Waiting at the STAGE DOOR ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

[flingelbunt]

I was living in the Midlands, when in 1968, The Shadows were appearing at The Coventry Theatre. I had tickets for the Saturday matinee, and I remember waiting by the stage door and meeting John Rostill. My main recollection was he was very tall, and I asked him some inane question about the band- not so these days, but isn't it amazing how tongue-tied you get when you meet your heroes? As I was waiting there, Bruce pulled up in his RR Silver Shadow, dropping somebody off, who ran in the stage door (fortunately they opened it first folks!!) before driving away to park I guess.

I met Hank after a Marvin, Welch & Farrar show at the La Dolce Vita nightclub in Birmingham in about 1972/3, and had a real laugh with him. I joked that I had been the 93rd person to buy their 'Lady of the Morning' single, and I'm glad to say I still have that single signed by all three of the guys today!! During that conversation, John Farrar stuck his head round the door, as I'd just mentioned to Hank what a great tune 'Gracie' was on the 'Rockin' wiv Curly Leads' album was!!

I also was invited behind the scenes at the Swansea Grand during Hank's last solo tour by Ben & Warren, and had a brief chat with Hank then just before the sound check- Warren & Ben were great and I had a good banter with them for 15 minutes or so- a much treasured memory among others- thanks again guys!!

Maurice
Lord Flingel of Buntshire

[Geoff Alderton LH]

Hi all.
Quite a few years ago I was working out in Hong Kong and I went to a John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers gig at the Koshan Theatre, a very small place but a fantastic venue. At the end of the show I went to the front of the stage and waited untill the place was empty. John Mayall and the group came out onto the stage to pack up all their gear, no roadies. I got onto the stage and went over to John Mayall and said hello and what a great gig it had been and would he please give me his auotograph by signing on the show ticket I had. He looked at me and said NO if I sign that everybody would want him to sign and he didnt have time as they had to put all their gear away ready for the transport. I said there is nobody here the place is empty every one has gone home. He said NO again and carried on wraping up his cables. I walked accros the stage to the guitar player, Coco Montoya, who was in the process of cleaning his Strat. I didnt even have to ask he put his guitar down and said what can I do for you. He signed my ticket, asked if I had enjoyed the show and gave me a couple of his plectrums. I left the theatre thinking what a miserable old b***er John Mayall is or did I catch him on a bad day. Never mind It was a fantastic gig and Istill have Coco's auotograph and plectrum's
Regards Geoff.

[bgohara]

Being an Elvis fan I went to see Elvis The Concert first time it came to Belfast after the show you can imagine the thrill I got when my wife and myself managed to meet and get autograph's from the entire TCB Band as they came out of the stage door. Pity I never got Elvis' autograph, but as he is in heaven it made it just a little too difficult, maybe, one day, if I behave myself I might get that much wanted autograph

Eric - look who I met last night at the stage door....!

[SELEDA284]

If I recall correctly this was shortly after the tragic death of his son Paul.
....Rob

I have pm'd Rob about his 'Faux Pas' & have now have his blessing to correct him on this thread...... It was Hank's eldest son DEAN who died ...... not Paul (one of the twins), who, as far as I am aware is still very much alive....

Cheers Rob, not like you to make an error...you must have had a minor 'senior moment' (an all too common occurance these days on my behalf.... )

[OLDEREK]

Come On Lesley, you must have loads of storys from outside the Stage Door, go on spill the beans....Tell us all the gossip !!............

[Arpeggio]

Thanks Lesley. Apologies everyone - I was replying fairly swiftly and simply was thinking of the wrong twin. Yes....of course..it was Dean. I have to say that - prior to that dreadful event - during his solo tours Hank would regularly spend up to a couple of hours after each show meeting people, chatting affably away and signing everything that fans wanted signing. From that point of view it was a 'Golden' era. It all changed following Dean's tragic demise.

Rob

[SELEDA284]

Come On Lesley, you must have loads of storys from outside the Stage Door, go on spill the beans....Tell us all the gossip !!............

Ohhh I dunno about that !!!! Nope, no beans to spill or gossip to share, but quite a few memories, a lot of which have all blurred together over the years....

Yes I am one of those members on here who met other fans at many stage doors over many years. Some of these definitely have become lifelong friends to me so I count myself very lucky as a result. As Rob has said, during the 'Golden Years' it was quite easy to meet & chat with 'The men behind the guitars', & I lost count of all the late nights I endured.

On one occasion Ade even got Hank to sign the back of a lottery ticket, hoping it would bring us luck...lol... but we didnt even win a fiver that week...

My fondest memory is of giving Hank a kiss after a brilliant concert at the Hexagon, Reading. I dont know what aftershave he was wearing but he didnt half smell nice.... I always found him to be chatty & amusing, rather like a 'Musical Eric Morecombe'......& he said on more than one occasion that he was 'still the same wally' he'd always been....

The most memorable occasion for me took place after yet another concert,at the Hexagon I think, when Ade asked Hank if he could feel his fingertips !!!! (all of you guitarist will know why) whereby Hank gave him an 'old-fashioned' look but duly obliged..... much to the amusement of several fans gathered around, especially some of us wives/partners who got the giggles at seeing this.....

For me the main thing about all of the Stage door episodes is that we enjoyed it immensely, it was fun, & provided us & our friends with many opportunities for discussion & laughter throughout the years.

[EricB]

Being an Elvis fan I went to see Elvis The Concert first time it came to Belfast after the show you can imagine the thrill I got when my wife and myself managed to meet and get autograph's from the entire TCB Band as they came out of the stage door. Pity I never got Elvis' autograph, but as he is in heaven it made it just a little too difficult, maybe, one day, if I behave myself I might get that much wanted autograph

Eric - look who I met last night at the stage door....!

Hi Bernard

Well Done ! Hope you enjoyed Mr Burton and the rest of the crew, I presume the show was as usual 'brilliant'

[bgohara]

Being an Elvis fan I went to see Elvis The Concert first time it came to Belfast after the show you can imagine the thrill I got when my wife and myself managed to meet and get autograph's from the entire TCB Band as they came out of the stage door. Pity I never got Elvis' autograph, but as he is in heaven it made it just a little too difficult, maybe, one day, if I behave myself I might get that much wanted autograph

Eric - look who I met last night at the stage door....!

Hi Bernard

Well Done ! Hope you enjoyed Mr Burton and the rest of the crew, I presume the show was as usual 'brilliant'

Eric - show was brilliant. JB was a very nice man - I told him that he was a legend - couldn't think of anything else to say! Got my photo taken as well with Glen D and managed to shake Nathan East's hand too (superb player).

Hadn't planned to go but someone offered me a ticket on Tues!

[EricB]

Hi Bernard

you are right he is a very nice man, I first met him when I went to Graceland in the early 90's, got his autograph then and managed to get to play a couple of chords on his famous pink paisley tele.