5 Random Facts

I think I was tagged by The Bastard over at Bring It On via email this evening so I will expand this over to the some other regular readers of my blog. 5 fun facts about The Bastard can be found here. I can see those guys over at Bring It On laughing out loud about this stuff.

So here are 5 Random facts about me:

Fact #1: I have a Bachelor of Music Degree. You might find it odd but I grew up as a band geek. I started out playing the trumpet, switched in 8th grade to the Baritone Horn and thus went to college. I was a member of the State Honor band my senior year in High School and sat 3rd chair. I got a scholarship to go to an actual music conservatory. I studied Music Business along with various performing activities which included solo performances, concert, choir and small group stuff. I picked up guitar in college, I was in a band for a short time and can pretty much play along to the radio. I am not perfect pitch though I have a pretty decent relative pitch which allows me to pick chords out of thin air. It's not a talent, I see it as a curse because I haven't been able to do much more with it. I listen to music pretty much all day.

Fact#2: I have a lot of weird jobs. I still have a pretty weird job now and I have been at it for 8.5 years. To maintain some bit of anonymity I won't say what I do now. (Quiet Kurt :)). But I have worked the following jobs:

Car Washer: I worked for years as the annoying person who tried to talk you out of your money at the car wash by offering you wax jobs and details. I also pumped gas for a number of years. So if I ever get that music career going I have something to write about.

Arcade Manager: For the 4 years I was in college, I managed the Campus Arcade and Vending Machines. I was pretty evil at it too. Back in the early 90's you started to get games that you can change the difficulty on. Mortal Combat was new and at it's peak so I decided to make the game harder making us more money. Kids would come in and would never get passed the 3rd or 4th guy so they'd through more money in. We were making like $500 a week on that game. I also managed some billiard tables.

Professional Band Geek: Playing for the school's pep band for collegiate sports games was a paying job. I honked on a Tuba and Trombone as needed for football, basketball and volleyball. I was once on ESPN.

Temp Employee: I worked at the following entertainment companies anywhere from a day to 6 weeks at a time. Universal Studios Amusment Park Development, Hanna Barbera, 4M, RCA, Priority Records (A rap label as the only white guy there!), Disney Channel, MCA Records.

Substitute Teacher: I got in a fight with a 8th grader the 2nd period of the first day! No Joke, I was breaking up a fight between 2 kids in a PE class and third twirp popped me in the nose for "not letting them fight". I was the "cool" sub. I let kids do anything except break the rules. If there was a lesson plan I followed it. I let the kids call me by my first name. We listened to Jimi Hendrix, it was cool!

Macy's Christmas Time Employee: Santa Monica Mall on the 3rd Street Promenade. I worked in the men's department for a month. That job SUCKED!!! Nothing like parking your truck at the beach, wearing a suit, seeing Santa Claus on the beach next to two surfers and seeing joggers run by. I made 6 bucks an hour and my half the apartment's rent at $475 a month, DO THE MATH!!!

Fact #3: I voted for Clinton in 1992. (Ducking!) It's true, I was just out of high school and misguided. I still voted for Republican everywhere else that election but for some reason I felt like being apart of the winning team. I also wore Birkenstocks and Doc Martens and flannel shirts. I listened to grunge. Kurt Cobain was my hero. I'd go days without shaving. I don't know what the hell I was doing. I did it and I am not sorry. I did not inhale either! Note: This blog is a member of the associated Anti Hillary sites. As Rush said on Tuesday, "Real men won't vote for Hillary!" If you cannot see the humor of Rush saying that, you are a liberal!

Fact #4: I wrote about it once before a while back but my wife and I were engaged in Liverpool, England after touring the city on the Magical Mystery Tour. If you are a Beatles fan or any type of music fan, you must go there and take this tour. It finishes at the Cavern Club where the Beatles were main stays during the early 60's. We got engaged at the bar across the street under the window where their instruments are located. We went to Ireland a couple of days later. Dublin is also another must especially if you are a Guinness and U2 fan like me.

Fact #5: I was verbally and physically assaulted by Gwen Stefani. A sort of true story but what I described is what happened. I was in Modesto seeing this punk/emo band that was big underground during the early 90's. The band is called Samiam. I thought they were the next big thing. Their music still puts most bands to shame. They were opening for a little known band called No Doubt who was just hitting radio with, "I'm Just a Girl" in late 1995. There were like 500 people at this little concert. After Samiam's set I saw an opening backstage so I marched right in. The band came out and autographed my Samiam shirt. I repeatedly asked their manager for a job. The band was in the middle of a bidding war between Capital, Geffen and some others. They held out for the highest bidder and released the now out of print album "Clumsy". The album received rave reviews and if it were released today, it'd still be ahead of its time. The band still tours and is recording a new album. I can't wait. Anyhow back to the story... While getting autographes and what not from the band, apparently I was blocking the stage entrance. The stage was elevated and had a stairway up to the top. I backed into this blonde chick who at the time looked like a Madonna wannabe with cones for a bra. I had no idea who she was. She pushed me back and said, "Get the F--- out of my way!" It was an interesting celebrity encounter.

Other stars I have met:

Shaquille O'Neal came into a car wash I worked at in LA quite frequently. He gave me a bear hug, learned my first name and tipped my like $100 a few times for not locking his keys in his Tahoe.

Nicholas Cage was a frequent washer. I drove his Ferrari down the street once. It was bad!

Gary Coleman, Bill Cosby, Dennis Franz, Frank Stallone, Jr., Jimmy Smits, Tony Curtis... were frequent car washers.

The band Verve Pipe at an RCA Records party.

Adam Duritz and the Counting Crows

Chino Moreno of the Deftones... True Story, I was golfing at a local nine hole one evening and I was put up with this group of guys. Right around the 6th hole these dudes fire up a huge joint. We were in a public park. I was wondering what the hell was going on. There are kids nearby but we were all alone. So I distanced myself. On the way to the 8th hole, the par 5 they started talking about a recording. I asked the guy which band he was in and he said the Deftones. No freaking way, I didn't believe him. I proceeded to Eagle the next hole! I went home, looked him up on the internet and boom, there he was. Holy Crap!!

So I am official tagging these blogs for 5 Random Facts: Lawryde, Lingo Slinger, The Kevin Show, The Donegal Express and KatieKat's blog.

And thanks to those at Bring it on for the tolerance!