conversationpc wrote:strangegrey wrote:My storys about how much a true douchebag Neal is are well documented both here and at TJF.
I don't remember reading them. Do tell.
Oh man, If I had the time, I could write a book. Here's the main one that still sticks in my craw....
It was 1992. I was 20 years old. Since the mid 80s (when I started playing guitar) I had literally prayed to both EVH and Neal Schon. Hell, I spent the summer of 89 learning every Journey song note for note..I didn't leave the house...barely did anything other than play guitar......and by around 1992, I was starting to sound a whole lot more like Neal than Eddie. But I was still a snot nosed 20 year old that IDOLIZED Schon to no end.
Hardline comes through Long Island that summer and I went to see em. I got there like 4 hours early, knowing it was GA and I wanted to be right in front of Neal and watch his every fingering and foot stomp on his pedalboard. I round the corner and bump into a nice woman in her 30s with a huge set of cones, who just met Neal (and was gushing about how nice a gentlemen he was) after his soundcheck. I start talking to her and she offers to take a picture of Neal and I and mail me the picture...so she directs me to the end of the bar where Neal is drinking.
I muster up as much brass as I could (remember, I'm 20 years old, shaking in my boots at the very concept of meeting my idol....) and I sheepishly walk over to neal, who's got 2-3 women giving him some attention...and he's being VERY receptive to them, taking pictures, signing shit, smiling. So I said to myself, "hey, he seems to be a nice guy!"...
I go up to him and say "Hey, Neal! I'm a guitarist and I've been a huge fan of yours as long as I've been playing guitar!" He rolls his eyes...I then say "Can I get a picture with you?"...
He throws up his arms like he was just served with a summons...turns around to me, points his finger at my nose and almost screams at me "Hey, dipshit...I'm drinking here...Leave me the fuck alone...go away!"....shocked beyond belief, I do just that...and walk away, feeling .2" tall. As I'm walking away, a few other fans (all women, in their 30s, fine looking) go up to him and ask for a picture and autographs. He goes "Ooooh Suuuuure, Anything for my fans!!!" and smiles this big chesire cat grin for their pictures.
Had he done that to me at my current age, I would have verbally ripped him a new asshole, barely restraining myself from physically stomping his 5'2" ass into the side of the bar and walked out. I was 20, in the shadow of one of my idols and in a situation I clearly didn't foresee. I mean, shit...this guy was
God to me. To see him react to me the way he did would be the same as if a Muslim, on the day of resurection, learned that Allah only lets Christians and Jews into paradise!
Incidentally, I had the SAME exact situation with Brad Gillis a few years later...after a Night Ranger show, I went to him, told him I've been guitarist and a fan for years and would love a picture" Before I could get another word out, he's asking me what kind of gear I have, how long have I been playing, imparting advice on how to play, smiling...and then, after he and I were seemingly best friends, he took 3-4 great pictures with me. Kelly Keagy was the same way that night. A complete opposite from the utter douchebag Neal Schon was.
I hadn't seen Schonbag for almost 10 years...I met him in 2001 during the Arrival Tour...I doubt he remembered me.....but when he learned that I was working with Mike on the Journey website, he treated me like fucking royalty. (what a 2-faced fuckhole!!!) He introduced me to Friga, was about as warm and gracious as you could get. It was bitter sweet. Knowing full well that if I just introduced myself as a fan, he would have treated me like a piece of dogshit he just picked off his boot.
Later that night, I witnessed Neal do EXACTLY the same asshole things to other fans at the M&G. If they had tits, he was sweet as pie...If they were guys, *especially* younger guy fans...he treated them like crap. PURE crap. Refusing to shake hands, telling them to get out of his way, telling them he doesn't 'do pictures' even though he gladly smiled for pictures with women before AND after them in line, making faces and gestures at guy fans as they were leaving with their backs turned, etc, etc.
In fact, that day in 2001 was VERY strange indeed. I got to basically see the band from soundcheck to post show. I watched the road crew do their thing...all from the side of the stage. I got to see alot of 'true colors'...and that day was officially the beginning of the end of my Journey fan days. I don't AT ALL hold the same reverence I did for them when I was 16. After seeing Fro treat these guys...all guitar playing guys in their 20s, like complete crap....It made me sick to my stomach.
I had something like 200 pictures from that day....all great digital shots, of Fros gear, gut shots of the whale, extreme closeups of the band at soundcheck, etc, etc....I was going to do an online thingie for the website. I was so sickened from Neal's 2-face bullshit that I ended up hosing every picture from the camera.....
Neal's a complete douchebag. He always was, always will be. It's VERY hard once you see how much of a prick he really is...to listen to Journey without feeling ALOT less of the magic.
He's quite sensitive you know.
Sorry you had that happen to you, Strangegrey...I don't know how you were even able to go on to work on their website. I feel sorry for all the guitar guy fans treated that way by someone they admire musically...all I can say is what a JACKASS!
