FUSE!
I had learned yesterday that if you came early to Fuse, you had a really good chance of getting in, and that they were having a mini-interview session with fans before it. So I was hoping to get into both, but especially the Comp'd performance.
I got there at 11:30 this morning and was decked out entirely in Garbage gear...the new white tank top, my Garbage belt, my Garbage bag. I looked hardcore. I was the first one there, but then a guy named Armando came and we waited and had lunch together. Around 1:30 a guy named Adam came out and interviewed us and liked us and pretty much implied that we were in.
Around 2:00 or so, they lut about 20 of us in for the even more exclusive event...a question and answer session with Garbage. 20 fans. I was one that got in and Fuse asked me to ask them a question (they remembered me from last night) and 6 other kids asked them questions as well. Sorry if this isn't very eloquent...but I haven't slept for 48 hours, lol.
Anyway we were "fed" questions and not allowed to ask our own, which sucked, because the questions were generic. BUT somehow they gave me a 5 part question (about 5 different songs) and the producer said to me "No, don't just pick one or two from that list...you ask about them all." So basically I interviewed (!) Garbage for 15 minutes straight, less than 3 feet away from them, with them all staring right at me. On camera. It was one of the most nerve-wracking but amazing experiences of my life...I asked about the meanings of BLM, WDYLM, OHWIR (which was dumb), and SINTE...at first I made a little small talk, congratulated them again, and said the show was amazing, then asked about BLM and then I started to say "also, how about WDYLM..." and the producer cut me off and said "ONE AT A TIME!" so they talked about BLM and Shirley did say some things about the songs that she hasn't before...basically, besides the fact that Thirteen inspired her, she became really angry after watching it and started writing all these lyrics with her own personal seething feelings pouring down on paper...but then she thought "what about my poor bandmates? they suffer too" and the song developed into a story of shared suffering. Then I asked about WDYLM and Shirley did the kind of "I hate talking about my lyrics" answer but she knew I had been fed the question so she was nice about it...she did say it was about doubting yourself and it was about the band in some ways. To be honest, it's hard to remember exactly what she said because I was so nervous (but thrilled out of my mind) and the whole thing was kind of surreal so it's a blur now, which is sad because IT'S SO REAL AT THE TIME. Luckily, it will be on TV, so I will have that forever, though who knows how they will edit it. I'm sure they won't show our whole 15 minute convo. Anyway, then for some reason Fuse wanted me to ask about OHWIR but didn't give me any direction on how to ask about a song that WE ALREADY ALL KNOW ABOUT, so I kind of paused for a bit but finally said "OHWIR is a classic hit that has been out 10 years...has it's relevance changed to you as far as it's meaning goes?" or something and the band didn't have much to say about that so the producer prompted them with how it felt to play it live or something. Since that one didn't go over so well, they told me to skip asking about ITIP and go straight to SINTE...luckily that went really well and Shirley talked about the right-wing homophobe propaganda topic for a bit and she seemed happy that I said it was one of my favorites on the album and she mentioned they were shooting the video in NYC that night (finishing it I guess). Then I sat down, and Shirley said "How come you got to ask all the questions?" and laughed and I said "I don't know...I guess I got lucky!" and then she said "I remember seeing you last night" and I was thilled and said "Yeah, I gave you the boa" and she said "That's right! You gave me the boa" and I said "I was sooo excited about that!" and she grinned at me. A few questions later, Shirley glanced over at me and grinned and winked at me. I felt like melting.
Not to spoil it for you guys, but I don't how they are going to edit it anyway, but 2 of the other interesting questions that got asked were about what the BLM video was like...and Shirley said:
"it's a very VERY twisted video, and it will be interesting to see if it's even allowed to be aired. Basically, I play a demented nurse and the boys are doctors...(Butch: "Demented Doctors" and we laughed). It's extremely dark and different from anything else out there right now...we didn't want to go the bling-bling route, and I'm tired of that anyway. But we hope you all like it, because we love it very much."
The other question that was non-generic was "how do you feel about being a sex symbol" to which she said that it was laughable and that she gets really upset when people talk shit about her on the radio and in magazines...she said last month WDYLM was on the radio and she was all excited and then at the end the DJ started saying really nasty things about her appearance, that she was an aging goth, etc. But she said that it's devastating for a moment, but she gets over it, and that the same is true for when people say really good things about her...she gets excited but then gets realistic.
THE TWIST to that question is: who else in the band should be considered a sex symbol?" and she of course said Steve because "according to Cindy, his wife, and my best mate, Steve is quite the love stud."
And the audience laughed and cheered and Steve started blushing pretty badly. Aww.
It was cute. :)
THEN, they ushered us all out so they could prepare the studio for the performance but the guy said "I will try to get you guys all in". I was confident and excited because I figured, okay, I just talked to my favorite band for 15 minutes (even though it was kind of stagey) and now I'll see them perform 5 songs or so and then officially introduce myself and get pictures with them and autographs and the whole deal. WRONG.
Everything came crashing down...turns out only 35 people could fit total...they actually had to remove the band's management to even fit that many, and unless you were on the initial list, you couldn't come in again. Now I was pissed because 1.) last night this girl Shannon said I could be one of her guests, but she didn't deliver today 2.) I didn't think that really mattered since the producers seemed to like me and made it seem like I'd be the first "non-RSVP" person they would let in (never mind the fact that weeks ago I was almost RSVPed and then they said they were full). So there was nothing I could do...I had to leave. I was pretty bummed because this amazing opportunity and experience was suddenly cut short and my dreams of being able to actually talk directly (off camera) to the band were ruined. BUT...as the Fuse director said to me "Don't even think of complaining...you got more air time than any fan in the history of this channel." And that's pretty damn cool...I don't even care so much about the fact that I will be on national TV next Friday (that's when this and Comp'd air) but that I interviewed the band for soo long. I never expected that. I never actually even thought I'd get into the Q&A thing, never mind ask so many questions when everyone else only got one. So I guess in a way, the interview session was cooler than the actual performance, which from what I understand are those 5 songs I talked about earlier. It would have been amazing to be there for both, but there is no guarantee that I would have been able to get pictures with and talk to the band afterwards anyway...especially since they had to shoot a video and the Fuse thing wasn't going to be over til 7. Also, Fuse kept emphasizing that none of us could touch any member of the band unless they initiated it, because they have "navy seal bodyguards who will kill you". It was so ridiculous, because Garbage isn't that way at all...they are very down to earth and love to talk with their fans. But whatev.
So...it did suck being with them SO CLOSE for so long and then suddenly being told to go home, but it's not like it's my last chance to meet them. I'm seeing them again in Philly next month, and I'm going to do everything I can to meet them there, and I have a feeling they will remember me. Two cues: Fuse and NYC pink boa. LOL. Also, braids...because I had 2 braids today and the band seemed to like that. (Don't ask). I think they liked my whole outfit. I just really hope it all looks and sounds good on air, haha. Some people later on told me I did a great job, and I'm sure at least 1 of the 4 questions I asked will be on air next Friday. Hopefully more! btw Shirley is so...tiny and exquisite upclose. Amazing in concert, even more breathtaking in candid view. She is like sculpted from porcelain...perfect bone structure. She was wearing her pink dress, black fishnets, and her red leopard-top boots. She had her hair half pulled back, as she has lately, but it was more wavy and less "distressed" than in concert. It was like how it was in the beginning of the Androgyny video. And the guys looked great, too. Butch was hot as usual, Duke was stately, and Steve was his usual awkward but cute self.
The worst part later was I found out all the fucking NJ Transit trains were suspended because of a brush fire...so I had to take a fucking PATH train to Newark with 50,000 other people and then the express train home to my town. I started crying later because I was depressed and really tired...but after taking a long nap, I felt a lot better. And when I found out the actual album #s I was really happy, but I'm telling you, there was no better way to find out than from the band themselves...fans and band celebrating together.
It sucks because now for the next 25 days, I go from being "with the band" for 2 days to being a passive fan again whose only access to Garbage is online...oh but that will pass soon enough, and MAY 15, IT WILL HAPPEN. IT WILL.
And there is always the fall, too.
Good night everyone!
I hope you have half as much fun at your shows as I did at mine!
I got there at 11:30 this morning and was decked out entirely in Garbage gear...the new white tank top, my Garbage belt, my Garbage bag. I looked hardcore. I was the first one there, but then a guy named Armando came and we waited and had lunch together. Around 1:30 a guy named Adam came out and interviewed us and liked us and pretty much implied that we were in.
Around 2:00 or so, they lut about 20 of us in for the even more exclusive event...a question and answer session with Garbage. 20 fans. I was one that got in and Fuse asked me to ask them a question (they remembered me from last night) and 6 other kids asked them questions as well. Sorry if this isn't very eloquent...but I haven't slept for 48 hours, lol.
Anyway we were "fed" questions and not allowed to ask our own, which sucked, because the questions were generic. BUT somehow they gave me a 5 part question (about 5 different songs) and the producer said to me "No, don't just pick one or two from that list...you ask about them all." So basically I interviewed (!) Garbage for 15 minutes straight, less than 3 feet away from them, with them all staring right at me. On camera. It was one of the most nerve-wracking but amazing experiences of my life...I asked about the meanings of BLM, WDYLM, OHWIR (which was dumb), and SINTE...at first I made a little small talk, congratulated them again, and said the show was amazing, then asked about BLM and then I started to say "also, how about WDYLM..." and the producer cut me off and said "ONE AT A TIME!" so they talked about BLM and Shirley did say some things about the songs that she hasn't before...basically, besides the fact that Thirteen inspired her, she became really angry after watching it and started writing all these lyrics with her own personal seething feelings pouring down on paper...but then she thought "what about my poor bandmates? they suffer too" and the song developed into a story of shared suffering. Then I asked about WDYLM and Shirley did the kind of "I hate talking about my lyrics" answer but she knew I had been fed the question so she was nice about it...she did say it was about doubting yourself and it was about the band in some ways. To be honest, it's hard to remember exactly what she said because I was so nervous (but thrilled out of my mind) and the whole thing was kind of surreal so it's a blur now, which is sad because IT'S SO REAL AT THE TIME. Luckily, it will be on TV, so I will have that forever, though who knows how they will edit it. I'm sure they won't show our whole 15 minute convo. Anyway, then for some reason Fuse wanted me to ask about OHWIR but didn't give me any direction on how to ask about a song that WE ALREADY ALL KNOW ABOUT, so I kind of paused for a bit but finally said "OHWIR is a classic hit that has been out 10 years...has it's relevance changed to you as far as it's meaning goes?" or something and the band didn't have much to say about that so the producer prompted them with how it felt to play it live or something. Since that one didn't go over so well, they told me to skip asking about ITIP and go straight to SINTE...luckily that went really well and Shirley talked about the right-wing homophobe propaganda topic for a bit and she seemed happy that I said it was one of my favorites on the album and she mentioned they were shooting the video in NYC that night (finishing it I guess). Then I sat down, and Shirley said "How come you got to ask all the questions?" and laughed and I said "I don't know...I guess I got lucky!" and then she said "I remember seeing you last night" and I was thilled and said "Yeah, I gave you the boa" and she said "That's right! You gave me the boa" and I said "I was sooo excited about that!" and she grinned at me. A few questions later, Shirley glanced over at me and grinned and winked at me. I felt like melting.
Not to spoil it for you guys, but I don't how they are going to edit it anyway, but 2 of the other interesting questions that got asked were about what the BLM video was like...and Shirley said:
"it's a very VERY twisted video, and it will be interesting to see if it's even allowed to be aired. Basically, I play a demented nurse and the boys are doctors...(Butch: "Demented Doctors" and we laughed). It's extremely dark and different from anything else out there right now...we didn't want to go the bling-bling route, and I'm tired of that anyway. But we hope you all like it, because we love it very much."
The other question that was non-generic was "how do you feel about being a sex symbol" to which she said that it was laughable and that she gets really upset when people talk shit about her on the radio and in magazines...she said last month WDYLM was on the radio and she was all excited and then at the end the DJ started saying really nasty things about her appearance, that she was an aging goth, etc. But she said that it's devastating for a moment, but she gets over it, and that the same is true for when people say really good things about her...she gets excited but then gets realistic.
THE TWIST to that question is: who else in the band should be considered a sex symbol?" and she of course said Steve because "according to Cindy, his wife, and my best mate, Steve is quite the love stud."
And the audience laughed and cheered and Steve started blushing pretty badly. Aww.
It was cute. :)
THEN, they ushered us all out so they could prepare the studio for the performance but the guy said "I will try to get you guys all in". I was confident and excited because I figured, okay, I just talked to my favorite band for 15 minutes (even though it was kind of stagey) and now I'll see them perform 5 songs or so and then officially introduce myself and get pictures with them and autographs and the whole deal. WRONG.
Everything came crashing down...turns out only 35 people could fit total...they actually had to remove the band's management to even fit that many, and unless you were on the initial list, you couldn't come in again. Now I was pissed because 1.) last night this girl Shannon said I could be one of her guests, but she didn't deliver today 2.) I didn't think that really mattered since the producers seemed to like me and made it seem like I'd be the first "non-RSVP" person they would let in (never mind the fact that weeks ago I was almost RSVPed and then they said they were full). So there was nothing I could do...I had to leave. I was pretty bummed because this amazing opportunity and experience was suddenly cut short and my dreams of being able to actually talk directly (off camera) to the band were ruined. BUT...as the Fuse director said to me "Don't even think of complaining...you got more air time than any fan in the history of this channel." And that's pretty damn cool...I don't even care so much about the fact that I will be on national TV next Friday (that's when this and Comp'd air) but that I interviewed the band for soo long. I never expected that. I never actually even thought I'd get into the Q&A thing, never mind ask so many questions when everyone else only got one. So I guess in a way, the interview session was cooler than the actual performance, which from what I understand are those 5 songs I talked about earlier. It would have been amazing to be there for both, but there is no guarantee that I would have been able to get pictures with and talk to the band afterwards anyway...especially since they had to shoot a video and the Fuse thing wasn't going to be over til 7. Also, Fuse kept emphasizing that none of us could touch any member of the band unless they initiated it, because they have "navy seal bodyguards who will kill you". It was so ridiculous, because Garbage isn't that way at all...they are very down to earth and love to talk with their fans. But whatev.
So...it did suck being with them SO CLOSE for so long and then suddenly being told to go home, but it's not like it's my last chance to meet them. I'm seeing them again in Philly next month, and I'm going to do everything I can to meet them there, and I have a feeling they will remember me. Two cues: Fuse and NYC pink boa. LOL. Also, braids...because I had 2 braids today and the band seemed to like that. (Don't ask). I think they liked my whole outfit. I just really hope it all looks and sounds good on air, haha. Some people later on told me I did a great job, and I'm sure at least 1 of the 4 questions I asked will be on air next Friday. Hopefully more! btw Shirley is so...tiny and exquisite upclose. Amazing in concert, even more breathtaking in candid view. She is like sculpted from porcelain...perfect bone structure. She was wearing her pink dress, black fishnets, and her red leopard-top boots. She had her hair half pulled back, as she has lately, but it was more wavy and less "distressed" than in concert. It was like how it was in the beginning of the Androgyny video. And the guys looked great, too. Butch was hot as usual, Duke was stately, and Steve was his usual awkward but cute self.
The worst part later was I found out all the fucking NJ Transit trains were suspended because of a brush fire...so I had to take a fucking PATH train to Newark with 50,000 other people and then the express train home to my town. I started crying later because I was depressed and really tired...but after taking a long nap, I felt a lot better. And when I found out the actual album #s I was really happy, but I'm telling you, there was no better way to find out than from the band themselves...fans and band celebrating together.
It sucks because now for the next 25 days, I go from being "with the band" for 2 days to being a passive fan again whose only access to Garbage is online...oh but that will pass soon enough, and MAY 15, IT WILL HAPPEN. IT WILL.
And there is always the fall, too.
Good night everyone!
I hope you have half as much fun at your shows as I did at mine!