Geek-in-Chief
Posts: 606
Location: Noo Yawk | Back in '89, I was playing bass in a Long Island band called Snakeyed Su, which featured Guitar Pete on lead guitar and vocals, Rodney James (now with Earth Eatz Dog) on guitar and John 'Cujo' Sherry on drums.
At the time, we were doing the showcase circuit, trying to land a record deal. At one of these shows (at the Lone Star Roadhouse in NYC), one of the people who came out to see the band was Ahmet Ertegun.
He stayed throughout our set and afterwards had some words for the band. He told us not to get discouraged because a record deal wasn't happening quickly for us, and told us to just keep playing.
He was right. Almost two years later, we finally got our record deal with Giant.
I was floored to be even in the same room with the guy, but I gotta say he was one of the nicest industry people I ever had the good fortune to meet.
He never stopped going out to see bands, either. The injury that led to his death happened when he fell backstage at a Stones show in October! At age 83!! That in itself is pretty amazing.
There will never be another like him. Ever. RIP.
- D
|