25 Years of Love (part 1)

Thanks Jan and Mikey for the kind words. I've often thought of writing a book, but I sit in front of a computer too much as it is Maybe one day! Spent some time checking out fares to the US from Aus in July, and they're OUTRAGEOUS. 'Specially for someone with no steady income. If it was October, it'd be cheap!! But who knows, something may still come about... (hope hope!)

Hey Andi, that was absolutely brilliant reading, you wanna start writing some stories on the birth of Rockabilly leading up to this fantastic piece. I was totally intrigued and it really brightened up my morning here in work. Well done girl!!! I know you said there was no part 3 but hey could you not use a bit of fantasy coz I think you could get away with it, I luv your writing.

Thanks for that. Liam

Squire Maguire, looking forward to that '82 Interview hey that's not a bad name for a band.

Adh Mor, Liam

Cool Irish Cat wrote:

Hey Andi, that was absolutely brilliant reading, you wanna start writing some stories on the birth of Rockabilly leading up to this fantastic piece.

Thanks for the idea Liam! That would require years of research to get it right... I'll have to see where I can fit it in I have another (albeit significantly shorter) nonfiction story that I've written that you might enjoy, complete with a photo:
Click here to view

Cool Irish Cat wrote:

I know you said there was no part 3 but hey could you not use a bit of fantasy coz I think you could get away with it, I luv your writing.

Hmmm, somehow I don't think a Setzer fantasy would be appropriate for a public forum like this one!

Andi you wanna get some mouthwash into your very naughty brain and rinse it young lady, that's not the kind of fantasy I was thinking of. By the way I celebrated 10 years of wedded bliss last month (that cost me) I had to laugh last night, my youngest girl Fionnuala (4) decided that there was nothing for it but to play some Stray Cats (she wanted attention because I was helping my oldest daughter Cerys (7) with her homework from school). Fionnuala also believes that my late father is in heaven with Elvis and she thinks Elvis is my best friend and my dad has gone to visit him. She tries to imitate Elvis with the usual Thank ya very much etc she's very entertaining and funny.

God I've been reading some of the messages throughout the forum and they are filled with smut and innuendo (I luv it really). I will read your other piece later today coz I got a lot of work to do. I'm so envious of you though getting to meet the cat with that crazy blonde hair.

The biggest of Irish blessings to you and yours.

Liam

Greetings to Cool Irish Cat from a fellow Brian Setzer fan(insane fan since Nov 1980) down here in wet and rainy County Kerry. I,m going to the Dublin and London shows in September. I,ve seen Brian about 13 times , how about you ?

Hey Irishguy. Unfortunately I've only seen Brian once at Vicar Street with 68CBS. Long story why I missed the Cats at Brixton last time round, wife took sick, surgery etc. No stopping me this time (God sparing that is). Great to see on you on the board though its something else isn't it.

Liam

Just thought I'd follow up this story with a few additional photos that I finally got around to taking today:

The treasures I brought home from my first encounter with Brian Setzer in 1994: Click Here.
If you look closely, the cover of the program is signed - the back page shows Brian's scribbles where he tried to get the ink to run. I didn't bother to keep the inside pages of the magazine... strangely, there was nothing about Brian in it at all. The set lists, one from July 29 1994 and one from July 31, 1994 (the show I was at), look worse for wear because they were crumpled up and thrown to me from the stage by Bob Sandman. This is the only time I've ever heard them play "Sweet Lorraine," one of my favourite songs, ever. The tickets are blackened because for some time I had all these items framed and on the wall... the ticketing paper didn't like the sun exposure. Note the BSO pick in the upper right. The back shows a stain where I'd glued it into the frame.

Tickets and backstage passes from nearly every Setzer show I saw: Click Here.
I worked in radio for a lotta years and was extremely lucky to get free tickets to tons of movies, and sometimes tickets and backstage passes to some concerts. I was scrupulous about keeping event ticket stubs for many years (I still have stubs from Depeche Mode, Oingo Boingo, Def Leppard, Everly Bros, Smokey Robinson, Michael Franks, Slaughter/Winger/Kiss, George Thorogood, Pink Floyd, Lollapalooza 1993, UB40, Tears for Fears, Rush, Sting, the first time I ever saw "The Matrix," and innumerable sporting events, including many WWF shows. Yes, I was a wrestling fan. Shut up. I also have stubs for Yanni and Kenny G. I said shut up.) Inexplicably, I don't have stubs from two important shows, Stray Cats at the House of Blues and the last BSO show I saw in 2001. I am also missing any kind of hard copy proof of a show the BSO did at, I think, Santa Anita racetrack - for a while I ran the console for a radio show about horse racing that was broadcast from Santa Anita, and the host said I was the best producer he'd ever had. Of course he was more than happy to get me and my date into the event. Ross and Jan, you guys were both there, right? I have a photo somewhere that Jan took that night of me and my date dancing directly in front of Brian playing.

The notes I'd typed up for my interview with Brian in 1998: Click Here.
Once the tape was rolling and the mics were on, my notes kinda went out the window. I'm still hoping to find the recording of the interview- there's a chance I left it (along with a bunch of other recordings from my radio show) with a friend when we left the US, I'll be checking when we're there later this year.

Ah, memories. I threw away a lot of stuff when we left the US, but I'm really glad I still have these things.