The wall of text explaining why this wasn't a humiliating affair:
I was a BOC fan-boy and acquaintance of Donald Roeser and Eric Bloom since the age of 15. I’ve had the pleasure of sitting in with the band multiple times and had auditioned for the bass slot when bass player Greg Smith (Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent etc..) told me about the vacated position during an acoustic gig we used to play together. He left BOC about 25 years ago.
Danny Miranda (Queen, Meatloaf etc...) ultimately got the gig after their interim bass player Kasim Sulton (Utopia, Joan Jett, J. Geils etc..) vacated the position years ago. Some pretty tough competition, but it did come down to Danny and I. It was close. It was a big disappointment. I knew every song in their catalogue. I shook it off and started to work on my Tribute bands Evolution and Joshua Tree. That was in 2001, right around the time Ant was making a name with Opie up up in MA.
I became friendly with Richie and the Band Geeks through an introduction by Eric Bloom later on. I did their podcast, they did mine, and we became fast friends. I still use one of the guys associated with BG as a drum sub when needed. They’re pretty busy and are all incredibly talented. Check them out in Riotcast. It’s a musically oriented podcast that’s always awesome. Great guests and top notch live studio performances.
Your spin on the multiple videos of me jamming with my childhood idols is hilariously delusional. I’ve been lucky enough to do some things that most guitar players only get to dream about. The SG in the video is Eric’s. Carol and I were about to leave and he asked if I’d like to do the encore with the band. It wasn’t a huge crowd, only a couple hundred people, but the thrill of doing it was apparent. Maybe I was a little over animated.. looking back at it... ooooof yesh. I was the “happy just to be there” guy. But cut me a break, Seriously, think about being asked by your childhood idols to play onstage with the band. BTW- Anyone with ears can hear that I didn’t miss a note. Meh, you’d never admit to that. That would ruin the bit.
Truth (I was actually there)...
Richie disgustedly “saying I was done” by slashing at his throat? ... That was actually Richie looking directly at Buck and jokingly telling him “You’re out of a job”. I know I’m explaining the obvious, but your bit doesn’t hold water when you really watch the video.
Eric was telling me to turn it up from the time the song started. He’s a rock star, not a tech. I wasn’t about to reach back and crank the amp to 11... but he did. If you listened to it... that’s what happens. He turned it up a little too much for my taste. It was blaring off the front of the stage.
I’ve played with them a few times before and since that video. Are they actually disgusted? I think not. I’ll play with them again soon enough. Sorry for fucking up the bit.... Just making some sense.
Other HORRIBLE experiences....
Bill Murray sang Gloria, Mustang Sally and 96 tears with 2U at a Golf club private party up in Westchester... he cleaned beer cans off our PA system and brought us drinks throughout the night. Surreal, But it happened. I have my own Bill Murray encounter story along with 1000’s of other people. He gets around.
I played a marathon acoustic set with Jay Mohr and Adam Ferrara at Bar Nine in NYC. (Jay was Anthony’s only “get” re: band stuff) Jammed with Lisa Lisa from Cult Jam at the same joint....We’ve had Chad Smith from RHCP’s drop in on 2U for a whole set at the Memory Motel in Montauk. Aida Turturro has come to see Almost Journey and 2U multiple times, we played for and jammed with Paul Teutel Jr. at an OCC corporate event we did in FL and I got to ride a couple of his custom choppers around Orlando with him and Paul Sr.
I’ve been a very lucky fuck. I’ve always had fun playing guitar. Anytime, anywhere.
