I have a good friend of many years who lives in LA. About six months ago she went to an open casting call for a new VH1 reality show called "You Rock With..." It has musicians (she's a guitarist) audition and eventually battle it out against two other finalists. The winner plays onstage with a famous rock band. In her case, she got called back after six months, went to an audition with about a hundred people and got in the final three. VH1 flew her to St. Louis where she competed and WON. She played on stage with Matchbox 20. The show will air next April. She has been playing guitar for many years and she is really one of the coolest people. She lives in LA now but is from Houston and played in a couple of popular bands in Houston in the 80's and early 90's. She now plays in an all-female Cheap Trick tribute band called Cheap Chick. Anyway, watch for it.
Damn, I wanted to quote Mike Damone from Fast Times at Ridgemont High, but all the online scripts have a different version. Remember the scene where Stacy approached Mike to tell him about the pregnancy, while he is trying to talk someone into buying Cheap Trick tickets? "The guitar palying of Rick Neilson, the charisma of Robin Zander? The Dream Police.....I want you, to want me!".....
He was cool because he was so uncool when they hit famousnesshood. A rock drummer that looks like a Nazi was pretty far out there. And Rick Nielson was sort of a precursor to Pee Wee Herman.
"I want YOU to want ME. The Dream Police, nah,nah, nah,nah, nah, nah,nah, nah (air guitar), your momma's alright, your daddy's alright..." Hilarious.
That's it....the online scripts all have the same thing: Stacy Hamilton is walking towards Mike Damone on the football field. We see him from a distance, timing track runners.
Hello there, ladies and geeeeentlemen Hello there, ladies and geeeeentlemen Hello there, ladies and gentle.. Are you ready to rock? Are you ready to rock? Man, I love Cheap Trick.
Holy crap, thats awesome! I'm a huge matchbox twenty fan and I've been to three of their concerts this year...They are a great live band, she really is lucky! I had heard about this contest on their website's message board and it sounds like a really neat concept. I think the song that your friend got to play is their most recent hit single "Bright Lights."
Oh, and I question for you, Jeff. One thing I find pretty interesting about contests like this is the people who end up winning aren't even fans of the band that they win the contest for....So is your friend a matchbox twenty fan at all?
I like some of their music but they are one of those bands that I am just left scratching my head over. What is the big deal about these guys? I certainly never felt their music was tribute-band-worthy anyways. They are the REM of their time to me...both bands have isolated songs that I like, but overall I just don't like much and really don't understand how they have the following they do.
