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I
am the walrus....
Went
to the show in Vancouver (as in the Queen and Paul Roger’s concert thingy), to
do this Meet `n Greet thing with Queen. Should explain that it was arranged via
some Radio Station in Canada (kinda competition - win to go type thing? -
Margaret won, took me with her - cool Holidays ago-go!!! jeez, that was a real
head-rush, no dosh, no one to water the kids, not to mention no passport either
- and only 4 weeks to get it all together - Oh and about 2 weeks before I was
due to fly out, I was rushed into hospital and was very very ill & it took
them a very long time to stabilise me with fluids and things, ARR what ever
next!!!)... Personally I did not believe that the Meet `n Greet thing was for
real, thought it was just one of those Radio Promotional things, whereby they
say, but don't deliver (yea, you know the type of thing?)... Anyway - Well done
to the "Q" Radio Station (yes, they really are entitled Q Radio -
should have known really!!! - both corny and ironic but obvious really - lol...)
Anyway,
went down this ramp, and got hassled by this Plastic Man (his face kinda looked
fake? never met anyone before who had kinda Plastic looking skin, guess that's
what happens when you have too much plastic surgery done on your face to remove
the signs of ageing - but boy does it look tacky and also to be honest, it
takes the beauty out of the human face. A little is okay, but there can be too
much of a good thing you know???). Regardless, this guy seemed to be digging
for something or other, I wasn't too amused as he made us feel rather on edge -
but all in all, he seemed nice enough. He kept chatting about how he knew Paul
Roger's girlfriend, and of how he'd been here and there, and to England to see
Polo - I asked if it was Horse or Grass Polo, he said horse... He was asking
what our connection to Queen is, I did not talk to him about my being a Book
Writer and so on, because as I say he was making me feel very uncomfortable and
he remarked on the look I was giving him, but to be honest, I felt he was
asking way too many questions about us personally, and so I didn't really trust
him - blah blah blah - yea, yea... (but for what it's worth, Mr. Plastic Man
seemed nice enough in himself I guess, and I don't wish to offend, but it is
VERY worthwhile considering how you come across to others who do not know you).
Mind you, he had two back-stage passes, so I guess he wasn't all bad...
Anyway,
then we finally got taken to the correct meeting place, and we were given some
Arm Bands by a Cranky Guy (Mr. Cranky as he affectionately became known as).
Then we were taken down a ramp and into a room (re: pix), which looked like a
type of cafeteria for workers. There were about 14 of us there - and we were
told to split into groups of 2 and to stand at the wall. I turned to Margaret
and said, what are they going to line us up `n shoot us now? Margaret and I
kinda stood there, then thought oh well, and went and stood a little way-away,
next to the round tables - then we just grabbed a chair each and sat down. Mr.
Cranky then turns and goes "Be respectable to the band, they will be here
in 5-10 minutes, don't run over when other people are talking to them
etc". He added that we were allowed only one picture per couple, (so we
were to share one camera basically), and we were allowed one autograph each,
and that we were allowed to ask them to sign one thing only.
Anyway,
Margaret and I were sitting there, going though our stuff, getting our cameras
ready, and our bits and pieces - didn't know quite what to expect really. She
just wanted to lay down, I just wanted a cup of tea - talk about stressful...
All the way through this thing, we're like "what the hell are we doing
here, what's this all about?" - (strange really - like what are the
chances against this meeting ever taking place? (INNUENDOES Readers will
understand this fully!!!))
So
yea, we're just sitting there, and Margaret goes, oh there's Brian - I'm like
err? turned around and yea there he was - he seemed taller than I remember
(wonder if it was those shoes, or if he'd just perhaps put on a little weight
which suited him I might add - kinda weird, as he seemed to hover around the
room, as opposed to walk - cool wish I could do that).
Anyway,
we remained sitting there, heck jet lag in my case (think I would have fallen
over if I'd have stood up!!! - woo that's heavy stuff)... Brian's like over
there, and Margaret turns to me and says, oh he's wearing Harvey's house coat
(Harvey being her hubby), next she noticed those Adidas Trainers
(sneakers/running shoes) and he had like a silvery dragon design on the leg of
his trousers (by the way those trousers where highly see-through on stage when
caught side on in the spot lights, got a few remarks about that from other
people as it turned out).
As
Brian made his way around the room, Mr. Cranky told us to stand up - which was
kinda sensible, else we might have been missed out - so yea, crawled to our
feet. Then Paul came in the room - Brian was still making his way around the
line up of people - "hand shake, photo, sign" - lol - guess these
guys have done this before!!! Paul kinda didn't hang about - he's like whizzing
through the people - by this time, we had as I say, already climbed back to our
feet - but was just so very relieved that we had stood next to those tables to
begin with (emm, very Queensway Hall I might add, where those tables are
concerned - talk about semi-flash-backs).
Anyway,
after Mr. Cranky (AKA: P.R Alfie Williams) had ordered us to stand up, Brian
wanders over to us - firstly Margaret. He shakes her hand and asked for our
names. I explained that I had jet-lag and that my voice was off cause of the
dry air during the flight, he seemed okay with that... He asked where we came
from, Margaret explained where she came from, he asked me, but I just said
England (I think he actually meant which area of England do I come from,
because obviously I'm English - yea jet lag ago-go talk about thick!!! but the
reason I said England, is because I don't like to be pinned down to any given
area - ekk) and I also said that I was holidaying with Margaret etc. Margaret
explained to Brian that she had seen his concert in Portland, and he replied
that yeah, it was a good concert (but didn't say it with much enthusiasm).
Margaret went on to say, that he should come to Victoria, as they had a new
multiplex. He said "oh here", she said, no, over on the Island in
Victoria. He went on to say that this tour had been pulled together quite
quickly.
We
were asked for a Camera, so we both gave our cameras over (2 is better than one
anytime!!!). They took the pixs (that was kinda weird in itself, sensory wise,
not overly sure how to explain that one though). Must add, that Brian has one
of these stares where he appears to be attempting to look right into you as a
person - like he's looking for something inside you (sure it's only just one of
those things, and not meant to mean anything at all) but it did come over as a
type of statement of sorts, not in a negative way though - but more so,
something recognisable from my point of view at least - like yea, we've been
here before type thing? which is true anyway one way or the other... Strange
one always has to question who feels most impact, the person who does it all
the time, or the visitor to the situation. Anyway, blah, blah, blah (could
rattle on all night here - best slap a restraint on me, else I'll end up
writing a book on this - lol). So yea, we asked Brian to sign some stuff.
Margaret
asked that he sign her White WWRY Cap. She asked him why the WWRY show in Las
Vegas had closed, he said it was going to be opening up in Toronto instead... I
asked him to sign an old black and white picture of myself and my two little
sisters - I said it was for my sister Fran - so he wrote it over to her and
signed it for her. I told him that I'd promised to get it signed for her...
Then I turned and said, oh I've got something for you, and put my hand in my
pocket, and put it in his hand, and said that I'd heard that people had been
taking his - then I gave him the sixpence (year of 1964 which was cool I guess).
He thanked me and so on. I said to him that he had very cold hands, weird as I
don't normally grab people's hands but his sure were cold and I turned his hand
over to look at it - kind of an odd thing happened there, perhaps it's just
that normal staring match one has with someone from time to time - but yea,
been here before, and it was kinda odd as I say, cause I'm staring up at him,
he's staring back, and I'm thinking, emm, we've been here before haven't we,
and I've meet you before, haven't I. And I'm also thinking about all the INN
stuff, and Fred and so on...
Sometimes
in those instances, an ongoing stare can seem to take forever - guess the mind
processes a lot quicker than the spoken word... I kinda had the feeling he was
looking to be healed in some way, but then I guess that's the Spiritual Side of
me talking, so I won't ramble on about this just in case I'm accused of talking
shit - but I've been there before where Brian is concerned... Margaret said
after the meet `n greet, that she could see that there was something going on
there, which is why she grabbed his other hand, and yea we both agreed that he
had cold hands, and he said "Cold hands, warm heart"... He said he
would use the Sixpence for the show, and I said, bet you don't but he said he
would, bless him... You know, as I was watching Brian wander around that room,
talking to the people, it was like he was some sort of Messiah or something,
perhaps this had something to do with the way he was almost bowing down? or the
way they were looking up? or something?, but as I've said to the others, he
came in as a Messiah, but went out a man - like something had lifted off him,
or something had changed within him? - but yea, as I say, spiritualism and what
one senses, are always up for questioning, which is why I don't want to go any
deeper into this... But from my view at least, something happened there, not
quite sure what it was, perhaps it's a Fred thing...
Anyway,
ramble, ramble... Funny cause around that time, I'm pretty sure that Paul
caught up, and one turned to the other and said "Who are you", and
they laughed at each other (but for the life of me, I can't remember if it was
Roger or Brian having the joke with Paul - but yea, it was funny all the same
and good timing as it was put by one of them)... Some of this meeting is still
a bit misty, but it'll come back to us in time, once we've settled back down
again no doubt.
Anyway
on to Paul. He seemed like a real pleasant chap. He shook both our hands, and
we did the photo shoot - didn't actually ask him to sign anything, not overly
sure why? - Sometimes things go in different directions than you expect them
to.
Margaret
asked about the area in which Paul lives, and made some jokes about where to
park the motor home. I started saying to Paul that I'd heard that he'd fallen
down a few piano pits and warned him to look after himself, we all laughed
about it. He told me about how he'd fallen down the piano pit, as had Brian,
but Paul went on to say that they wouldn't do it again, as now it was Roger's
turn... I touched this metal emblem thing he had on as a necklace and asked him
about it. He said it represented peace or something (although in truth I didn't
catch everything he said as there was a lot of noise there). I said, oh I've
got one of those too, and pointed at mine, he held it and asked about it, I
said it was `RAZ (this was the necklace that Janine brought me for my
birthday). He asked for more info on `RAZ, I said that it was to do with
Spiritualism. He wanted to know more, so I said about the Book Of `RAZ, but
admittedly I felt awkward talking about such a subject (not the time or place
and so on) so I said he should ask Brian about it as Brian had already been
given the Book Of `RAZ and that he'd know??? (interesting to learn that Paul is
said to be very spiritual, I always considered Paul to be very open,
spiritually speaking, but it's always nice to sense that for one's self).
Margaret asked Paul to sing "I want to Break Free" and Paul then sang
a bit of the tune for Margaret as he made ready to leave, and he said that he
hoped we'd enjoy the concert. Just as Paul was leaving, I said to Paul that
perhaps he should sing I Want To Break Wind, but then Paul and I joked that
perhaps not, as the audience wouldn't get it... (sure hope not anyway - nothing
worse than an entire audience with wind!!!)...
Roger.......
Arr, just discovered music on this here computer in Victoria, so perhaps now, I
can get the rest of this here report done and dusted - strange how music helps
to put one in that mood for writing, I think it just relaxes us and sends us to
a safe place somehow?... Funny, loaded up my MP3 player onto this computer, and
the first song it comes up with on shuffle, is Dry County (Bonjovi) -
guess if you guys haven't heard this song before, that perhaps you should
listen to it now... Okay, getting back to my notes on this here, Meet `N Greet
thing, now where are we? oh yea, Roger...
So
yea, usual hand shake, greeting thingy do-dar-what's-it... Then into photo mode
- yea, must admit to having had blinked on one pix, and said to Roger, oh I
blinked, he said, not to worry (and he was right you know, cause the pixs came
out fine anyway - can tell he's very use to that type of thing...).
[Trouble
I have here, is that this meet `n greet was a good few days ago now, and now
I'm forgetting in which order this all went, so will do my best to get it the
right way around, but apologies to Queen if the events are back-to-front, but
heck, tie that old jet-lag, lack of voice and brains in with the shock of
actually going to this event, and hey-presto, you've got a confused and mixed
up mind - like what the Fluck was that all about anyway]...
Yea,
yea, so there we are, getting our stuff signed. Firstly Margaret. She talked
about where her Cap came from (the WWRY Cap) which he was signing. We were
talking about this and that, and Roger said that Margaret really should come
over to London to see the WWRY show, as the version she had seen in Las Vegas
was only half the story. I said that we'd already brought the tickets for the
London WWRY show (for one of the final showings October [the night before the
final showing]) and that we were trying to get Margaret to come. And he looked
her right in the eyes, and said that yes she should come. And I said that the
WWRY show, is very INNUENDOES - then there was complete silence, could have
heard a pin drop... (hey, now onto The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
- Beatles - have so missed my music)... Anyway, I asked Roger to sign the pix
of myself and two sisters (this is the pix taken in 1979 - I had a copy for me,
and a copy for Fran). I explained to Roger about the pix, and that they were my
sisters (Fran and Debbie), and he asked me what I wanted him to write. I just
said to write anything, or for him to draw one of those circles (like in
cartoons) which depict what the character is saying?. So he thought for a short
while, and then wrote something for me, and I said I'd read it later on (re:
Pix)... (Strawberry Fields - yea that about sums it up [sorry, just
giving you a listing of what's playing on this here media player - don't you
just love Shuffle Mode])...
Had
explained to Roger about my voice being bad etc, and then I said that my voice
sounds like his, and he says, why what's wrong with his voice (all in jest you
understand people). Margaret turns to me, and says, yea you can sing I'm in
love with my car now, so I do this slight performance or mickey take of
Roger singing that song... (Must say, Roger has a great sense of humour)...
Also
asked Roger if they are still having those after show concert parties, and he
joked that they were too old now... lol - as if!!!
Oh
yea, and at one point, I caught the back of Roger's hand with my thumb nail,
and then rubbed my eye by accident. Then the next day, my eye got really
infected, and I had to have antibiotics - hence our joke of "It must have
been the DNA".
Right
at the end, I asked Roger something as he was wandering off, but for the life
of me, I can't remember what it was now. I do however remember that I felt
kinda guilty for talking to him as he was going away, keeping in mind what Mr.
Cranky had said - so yea, cause of that, my mind has blanked something or other
out here... but it'll come back to me... typical capricious am I, forget the
important stuff, and worry for days on end about the insignificant stuff...
ARRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
By
the way! - Mr Cranky turned into Mr Friendly as soon as the Meet `N Greet was
over - Strange how stress can change the look or appearance not to mention
actions of a person. Oh yea, and there was a point during our meet `n greet,
when Mr. Cranky came in with the: "there's only 8 minutes to the
show", but I must state, that the band really didn't seem that bothered,
which is nice, because then we did not feel rushed, and also felt like we had a
good long time to talk to Roger, Paul and Brian... It was nice that they spent
so long with us talking, and it really was nice of them to take the time with us...
As
for the concert itself? To be real honest, Brian looked very, very distracted
throughout the show, he looked like he had a lot on his mind. Also towards the
end of the concert, he really did look in pain, like his body was stiffening
up. Roger and Paul however looked fine (Paul looked a little confused when they
wanted to play Red House and he seemed to repeat the same terms over and over
again to the point whereby I didn't recognise this song at all when I actually
heard the original. All I remember from Paul's version, was that he was singing
about what he considered to be his sister??). Brian as I say was very, very
disarranged looking; guess he wasn't the only one. This day of this very
concert, was my late daughter Christine's Birthday - she would have been 18 on
this day. And for me personally, the Eminem song at the beginning of the show,
kinda sent me off on one as she was very much into Eminem, she was actually
listening to Eminem music when she died - so I dedicated the concert to her... With
this in mind, by the time Brian had reached Love of My Life, emotions for me at
least ended up being centred on my daughter. Brian underlined this for me
really, cause he forgot the words to love of my life, and really did look in
dire-straits - he was standing on the stage, telling himself to
"Breathe". Guess I wasn't the only one with raw emotions running
wild...
A
lot of this concert was hit `n miss, guitar strings breaking and so on. Lots of
shaking off of different emotions, and lots of confusion going on for all
parties concerned... Funny cause you look down at the crowds of people, and you
wonder just how closely the people relate to the people on the stage in front
of them. Do people relate? - well if they choose to look, then of course they
relate, and of cause they can see the pain, the disarranged thoughts and whilst
they might not understand the background thoughts, they sure as hell can relate
to the ongoing show of outward emotions... And whilst I find myself agreeing
with what I felt back at that concert, I also am now very aware of the fact
that I am leaving myself open to be shot down by Queen themselves... After all,
what we see and what we sense can be so very different to what others feel...
Ekk, talk about putting one's neck on the line...
Now
on to a bigger question? for INN Readers at least... That of Fred... Was Fred
there? yes he was there for the Meet `N Greet. Was Fred there for the Concert?
well he was to begin with, then he lost interest - think there was something
else going on there myself...
As
for the concert on the whole, and from the point of view of the general public?
Roger and Paul looked fine, but Paul is by no means a replacement Freddie. And
it's for sure that if Freddie were to speak his mind about that concert, that
he would be slamming around and would be shouting the odds about the sheer
amount of mistakes and the lack of coordination. One thing for Freddie, he sure
ran a tight ship, but as we all know, everyone has to weather the storm. `39
-----------------
Now
I come to the end of totting up my notes, and the song playing (not that it
really matters I guess?) is "Little Bit Of Soul" (Bonjovi)... I still
have no real idea what the hell that was all about, the Meet `N Greet I mean?
like what are the odds of being invited to such a thing? (Led Zeppelin - Ramble
On)...
I
still really feel the need to say something completely personal, from the point
of view of Spiritualism or from the point of view of INN, as obviously as I
say, people will ask? but in myself and within our general overall
conversations, we're still left with that question of what the fluck was that
all about, and what was that all in aid of. (Beatles - Let It Be) -
perhaps the answer is in the song...
I
could Ramble on here for ever and a day, and as Roger said, I thought we were
retired.... Heck, does or rather will this life ever allow you to retire, and
if you did, what would you do with yourself? Sail around forever and a day?
then before you know it, you're older than old, and your regrets will reach the
roof... I died without Regret? - like heck did you... I'm thinking, hey perhaps
I should write another book (have several on the back-burner as it is - Frozen
Nuts (which is kinda tongue-in-cheek) and The Black Book (which is very much
NOT tongue-in-cheek)), but then you know, you're left thinking well what's the
point to that, what's the point in sinking one's self into such a project - but
then it is what one does. (London Town - McCartney). How does that old
saying go? - I write because then I can be who I am, and if I don't write then
I'm no-one (wonder if that's the same for people like Roger and Brian?). Often
I feel like standing up and waving "Hey I'm over here" - but again,
does anyone really care? - yea, back to that "What the fluck was that all
about" - story of my life that one... Last song of this shuffle -
"It's My Life" (BonJovi) - yea, I guess that song about sums up my
feelings - A Very good motto -
This ain't a song for the broken-hearted
A silent prayer for the faith-departed
I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd
You're gonna hear my voice
When I shout it out loud
Chorus:
It's my life
It's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just wanna live while I'm alive
It's my life
This is for the ones who stood their ground
For Tommy and Gina who never backed down
Tomorrow's getting harder make no mistake
Luck ain't even lucky
Got to make your own breaks
Chorus:
It's my life
And it's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just want to live while I'm alive
'Cause it's my life
Better stand tall when they're calling you out
Don't bend, don't break, baby, don't back down
Chorus:
It's my life
And it's now or never
'Cause I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just want to live while I'm alive
Chorus:
It's my life
And it's now or never
'Cause I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just want to live while I'm alive
'Cause it's my life!
(Foot note to INN readers, ask yourself if this is
a Cosmic Joke, a counterbalancing move between Ahriman and Ahura, or is it just
GOD playing poker with the Devil as is that saying) – so much for Coincidence –
Cheers Fred… Now all I’ve got to do, is
find out why? Perhaps GOD is trying to
tell me something? That or GOD is trying to tell Queen something? Do you think
there’s any such thing as a Cosmic Set-up? Or is it all Manmade? Man this life is weird!!! – Yea – perhaps
you’re right – Queen meets Queen – check mate – or is that – cheque mate – lol…
Chess…
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