Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveMacD
(Post 1083754)
ChiliD has the greatest story ever about meeting Christine McVie at an Eric Clapton concert.
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I think you're the only one left here who remembers my posting that! :nod:
At some point, I typed it out into a Word Document to save my fingers from all the keystrokes (and from my ever slowly failing memory)...ahhh, there it is.
So, by royal command from the newly crowned Espy Hopkins ( :thumbsup: I'm in awe of you doing that...will discuss in a private message in the near future), here's the story once again:
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It’s late summer/early fall 1976...I've got tickets to see Eric Clapton (with Charlie Daniels Band as the opening act) at the Forum in LA. Due to a buddy of mine who had Los Angeles Kings season tickets, I got some prime seats for the show (stage left risers about 15 rows up from the floor about even with the 5th row on the floor...would've been about even with the free-throw line if the place was set up for basketball).
My friend (John) & I made the journey in my 1967 VW bus (I think Cameron Crowe based his Jeff Spicoli character on me!)...complete with ice box full of Coors 16oz beers, which wouldn't last long once we got into the parking lot. We make it to our seats just about as houselights go down, Charlie Daniels Band comes on and plays a GREAT set..."How's Clapton going to follow THAT?", we discuss during intermission. Being red-blooded guys barely in our 20's we're checking out the "scenery" that's around us. I spy a GROUP of HOT "babes" with tall drinks walking UP from the floor. I get the ol' elbow from John, "Hey, check THEM out" he says. As they stop in the aisle about 5 rows down from us to look for their seat numbers before heading into their row, I notice the third one in the line...DAMN! IT'S STEVIE NICKS!!!
John harumphs disbelief, I tell him, "Don't believe me? I'll show ya!", so I yell, "Hey, Stevie!" (I'm just SO smooth, eh?)...she looks up with glassy eyes (and holding a VERY tall Tequila Sunrise) and waves to me! Where he got it, I don't know, but John shoves a pen in front of me and says "You'll never have this chance again!", so, I grab the pen & my Clapton program and start to get up to go get her autograph...I kind of ram into the guy whose coming DOWN the aisle from the walkway above...he flies into the guy who he's walking down the aisle with...bodies fly. I focus on the guy and his friend. Omigod! It's RICHARD DASHUT & LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM!! I rammed right into Dashut, he knocked Lindsey into the seat across the aisle from me. They're not pleased and verbally so. I apologize profusely; and, as I am, I hear this cackling laughter from a woman in the row across the aisle. I look to see who's laughing and its CHRISTINE McVIE!!! She's just laughing her ass off! Richard & Lindsey move along to find their seats (and get the HELL away from ME!) and Christine motions me over...I lean into her row (she's about 3 or 4 seats in from the aisle...no one is in the first couple of seats)...she says still chuckling, "You'd better go take your seat before you kill any more of my band; give me the pen & program and I'll get everyone's autograph for you!" I nod in agreement and as I turn around to walk back across the
aisle, a guy just lightly brushes past me...not until he's a few steps down do I realize who it is...RINGO STARR!! After the previous 5 minutes, I am NOT even going to attempt to engage a BEATLE in conversation. Just as I take my seat, the houselights go down, Clapton takes the stage and kicks into "Hello Old Friend". Just before the second verse, I get a tap on my shoulder...its Christine McVie returning my program, signed by Mick, Stevie, Lindsey and herself. (apparently John didn't make the show) The others had just signed their names, but Christine signed it: "Thanks, Steve, XOXO Chris".
Well, my friend John & I were just in awe the rest of Clapton's set...Eric was ON FIRE that night, the band was tighter than I'd seen them on previous tours (Eric actually kept the same people in his band for the fourth consecutive tour!)...running through old hits as well as his then new material from his "No Reason To Cry" album. John & I just kept handing each other the program and just staring at it, then looking up to see how Fleetwood Mac was reacting to their buddy Eric Clapton's show. Eric's guitar playing commanded our undivided attention about 1/2 way through the show and then as Eric left the stage, we looked around for the Mac and they'd already vacated...probably to head for the backstage party! After Eric's third encore ("Layla" of course!), the houselights came back up and it was time to go home. One memorable night that Christine McVie rescued me from years of possible total embarrassment with her class & generosity.
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Well, there you have it. :shrug:
