Nicest Men and Biggest Jerks in Rock

[mjlambert1]

Jerk: Lisa Loeb - total, egotistical diva

Cool: Billy Joel - My step-mom works for the local arena. She had nothing but nice things to say about him. He was mellow and just a cool guy.

[BBBD]

My heart is broken learning that Lisa Loeb isn't cool.


Cool: Met Weezer's Brian Bell at a concert several summers ago. He was affable and more than willing to sign ticket stubs.

Cool: Met the guys from Shinedown at a concert a summer or two later and talked Madden. Very friendly.

[grizzlymaze]

I met Steve van Zandt several times during the (Springsteen/EStreet band) Rising tour and wasnt surprised to discover what a gentleman he is. Totally down-to-earth, humble and sweet. Also the late Danny Federici couldnt have been kinder, funnier and more committed to his music. Clarence was being fitted for a kilt on one occasion and was a 'hoot'. Nice guys.

Bruce - hmmm, a hit or a miss IMO.

[killer_roach]

Also,i just met Scott Ian and Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley from FoB here at The Damned things show in Flint. All of them were beyond cool. They were all just drinking beers with their fans,totally cool dudes.

Yeah, I've heard they're pretty awesome, just never personally ran into them.

[grizzlymaze]

jerks: I forget if this has been said but STING

My sister and I sat on his wall once and sang dedooodooodoodeeedadada and were asked to move along.

[RubberUniverse]

This is a fantastic thread.

NICE: THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT
For nearly a decade I was a member of the Alan Parsons tribute band Rubber Universe. We got to know the entire band, including the original English band and the American touring band (the Alan Parsons Live Project).

Alan Parsons: Alan engineered the Beatles and Pink Floyd. Roger Waters said Dark Side of the Moon sounds like it does because of Alan, and Roger never gives anyone credit. If there is anyone who could have cause to be egotistical, it would be Alan. But he is about the most humble guy I've ever met. He once made an instructional video for me about how to play one of his songs on keyboard when he found out I was having trouble. He always stays around and signs autographs until the last fan is done. He routinely buys the aftershow fans plates of seafood and other goodies. He is very sensitive...but very very nice.

Eric Woolfson - creator & songwriter of APP, and lead singer of many of APP tunes like "Eye in the Sky" and "Time." Eric was a phenomenally kind and generous human being. He offered to narrate our album of original music because he wanted to help us get started. He would meet with fans for dinner who came to see him in England. He once reserved an entire section for fans during the opening of one of his musicals in London. He passed away recently, but he was one of the nicest guys on the planet.

Ian Bairnson - the lead guitarist for APP and Kate Bush and Pilot. He spent a weekend with us talking about how to play the songs. He was as down to earth as they come.

Godfrey Townsend - ex-APLP lead guitarist and John Entwistle Band lead guitarist. Currently with the Turtles (Flo & Eddy). He's SUPER nice. He will spend all night after shows telling you hilarious stories about John Entiwistle and other rock royalty. He once had to teach Leslie West how to play "Mississippi Queen" because Leslie had forgotten.

Steve Murphy - ex-APLP, Trans-Siberian Orchestra drummer. Shy but very, very nice.

I could go on. Everyone associated with the APP is super cool. That includes another of their lead singers, Colin Blunstone (who is the lead singer of the Zombies) as well as Rod Argent (Zombies, Argent).


OTHERS
John Beck of It Bites. Man oh man, he will treat you like a long lost brother. I spent a couple evenings drinking with him during aftershows. I thought we were going to get kicked out of the hotel for sure. He kept playing the piano that was roped off and just for show. But very cool.

Kip Winger seemed very nice but a bit of a basket case.

Christopher Cross will keep you in stitches telling hilarious stories. And boy does he have a mouth on him. Nice guy though.

Louis Clark of ELO - was really nice at an aftershow, invited me to go drinking with him but I had to drive back home.

Daryl Struermer (Genesis) - wonderful man. He's a friend of Alan's and shows up at aftershows sometimes. He's as humble as they come.

[killer_roach]

To add to the nice guys list: Hiroshi Higashi and Makoto Kawabata of Acid Mothers Temple. Before the show I was at of theirs I was sitting at the bar, drinking beers with them as they were doing shots of Bacardi. Also talked a bit with Hiroshi about the Japanese avant-garde scene as he was running the merch table after the show, he was really astute and happy to hear somebody who knew and respected both himself and his fellow travelers.

[exploder]

Korn and Deftones are really nice,funny guys

[Runesmith]

Robert Smith to the nice guys list.

[Wolfbeckett]

To add someone nobody has mentioned yet:

I've heard Glenn Danzig is a complete jackass. I haven't met him myself (I'm too shy to approach celebrities even on the rare chance that I see them) but from what I've seen in videos and heard from people who have met him he seems like a very angry dude with some issues.

Kind of regret not meeting Yuki Chikudate from Asobi Seksu when I had the chance, she seems cool.