Paul Mac Cartney: Did Or Do You Dream To Meet Him

[Stephane]

Hi there,

I was just wondering if any of you dreamed for 30 years to meat (hmmm thanks Pug : meet) the man and actually met him ?

Were you :

1. Impressed

2. Happy

3. Disapointed

Cheers

Stephane

[ryyannon]

He's a vegetarian.

I'd think twice before meating him.

[retep]

He's a vegetarian.

I'd think twice before meating him.

Thanks for clearing and washing out my sinuses.

There is water all over the place now.

@Stephane

Are you going to meet him?

[gran]

Hi there,

I was just wondering if any of you dreamed for 30 years to meat the man and actually met him ?

Were you :

1. Impressed

2. Happy

3. Disapointed

Cheers

Stephane

2.

[Stephane]

Thanks for clearing and washing out my sinuses.

There is water all over the place now.

@Stephane

Are you going to meet him?

Hmmm, this story is true. I met him after 30 years of being a fan and now, I really think John, why the hell didn't I meet YOU.

Here we go, the entire story :

Road book of a happy fan that won a Meet and Greet with Sir Paul on April 1st 2003.

Initial meeting with Alexandra from EMI Records was planned at 4PM at the main entrance of the concert hall.

- 2PM: departure to the concert hall

Found a parking spot and wait in the car.

- 3.30PM: call to Alexandra. She says, sorry I'm going to be late. No panic I'll be there at 4.30.

- 4.00PM: leave the car, take the bag with photo and video machine, a letter to Paul (thanks Liz), Band on the run 25th anniversary limited edition VINYL, Revolver original US pressing.

- 4.40PM: Alexandra finally arrives with Geoff, Paul's personal assistant or something like that. He tries to get us inside but the local security requires that we all have a All access pass. Finally, the local security let us in with Geoff.

- The security puts us at 50 meters from stage. Last row at the mixing console! But, at least we are the ones to attempt the sound check...My god, am I sweating ?

- We are around 12 people to have the privilege to be in the concert hall while the technicians are playing some instruments and fix some lights. We wait for Paul and the band.

- Without even asking anybody, we move to the 5th row (why not the 1st?), right under the stage.

- Geof come to us (should I say to me? Why to me?) and says: "Please apologize Paul's delay but there is a lot of traffic".

We stay there speaking together and I won't see him (Geoff) until much later.

- 5.25: Security comes (and this time it's a girl from Paul's team that I saw in the DVD) to put us back at the last row at the mixing console again !

- 5.30: after his musicians arrived on the stage, Paul enters very discretely! My wife says: look he's there. Yes he's there folks! Right in front of us. He starts to play (Coming Up). Applause

Paul: thank you. You're a very small audience (12 people, us I mean, plus the crew!), but very nice! Then Matchbox, Honey don't, 2 very jazzy songs unknown to me.

- 5.55: though the sound check is not finished, security ask us to leave the place right away!

- 6.00: we're back in the entrance of the building but, at least, inside!

We hear the songs played by Paul with an acoustic guitar only such as We can work it out. These ones are the ones that we would have cried on!

- Alexandra says that we have to exit the building right now but give an appointment to me for the "Meet & Greet" at 7 PM at main entrance.

- Security comes again, and let us know that we cannot stay there, discussion, bla bla, finally they agree that we stay inside as the doors are going to open in 30 minutes anyway! Ridiculous isn't it.

- 7.00: Text message on my phone: sorry "Meet & Greet" is postponed to 7.45 at least it's not cancelled.

- 7.45: Alexandra gives me a badge: Paul Mac Cartney Back in the World tour VIP!!!

Yes. It's a collector item.

- Arriving at the barriers to go back stage: the colour of these VIP are not the one allowing to go further, discussions again, bla bla, and finally another Paul's assistant (named Paul too) come and guide us back stage.

- While waiting, I have a look through a window and see a stretched white limo.

- We are around 10 persons now: 5 people of EMI Records, 1 retailer, 2 Directors of the main radio network, the other winner of the meet and greet (Dutch speaking) and me (French speaking) that's Belgium guys, we speak several languages.

- We are now in a small but nice room with wine, water, peanuts and sofas.

I drank water (Evian), 3 little bottles and wait...no wine tonight!

There is a girl from Paul's staff there with a Motorola speaking to I don't know who but it sounds we're going to have bad news really bad news.

The meet and greet wasn't pre-arranged with Paul. Time passes and the chance to see him are melting.

- Around 8.40: the final info is: Yes, Paul will come and greet you but he won't have time to spend with you guys. Please do not hold him back.

After the greetings, you will be taken in a group photo with Paul.

- 8.45: Paul enters the small room: "Hi folks nice to meet you." ...My god, that guy that I have been listening to for 30 year at least is here. This man is the one that teached me everything without even knowing: I learned english, start to love music, became a club dj in the early 80's and finaly a radio dj for the rest of my life. Man, that guy was in the same room as me.

- Alexandra introduces everybody. I'm the last one in the circle.

- Paul presents me his hand. I take it and say: "Nice to meet you, yes I'm the other winner of the meet and greet! (Great no, stupid that I am not to say anything else !!!).

- Nobody realised that that was the one and only moment to say something or ask for a signature, we were choked. All of us.

- Paul replies something like, Nice to meet you, ok, let's have a picture together now.

We put ourselves around him, the photos are taken, the flash fails, [censored] I hope I will look good.

- Paul says (while already walking to the door)

"Thank you very much folks. I leave you now. I'm on stage in two minutes"

- 9.00: We run away from back stage to find our seats in the hall, I'm back next to my wife. The show starts (I say hello, you say goodbye)!

He didn't lie about the show starting but, why didn't he came 5 or 10 minutes earlier to meet us?!

- After 30 minutes or so, my wife says: "I can stand it no more. I want to dance. Why don't we move to the stage".

She went, came back and yes, local Security is not allowing anybody to have too much fun. In the meantime I found a spot where we can at least stand, smoke and sing Hey Jude, Don't make it bad, take a sad song...

- 11.35: The show is over, it was great of course. Exactly as on the DVD "Back in the U.S"

Full of memories we leave the place shortly after the end of the concert.

- We're now approaching our city, when suddenly I see a white limo in front of me. A big bus, a white limo, a van: It's him. He's staying in my town!

- My wife: "yes it's him. Who else could be in a white limo, driving back from the concert hall with a bus and a van follow him, you'll get your signature"

- We follow them on the city highway, then in the avenues and streets.

- They do not stop at every red light and the van, following the limo, is really blocking crossroads to protect the limo.

- It's my town, I know it very well and can afford to stop at red lights as I can figure which avenue or street they are on next and so which hotel is ahead or behind us.

- We arrive in the historical center, narrow, very narrow streets here for that big bus and that long limo no chance to loose them. The little car of fans is still between us.

- Yes. Here we are. They stop at the whatever is the name of the Hotel.

- The street is blocked by the bus and the limo, my wife pick the pen and the Band on the run album and runs while I'm deciding what to do...I decide to stop in the middle of the street, close the car and run too.

- We arrive near the limo, 20 or so security people on the street and sidewalk no way we can reach the limo. My wife tries to approach the limo and that girl, that put us at the last row at the sound check, jumps and point her finger in my wife's direction and shouts: "Don't!"

- I'm watching the limo, preparing something to say to Paul about the fact that he didn't take the time to sign my sleeve when my wife sees him exit ... the bus!

- At the same moment, exiting the limo, who's there: Geoff !!!

- I call him, he looks at me, recognize me and comes over: "Geoff, sorry for this. I met Paul and he was about to go on stage so he had no time to sign my record can you help me?"

- Geof: "What, you didn't have a signature? I don't understand why. Listen, I'll give you my cel phone number, give me a call tomorrow morning and I'll organize something! Do you have a pen and paper?". I gave him my pack of cigarettes and a pen, thanked him and then he said "You might have to come back to the gig tomorrow".

- 1.30 AM: Back home, full of hope, I send an sms to Geoff saying "Thank you very much, I'll call you tomorrow morning. Let me know what is the best time".

No response.

- The next day, 10.30 AM: I'm on my way to a business meeting and call Geoff. "Hi Geoff, I'm the winner of the meet and greet you gave your cel phone number to yesterday at the hotel".

Geoff " Oh Yes. Hi how are you. Listen give me your name I'll have VIP passes for you tonight and will organize for you to have a signature from Paul"

Me: "Listen, I don't want to disturb you or anybody else. My only desire would be to have that sleeve signed. I'm living in this city and your hotel is here. Why shouldn't I drop the album at the front desk, you ask Paul to sign it and I'll pick it up later ?"

Geoff: "I'm already in the concert hall. Let me see. OK. Leave it at the front desk for the attention of Robbie Montgomery (he spells the name) and I'll make sure we send it back to you by post."

Me: Ok Geoff, I'll do that today. I thank you very much.

Geoff: My pleasure.

Me: Thank you.

Geoff: My pleasure. No problem.

Me: Thank you. Cheers.

1.00PM: My package is ready: Band on the run 25th anniversary limited edition VINYL and CD Box sleeves, a letter to Paul, a note to Robbie.

I approach the hotel expecting 20 bodyguards, and feel nervous

I park in front of the main entrance, nobody but the door man: "Hi, I'm dropping a package for someone, it's only 15 seconds, I say" - "Ok, Sir, no problem".

Walking to the front desk: 2 persons a young girl and a man. I go to the girl (why?, well we all know that) and say: "Hi, I have a package for Robbie Montgomery from Paul Mac Cartney's staff."

5 seconds of hesitation.

I'm expecting a "Oh, sorry Sir but Paul Mac Cartney isn't staying here."

Instead, she pass the package to the man that is looking at his computer screen (Checking the name maybe, wow that would be funny that he doesn't know Paul Mac Cartney, isnt'it!)

Then finaly, he looks at me: "Allright Sir. We will deliver your package" (In French: Tres bien Monsieur. Ce sera fait).

YES, Geoff will be chasing that signature for me.

(I got his mobile number remember?)

It's now February 2007 and I'm still chasing that bloody signature...

The question is: don't be too kind. Why the hell didn't I say YES when Geoff proposed another night at the concert with VIP passes ?

As said before, I have that ridiculously bad picture, to make sure I didn't dream this...but I also only have my vinyl and CD but no sleeves anymore.

Thanks Paul

Edited for spelling and will edit further, I'm sure ;-)

[hambone]

I met Paul and Linda in 1975 in Hawaii. He was renting a house in Koko Head for a month, which was down the street from my house. My buddies and I were at this place called the point smoking doobies when they walked up from the beach and said hello. Over the next month we met again a few times. I even helped pull Paul out of the water when the waves got a little big. I was around 17 then and it was most memorable, impressive and exciting.

[Pugwash]

you dreamed for 30 years to meat the man

Far be it for me to laugh at someone's spelling when English isn't their first language, but meat the man? There's being a fan and being a fan, I suppose.

[jonthebhoy]

Far be it for me to laugh at someone's spelling when English isn't their first language, but meat the man? There's being a fan and being a fan, I suppose.

http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?showto...729&hl=meat

[Stephane]

I met Paul and Linda in 1975 in Hawaii. He was renting a house in Koko Head for a month, which was down the street from my house. My buddies and I were at this place called the point smoking doobies when they walked up from the beach and said hello. Over the next month we met again a few times. I even helped pull Paul out of the water when the waves got a little big. I was around 17 then and it was most memorable, impressive and exciting.

Great ! At least he wasn't yet SIR Paul and probably more relax...

[b16a2]

I met him for all of about 10minutes. I was happy. It's one of the most memorable points of my life so far!

[Stephane]

I met him for all of about 10minutes. I was happy. It's one of the most memorable points of my life so far!

did you have a chance to get something signed by him ?

[KB]

Being a semi professional musician for a lot of my life means I got to meet a number of the big names in Aus, Johnny Farnham and Johnny Young just to name a couple, but these guys hardly register on the world stage like Paul MacCartney.

Ken

[b16a2]

did you have a chance to get something signed by him ?

No it was in a public place, and he doesn't do signings in overly crowded public places when he is 'off duty' so to speak otherwise he would spend all day signing people's property. I got a handshake, and a good discussion though