A groupie just trying to have good, clean fun.

It's lazy, quiet days like this where I do some reflection. Sometimes I just like thinking back to the funnest times in my life.

Music is such a big part of my life. I've been playing it ever since I was a kid, and have always made friends with people who as into music as much as I am. This is why I love talking to musicians. Whether they're well-known or garage bands; I like talking to them all. I love talking music and just hanging out with them because they're so down to earth.

Now, about the word I used in my subject--"groupie." I'm NOT going by the old definition from the 60s-80s where girls did whatever they could to sleep with bands. If you saw the movie Almost Famous, the correct term would be a "band-aid." I really don't like using that term, since most people think you sleep with bands and are just plain sl*tty.

Anyway, my hobby of talking to bands probably started when I was 14. My best friend and I were the street team leaders for EYC in NY. They're a really well-known group who were popular in Europe, but not in the USA as much.

I tried promoting them around the country, which my friends from other parts of the country was cool since I sent them free cd's and autographs. I honestly wasn't too crazy about them; it was mostly my best friend who loved them. I liked their music and I thought they were nice, but it was so much fun knowing musicians like that. We met with their manager before/after shows about plans to promote, talked to the guys, got kisses on the cheeks from them which made us giggly, lol.

I didn't get involved with bands again until junior year in college. I became obsessed with The Killers and went out of my way to drive to tons of their shows. Doing this really helped me understand how to meet bands. I swear, because of The Killers, I feel like I'm a pro on meeting bands. I seriously want to write a book on it someday for those who have dreams of meeting their favorite bands. And NO, this isn't stalking. All I did was get to venues early, be in the right place at the right time, and meet them. I met them so many times in a short period of time, but really never got a chance to have a lengthy conversation with them or hang out. They're mormons and have wives, so they really never partied after shows. They're definitely not your stereotypical rock stars. They're very sober and quiet, nice guys. There was one week where I went to 4 shows in a row, it was insane. One of the shows I was sitting in their hotel lobby and was approached by their photographer (before you say I was stalking, they played right there in the hotel, so we were just relaxing after the show). He was nice and brought the band down to meet us. I got to talk to them for a little bit. What nice guys they are. He told us he could get us backstage at the next show, but since the venue was HUGE, the security guards kicked us out. We were weary about it anyway; my friend and I wouldn't ever do anything sexual with anyone to talk to a band. I had a boyfriend then anyway (who is now my husband!), so I wouldn't do it for that reason too. We had spoken to Rich (the photographer) before the show and he told us to meet him in this specific spot, but the security guards were being idiots. But, I did get to meet them many times in a short period of time and be in the front row for nearly every show. It got to the point where I'd say hi to them and they'd say hey as if remembering me, lol. That was a really fun time. But the competition among the other fans to talk/meet the guys is unbelievable. I stopped trying because there was just way too much drama that I didn't want to get involved in.

I've met other celebs while at shows and being backstage, but it's nothing to write home about. I can say that honestly, nearly all I've met are very nice.

Dashboard Confessional are another group that's really nice. They played at my college and I spoke to them afterwards and was asked if I wanted to go to the bar. My 2 friends and I turned it down since it was going to be a loud, crowded bar in town with fall down drunk college kids...not our kind of thing.

But the best experiences have always been with Duran Duran. I only got involved in the scene 2 years ago and have been through so much. I've learned so much about this band's history and just what they're like in general. They're so so so nice and definitely wild boys :o I liked them as a kid, but really got into them a few years ago. They're the complete opposite of The Killers. Let's just say they're still living the rock & roll lifestyle since the early 80s. But they aren't washed up like most older bands are; they're still selling albums, look great for their age, aren't addicted to drugs, and still got tons of money and aren't bankrupt like a lot of bands get. My favorite is Nick Rhodes, but coincidentally, he's the one I've had the LEAST interactions with! Go figure...I'm still waiting to sit down with him and just talk about art and music. Most of my interactions have been with Simon Le Bon-- the lead singer. People say he can be either be in a really good mood or really bad mood; no middle ground. All my interactions with him have been good, thankfully. There was one time I met him at a radio station and he was kind of in a rush and not as friendly as the other times, but still nice.

Getting to know these guys makes me realize that no matter how old musicians are, they can still act like little boys. I don't know if all band are like this, but there's such competition among this band. Simon can't stand when the other members get attention from girls. I've seen Simon on the street in passing, and I once asked where Nick was. I had mentioned Nick one other time I think.

One of the shows I won a meet and greet, and hung out with girls I had just met at that show (I don't know anyone that likes this band since they're before my generation). One girl asked me to ask Simon where they were going after the show, since he doesn't really reveal that info, but would to someone younger (I'm one of the youngest fans, and I've been told he likes the younger fans). Anyway, he told me, so we showed up. He was sitting with some people that looked like family or family friends; definitely not fans, lol. My 4 friends and I were sitting over on the other room as to not bother him. I could have sworn he was looking at me a lot. But I kept thinking to myself, there's no way a guy that famous would ever look at me. About an hour later he sat up at the bar and we joined him once his company left. I got to talking to him about The Killers and my ideas for their collaboration. It was a cool conversation, because I was talking to the lead singer from my favorite band about my other favorite band :D I don't think it was my imagination earlier, because he interrupted me and asked out of the blue how old I was. When I told him, he goes "Oh, wow, I like that about you..." and started looking me up and down (I wasn't wearing anything provocative either, I wouldn't wear sl*tty stuff like that). He was going to 2nd base with me right there openly in the bar and pulled me close into him :eek: :tape: I pulled away and mentioned how I'm with someone. I later heard him say his wife was upstairs! His wife is Yasmin le Bon--the famous supermodel in England. Why he was doing this was beyond me, lol. He's definitely a really wild boy!! (that's a song by them). Definitely the wildest of them all. At the next concert I was lucky and got up front, and he was over on my side of the stage a lot and looking and smiling at me. This guy is so nice, but it's creepy...he's only 10 years younger than my dad, lol. My friends that night thought it was the coolest thing. It was flattering, but a little weird. I guess everyone is right how he loves the younger ones, lol. There are thousands of girls around the world who want this man, he did this to me, it's hard to believe.

There's one other member who is wild like he is, and probably even more crazy (and he has 3 grown kids!). My favorite, Nick, is not one to do that to a girl, which is why I appreciate him so much. He'll sit down with you and have an intelligent conversation. I hope I get a chance soon. The last member is quiet, doesn't go out much, and is faithful to his wife.

There are some other Duran Duran stories, but they're nothing that interesting to write about. At shows, Nick tends to look down at me in the front row, and when he walks by he winks and smiles at me. Maybe he likes me enough that I could sit down and chat with him sometime, lol. I've been soooo eager to do that.

So if you want advice about how to meet bands, or any celebs for that matter, is to just be cool. You can't show that you're overly excited and giddy. You have to show that you're different and more laid back than most fans. Show that you aren't just looking for an autograph or picture. They really don't want girls who are attractive (but I'm sure it helps); they really just like to talk to regular people who want to talk about other things that they're asked so often.

I would never write about this stuff anywhere else. The tour manager doesn't want this sort of stuff leaking out, but this is acting like a journal for me to finally talk about this band.

The guys are going on tour in a few months, and I'm psyched about them coming back to the northeast!

Here's a video of one of their performances from not too long ago. Don't they sound and look amazing for their ages? Hard to believe they're around 50 years old!

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2nwkrKUKDo[/url]