Post by mintyjackhole on Apr 10, 2019 3:32:11 GMT
BA Baracus enters the confessional to share about the time he made a bootleg RATT t-shirt and it bit him in the ass. Take it away BA:
"Heres mine....tried to sum it up as short as possible, but without leaving out key details.....
Ratt was always one of my favorite bands. At 13 years old I saw the video for Round & Round and bought 'Out of the Cellar' that day and then all the others albums as they were released. Saw them live on the 'Dancing Undercover' tour for the first time, bought the t-shirt. Got the videos, all the mags/read all the articles and hung pics and posters up in my room, drew logos on folders etc. etc. I moved on in musical tastes over the years but I've always come back to those magical first 5-6 Ratt albums. The whole band is full of great players but keep in mind, for me Stephens unique vocals are a major part of the appeal. I've seen them at least a dozen times over the years until recently, simply put, they were MY band, something special to me, those tunes just made me happy, and it had stuck years later and never stopped, until....
A few years ago we had just had our second child and I heard about an outdoor fest type show with Ace Frehley headlining and Stephen Pearcy (solo) and a local band (friends of mine) opening. We found a sitter and made plans for a much needed date night. I was anticipating the idea that I may get a chance to meet Stephen as my friends were opening for him. I 'd heard stories that he was the difficult one in the band...but whatever he would be cool to me! I had just read his book and was on his side. At some point I thought about what tee I was going to wear. I had an old 'Reach For the Sky' tour tee, but it wasn’t great/didnt fit well. I found and ordered an Out of the cellar baseball tee from a reprint company on etsy, but it was a really thick 3/4 length tee and it was gonna be like 95 degrees the day of the show.
I thought a Mickey Ratt tee (Stephens previous band that became RATT) would be a cool tee to wear to his solo show as it wasn’t RATT. Thought it'd be a good conversation piece :unhunh: .
I was looking around on the internet last minute and didn't see any Mickey Ratt tees anywhere at all, but came across a few Mickey Ratt logos and images etc. So I grabbed an image I thought would work, made it a one color (black) and printed it out on iron-on heat transfer paper, and ironed it on a blank gray tee. It was pretty rough as the paper wasn’t big enough and I had to piece 2 pages together, also the tee was kinda dark gray and with the black ink it didn't really stand out. Whatever good enough.
That day after Stephen played in the intense heat and then a pretty good rain storm, he was setup seated at a merch stand signing stuff and we got in line with about 20 others. I had a couple beers but was still a bit nervous and was talking to my wife about what to say, what to have him sign etc. Should I run to the car to get a cd he could sign? Trying to calm the inner fanboy in me. Ha.
So the table cleared and we were walking up (maybe 30ft away) to meet him. He was sitting and he lowered and kind of stuck his neck out and was staring-squinting and pointing like he was taking aim at me. I just smiled and kept walking, for a second it felt like It was as if he knew me, like how you see an old friend from a distance and kinda just make a cool gesture till you get in range to shake hands or speak etc. And then when in closer range, he spoke and urgently points at my shirt and says, “Where the f*** did you get that?!!”. I looked down at my tee, almost forgot what I was wearing, and thought maybe he digs it. Thought he appreciated an old fan that knew his history with pioneering the band? I proudly said, “I made it!” He says, “Yeah and how many have you f**kin been selling in the parking lot!?”. I said, “Aww no, no way man, I just printed this and ironed it on today for the show, Im just a dork super -fan”. He said, “You ironed it on? Let me see that!” He got closer…chuckled, “I don't know, Looks pretty f**ckin good to me!, You sure you’d didn’t make a screen and do a run of them? I better not see those for sale online".
Now I'm really kicking myself, embarrassed and thinking I totally blew it wearing this tee. Plus im buzzed, starstruck nerves, yet deflating. My wife and I were trying to talk and get him to understand it was just a one off for the show. He kept talking over me, ignoring me, with his ultra rockstar cocky demeanor and looked away talking to the small crowd, gesturing to them, ”Hello?! Can I make money off my stuff first?! …Now pointing at my tee but looking out to an audience of people who aren’t really there, and the few that are, aren’t really understanding or hearing what he's saying...and probably dont care.
”You know how many people have ripped me off?, I was just planning on making a new Mickey Ratt tee...But MINE is gonna be better, it's gonna have the ringer on the neck and sleeves, and colors in the graphic..” I said, “I hear ya man, but no im just a fan that thought you might see it and think its cool...will you sign it?” He says, ” F*** No! i won’t f**kin sign it!..” and chuckled.
Meanwhile my wife wasn’t hearing much of it, Ace was playing so it was loud and people were talking etc. And she was talking to his people as she was stopped when she pulled her phone out to take a pic of him/us…arguing!. So his assistant or whoever tells him this.. "oh he wants a picture,, ok” . By now I am cringing, boiling at how he was handling it. My wife could tell by my expression- body language I wasn’t happy.
I actually understood where he was coming from with the shirt. He was treating me like I was a bootlegger selling a bunch of tees, or stealing a design from him that he was possibly going to sell himself someday. I got that. But I felt he was handling it in the most un-professional uncool way imaginable, I mean he was a hero to me as a teen and Im at a table where Im obviously there to meet him, as a fan. I smiled and said to him, his assistant, my wife “No I don't want a picture”. He pulled me over to sit down next to him, put his arm around me to take a pic, still seated, and he can tell Im not feeling it. He said “Ah Come on, Get over it!” He posed with some devil horns, I awkwardly smiled. My wife snapped a blurry pic, and we left!
Told my wife the details afterwards because she saw me go from a having a good time high to a sweaty, buzzkill- wtf -just happened- dejected low. And then she says they charged her $10 to take the pic! :rolleyes:
That was summer in 2015, I'm still a Ratt fan but It’s been tough since that encounter to listen and enjoy in the same way. I try to look at it like, it wasn’t really an attack on me personally. I realize I made the mistake making the tee. But when my wifes with me and I put on some Ratt she can't even stand the music anymore, she said it gives her a bad vibe.
It sucks. But hey its kind of a funny story right? :laugh: More interesting than the "yeah I took a pic, got a signature" mundane story. Oh and I had him sign a plastic piece of bacon I had in my pocket leftover from playing with my kids earlier that day. He's like, "how do I even sign this?" HA!
Anyway I learned what that saying meant "You should never meet your heroes". I didnt really get it...Never thought it could really happen to me!
Thought i'd share my story and start a thread here. If you have one please share it, and id like to know if it effected the music for you? Or just comment on mine. I think its an interesting topic. Also thought maybe hearing your stories or feedback could help me "get over it” and enjoy my Ratt N roll again!"
Here's the thread: forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/have-a-never-meet-your-heroes-story.829169/
"Heres mine....tried to sum it up as short as possible, but without leaving out key details.....
Ratt was always one of my favorite bands. At 13 years old I saw the video for Round & Round and bought 'Out of the Cellar' that day and then all the others albums as they were released. Saw them live on the 'Dancing Undercover' tour for the first time, bought the t-shirt. Got the videos, all the mags/read all the articles and hung pics and posters up in my room, drew logos on folders etc. etc. I moved on in musical tastes over the years but I've always come back to those magical first 5-6 Ratt albums. The whole band is full of great players but keep in mind, for me Stephens unique vocals are a major part of the appeal. I've seen them at least a dozen times over the years until recently, simply put, they were MY band, something special to me, those tunes just made me happy, and it had stuck years later and never stopped, until....
A few years ago we had just had our second child and I heard about an outdoor fest type show with Ace Frehley headlining and Stephen Pearcy (solo) and a local band (friends of mine) opening. We found a sitter and made plans for a much needed date night. I was anticipating the idea that I may get a chance to meet Stephen as my friends were opening for him. I 'd heard stories that he was the difficult one in the band...but whatever he would be cool to me! I had just read his book and was on his side. At some point I thought about what tee I was going to wear. I had an old 'Reach For the Sky' tour tee, but it wasn’t great/didnt fit well. I found and ordered an Out of the cellar baseball tee from a reprint company on etsy, but it was a really thick 3/4 length tee and it was gonna be like 95 degrees the day of the show.
I thought a Mickey Ratt tee (Stephens previous band that became RATT) would be a cool tee to wear to his solo show as it wasn’t RATT. Thought it'd be a good conversation piece :unhunh: .
I was looking around on the internet last minute and didn't see any Mickey Ratt tees anywhere at all, but came across a few Mickey Ratt logos and images etc. So I grabbed an image I thought would work, made it a one color (black) and printed it out on iron-on heat transfer paper, and ironed it on a blank gray tee. It was pretty rough as the paper wasn’t big enough and I had to piece 2 pages together, also the tee was kinda dark gray and with the black ink it didn't really stand out. Whatever good enough.
That day after Stephen played in the intense heat and then a pretty good rain storm, he was setup seated at a merch stand signing stuff and we got in line with about 20 others. I had a couple beers but was still a bit nervous and was talking to my wife about what to say, what to have him sign etc. Should I run to the car to get a cd he could sign? Trying to calm the inner fanboy in me. Ha.
So the table cleared and we were walking up (maybe 30ft away) to meet him. He was sitting and he lowered and kind of stuck his neck out and was staring-squinting and pointing like he was taking aim at me. I just smiled and kept walking, for a second it felt like It was as if he knew me, like how you see an old friend from a distance and kinda just make a cool gesture till you get in range to shake hands or speak etc. And then when in closer range, he spoke and urgently points at my shirt and says, “Where the f*** did you get that?!!”. I looked down at my tee, almost forgot what I was wearing, and thought maybe he digs it. Thought he appreciated an old fan that knew his history with pioneering the band? I proudly said, “I made it!” He says, “Yeah and how many have you f**kin been selling in the parking lot!?”. I said, “Aww no, no way man, I just printed this and ironed it on today for the show, Im just a dork super -fan”. He said, “You ironed it on? Let me see that!” He got closer…chuckled, “I don't know, Looks pretty f**ckin good to me!, You sure you’d didn’t make a screen and do a run of them? I better not see those for sale online".
Now I'm really kicking myself, embarrassed and thinking I totally blew it wearing this tee. Plus im buzzed, starstruck nerves, yet deflating. My wife and I were trying to talk and get him to understand it was just a one off for the show. He kept talking over me, ignoring me, with his ultra rockstar cocky demeanor and looked away talking to the small crowd, gesturing to them, ”Hello?! Can I make money off my stuff first?! …Now pointing at my tee but looking out to an audience of people who aren’t really there, and the few that are, aren’t really understanding or hearing what he's saying...and probably dont care.
”You know how many people have ripped me off?, I was just planning on making a new Mickey Ratt tee...But MINE is gonna be better, it's gonna have the ringer on the neck and sleeves, and colors in the graphic..” I said, “I hear ya man, but no im just a fan that thought you might see it and think its cool...will you sign it?” He says, ” F*** No! i won’t f**kin sign it!..” and chuckled.
Meanwhile my wife wasn’t hearing much of it, Ace was playing so it was loud and people were talking etc. And she was talking to his people as she was stopped when she pulled her phone out to take a pic of him/us…arguing!. So his assistant or whoever tells him this.. "oh he wants a picture,, ok” . By now I am cringing, boiling at how he was handling it. My wife could tell by my expression- body language I wasn’t happy.
I actually understood where he was coming from with the shirt. He was treating me like I was a bootlegger selling a bunch of tees, or stealing a design from him that he was possibly going to sell himself someday. I got that. But I felt he was handling it in the most un-professional uncool way imaginable, I mean he was a hero to me as a teen and Im at a table where Im obviously there to meet him, as a fan. I smiled and said to him, his assistant, my wife “No I don't want a picture”. He pulled me over to sit down next to him, put his arm around me to take a pic, still seated, and he can tell Im not feeling it. He said “Ah Come on, Get over it!” He posed with some devil horns, I awkwardly smiled. My wife snapped a blurry pic, and we left!
Told my wife the details afterwards because she saw me go from a having a good time high to a sweaty, buzzkill- wtf -just happened- dejected low. And then she says they charged her $10 to take the pic! :rolleyes:
That was summer in 2015, I'm still a Ratt fan but It’s been tough since that encounter to listen and enjoy in the same way. I try to look at it like, it wasn’t really an attack on me personally. I realize I made the mistake making the tee. But when my wifes with me and I put on some Ratt she can't even stand the music anymore, she said it gives her a bad vibe.
It sucks. But hey its kind of a funny story right? :laugh: More interesting than the "yeah I took a pic, got a signature" mundane story. Oh and I had him sign a plastic piece of bacon I had in my pocket leftover from playing with my kids earlier that day. He's like, "how do I even sign this?" HA!
Anyway I learned what that saying meant "You should never meet your heroes". I didnt really get it...Never thought it could really happen to me!
Thought i'd share my story and start a thread here. If you have one please share it, and id like to know if it effected the music for you? Or just comment on mine. I think its an interesting topic. Also thought maybe hearing your stories or feedback could help me "get over it” and enjoy my Ratt N roll again!"
Here's the thread: forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/have-a-never-meet-your-heroes-story.829169/
