same time! Spent the rest of my life looking at them, chasing them....all different....
Ive only met two 'famous' people. Edwin Starr and Lord Sutch. Both at the bar after gigs. Both were utterly charming and Lord Sutch was one of the funniest and wittiest people Ive ever met. Edwin was such a nice and appreciative guy. Grateful for his fans and totally genuine. I will always hold them both in high esteem.
In or around the early 60s Lord Sutch pinched my mum's bum at a dive bar in Liverpool where they were watching a pre-fame Beatles gig.
I've met a few famous people but none who I would describe as being my hero. Lenny Kravitz - In the bar at Warrington Parr Hall when he was playing there just before he hit the big time. Bit of a dickhead as he was very aloof and "rock starry" which was kind of out of place seeing as he was playing a small venue in a nowhere town. Terence Trent D'arby - I accidentally knocked a drink out of his hand in a bar in Camden, bought him a replacement and had a bit of chit chat for a few mins. Nice guy and not at all displaying the arrogant pr!ck persona he adopted when interviewed. Led Zeppelin (with Bonham Jr) - At a rehearsal studio in Kings Cross in the early 90s. The studio's sound engineer was so star stuck by Jimmy Page that he accidentally electrocuted himself on an amplifier by absentmindedly sticking his index finger in the fuse hole at the back. Charlie Boorman - I stood behind him in the queue to get tagged at a trackday and exchanged a bit of chit chat. George Galloway - Met him at the bday party of a mutual friend and had a chat for 10 mins or so. Various well known judges, including Lady Hale, who greatly annoyed the DFUK massive in 2019 with her judgement in Miller 2. I was also backstage at a Prince concert once in the 90s and he walked past, about 20m away, but unfortunately that doesn't really count as meeting him as I would definitely have counted that as meeting a hero.
I think it’s OK & very normal to have “heroes” particularly as a kid. I can’t really explain what Hunt & Sheene meant to me as a teenager but they were certainly important to me & I’m grateful that I felt that way at the time. Of course, my Dad was a real life hero, as was my war hero uncle, but they didn’t make me want to be them, like those two did. Simple happy days!
Funny story, an old college mate of mine back in the 90's was in a band (he was the drummer) and had won a NW battle of the bands competition, part of the prize was several recording sessions and also to headline a gig at the Parr Hall... his gig got cancelled after loads of promoting to make way for said Lenny Kravitz and as you pointed out we were all like who is this guy...
“Arsehole” is almost an anagram of “Heroes” but it’s not quite the same thing. I’m kidding. I intend taking the shed on wheels on a bit of a U.K. tour later this year so I can easily detour via Doncaster and make a wish come true
Small world! IIRC, it was actually 1989 but I can’t imagine LK played the Parr Hall more than once so it must have been the same gig
Definitely!! It’ll make nice a change from the bailiffs. Seriously, there are spare rooms at the inn. Doncaster is a reasonable mid point/watering hole heading north from southern England shire
At Silverstone watching a mate of mine car racing, after the event we all go to a huge marquee for lunch. I sat next to a guy and we got chatting, put the world to rights , 3 course meal a few bevvies. He gets up and says he’s got to go to work, my mate says did I enjoy the chat with Chris Rea. Seemed like a totally normal person and I had absolutely no idea it was someone so famous. I have had quite a few in our showroom like Aleisha Dixon, Liv Tyler etc etc, generally all very nice and easy going, except Terry Vendables . If you don’t have top bollocks he ignores you!
I've met John Britten several times, thoroughly nice person, genuinely interested in you when conversing, down to earth and friendly, but his mind was all over the place, hard to keep up with. Sat on one of his bikes too.
