From: mikekeo@metrolink.net (mike and keo) 
Newsgroups: alt.music.deep-purple 
Subject: MEETING WITH TMIB AND SURVIVED! 
Date: 5 Jun 96 01:53:42 GMT 

This is something that happened WAY WAY back in 1976/77 time frame during the Rising tour. RIANBOW was playing the ALLEN THEATRE in Cleeeeveland Ohio , the armpit of America where I grew up(actually I lived in Cuyahoga Falls just outside of Akron). The other guitarist in my band went with me to the show and we kinda went early (7 hours or so) with hopes of meeting my idol.

We arrive and just walk right on in and find a seat in the back of the hall and just sat and waited. Well the stage manager saw us sitting there and came over and introduced herself (Wendy was her name). We told her of our plan and she thought that was cool and sat and talked with us for quite a while. She gave us each a stage pass and allowed us to sit on stage during the set-up.

There was a time when the roadies took a break and went out for lunch and left us there with all the equuipment. Wendy asked us to just sit and watch the stuff until the roadies returned! I was ever so tempted to snatch a strat as there were 3 sitting on a table off the side of the stage but I could not bring myuself to do such a terrible thing. My friend almost had me talked into plugging in a strat and cranking out a quick intro to Mistreated but I was a major WIMP and did not do it (I have been kicking myself ever since too).

Well the magic moment finally arrives and my hero arrives! Hey! he was in a bloody station wagon! Where are the LIMO's and the BABES???? This is the greatest rock guitarist in the world!!! Show some respect here! Well RB gets out and does not look left, right or anywhere but straight ahead and has his nose high in the air! hahahaha. This is cool! Well he finally comes down to the stage and joins Cozy and Tony Carey for a jazz type jam that is just crazy! Brilliant! They then go off on some classical tangient and then into some blues. The dwarf-supreme [RJ. Dio.] joins as does the bassist (Bain??) and they finish the soundcheck. TMIB wants to go thru some more stuff alone and I am now in front of his Marshalls and he is cookin!!!!!!! He looks up and sees me looking at what he is playing, trying to steal all his licks and he turns his back on me so I can't see him! (He must know who I am!! hahahaha) He looks over his shoulder to see me crying and smiles and winks at me! (dog) He stops playing and approaches us, my ears are bleeding by this time BTW!!! He walks up and stands less than 2 feet from me(I begin peeing my pants now) and starts tossing some Blackmore-ology my way as well as some real good store licks, then stops after about 30 seconds and shakes my hand (I have still not wahsed it and keep it preserved in a plastic bag) and just walks away. I manage a "Ritchie" out of my mouth but he just turns around and gives me the ol RB LEAN and walks away laughing! That was the extent of my meeting with RB. I still should have cranked his guitar up. Then smashed it!! hahahaha So how was your day??

BTW Thin Lizzy was supposed to open the show but had cancelled and Rainbow did the whole show with no opening band! It was a brilliant performance too! Played for almost 3 hours. RB tap danced on a strat but spared it from permanent destruction!!

Mike in Fla

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