I had a pretty strange afternoon. I drove over to 8th avenue and stood in a long line that stretched around the block from Grimeys for about 45 minutes. I waited in the cold with a crowd mostly comprised of middle-aged "losers". Basically a bunch of guys like my dad. We were all there to meet Brian Wilson.
We were told we had to buy the new album to meet him, which I was planning on doing anyway. At first, Mr. Wilson said he wouldn't sign anything else except the new album, but Grimey's staff helped his management convince him otherwise. Still, though, each person could only get two things signed. Which I was fine with, but some of the people in line had every beach boys record they own in a sack and wanted all of it signed. So bummer for those guys, I guess.
Doyle Davis came outside after a while looking for anyone who already had the new record, cause he was trying to move the line faster. Brian, unlike most others (Cameron Crowe or Elvis Costello, who both recently signed at Grimey's), doesn't really talk. So he was moving the line through faster than the indie girls with bangs behind the counter could ring up customers with the new album. Doyle was afraid he was gonna leave. He said he was nice about everything, but it was very apparent that he was uncomfortable and didn't want to be there.
Anyway, I got in (after they had run out of vinyl, unfortunately) and got to shake his hand and get a sharpie scribble. It was pretty strange meeting him. Certain musicians don't seem real to me. They seem more like mythical creatures than real people - kinda like Bob Dylan. That's how Brian Wilson is to me. I dunno, maybe that's weird. I just feel like I could hang out with Bono, or Ryan Adams, or Neil Young - but Bob Dylan and Brian Wilson seem too far away, like on another planet.
ANYWAY... I got an upside-down Brian Wilson autograph today (He's not all there, so I guess he can't tell when a cd is upside-down).
Happy Birthday me!
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