BigStewMan Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 a crappy cell phone shot from a private mini-show before Queen started their North American Tour a few years ago. No seats--everyone standing up in a huge mob. Fun time though. After the show, i got to talk with Pete Malandrone, Brian May’s personal guitar tech. A few months prior, I had seen Brian at a non-music event, and mentioned having difficulty getting a certain guitar. He told me to email him when he got back to London. I did, and Brian asked Pete to get me the guitar. He did--in one day. So, it was nice to introduce myself to Pete and shake hands with the man that helped me...and give him a chance to see the person that he had helped (he remembered doing it too). Great bunch, those guys. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigStewMan Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 Backstage at a Heart show ... this is Nancy Wilson’s rig. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigStewMan Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 On Stage before Heart’s show ... about 90 minutes before the show. There was no audience yet to listen; but, that didn’t stop me from stepping up to the mic. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigStewMan Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 It’s not gambling if you know how. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceptorman Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 17 minutes ago, BigStewMan said: a crappy cell phone shot from a private mini-show before Queen started their North American Tour a few years ago. No seats--everyone standing up in a huge mob. Fun time though. After the show, i got to talk with Pete Malandrone, Brian May’s personal guitar tech. A few months prior, I had seen Brian at a non-music event, and mentioned having difficulty getting a certain guitar. He told me to email him when he got back to London. I did, and Brian asked Pete to get me the guitar. He did--in one day. So, it was nice to introduce myself to Pete and shake hands with the man that helped me...and give him a chance to see the person that he had helped (he remembered doing it too). Great bunch, those guys. Awesome photo Steve.....the Master playing The Red Special. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigStewMan Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 Here’s another one for you Bill -- cell phone photo isn’t that great. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceptorman Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 12 minutes ago, BigStewMan said: Here’s another one for you Bill -- cell phone photo isn’t that great. While some artist change guitars every song, it's amazing what he can do with pretty much one guitar, almost the whole concert. Brian and Jimmy Page have always been my favorites. Thanks for sharing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigStewMan Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 This was at a non-music event, back in 2012. The event was literally 10 minutes from my house, so i figured i’d show up and see Brian. I had an iPhone 3 back then and it had a really lousy camera. It’s the only time I took a photo with him. Him living in London, not like I’d bump into him around town -- i figured i’d take the opportunity to have something to remember. I’d met him a year or so before this; but, this day was funny. This was the second time that we’d met. This picture was taken in the morning, and afterwards Brian signed autographs for a long time (he can’t escape doing that no matter where he is). But, after the autograph seekers had left (an hour or so later), I decided to go back and ask him about a guitar that his company made (i wanted one and couldn’t get one in America). As I walked up I said, “Brian.” He looks up and says, “Steve.” I was so totally stoked that he remembered my name. After his keynote speaker duties that evening, we started a conversation about his animal rescue organization -- but, he was getting pulled in so many directions to meet people and take photos that the conversation was cut too short. I still remember that whoever was handling his itinerary and keeping him on-time came up and told him that he had to be somewhere. As he walked off, he turned back after walking about 20 feet and i was still standing where we had been talking. he had this look on his face as if to say “sorry dude.” It’s cool, i understood. he was the man of the hour and had places to go, things to do, and people to meet. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigStewMan Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 Ok, my trip down memory lane is officially over. Thanks for letting me bore you all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parlophone1 Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 Not boring at all , some great memories. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceptorman Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 4 minutes ago, BigStewMan said: Ok, my trip down memory lane is officially over. Thanks for letting me bore you all. Great pic. He is a fantastic guy. Not many people in his position are even approachable. Were you inquiring about a BMG? This doesn't bore me at all. I did manage to see Queen 4 times years ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigStewMan Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 6 minutes ago, Ceptorman said: While some artist change guitars every song, it's amazing what he can do with pretty much one guitar, almost the whole concert. Brian and Jimmy Page have always been my favorites. Thanks for sharing. According to Pete (his guitar tech) Brian plays the Red Special about 90% of the time. He has a few copies of it that are set up differently for different songs (drop D tuning for instance); but, after that song (or part of a song in some cases) it’s back to the Red Special. He has a green one that is an archtop, and an F-hole (like the design for the Red Special originally had; but, Brian and his Dad didn’t put the F-hole on the Red Special after all). This copy was made by a guy named Andrew Guyton (that’s makes the most incredible guitars ... and won’t even answer my emails -- I probably couldn’t afford one of his custom made guitars anyway). But, this green copy is amazing. Pete says it’s the only guitar in Brian’s collection that he’d like to own, and i heartily agree that it would be my first choice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigStewMan Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 2 minutes ago, Ceptorman said: Great pic. He is a fantastic guy. Not many people in his position are even approachable. Were you inquiring about a BMG? This doesn't bore me at all. I did manage to see Queen 4 times years ago Yes; I’m getting a copy of the Red Special; but, I wanted mine in White. Last I checked, the place i deal with in London said they’d be able to get me a white one by September (last month). I guess it’s time to check to see if they ever got one. I’ve been so close to getting a Les Paul Gold Top. I’m not particularly a fan of the Les Paul; but, it’s an iconic guitar, so i figured why not add it to my collection. I also need an acoustic 12 string, as the two 12 stings that i have now, are ones that i will never play. They’re both about 80 years old and are Portuguese Violas -- hand made by my grandfather and my uncle. They’re just to look at. One is so old that it has friction pegs instead of tuning keys. Queen is a great show ... still. The first time i saw them was either ’79 or ’80. I can tell you stories about that night; but, not sure that i want to put them in writing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigStewMan Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 14 minutes ago, parlophone1 said: Not boring at all , some great memories. Thanks Parlophone -- i moved away from SoCal and have that isolated from civilization feeling. Every now & then, i like to take a trip down memory lane and make myself feel sadder. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigStewMan Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 16 minutes ago, Ceptorman said: He is a fantastic guy. Not many people in his position are even approachable. Yes, he is. No idea where the man gets his energy. Between his music with Queen, his music with Kerry Ellis, his animal rights activism, and his space stuff (you do know that he has a PH.d in Astrophysics), i’m embarrassed at how much he’s accomplished compared to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 @BigStewMan "Thanks for Sharin' " Two of the BEST bands represented...wow! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceptorman Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 5 hours ago, BigStewMan said: Yes; I’m getting a copy of the Red Special; but, I wanted mine in White. Last I checked, the place i deal with in London said they’d be able to get me a white one by September (last month). I guess it’s time to check to see if they ever got one. I’ve been so close to getting a Les Paul Gold Top. I’m not particularly a fan of the Les Paul; but, it’s an iconic guitar, so i figured why not add it to my collection. I also need an acoustic 12 string, as the two 12 stings that i have now, are ones that i will never play. They’re both about 80 years old and are Portuguese Violas -- hand made by my grandfather and my uncle. They’re just to look at. One is so old that it has friction pegs instead of tuning keys. Queen is a great show ... still. The first time i saw them was either ’79 or ’80. I can tell you stories about that night; but, not sure that i want to put them in writing I'm surprised how affordable the BMGs are, he could sell them for much more. I'm sure his signature is a decal, imagine if he signed them all. I've always wanted a Les Paul. I keep thinking I could play better with a better guitar! Not working. If you ever wanted to post photos of your family heirloom acoustics, that would be much appreciated. 5 hours ago, BigStewMan said: Yes, he is. No idea where the man gets his energy. Between his music with Queen, his music with Kerry Ellis, his animal rights activism, and his space stuff (you do know that he has a PH.d in Astrophysics), i’m embarrassed at how much he’s accomplished compared to me. All those years when everyone wanted to talk with Freddie, Brian was the more interesting guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 6 hours ago, BigStewMan said: Yes; I’m getting a copy of the Red Special Then you better start playing again. Great pictures!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted October 5, 2017 Moderators Share Posted October 5, 2017 Very cool Steve, hey wait your the guy who are not comfortable around people and have no friends, oh we see, only very cool friends. Just wanted to tease you a little, very nice pictures, a great picture is not always perfect, the story is what counts and the memories. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigStewMan Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 6 minutes ago, dtel said: Very cool Steve, hey wait your the guy who are not comfortable around people and have no friends, oh we see, only very cool friends. Just wanted to tease you a little, very nice pictures, a great picture is not always perfect, the story is what counts and the memories. i’m SUPER uncomfortable around people i don’t know yet. You’d laugh if you heard my very first conversation with Brian May. I remember telling myself, “Shake his hand and walk away, you’re too stupid to talk to him.” I’m not going to tell you, my greatest humiliation story. It involves a chance meeting with a successful and very beautiful actress of both movies and television, and me deciding within 30 seconds of meeting her, that i would tell this detailed, serious story. The introduction and initial small talk went great; but, then i decided to tell this serious story. Since I’m uncomfortable when i first meet people, this wasn’t the best decision that i’ve ever made. I tell the story; but, leave out some very pertinent details. Those details WERE the story, and left out made it sound really stupid and totally didn’t present the message of the story at all. In fact, it probably left her thinking the meaning of the story was something completely different. I learnt that day, to keep it simple at first--save the heavy stuff for after you’re already friends. To do that, i generally try to be funny instead; but, that can backfire too. Like the time I made a joke about having a hook for a hand and the person i was talking to gets upset. “My dad had his arm amputated and all i remember as a kid was this hook coming at me.” i do know a lot of people; but, close friends ... sadly can probably count them on one hand. I take the blame for that -- I don’t put myself out there anymore. My social anxiety can get pretty heavy and I tend to use avoidance instead of dealing with it head-on. I’m on year two of promising to be more social -- haven’t been very successful. I was talking to this gal the other day, i met a couple of months ago and we run into each other fairly often, I finally had to admit that i really didn’t know her name. Can’t a guy forget? Yeah, i’m a social hurricane it seems. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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