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For anyone who has dreamed of getting the opportunity to meet, shake hands, chat a little, and get an autograph from not only a rock star, but from one that you are a serious fan of and admire very much, this story is for you.
This story is also for you if you have ever made an embarrassing first impression.
Recently my Fiance, Shane and I had the opportunity to meet Trent Reznor, Robin Fink, Justin Meldal-Johnson and Ilan Rubin otherwise known as Nine Inch Nails.
Shane has since described this day as the best day of his life ever. As a musician himself, Trent has been a huge influence on his own music and meeting him and getting his BC Rich acoustic signed was like a dream come true. He was calm and collected, shook hands, introduced himself, was nice and polite. He made a great first impression.
And me? How did I distinguish myself amongst the hundred or so others in the fan assembly line that day? Well it goes something like this:
As we walked single file towards a table that the band was sitting behind, the first one to greet us was Robin Fink. Now in our house Robin Fink has acquired the nick name "Noise-Guy" stemming from his play on the Nine Inch Nails "All That Could Have Been" live DVD. Despite how this sounds "Noise-Guy" is meant as a compliment. Of course when you call someone a nick-name enough times in private, sometimes you forget that it isn't common knowledge. I mean, the Robin that we cheered on the TV never objected to being called Noise-Guy so it must be ok right? Well you probably know what happened. I called Robin Fink "Noise-Guy" to his face. I'm sure I was smiling when I did it, it was meant as a compliment but something tells me by the look on his face that he didn't get it. He just kind of screwed up his nose, sat back with a confused look and said, "noise guy?" He didn't really look impressed. I have to admit I was a little scared. "Oh-no I've offended Noise-Guy" shouted the voice inside my head. Rest assured Robin, if you ever read this and you remember the incident, it was meant as the best of compliments.
Justin was next along the table. I don't really remember saying much to him. I think I was trying not to put my foot in my mouth again.
I should have tried harder... Next at the table was Trent Reznor.
It started off really well, I shook his hand, he asked me my name and I was able to say it without too much difficulty. I handed him a copy of the Ghosts CD which he signed graciously. I think I said thank-you and I moved on so that Shane could have his turn. This is where it all goes downhill.
You see, Shane has many funny clippings and random objects taped to his guitar. One of these is a hand drawn cartoon of a french fry that is singing "...and all the girlies say I'm pretty fly for a french fry..." Shane drew it himself and so he was delighted beyond words that out of everything stuck on it Trent picked out and laughed at that one thing. Yep, so far so good, except this is when I pipe up and point to the clipping from actual packaging that reads "Shane's World: Anal 101" and I say "Well I like this one the best."
It wasn't until the next night at work that I realized what I had done. I recalled the knowing and giddy grin that creeped across Trent's face and I realized that in the few seconds that I had to make an impression on rock stars not only did I call Robin Fink "Noise-Guy" to his face, I told Trent Reznor I liked it in the ass.
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