The first day of Spring arrives in
Australia, and as I munch on some Vegemite on toast for breakfast while
logging on to check my email, the phone rings. 8:15am. Hmmm. Wonder who
that is? It wouldn't be Thommo... he knows not to ring me early in the
morning now!
It's Hollywood on the line. Mötley's
main management man greets me and is keen to get things under way. So
am I. I'm introduced to another team member from the touring department
who has been dealing with the Australian promoters more so. We
basically run through the contents of my proposed ideas again, looking
for the immediate action steps to start working on. I'm told my email
was forwarded around to many members of the team in different
departments and it got thumbs up.
I feel all sorts of feelings run
through me... pride, nerves, excitement, anticipation... but the one
that comes through strongest - responsibility. See, I realise if this
tour is to be a success, the work that I do and the assistance I can
give is going to be a factor. Why else would they be so keen? As to how
much of a factor, who knows? Maybe a lot... maybe not. It's grass roots
time again for Mötley in this territory. Building it up again through
the fans. It starts to sink in now... as much as I need the Crüe in my
life, they now need me. I look at it as a win-win situation... and an
experience that money simply cannot buy.
We run more ideas and brainstorm a
little. It seems another contest on Chronological Crue will happen,
with some personally signed prizes from the band. Perhaps it's time to
get you fans to be a little crazy? Maybe this competition will be
structured around how much profile you can raise for Mötley, where you
can put posters and flyers to attract as much crazy attention as
possible, then send in the proof. Time will tell there, so stay tuned.
The
contact at the Tour promoter here in Australia is provided - Jacobsen
Entertainment Group. Woah! These guys know their stuff. This
company has been operating since the 1960's and the Managing Director
is certainly one of Australia’s most prominent entertainment
entrepreneurs in the land. I saw him as the subject on ‘This Is Your
Life.’ Mötley's management worked with them last when the Bee Gees came
to Australia, which was a great success. Do you see a connection there?
Son of Bee Gee is in 58 with Nikki Sixx. All in the family.
I've told you in the About section how the Kiss Tour in 1980 sparked
something inside of me. Who promoted that tour? Jacobsen, that's who.
There's that irony again! And now I need to speak with them about the
possibility of my band opening up a show. I'm feeling a little out of
my league and that perhaps I was on too much of a high yesterday.
I'm told who they have lined up as a
support band. Great choice! The tour dates are also confirmed with me.
Some surprises here, some expected. I give my word not to release them
until I'm given the word from the powers that be. Sorry. I’d like to
tell you now but I must keep my word.
So time to do my work for the day. I
work on for some hours then step outside for a moment. Upon return the
flashing red button on my answering machine tells me I missed a call. I
hit Play. "Hi Paul. Well it looks like your dream has come true! Give
me a call." It was Mötley's label manager at EMI Virgin Records in
Sydney. My dream has come true? Which dream could that be?
I phone him back and he tells me that
the dates are all locked away and tour is on. Well, he was right. The
dream of seeing Mötley play live does look like it's going to come true
for me. I yak with him some more to see if that was the dream he was
referring to. It was. I bring him up to speed with my conversation
earlier with the States, and we look to getting things rolling. He asks
me if he could get the band to call me to do an interview for my site.
Ummm. Gee. Should I?
"Of course", I say, and tell him that
it would be great if it could be Nikki Sixx. "Sure," he says, "leave it
with me." Holy shit. Can you picture me running for the phone every
time it rings over the next however many weeks or months? hahahaha
Again the words ring in my head, 'my time will come.' Questions start
popping into my head to ask him, until I shake my head trying to stay
focused on one thing at a time. One thing at a time? Nup... I live and
breathe a cyber induced multi-tasked life. I’m a juggler of tasks in
this circus of life.
So the day rolls on and I focus on my
paid job. These guys are the best team I've ever worked for and I must
remain honest and focused to my responsibilities for which they reward
me with that bank account boost every fortnight called pay. Yet they
know what Mötley means to me, and how much I have grown from it, and
how much they too benefit from it all.
I call the Tour Promoter in Sydney
and verbally meet with the main lady on the Mötley case. Cool lady. We
run through where things are at, at the moment and she says she has my
email full of ideas in her Inbox... from Perth to Hollywood to
Sydney... faster than the Olympic marathon. I love technology.
I can't help but ask about the tour
support. I need to ease my mind about my band as soon as possible, one
way or another. My hopes are trying to race high while I bang the metal
lid on them to keep them at bay. Needless to say, my band mates are
chewing their fingernails at the thought of what could be. She says she
is undecided whether it'll be 2 or 3 bands, and she hadn't thought that
far. I'd like to convince her to have 3, so we have a chance, but I
understand there's more to it all than that dream in my head… and I by
no means want to sound pushy or that this is a blackmail attempt in
exchange for my help.
I mention to her about the 'Kickstart
Your Career' competition that Mötley ran with Guitar World in the
States a few years back. I say that maybe Australia's rock radio
station, MMM, could get involved to promote it for some of the shows.
She has the hook up with MMM already and likes the idea and promises to
"throw it around." I tell her of the success our band has been having
and she seems open to consideration. That's all I can hope for, as I
package some CDs to send her. I hope that fate deals me the hand I’m
looking for.
Asking when the tour will be
announced, I'm told that it looks like it will be on Monday. A formal
press release will go to the media announcing the tour, dates, venues
and support. She asks me if I would like to announce it on my site as
an EXCLUSIVE 1 hour before. No prize for guessing my answer there!
Within half an hour of the call, an
email comes through from her, asking if I know the last time Mötley
came to Australia. A quick cut and paste from the Gigography
section of this site and the exact dates, cities and venues are
returned. Wow! This instance really makes me realise again what a
tremendous reference source of Mötley information I have catalogued in
these last 5 years or so. People from Israel to India to Indiana to
England use it, enjoy it and rely upon it. Responsibility rings in my
head again.
But now the weekend is here and we
all won't know any more until the announcement comes on Monday... all
going to plan that is. I hope to have you back here with me then!
So as the day draws to a close, it's
time to sit here sipping on a Jack Daniels. Treat Me Like The Dog I Am
plays in the background and I look at my glass... thinking that Jack is
like a Scooby Snack... a treat for this little Aussie dog after he
feels he has done good today. Do you reward yourself?
Rock on
Paul Miles*
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Next: Chapter 4
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