Nicest Men and Biggest Jerks in Rock

[a21schizoidman]

Nice: all of Molly Hatchet (met them, great guys)
Russell Allen (from Symphony X) he was just really in with the crowd, very upbeat and just seemed like a very nice guy

[back_blows]

If I ever meet her, I will punch her in the face for what she did to Maiden at Ozzfest. Shame on her for ruining so many experiences at once.

Anyway, I would have to say that the whole of Iron Maiden should go in the "Nice/Cool" category. Steve Harris and Bruce Dickinson are really my two musical heroes since they have the "complete package" along with other artists like Frank Zappa.

Also, put Gaahl in the jerk category. I don't think I really need to explain if you guys know anything about him.

Recently, the Gaahl-fronted Gorgoroth won a case against Regain Records for releasing a live album while the band was split up. That guy seriously needs to get his act together and forget about Gorgoroth.

On the topic of ***wholes, I'm pretty sure Varg Vikernes takes the cake. You know for murder, church burnings, etc.

[Rev0lver]

awesome, but i've never met him: marilyn manson(i hate his music though)
hit and miss: maynard james keenan
*****: katy perry

[back_blows]

Jerks:
G.G. Allen

To be fair, he was insane.

[WhiffleBallTony]

Recently, the Gaahl-fronted Gorgoroth won a case against Regain Records for releasing a live album while the band was split up. That guy seriously needs to get his act together and forget about Gorgoroth.

Yes, he really does. He really gives a bad name to metal musicians and fans and the media uses people like him to make us all seem like asses. **** them all.

[Chief Stubbs]

Nice:
The guys in Red Chord(who?). My friend was buying some Red Chord stuff at Mayhem Festival and they were there signing **** and gave him an extra free t-shirt and talked **** with him and he walked out with a whole bunch of signed crap.

[Rev0lver]

oh yeah, almost forgot, the guys in Protest The Hero are some of the nicest i've met, and The Human Abstract are mostly jerks. HORSE The Band is cool as well.

[clashcityrocker10]

i'd say that the sex pistols could be in the jerk category
now i actually like the pistols as a band, but i've heard that they could be some of the most stuck-up and nasty people ever when they went to their live shows
i think pete townshend should be classified as one of the nice guys of rock, because he is active in many charities

[AxlVanHagar]

Speaking from personal experience

Nice

Slash - Met him three times. First time during the early days pre- Appetite Relase or shortly thereafter. In any case they were still nobodies as the album stiffing for the most part sales wise. Met him at briefly at a club show. He was very cool. Crossed paths with him again years later on the first leg of the Illusion tour. Again he was very approachable and down to Earth. Last time I met him was during the Snakepit tour. Hung out with him in his dressing room for a coule of hours before a gig in Toronto. In every case I've found him to be a very humble, polite, soft spoken individual who genuinely appreciates his fans.

Alice Cooper - In my experiences a classy guy who always takes time for fans and appreciates them.

Michael Anthony (Van Halen)- Very polite though it was obvious he wished he hadn't been recognized as he had his family with him. This was during the 5150 tour and he had taken some time to see Niagara Falls. I was working for the Parks Commission at the time and spotted him and quietly said hello and chatted with briefly. After it was obvious the fans that began mobbibg him were not going to leave him alone I arranged for our Parks Police to escort him out of the area which he greatly appreciated.

Madonna - Met her at the Falls as well while I worked down there. She was on the Blonds Ambition Tour at the time and was there very early one morning and approached me to ask the standard tourist questions as well as if I knew anything about the Marilyn Monroe movie Niagara that was filmed there. I did and took her to one of the old film locations. She was very cool and much prettier in person. She offered to put me on the guest list for her show that night but sadly I was unable to make it.

Everyone in the band Fozzy - I cant say enough about just how great the whole band was to my nephew who was 11 at the time.It was his first concert and we were first row. Rich Ward the guitarist played up to him all night as did the whole band from time to time. Rich even let me sing his parts to Eat The Rich(Motorhead cover not the Aerosmith song of the same name). End of the show during the encore Rich pulled Carter up on stage and let him wear his guitar, then put him on his shoulders and ran around the stage allowing the little guy to strum maniacally away on the Les Paul. It was great! The capper was Chris Jericho taking Carter by the hand to center stage in the spotlight and headbanging with him for the finale. Class act those guys, can't say enough about them. Killer band too IMO.

Bon Jovi - The band was a little burned out from another long tour but still took the time to shake some hands, pose for pics and sign autographs despite being in a hurry.

Eric Singer (KISS/Alice Cooper) - Eric was very nice and quite funny. Met him in the Falls a couple years ago when Cooper played the local Casino. Cool dude.

Dweezil Zappa/Steve Vai - Both hung around for quite some after a Zappa Plays Zappa show just sitting on the edge of the stage and talking with fans, taking pics etc.

Billie Joe Armstong/Tres Cool (Greenday) - Met both of them early on the Dookie tour outside the club they were playing that night. As it happens the club is attached to a coffee shop so my buddy, Billie and Tres all went for a coffee and shot the breeze for about an hour.

Axl Rose - Was surprisingly nice when i very briefly encountered him on the ill fated 2002 tour. Not overly chatty and didn't really stop moving but slowed his pace down shook hands and talked as he walked. No complaints form me.

Douchbags

Sebastian Bach - For a while I was a working studio musician and was hired to do some stuff with Bach. Without going into great detail Baz is a dick. He's stil convinced it's 1986 and he's God's gift to metal. Still a fan and I think he's one of the best singers bar none and his new album is killer!But it was a painful experience that I wound up quitting. Only time I ever quit on a contract.

Hall & Oates - They played a show at one of our local summer concert series and were both dicks. Refused to interact with any of the fans that came out and hid n their trailer abusing the staff running the show.

Amanda Marshall - see above for Hall & Oates excpet she eventually came out of her trailer after the stage manager and myself wiped the ground with rags before she walked on it. True story!

Hit and miss from talking to friends who met them

Dave Mustaine and David Lee Roth - I've had friends that have met both. Mustaine was very rude and *****y to one friend but very appreciative of another. Both met him at different times. Roth was an arrogant ass that hadf no time for one buddy as he was too busy with groupies but the following year another buddy met him and Roth was super cool and invited my friend to a party he was going to. To this day he cites that as one of the best nights of his life.

[InB4Lock]

Nice:
Pete Townshend
Rick Astley *hehe*
Phil Collins

Mean/Grumpy old men
Roger Daltry