Saturday, May 31, 2008

Billy Squier


Although I cannot remember whether it was 1984 or '85, I do remember it was in Peoria, IL at the Civic Center for one of Billy Squier's concerts. My program director at the college radio station I worked at (which shall remain nameless) decided that the record rep (seen in picture with mustache) was too "sleazy" to meet, so he sent a female DJ and me in his place, much to the chagrin of the record rep..

The concert tickets included backstage passes (see orange sticker on my long green coat...yes that is me back then--much thinner than today), which we saw others stick on various parts of their clothing. The female and I met up with DJ's from a local rock station, who took this picture with a Polaroid camera, and were there because some little old lady won their contest drawing, the prize being an electric guitar to be presented personally to her by the rock star himself. When the presentation was made backstage it was not only surreal but rather comical, as you could imagine, as Billy tried to show her how to play it.

Also in attendance were two scantily clad, and rather hot-looking, female groupies, one blonde and one brunette, who began to "come on" to Billy with questionable petting before the program director of the local radio station asked Billy for a few pictures. After several photo shoots with other DJ's, the female and I were offered by the program director to pose with Billy who was getting impatient to leave with the groupies. So, in our picture he decided to pose with one arm self-pinned behind his back with a facial expression that suggested he was too important for these stupid kids. Gee, thanks Billy for that wonderful memory.

I actually tried to rip up the picture several years ago, but gave up after two tries. Those Polaroids are darned tough. So goes another celebrity encounter with an arrogant jerk.