Star Struck in Excess - The ending (or just the beginning?)

I realise that this story has had more parts than Eddie Murphy in Coming to America so I thought I would finish it up here... congratulations if you are still with me!!

So after all the drama that was my first interview with a rockstar.

It went to print, I was paid, I got some kudos from my peers, I learned a hell of a lot from this experience (in hindsight)

A few weeks after it went to print I noticed Jon Stevens was playing at The Basement in Sydney and decided I'd like to go and check out the gig.

I went along with a friend.

It was a great show - he really does have a unique stage presence and excellent voice.

 He sang all of his hits and some covers.

I had a few (many) drinks during it.

After the gig Jon approached the bar and I was standing nearby, so without thinking I approached him.

"Great gig" I said

"Thanks" he replied

" I hope you were OK with the story, I'm Sharni  I interviewed you a few weeks ago?"

Silence.

Pin drops.

He turns to me "Oh yes, I remember you. You are that Bitch from the Herald."

He says with flashes of venom dripping from his mouth.

My heart drops.

Tears well.

I start explaining what happened, like an idiot.

Pleading that I wasn't a hardarsed journalist ... but it wasn't to be....

Why, I bothered, I don't know...

He just walked away.

In his leather pants....

So much for "reach out and touch somebody...."

One of his band members saw me standing there and was kind enough to say Hello.

I told him what happened.

"Don't worry, he's an arse to us to sometimes" he said sympathetically.

I then joined the boys for a game of pool. Minus JS.

Three years have passed.

Late this year Jon Stevens had a close call and was rushed to hospital - he has just had open heart surgery for some major blockages. He is in recovery now and doing well.

I contacted his Manager a couple of weeks ago - told him who I was, including that I was the person Jon referred to as "that bitch from the Herald", explained that it was my first EVER interview, that I am now an online writer out in the 'sticks' and that I would love to have the chance to talk to him again.

Guess what?

He said YES!!!

I m doing an interview with Jon Stevens in 2 weeks over the phone...

Oh my.......

Oh I do love to give myself a seat of my pants scary arsed challenge...

EEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!!!!

Tough Lessons -

Part 6 -Tough Lessons - Discovering  I'm no Molly Meldrum.....
(two parts left)
Star Struck In Excess ( to read complete series click on Jon Stevens in key words to the side then scroll to the bottom and read to the top! )

By now I am feeling like the biggest failure that graced the Century Tavern.
Believe me, I think a few have graced those floors.
The come-down was hard, maybe I didn't have what it took to cut it as a rock-star journalist.
I had pissed off all and sundry.
The Editor of Metro took it into his hands. I rewrote the article a little, but it was good to see he was taking my side a little more.
He had called JS' manager.
He reported the outcome back to me.
"He is just annoyed that the article focuses on why Steven's left INXS and not about his new album," the Editor said "Screw them, who cares about his new album" he said.
I gulped.
This whole thing was starting to make me feel uncomfortable.
I thought I'd interview Jon Stevens and we'd be friends for life after that.
Really didn't want to piss anyone off.
Maybe I didn't have what it took to be a journalist after all?
 I submitted what I had to the Editor and he must have reworked it a fair bit - because in the end we had a shared by-line - but that was cool. I got my by-line - my first EVER rockstar interview - filled and filled with drama....

oh and if you wanted to read the finished product you can check it out here......

don't sit there sighing like this ending was a bit of an anti-climax

 - the story is still not over....

Journalism 101

(If you want to read all of this story Star Struck In Excess - just follow the start from the Archives Section December - too many and too confusing to link to sorry!! Think this is being followed by a small loyal bunch so this is for you..... ;-)

Part 5 -

After the hangover settled and I came to terms with my day of rock n roll - reality set in once again.

The "work" part.

Now, I had to make a story out of my conversation with Jon Stevens.

My first ever interview based piece of journalism (had previously written features: to clarify).

It was like how I felt at the start!

Woo-Hoo I get to interview a rockstar!

Let me revel in that for a while and avoid actually thinking up the questions...

Now it was Woo-Hoo I have interviewed a rockstar! (and sat in the studio while he personally serenaded me - alongside thousands of Triple M listeners) and I wanted to revel in that and not have to actually sit down and write a Sydney Morning Herald standard piece from it.

SHIT.

And of course a steep deadline was involved, of ... tomorrow.

God damn.

So another day spent guising as an "advertising account manager" i was at my desk trying to write the story - sneakily putting the dictaphone to my ear when the boss left her desk,  to relive our conversation, cringing at the sound of my voice and my occasional over laughing.

Where did I start?

How did I structure this?

Oh good God. Why didn't I complete my Communications degree?

 I might have some idea how to go about this!!

I thought I was a writer, but when it came to the nuts and bolts of it - I didn't know where to start.

I spoke to my Dad who was the owner of local newspaper in the One Horse Town - he was the Sports Editor there and had lots of years writing under his belt.

Sure it wasn't for the SMH but for other varied sporting publications.

His advice was pure and simple "Get Jon's email address and email it to him before it goes to print"

(Hindsight lesson: Ask Dad for advice or the Editor? Next time - Editor - but love you Dad all the same) 

Editor told me he wanted the dirt on why Stevens left INXS - as this was the time JD Fortune was making the news as the new lead singer.

So that was where I began, I wrote along these lines, with many flattering parts about Jon's solo album - his presence, his live performance.

I emailed it to Jon.

BOW BOW

I received an email 5 minutes later from Steven's manager:

"DO NOT PRINT THIS STORY - THIS STORY CANNOT GO TO PRINT - PLEASE CALL ME IMMEDIATELY"

Yes it was in shouting letters like that.

"SHIT!"

I forwarded this to the Editor.

He was a moody guy I discovered.

He immediately called me up and said "Why the f*** did you send Stevens the story?"

If I was any greener I would have been environmentally friendly.

"I er... I'm sorry, I thought... ah ..:" stammer, stammer, - "I'm really sorry"

The Editor was audibly pissed with me.

So desperate I was to "please everybody" that no-one was pleased.

 Least of all myself.

part four : how very rock n roll

previous chapter of Starstruck In Excess go here  and it will lead you to the start...





So many phone interruputions later - I interviewed him - and it was pretty non-eventful actually.

What did you expect?


JUST KIDDING!



Well the interview itself was pretty uneventful, I asked him questions about the Noiseworks days, I asked him about when Michael Hutchence died and he took over as the lead singer of INXS as a while, I asked him about his current album and what he was up to these days, I asked him what inspired him, who inspired him - and what the future held.

He was OK to interview, I found once I complimented him - he was a little easier to talk with.

Aren't we all?

So after the interview, his manager came over.

He was lovely.

He invited me over to Triple M radio studios where Jon was to be interviewed and then would perform on the roof of the studios.

By now it was about 1pm - and thoughts started to drift back to... work.

My boss must have been starting to get suspicious.

Really, I should do the responsible thing now and go back to work.

By now you should know what kind of a character I am.

Work? Triple M studios with Jon Stevens and band?

Work? Triple M Studios with Jon Stevens and band?

Yep, another drink later - I joined Jon and the band and headed over the road to.... Triple M studios.

It was here I was in the 'studio' where I zipped my lip - but was present for his on air interview.

Jon then did a live acoustic version of his song "Touch"

You know the one "reach out and..reach out and... reach out and touch somebody"

I must admit, the arrogance and phone interruptions of earlier dissolved quicker than you could say "leather pants" and I found standing in that studio live to this awesome voice - gave me goosebumps and a tear in my eye.

Jon even looked over at me while he was singing it and smiled - this was a magic moment and I felt, my reward for the gruelling 24 hours I had just sat through.

We then headed up to the rooftops of Triple M  where other media types were hanging and drinks and food ahoy.

Oh good God.

Surely I shouldn't indulge in another bevvie?

Oh what the heck.

So a couple of wines later - I am then witnessing Jon and his band playing live on the roof overlooking the Sydney CBD.

It was about now the guilts really kicked in and I made a sly and sudden exit, hailed a taxi and drunkenly headed back to work.

I was so excited about what had just gone down (and so borderline drunk)  the reality of what my boss might be thinking hadn't overwhelmed me yet.

When I looked at my watch and noticed it was nearly 5pm when the cab pulled up at the front of my work place and I realised I had pretty much skipped the entire day at work drinking and mixing it up with rockstars I felt a bit scared, bit naughty, but a whole lot rock'n' roll!!!

I was so excited about what had happened, I didn't really mind what went down when I got inside.

And guess what.

The funniest thing of all went down.

My boss was oblivious to it.

Good to see she missed me!! hahaha

She spoke to me about something or other and then announced (and this was MOST out of character for my straight laced boss)

"Guys, drinks over at the Shelbourne - my shout!"

So as soon as I returned to work from a DAY of drinking - what happened?

My whole advertising team got to go to the pub for some drinks on my boss - who didn't even notice how blind drunk I was after one drink she shouted me.

Oh the things I got away with.

So rock n roll

But my friends... the Jon Stevens story doesn't end there.... oh not by a long shot....

Jesus Christ, arrogant Superstar

Although I am supposed to be planning a bbq and I have a screaming baby in the background... I am going to write part 4 of Star Struck In Excess........ 
To read proceding parts go here 
if you are a new reader I apologise, I do not normally do mini-series posts but this one has a life of its own, if you go to part three - it will lead you to the beginning, if you are that way inclined...


......... although he had reached his prime well over a decade ago, Jon Stevens entered a room - and his energy screamed ROCKSTAR.

Dressed in a cool cotton white top, just open enough to reveal a little cleavage, and black leather pants (think my memory is distorted, surely not? Maybe jeans, but definitely white open shirt)

He had a  presence that unnerved an already unnerved me.

He walked up to the table where I was sitting with his band members and continued talking on his mobile phone -- he then hung up and - started chatting to his other band members.

Yes, please act as though I don't exist. 


Then he turned to me, sunglasses still on.

"Sorry, I'm late - I'm Jon."

He offered me his hand - I stood up and shook it, and introduced myself - I think, I don't know, can't remember this moment.

It is forever archived in the 'I am frozen with nerves' compartment.

He then returned to his conversation with the band members, before his phone rang again.

Please, don't let me interrupt you. My time is of no essence here, I thought as I seemingly blended into the furniture of the Century Tavern.

Not having any idea how to take charge of such a situation, I asked one of the band members (as they were a hell of a lot more approachable)
"So are you guys going to be part of this interview?"
Turned out this was the correct thing to say, it prompted the band members to flee to the next table, and Jon sat down with me, albeit on the phone, and I patiently awaited my first  interview.

As he continued blabbering on his phone, I nervously checked my papers for the first question.

I was beginnning to get annoyed at how rude he was being.

He was about 20 minutes late as it was and he seemed to have no respect for me, the lowly interviewer from the Herald.

Had the man known what the last 24 hours had been like for me, or the fact that I had an entirely new outfit purchased specifically for this occassion, maybe just maybe he would have got off the phone and at least faked some sort of manners.

Just because you were once a rockstar, doesn't give you the luxury of acting as though you are more important than ..... well, me.

Eventually, he hung up the phone.

He gave me a insincere apology.

I over-smiled, told him how fine it was , introduced myself - checked my notes, tried to adopt a confident seating position, took a deep breath ready to fire off my first question.

"So, Jon" I began, being sure to make the right eye contact, sit in an authoritarian, I'm leading the show here kind've way...

"Back in the days of Noiseworks....."

And wouldn't you know it...

There went his bloody phone.

Without a second thought he answered it.

Again.

"Jesus Christ, Superstar" I thought to myself.

Was this interview EVER going to happen?

(and shut-up, don't ask me that same question hahahaha)

Waiting for a rockstar - Part 3

Part Three

Part three: Starstruck in Excess
click here for part one
click here for part two



I arrived at the pub with my notepad and made my way up the spiralling stairs.


 Note to self - do not consume much more, those stairs spiralled in a way that was non-conducive with drinking.

 Must not fall arse over head in front of JS.

I had entered a numb state where I was just not even allowing nerves to enter because they could cause my demise.

As I walked into the pub, I scanned the room but there were no rockstars within it.

Just a couple of hardcore Metallica fans playing pool to the sounds of Enter Sandman.

I made my way to the bar, I remember at this moment an air of arrogance briefly swept over me, notepad in hand thinking 'i wonder if they realise who I am meeting with here today".

In my mind at this moment I could have been meeting with Michael Jackson (RIP), the sense of who I was meeting was completely inflated - but all the same an air of arrogance, whether warranted or not, was a step up from the cannot breathe, talk or think of a question gal I had been only 2 or 3 vodkas earlier.

So, I ordered a non-alcoholic beverage and sat down with my little dictaphone and notepad, and just... well... waited for Jon Stevens to arrive.

I stared at the door, he was already 15 minutes late.

Late is never good because it invites all sorts of over-analysis.

'How should I sit, what should I do when he walks in' you know the drill.

A little while later figures appeared at the door, I adjusted my hair.

It was two cool looking guys.

They looked over at me and seemed to be coming my way.

"Are you Sharni?" the tall one asked.

"Yes" I replied.

"I'm Simon - and this is Geoff, we are in the band with Jon Stevens."

Oh what the hell?

It wasn't one on one, I was interviewing his entire band?

Just when I was getting more comfortable with the idea of having a chat with Jon, these two intimidatingly cool guys joined me at the table.

Luckily, they were  very easy to talk to down to Earth guys and they had no worries chatting with me about themselves and Jon -

I told them it was my first ever interview and they were kind and reassured me that Jon would be easy-going and 'cool.'

Just then our conversation was cut short.

A loud kiwi voice echoed from the stairwell.

A bright sunbeam cut through the doorway

Then he appeared.

A gleaming figure in white, with huge aviator rockstar sunglasses and a mobile phone attached to his ear ...

Part Two : The morning of the interview

.... for those of you who missed part one of STARSTRUCK IN EXCESS please read here. first.


..................... I wake up from my short slumber, oh hell it was morning!  I was too excited to sleep properly am buggered and braindead.

On top of that I realise I have to go to work as an 'advertising account manager' and yet somehow.... sneak off to interview Jon Stevens.

I hadn't even begun plotting how I was going to pull that one off.

As if it wasn't challenging enough  that my interview was at 11.30 AM and I had ZERO questions prepared, but I had to tottle into work and attempt to convince my boss I was doing my job!
.
I hope my old boss is not reading this.

 If you are, I would like to tell you how fantastic you are,  best boss I have ever had - and I thank-you for my future glowing references that you will give me :-)

I know I'm a bit naughty. But I am ambitious and sometimes that requires me to be deviant.

So morning of.

No questions, no plan how to sneak off to the Century Tavern bar in George St to meet up with Jon Stevens.

It is safe to say I was absolutely freaking out.

I am not exaggerating.

I actually had full fledged panic attacks that morning.

I was completely frozen.

Not only had I not slept from the buzz of it all - but I could not think of a damn question - I was too overwhelmed with the reality of who I was going to meet and what I was meant to produce.

I had both the fear of talking to a rockstar, and the fear that this was my chance to prove something as a wannabe journalist - and I was ill prepared.

So I am trying to write questions down at work, and of course , my phone won't stop ringing

Typically, the slowest most annoying talkers in all of the Country decide to ring me this day with 1000 questions that make me want to throw the phone at the wall.

"How much does it cost for a little ad the size of the one on page 45?" a little old lady asks me at snails pace with my boss sitting behind me so I can't just fob her off.

OH PISS OFF!!!!

Bother someone who cares!

I am trying to channel Molly Meldrum you tightarse!

Wow, I am really beginning to relive the stress of it all as I write!

So freaking. Freaking and now annoying people wasting my precious time.

Next, I did something  that I am not proud of, nor advocate.

Something that I hope you will understand, under the circumstances was my ONLY option.

 I snuck off from work and.... did what any civilised crazy who had no questions prepared to ask a rockstar and was hyperventilating at her desk would do.

I went to the pub.

I couldn't relax enough to think of questions, there was no way in hell that I would be able to have actually interviewed JS if I didn't calm the hell down.

I am not usually an AM drinker. Well I can drink into the AM - but I don't usually start then.

It was a one-off.

A couple of Vodkas later (hey I had to act a little rockstar-ish to get into character)

I had thought up a few questions and thank the heavens, relaxed.

But then .... the manic in me worried that I had become too relaxed.

Anyway to stop the thinking I made my way to the Century Tavern to await Jon.

I had my little pad full of questions, but as I was relaxed now felt I could wing it a bit. You know, being the seasoned journalist and all.

My advertising exec at work who was also one of my besties had me covered for the boss. She knew how important this was for me.

When asked I was out seeing an advertising client.

Little did my boss know I had knocked back a couple of vodkas and was on my way to the Century Tavern to interview the lead singer of Noiseworks.

ahahahaaha

Star Struck In Excess

(I realise this story has a few Aussie terms in it so I will explain as I go for non-Australian readers) 


Part One 

A few years ago when I was an Advertising Account Manager at the Sydney Morning Herald - I received an amazing opportunity to interview a rockstar, Jon Stevens.

Well to me, he was a rockstar.

He peaked probably in the 90's but pretty iconic Australian Rockstar all the same.

If you don't know him you can view one of his legendary songs here

He was the lead singer of Noiseworks and these days does some solo stuff.
When Michael Hutchence died, he fronted INXS for a time.

My job at the SMH had many perks - one of them being the chance to go to the ARIA awards and VIP Party afterwards. (music industries night of nights )

Well you could go if you happened to sell a $20,000 advertisement into the guide.

As a star struck music lover - there was no way I was going to miss the opportunity to rub shoulders with the the leaders of the Australian Music Industry.

So even though I was on HOLIDAYS (yes I was nutty!!)  I made cold calls to all sorts of businesses pitching the ARIA GUIDE - and finally sealed the deal with fashion house  Bardot,

I rang my boss from my hotel room in Melbourne to let her know the news.

 She was dumbfounded.

She was hard up getting me to do work at work - so she nearly fell off her chair when I told her I had sold $20K to a new business whilst holidaying!!!

 She assured me I had tickets to the VIP party and the event.

Excellent.

As luck would have it, Bardot even sent me dresses to wear - complete red carpet treatment eh?

The ARIAS party is another story in itself, which I will write if anyone wants to know it (comes complete with lots of drunken conversations with well knowns in the music industry and tears at the end of the night because the proof of this on my AUNTY"S CAMERA was lost)

anyway back to the focus...

With a little dutch courage and an introduction to the editor of the Entertainment section at the Herald, suddenly this little Advertising A.M was in his ear about HOW much I loved INXS - how much I liked JD Fortune the new lead singer (yes embarrassed about this now, I do believe he has since left band and lives in his car) , and could I puhhhlease interview him if the opportunity came up.

I droned on and on about how keen I was to burst into the journalism scene and how good a job I would do and blah de blah de blah.

Would you believe it the next week at work, thinking this poor editor dude would not have remembered any of our conversation, let alone my name- called me up at work and said:'

"I've got an interview for you"

I am nearly dying here thinking he had JD lined up.

 -- He said "It's not JD - but he did sing for INXS after Michael Hutchence died"

"Jon Stevens?" I asked.

"Yep"

My heart skipped a couple of beats.

"Yes I'll do it" I said.

"Great, I'll send you his managers details and call him up to organise it for tomorrow."

TOMORROW.

 DROP DEAD FRED.

I can still feel the nervousness now as I type this.

Please understand that it was my  DREAM to interview rockstars - but people, I was the most star struck person on the planet, I had NEVER interviewed anyone I was an advertising sales gal - and it was exciting - but TOMORROW?????

I agreed to do it. I knew it was the opportunity of a lifetime.

But I was PACKING IT.

When I left work that night I rang everybody I knew to gloat about it, as you do- -

Midnight came around and still , I had no questions for the lead singer of Noiseworks......



pic from here 

Jon Stevens : Always a rock star never a mock star

http://www.smh.com.au/news/gig-reviews/ian-moss-amp-jon-stevens/2006/02/02/1138836356021.html