The Official Met Your Musical Heroes Thread.

[Manurack]

Thought I'd start another interesting thread. Many have enjoyed my Best V of All Time thread and Opening Bands That Blew You Away thread.

In this post, I want everyone to share pictures, or stories of meeting their musical heroes. My best friend here in BC met fucking Michael Romeo of Symphony X in Calgary, AB after the show and he even lit his cigarette, said he was a pretty cool dude.

I'm watching the Lamb of God: Walk With Me in Hell documentary right now and I thought about the time that I randomly met Chris Adler, the original drummer of Lamb of God. It was at Axe Music in Edmonton, AB right across from the venue Rexall Place where they opened up for Metallica in December of 2008. I was upstairs checking out guitars, then my friend's wife went to use the bathroom. We went to look for her walking around the store, then we walked near the drum section of the store and Chris Adler was doing a fucking meet and greet signing session!

Then a few months later, while Lamb of God started their North American tour supporting the Wrath album in April of 2009, I met Randy Blythe! I was at the venue The Shaw Conference Center, waiting for the ticket booth to open then boom, we saw 5 tour busses roll into the back of the building. My friend and I went outside and saw Randy walk out to have a cigarette. No security or anyone else was around because it was 1pm. We walked over to have a chat, me being an 18 year old kid I wouldn't shut up while talking to Randy, I asked about the tour, how many times I watched Killadelphia and Walk With Me in Hell.

Randy was annoyed as fuck of my questions, he was hungover from the night before partying with Children of Bodom on that tour. I asked him "so, where's the rest of the band?" And he gave me a stupid look and said to me "I don't fucking know! I just woke up!" And that was my que to leave him alone lol Lamb of God kicked ass that night!

And here's a little bonus picture of the show they did that night, it was back when Willie was playing his Camo ESP signatures.

 

[Spicypickles]

Back when he was 250lbs, not the 78 he currently weighs.

 

[Rosal76]

I met Deicide bassist/vocalist, Glen Benton, on their "In the minds of evil" tour. Deicide's tour bus was parked in front of the venue so it was very easy to see him. I didn't want to bother Glen too much because I knew they had to set up their equipment inside but I was able to get Glen to sign a Deicide ad for that show. I was also able to get Steve Asheim, their drummer, to sign the same ad. Being a life long Deicide fan, I was happy to have met them both and get their signatures.

 

[Manurack]

Back when he was 250lbs, not the 78 he currently weighs.

I'm assuming that you're talking about how fat Willie used to be.

 

[RevDrucifer]

I've met a lot of mine over the years and knocked out a TON at NAMM in 2011.

Meeting Vai for the first time changed my life. It was the Ultra Zone tour when I was 16 or 17 and I was a RABID Vai nut. He pulled up in a taxi outside Irving Plaza and I knew it was him before he even got out and I was such a shit. I rushed him immediately and tried to get an autograph without a pen. He was really gracious but most definitely not wanting to hang out in front with a line of fans assembling. He came into the ticket booth later and I snagged a pic with him. Before that, I thought he was some kind of god or special being, after that, I learned he was just a regular dude who spent a LOT of time honing his craft. From that day on, I had a "Whatever I want to do, I just have to focus on it and do it." and I'm 1,000,000x better as a musician and human as a result.

The Dream Theater guys a few times now, except for Petrucci. Both times were at the Roseland Ballroom on the SFAM tour, the 2nd show was the Live Scenes From NY show. If you have the DVD, you see me all over the behind the scenes shit. Portnoy has always been really cool and after the first time I met him, I was the last fan outside the bus at like 2-3AM. He looked around and asked if I needed a ride home or anything, I was 17 and looked pretty young. I told him I was good but ever since, I've wondered what he would have done if I told him I needed a ride! Ran into him years later at NAMM in the Hilton, it was right after he split from DT. I thanked him for all the music, told him I'll follow him wherever he goes and he was really receptive of it. Everyone was getting trashed in there and you could tell he wanted to just get to his room after a few minutes.

Dug Pinnick was a treat. Met him at the Dean NAMM Jam, bought him a couple drinks and we watched most of the show together. I was shitfaced and screaming along with Hellyeah and he was just laughin' up a storm and crackin' jokes about me being young the whole time. Ran into him at the Hilton the following night and he asked how I was feeling that day.

Lajon and Clint from 7Dust. Man, those guys....Clint really helped me out via Twitter when I was getting my drinking under control, sending some really thoughtful and inspirational DM's, so it was important to meet him and say thanks in person. But Lajon stole the show that day. I wanted Clint to sign my JEM, so I got to the venue, sat on my hood and just played. Their bus was about 10 feet from me so I knew someone would come out eventually. Clint came back from his run, told me he'd be out in a minute and then Lajon steps off and walks directly up to me. That dude is so full of life and enthusiasm, it's amazing. He asked if I was playing that night, then asked why I WASN'T playing that night, then asked if I was at least coming to the show. I was broke as a joke at the time so I told him "No, I just wanted to say thanks to you guys.", he calls his TM over and goes "Get this man however many tickets, yo, how many tickets you want man? You're coming tonight.", I tried to turn them down but he wasn't having it. Sure as shit, showed up later and I was on the list to get in. Those guys get it, man.

Devin Townsend, briefly before he started his run. I saw him walking towards a street so I walked up beside him, we both started crossing and I go, "Hey Dev! When we cross over I'd like to shake your hand and say thanks for all your work.", we chatted for a minute about recording, self-editing and giving yourself deadlines. Really good, quick chat. I told him where he could find some vegan food in the area since he mentioned it somewhere earlier in the week.

Buckethead....I didn't actually meet him. This was back in '98 at a Primus show in Maine, first night it snowed that year and it was coming down. I waited outside the venue for like 2 hours after the show, just to meet Bucket. He comes out of the venue wearing the mask and a purple hoodie, I run up to him, "BUCKETHEAD!! BUCKETHEAD!! BUCKETHEAD!", turn around the front of the bus to the door just as it's closing in my face.

That Saturday night at the Hilton during NAMM weekend, man, what a trip. Everyone's just hangin' out, drinkin' and shooting the shit. You look in one corner and see Mike from Steel Panther, Dino sitting on a couch with a group of people, all the brand reps, studio guys, it was a surreal.


There's a bunch more, but those were the highlights. I used to live across the street from a venue in Maine, so I'd just hang out before the shows or after and meet whoever came in. The Disturbed guys, Incubus, Tom Araya....why I didn't stay out there the night Pantera played, I have no f*cking clue but it'll haunt me for the rest of my life that I didn't. I walked around for a little bit, Phil's bus was on one side and everyone else was on the other side of the venue. I saw Phil walking in his bus but he wasn't coming out. Went over to the other side and nothin' was happening.

At this point, I just want to meet David Gilmour before the chance is no longer there. Like next time he records an album and I know he's in his houseboat, I'm seriously taking a trip to England for like 3 weeks and I'll literally stand on that street until I meet him. Not even joking. I don't care about celebrities and all that shit, but for me, Gilmour is king and it'd be an honor to meet him. I touched his CAR Strat when he was auctioning them all off and whenever I'm in a bad mood, I think of that moment and it makes it a bit better. Might seem silly, but that Strat, specifically, is what made me want to play guitar to begin with because I thought it looked so cool. Knowing I put a fingerprint on it...just trips me out.

 

[Humbuck]

I met Bruce Dickinson, Ronnie James Dio and Lemmy on the same night once. They were all cool as could be thank god.

 

[Manurack]

I met Bruce Dickinson, Ronnie James Dio and Lemmy on the same night once. They were all cool as could be thank god.

Holyshit, what tour was that?

 

[MFB]

I got to meet Alexi on the Are You Dead Yet? tour with a buddy of mine after their show, I may still have the signed poster framed in storage. The band was super cool and that was the last album of theirs I bought when it came out, nothing personal against them, just getting older and tastes were changing. I can't seem to find the pic I have of me and my buddy with him, but it's still vivid in my mind.

I had Petrucci sign my Jackson RR back during the Prog Nation tour, and I didn't realize how easily it'd wipe off on the body vs back of the headstock. As they were walking away he told me to keep practicing and playing and I was in such a rush to catch the train (last train out of the city) I didn't realize who said it and was just like, "I sure will!" I'm not even a Dream Theater fan but the opportunity to meet them seemed worth it.

Got to hang with Matt and Michael from Bullet for My Valentine after their set when they toured with Lacuna Coil and Rob Zombie. I was there with a buddy at the Palladium, ended up also hanging with these other kids, followed them outside for a smoke and recognized them and it was like 'oh shit, it's you guys!" They were super nice and we're willing to sign some stuff we had (I got my ticket stub signed).

Satriani did a meet and greet at the GC in Boston shortly after his pedal came out, so me and my dad went and I had him sign my Planet Waves strap that I still use. My dad got a photo with him and I still have that to this day, one of the last big things we got to do together before he passed.

I met Buzz at a show they played in my hometown, in the basement of a record store. My buddy/neighbor's brother played on the bill with them, and given the New England hardcore scene, Unearth playing locally drew a big turnout at the time (2007). It was WILD. Got to grab a pic with him after, and saw the infamous PWH he bought off our very own @Shawn (I had never seen one before and he told me he bought it off some dude on here, and I realized how small a world it was being a member myself).

Grabbed a hoodie from Windhand after their set with Russian Circles, thanked em for the tunes and just try to support them any time they are in town.

Biggest one that sucks is missing the pre-show meet and greet with Symphony X as I've never had one BEFORE a show, only after.

If I had a 'to meet' list, I'd love to meet Mark Morton, as the Killadelphia DVD is what got me playing. He seems like a real cool and humble dude, and especially because the songs of his that do make the albums are bangers. All of Coheed, as I practice both their guitar and base lines, but it's a shame what happened with Mic. Mastodon as well, been spinning them forever and always love to see what they put out.

 

[Hollowway]

Damn, dudes. I've been to a boat load of shows, and have never once met a band member. Literally the only "celebrity" I've met was Jamie and Grant from Mythbusters at the Ontario, California airport. I guess I'm just never it the right place and the right time.

 

[Bdtunn]

I got to meet all of damageplan a few months before dime was taken. Dime and vinnie were ultra cool! Took the time to talk with us and have a beer. Bobzilla was really nice and seemed just happy to be there haha. Pat was a dink, he just put his head down and hoodie up and walked right through all of us.
Dime was my dude growing up so it was a pleasure to meet him. It was even more of a pleasure to find out that all the stories of him being a great guy were true. He really took the time to hang out.
Friend of mines band was opening for them. After the show the guys asked them to do a few more dates. They got a van and followed them for a few more shoes. The stores they have from two weeks on the road with them are legend!!

I also randomly met Alice cooper in a mall while he was getting g his watch fixed before a sound check. He was a really really nice guy as well. Talked with him for a while.

 

[akinari]

I'm good friends with everybody in the current Black Sheep Wall lineup. One of my favorite bands and some of my favorite people ever. Got to jam with Scott, Jackson and Brandon in 2017 when I was on vacation

I met Deron from CKY/World Under Blood and he was super sweet, as was Away from Voivod. I was weirdly too starstruck to talk to Bob or Ross from Immolation when I saw them.

 

[mastapimp]

I'm probably missing a bunch and will try to keep this short and sweet for each mention:

Slash - met him when I was 14 at a guitar show, was very nervous and only said a few words to him as I got his autograph. He was dressed like he just walked out of a music video...mesh shirt, top hat, leather pants, sunglasses, cigarette.

Zakk Wylde - met him two times before he turned into a Viking just before Joe Holmes joined Ozzy's band. Wasn't expecting the thick Jersey accent. This was way before the internet made interviews and videos available, so all I knew of him was from guitar magazines and liner notes. He gets some hate for his style, but seeing him play from 10 feet away, he's pretty incredible.

Yngwie - also met him at a guitar show. Had a reputation at the time of being a major dick, but was very friendly that day.

Paul Gilbert - Dude's pretty laid back - very tall.

Marty Friedman - I actually paid for a meet and greet experience and it was pretty cool to hang with him for about 20 minutes on the tour bus and ask him about anything. He's a very gracious guy and it's a trip to watch him speak Japanese to his tour manager and band. He's a short guy, even in platform shoes.

Jeff Loomis - When the Conquering Dystopia album was getting mixed or mastered, a friend of mine that's close to the studio got to hang with Jeff and Keith in Orlando. When their tour came through town, he brought me along to meet the band afterwards. I spent all my time talking with Jeff and Alex Rudinger, both awesome dudes.

Scott Ian - Was at a guitar show unannounced so I randomly ran into him in the Jackson booth and there were only 3-4 people there at the time. At the time, I was only familiar with a handful of Anthrax songs, so I didn't really fanboy. We joked about how nobody knew he was there yet and it was kinda nice to just check out the gear like it was a normal music store. He picked up an aluminum Roswell Rhoads off the wall, played it a little bit, then handed it to me to try out.

Gary Hoey - Awesome dude! Met him at a clinic as he was riding the hocus pocus wave at the time. Talked to him nearly 10 minutes about guitar, practice routines, Boston. He spawned my love for Big Apple Strats.

Travis Meeks - met him several times. Once he played a stripped down show at my college campus accompanied by a percussionist and I got to hang with him after the show. He was really pissed at Creed at the time for steeling his tree imagery on their album and how he named the band "Days of the New" expecting the world to change with the new millennium but shit was still the same in 2001. While we're talking, one of the organizers came by hand handed him his paycheck. Before he could tuck it into his pocket, the wind pick up and it blew away. I had to chase it down and return it to him...was something like $12,000 for playing a 45 minute in an outdoor amphitheater. Not long after this, my friends catfished Scott Stapp and got his sister to drive him 2 hours from Orlando to a Denny's in Gainesville (his license was suspended at the time). They felt bad for him afterward and let him crash at their place. They said he spent the rest of the night trying to score cocaine.

Tosin Abasi - caught up with him as he was going back onto the tour bus. Friendly guy...joked that he might get in trouble if I post a picture of him online since I was wearing a Jackson guitars shirt. He also asked me if he knew any nightclubs nearby that "got rowdy." I also said hi to Javier, but he wasn't really in the mood to talk that night. The guys from Chon were hanging around too and were friendly.

In Flames - They were doing a co-headlining tour with Killswitch and came through Orlando. We didn't care to see the opener, so we just walked around Downtown Disney to kill some time. As we're walking away from the venue we see 5 scraggly dudes in baseball caps and metal t-shirts heading towards us. They yelled at us from afar that were were going the wrong way. As we got closer to them we realized it was In Flames. We didn't want to bother them too much so we kept the conversation to a minimum and let them enjoy their free time before the show.

Soilwork - another meet and greet type of deal during their Living Infinite tour. I gotta say, David Andersson was one of the coolest dudes I've ever hung with. After the meet and greet, he told us to come hang after the show. I bought him a beer, we walked around town, talked Sabbath, taught us a few Swedish phrases. I found out the dude is a medical doctor when he's not on tour. The rest of the band was pretty cool too, especially Dirk.

Trust Company - A photographer friend of mine dragged me along to see them in a small dive bar. I had only heard them on the radio and had no idea what any of them looked like. As the opening band is leaving the stage, the two guys I'm sitting next to and bullshitting with at the bar get up and leave. A few minutes later, I see these same dudes get up on stage and start unpacking gear/tuning guitars. They put on a great show and returned to the bar for more drinks afterwards.

The Aristocrats - met each of them twice while they were on tour. Guthrie was getting mobbed the first time so I just got an autograph and a hand shake, talked a little bit about his new Charvels. Marco was pleasant, actually spoke to him several minutes about a few other projects he was working on.

Billy Sheehan - I got separated from my dad at a guitar show back in 97. When I found him, he was speaking to this guy with a blonde pony tail and baseball cap. He said "Hey, this is Billy" and introduced me to this guy. After he was done talking with him my dad says "I think he told me he plays bass." I can't remember what company he was endorsing at the time, but before we left, we saw an artist lineup with his name near the top of the list. Fast forward about 4 years later and I'm watching Billy ripping it up on bass with Steve Vai's G3 band. I had no idea how amazing he was.

Limp Bizkit - At Ozzfest '98, my friend got kicked in the head by a crowd surfer and had to get looked at by some folks at the medical tent. This tent was near the artist lounge and we struck up a conversation with a few guys from Limp Bizkit, who had just gotten off stage. This was right before they were blowing up and I didn't detect any ego at all back then. Cool dudes in my book. Another friend that met us there at that show ran into System of a Down at McDonalds on the way back home and said they were nice as well.

Paula Abdul - Was in LA with a press badge at E3 - she was promoting the American Idol video game with Randy Jackson. She's tiny! No lie...like 4'11", Olympic gymnast tiny.

John Carpenter - Also in LA at E3 - he was promoting The Thing video game. I was already a huge fan of his movies like The Thing, Escape from LA, They Live and he was happy to talk to me about those in addition to the video game. I only realized later that he composed the theme music for Halloween.

 

[mastapimp]

Lajon and Clint from 7Dust. Man, those guys....Clint really helped me out via Twitter when I was getting my drinking under control, sending some really thoughtful and inspirational DM's, so it was important to meet him and say thanks in person. But Lajon stole the show that day. I wanted Clint to sign my JEM, so I got to the venue, sat on my hood and just played. Their bus was about 10 feet from me so I knew someone would come out eventually. Clint came back from his run, told me he'd be out in a minute and then Lajon steps off and walks directly up to me. That dude is so full of life and enthusiasm, it's amazing. He asked if I was playing that night, then asked why I WASN'T playing that night, then asked if I was at least coming to the show. I was broke as a joke at the time so I told him "No, I just wanted to say thanks to you guys.", he calls his TM over and goes "Get this man however many tickets, yo, how many tickets you want man? You're coming tonight.", I tried to turn them down but he wasn't having it. Sure as shit, showed up later and I was on the list to get in. Those guys get it, man.

I'm a massive Sevendust fan and I've seen them several times. The nights they came through town, I either had work the next day, or whatever reason, I couldn't hang around to meet any of them, but several of my friends have met them and they echo exactly what you said. Lajon spent time with my friend and his wife at the time and they both said he was the nicest rock star they'd ever met. I've also got friends that later moved to Atlanta and have met those guys and have nothing but glowing accolades. Hearing your story further cements their status as some of the greatest guys out there.

 

[Guitarmiester]

My all time favorite had to be Steve Vai. I won meet and greet passes off his forum when I was younger. He was surprisingly reserved and quiet. Dave Weiner was much more talkative, tried selling me some of his old amps and shared some motorcycle stories about him and his dad since I told him I was there with my dad.

 

[Chanson]

I saw Baroness at a tiny venue a little after the Blue Record came out. When their show ended, John Baizley, their frontman, invited anyone interested to come hang with them in the patio out back after the show. My friend and I waited a few minutes to get the chance to speak to him. He was super cool, and me and buddy were geeking out cuz we both love the band and witnessed an amazing show. It was a really cool thing for him to chat a bit with dozens of fans, it meant a lot seeing as I was only 19 or so at the time. I've met a handful of other musicians I've been fans of, but this one sticks out as the most friendly and wholesome experience I've had.

 

[Rosal76]

John Carpenter - Also in LA at E3 - he was promoting The Thing video game.

Freaking awesome!!! I still have that game and love it. I can't play it because I don't have a PS2 anymore but I still have the game.

 

[Spicypickles]

Had a beer with Dustie (BTBAM) across the street after a show in Houston once. VERY chilled out dude

 

[Manurack]

I had a 'to meet' list, I'd love to meet Mark Morton, the Killadelphia DVD is what got me playing. He seems like a real cool and humble dude, and especially because the songs of his that do make the albums are bangers.

Mark Morton is one of my favorite guitar heroes. I have a painting of him on my wall next to my Les Paul Goldtop, he's the reason why I bought a Goldtop because he used one while recording Sacrament.

 

[slan]

I met Bruce Dickinson, Ronnie James Dio and Lemmy on the same night once. They were all cool as could be thank god.

You win.

 

[slan]

My uncle drove me and my best friend to see Opeth on my 16th birthday back in 2004. We waited outside their bus after the show and got to meet Mikael and Peter. I basically worshipped them at the time - I'll never forget it!