So where did it all begin...Like I mentioned on another page
music has always been a huge part of my life. I was listening
to music from the time I entered this world. My first concert
was Johnny Mathias. My mom and I had really close seats & he
sang his song Arianne. I was 100% sure he was singing to me! I
think I was about 5 or 6. The first concert I chose to go to
was Rick Springfield. The seats were peanut heaven but I was
still happy. I really like a lot of the older bands as well as
the newer stuff. I used to watch "Headbanger's Ball"
religiously, MTV non-stop (when it was really a music channel)
and started reading Metal Edge magazine. Metal Edge had a
mailbox section & I remember reading a letter a girl had
written about meeting Dennis DeYoung (STYX). I was mad/jealous
because I wanted to meet him too.
I didn't have a clue of how to do it though. I, like many
people, thought the only way you could meet bands was by
sleeping with a bunch of guys. I didn't want to do that. So I
just kept dreaming about meeting them. I used to hang out a
lot at a mall near my house. One day on the way home from the
mall we passed a hotel with a huge bus parked outside of it.
My friend Deneen & I were curious & feeling a little crazy. So
we asked my grandmother to take us to the hotel. Once we got
there we didn't know what we were going to do. The bus was
running so we decided to knock on the door. We found out from
the driver that it was one of our favorite band's Leatherwolf.
We didn't even know they were in town! Michael (the singer)
was on the bus and he came out to meet us. He took us inside
to meet the other guys too! We ended up going to the show that
night as their guests and we didn't have to sleep with a
single guy! Now I knew it was possible. And bam I was off like
a race horse.
(My guitar pick necklace.)
So I owe it all to Leatherwolf. They made me realize that I
could do what I wanted to do without losing my morals or
integrity. I spent many years meeting bands. I have so many
good memories from that time. It was such an adrenaline rush
meeting the guys I dreamed of meeting. Was I a groupie? I
don't think so. I never slept with anyone to meet a band
member and how many groupies go to meet bands with their
grandmother? I didn't get my license until I was 27 so my
grandmother would drive us to meet all the bands. Sometimes I
miss meeting bands but I don't know that I would have the
patience now that I did back then. If I could go back to any
time period in my life it would be that one. Times were
different then. I was young & shy and guy crazy! There wasn't
a band in the metal scene that I didn't like at least one band
member. But there were 3 musicians that took a piece of my
heart with them (two who are no longer alive & one who is). If
you have been a life long friend of mine then you know who I'm
talking about. I may share some stories about two of the heart
stealers later. Thanks Leatherwolf! If it wasn't for you guys
I might not have all the wonderful memories I have today! Did
I ever meet Dennis DeYoung, who I got upset reading about? Yes
I DID...Twice!
"I was born with music inside of me. Music was one
of my parts. Like my ribs, my kidneys, my liver, my
heart. Like my blood. It was a force already within me
when I arrived on the scene. It was a necessity like
food or water."
