My personal reformed asshole story: Tom Cochrane (of Red Rider and "Life is a Highway" fame). He was touring the country back in the early 90s, and was riding a wave of success on radio after being perceived as an album act for a goooood long time with Red Rider. I had the dubious pleasure of interviewing him for the local paper via phone, three weeks before the show. Without any ill intent, I asked him how it felt to be dominating the Canadian Top 40 with the new album after being successful as an album artist previously. He bristled and launched into this rant about how he didn't sell out! Dammit! And that he was the ORIGINAL UNDERGROUND ARTIST (laughable assertation, really). I used a bit of diplomacy to get the interview back on track, and at the end he invited me backstage for a beer or something on the day of the show. Well, come the day of the show, I show up a bit early, and catch him doing the soundcheck. Because of bad timing--public auto insurance was due at right about the same time for everyone in the province--the show had sold only about 500 tickets in a venue that would hold 3000-5000 people. Instead of grumbling privately, he launched into a bitter tirade over the loudspeaker system about how our town sucked, and he even insulted me personally over the PA--I guess asking him about the Top 40 status of several of his singles really cut him to the bone, however unintentionally. Anyhow, years later he acknowledged how big an asshole he was to everyone around that time. To hear about it now (I haven't talked with the man since), he's actually one of the nicest guys you'd want to talk to. How 'bout that?
― Sean Carruthers, Sunday, 17 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Dennis Molson, Sunday, 17 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― nathalie, Sunday, 17 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 17 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Andrew L, Sunday, 17 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Arthur, Sunday, 17 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Dan i., Sunday, 17 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Dan Perry, Sunday, 17 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Pump Wellington, Sunday, 17 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
It's especially interesting, since another acquaintance met Paul Stanley a few years ago and he swore that Stanley was both very nice and down-to-earth.
― Tadeusz Suchodolski, Sunday, 17 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Phong Wiedermeier, Monday, 18 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Nicole, Monday, 18 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Douglas, Monday, 18 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― nathalie, Monday, 18 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Daniel, Tuesday, 19 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Bluegerm, Tuesday, 19 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― George Gosset, Wednesday, 20 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Samantha, Wednesday, 20 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 20 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Saturday, 29 April 2006 18:08 (eighteen years ago) link
― Aaron A, Saturday, 29 April 2006 18:11 (eighteen years ago) link
― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Saturday, 29 April 2006 18:24 (eighteen years ago) link
― andrew b (klik99), Saturday, 29 April 2006 19:22 (eighteen years ago) link