A party organization company out of the UK called “Killer Parties” sent one of their managers, Anthony to NYC to hire a few Party Ambassadors. Anthony arranged to meet a select few at the W Hotel at Union Square. It is hard to describe what this firm does, so it’s best to check out their web site if you want to know details. Anyhow they want me to be one and I suggested Jonesy be one as well, as he is always the life of every party where ever he goes.
Anyhow, I parked my car and was crossing the street to get to the hotel and my rock star radar started going off as I locked eyes with a familiar face, a tall dark haired, thin man. I kept going and when I got the other side of the street, I thought, ‘I just let Rick Ocaseck just stroll right by me’. That wasn’t good enough for me. I saw that he went into a magazine shop and had to go say hi. He was THE first star I have ever met. I first saw the Cars in 1981 in Williamsburg, VA. I remember the night as clear as day. I went with my fellow Rocky Horror Picture Show Cast mates (I played Janet for about a year every weekend with a cast that acted it out while the movie played). My dad let “Frankenfurter” drive his VW bus. I didn’t have a drivers license yet and so I could use his car but had to find drivers.
After the concert (which was AMAZING by the way) I wanted to meet them, just like 100 other fans. I found the back stage door and waited with all the other fans for an hour for them to come out. Finally they came out and naturally there were screams, and autographs being given etc. I had Rick sign my jean jacket (hey, where the HELL is that jacket now that I think of it?) .. He signed it and even said, “you can keep the pen cutie”.
I was star struck, big time. Not sure if you ever listened to the Cars, but I was really into the Stones at that time, but had a side order of the Cars and Alice Cooper going on as well. I just LOVE their “Candy O” album as well as many others. Rick’s voice is so sexy, I thought I would faint when I finally met him. The guys all got on their tour bus and they still looked out the window for a while, waving. I was like “is that ALL?” I want to hang with these guys, an autograph is not enough. What are they like? I want to know what these people think, how they tick. Their music makes me happy, keeps me happy, I need to hang with these folks! But how? There had to be a more clever way. Going to the stage door AFTER the concert was like being one of a million sperms trying to get to the egg.
I figured it out, go at lunch time, when there are no other fans, when the sound checks are going on, and, have something to offer, massage, food, a hair cut, etc, work with or for them. But you know that part already. Point being, Rick and the Cars are the band that inspired me to use my massage to meet artists, they gave me that sprinkle of star dust I needed to make me know, if you want something bad enough, you just may get it.
I met Rick a few years later in Philly, PA backstage at Live Aide, but I looked so different there is no way in hell he could ever remember this particular fan. I had bleached my hair (Pam Anderson style) and even did the brows to match (can you say Edgar Winter?).
SOOoo, when I approached him last night, I was like, “Mr. Ocaseck?” as he read a magazine, and he turned and said “Yes?” and so I said, well, I know there is NO way in hell you could remember me, buy I met you a zillion years ago in VA, blah blah blah, I told him the whole spiel about him inspiring me and gave him my flyer. He was unbelievably friendly and warm. He seemed like he wanted to chat and wasn’t in a hurry at all. He looked at my flyer and said he would definitely call for a massage. He was happy to pose for pictures and I said, you know, I normally don’t act like a fan when I meet stars, but I AM a fan of yours so I don’t care, I just LOVE your music so much. We both were giggling about the getting the “fan” cards on the table right away, why not? He is amazing and I just can’t pretend.
One thing about these pictures that you must know, he is bending his knees to be at my height. He is very tall (6’5″?) so it was sweet of him to scrunch down for me. I took my coat off for the second shot, it was getting warm chatting to him 🙂 No seriously, I was over the moon talking with Rick, what a cool guy! This is the first time I have met him and actually seen his blue eyes, normally he has those dark glasses on. AAAH, you gotta LOVE NYC!!
I finally got my ass over to the W Hotel to meet Anthony. Jonesy kept calling me before I got there saying he couldn’t find Anthony. First of all, Jonesy was in the wrong bar at the hotel, secondly, none of us knew what Anthony even looked like. The door man knew where he was and I was so ecstactic still from meeting Rick that he could barely get a word it edgewise when we met. All in all, there was just Jonesy, me and a cute lady from Boston named ALex there for the Ambassador meeting. I knew I was already hired, as my picture is already up on the site as an Ambassador, but he wanted to meet me in person.
^ Me, Anthony, Alex and Jonesy in our W Hotel “Under Bar” booth.
This W Hotel is crawling with stars, rick folks and VIP’s but there is NO karaoke, so as soon as the meeting was over, we bolted, naturally, dragging Alex along with us. She is gorgeous and shockingly innocent. She said she swears sometimes, but I can’t image that (neither could Jonesy, who by the way, was WAY into getting to know her better 😉
I think this shot of them is super cute.
We went to karaoke and now none of us has a voice. Can’t do that again for a few days. Oh, I wanted to post this picture I took last weekend in CT. Maybe you didn’t know this about me, but I have turned into such a karaoke freak, that I actually buy karaoke cd’s online and bring them with me when we go sing. Just in case they don’t have the Janis Joplin, or Led Zepp tunes I want to sing (they usually don’t fyi).
My pals tease me, but I do meet people that also bring a few cd’s with them, but in CT, I saw a guy who is a regular in the Windsor Locks area, I think his name is Steven. He saw my tiny collection and laughed. He showed me HIS collection. He has over 3,000 karaoke cd’s that he brings out with him every time he goes to sing! 
How fucking cute is that!?
Anyhow, it is light out, the birds are out and singing and I have to get to bed. This sleep disorder thing I have is OUT of control.
“JUST WHAT I NEEDED”
The Cars
i don’t mind you coming here
and wasting all my time
’cause when you’re standing oh so near
i kinda lose my mind
it’s not the perfume that you wear
it’s not the ribbons in your hair
i don’t mind you coming here
and wasting all my time
i don’t mind you hanging out
and talking in your sleep
it doesn’t matter where you’ve been
as long as it was deep
you always knew to wear it well
you look so fancy i can tell
i don’t mind you hanging out
and talking in your sleep
i guess you’re just what i needed
i needed someone to feed
i guess you’re just what i needed
i needed someone to bleed