9-03-12 Survival Jobs for Writer-Musicians -- Starter Job #198 (Schmoozin’ with the Stars, take 5)

As I recall, Stipe liked to talk with me because he was very into my rock writing with Creem Magazine -- he was a fan of Trixie A. Balm! -- and very interested in Patti Smith (even then!). It was very flattering for him to talk with me and be so friendly because you could tell that he and the band were special and headed for great popularity. . . .

So, here’s another of Michael Stipe and Rick down south around the time of that gig in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (see the Chesterfield sign above Rick’s head?). . . sure wish I had some pics of the dB’s, too, ‘cause I really loved that band, loved their songs even more than REM’s and was friends with Peter and Will (I guess sorta friends, we were friendly and had a mutual friend, Stephanie).

 (photo by L.E. Agnelli)

9-02-12 Survival Jobs for Writer-Musicians -- Starter Job #197 (Schmoozin’ with the Stars, take 4)

(pic of me & Michael Stipe by Rick Wagner?)

Because of their association with the headliner, the dB’s -- and Rick -- knew the guys in REM, a.k.a. It Crawled from the South. In 1984, they had become a phenomenon and were growingly popular. The small theater for the gig was packed with enthusiastic young (college aged) fans of the hardworking little quartet from Athens, Georgia.

Backstage, I met Michael Stipe, who at the time had long curly locks and wore thick black framed glasses. I really liked his look. When he took off his glasses, he reminded me of Elvis Presley, with the shape of his lips and his eyes. Of course, his stage persona was nothing like the flashy King; Stipe commanded attention by being so intensely focused on his performance and shy self that he radiated a charisma that burned from within, forcing fans to pay attention. His singing voice, of course, had the right qualities and his lyrics were ambiguous and singable enough. . . all augmented and gelled together by the band, with harmonies and bass by Mike Mills and jangle pop chording by Pete Buck, along with the solid drumwork of Bill Berry.

Outside the venue, Stipe stopped for a casual pic or two with me and Rick (or maybe Rick was taking the pic?)

9-01-12 Survival Jobs for Writer-Musicians -- Starter Job #196 (Schmoozin’ with the Stars, take 3)

Around 1984/1985, I was falling in love with Rick Wagner, who was at the time in the dB’s, a very cool indie pop-rock group. If he at first thought I was groupie material, his eyes grew wide with surprise when he realized that I was a double-threat talent: the rock writer Trixie A. Balm AND “the girl” in the Washington Squares. Ooh la la!

At any rate, having temp jobs worked well when I wanted to go out of town, on tour or on an adventure. Rick and the dB’s played a few shows down in North Carolina in the late summer, and I went along because I wanted to be where the excitement was and, I guess, the Squares weren’t doing much that week (incredibly!).

We went to a cool dive type bar in the same town where REM and the dB’s were playing a show the next night. Playing live, to a crowd of maybe three dozen fans: The Replacements. I remember howling with delight at their shenanigans, seeing “big boy” Bob Stinson in a dress and his little brother, with the long shaggy rockdude hair, Tommy, on the bass, all in various stages of drunkenness along with the leader, Paul Westerberg. Already a rock legend, Westerberg sang and played some of the best darn confessional rock songs with singalong choruses, reeling off modern anthems as effortlessly as Cheap Trick or maybe even Big Star. . . his true heroes.

I do recall that was quite a trip, and I’m sorry I don’t have pics of that night with The Replacements. .  . but I do have some of somebody from that OTHER famous band. . .