I feel like I've finally gone to Mecca, only it took a while to get there.
Here's the scene, The Cribs show at Bimbo's in Sf on 27 January.
While queuing in line with some sweet and tender hooligans, I left to move my car. When I was gone, Johnny and the band emerged from their trailer. He was asked to sign a small guitar, which he signed, then tuned and then played Back To The Old House. F*** me.
Meanwhile, I was trying to park my car, somewhere without a 2 hour restriction, on your typical SF hill which can wear out your clutch, thinking I might have to call a tow truck because I've destroyed my transmission. It's strange how your perceived fears cloud your perception. It worked out okay, I found parking and didn't wreck my car.
Later, much later because the opening band was not so hot, The Cribs arrived. They did a great set. They should reconsider their no encore policy because we wanted more.
After the show, I gingerly handed Johnny two albums to sign, the first being Strangeways, to which he said "This is probably my favorite album," to which I said, "Yes, I know, that's why I brought it." He said, "You know that, huh?" "Oh yeah. But underneath is my favorite album, the one that got me started." He said "Meat is Murder. It's the proper one from the Uk, without How Soon Is Now. I hadn't realized how many good songs are on it, like That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore." Nods of approval all around.
I gave him a book about tattoos - Permanance, which prompted him to roll up his sleeve. He showed the 45rpm tattoo, which is about Smokey Robinson and Motown. There are two new tattoos, the letter N with a directional arrow on the right inner wrist, and a S on the other, his children's initials. He asked if I had any tattoos. I said no, but with a nod and a wink, I said he could sign his name on my arm. No, he didn't sign my arm. I remain a virgin.
Quite a crowd around him, the rest of the band had already gone off to the trailer. He said that he loved San Francisco - the place where he was married, someone chimed in. He said he'd love to live here, but it's too expensive. At one time, he said, he considered moving to Petaluma, a suburb 30 miles north,"You know, where Winona Ryder used to live. But it was too posh and manicured." He took at least ten more pics with fans, signed everything handed to him and off he went.
