The last show we did before Billy and Karen left to Europe was opening for James Brown. That man flat puts on a show! He deserves the title, "hardest working man in show business" and he's one heck of a nice guy too. What a way to go out, eh.
After the show, I jumped in my bug and off I went. It didn't hurt a bit. I found a cute little house 2-blocks from the beach and went for a walk on it every morning. I started digging my dinner (clams and mussels) and fishing again. My business partner/boyfriend would join me in a couple months when I drove back for the album release party. It was a blissful 2-months.
Billy and Karen returned home from Europe. This would be the last time I'd spend with the band; and the last of the autographs, painted faces, sequins and fishnets.
Billy looked good, but he had grown really arrogant. What happened to that nice guy who's smile lit up a room? If I had a glimmer of disappointment in my decision to leave, it was wiped away seeing how much he had changed.
It felt like I signed hundreds of albums that night and when it was over, I jumped in my bug and off I went. The further away I got, the better I felt...back to reality and what felt good to me.
This next section of the story will be recalled using a book that was written about the band, by Bill Reader, since I wasn't there. Thanks, Bill...if you're still reading my blogs.
Billy hooked up with Lou Erlanger who played guitar in Mink DeVille...a band based in New York. Lou offered to help Billy lay down some more music on tape. Lou's sister was an editor for Rolling Stones magazine and an idea was hatched to have the band play at her wedding with all the big Rolling Stones executives.
Unfortunately before that got off the ground, Lou had his fill of Billy's ego too and dropped him cold. This however did give birth to the next idea: Billy would take the band on a tour of the East Coast. This would prove to be an interesting and flawed decision, since Lou was the one who would have lined up the shows for the band. That didn't phase Billy!
The band would stay with Alf's family in New Jersey. They would be able to rehearse at Matti's (Alf's brother) auto shop. Joey, another of Alf's brothers, was a big producer and would be enlisted to help introduce them around.
While Billy and the band members flew to New York, the Roadies, Annie and the Dancers would take a 3.5-day long cross-country train trip to get themselves and all the equipment back East. Annie was the one who booked the Tosh gig and knew people on the East Coast...she volunteered to help too and said all she needed was a hotel room. Steve assured her, 'no problem.' He lied. The girls were set up in Alf's parents house, separated from everyone else, with no transportation.
Without much to do, Keith started working on a broken-down van that Matti offered to Billy if anyone could get it running. One day Matti came into the garage with a friend, Bruce. Mick pulled his head out from the hood and offered to shake his hand except that it was dirty. Bruce laughed and grabbed his hand anyway with a hearty greeting. Mick went back to work and Keith asked him, "do you know who that was?" Mick says, "yeah, that was Bruce." Laughter started as Keith says, "yeah, that was f...king Bruce Springsteen!"
The trip had been a waste of time the first couple weeks, but Matti had a plan to change that and bring Bruce by a club the next gig they did. He told Billy to ask him up on stage.
The Unreal Gods had played on Broadway a couple of times and were beginning to attract a crowd. But playing with Bruce would get them in every newspaper in New York. Billy didn't seem very excited about it though.
So, one night Bruce showed up, ready to play. He sat in the audience and waited and waited. Billy did not invite him up. Bruce went backstage after the show and said, "you were good, you got a shot at it. later."
Matti screamed at Billy. Everyone was pissed. The way Billy looked at is was, "We're better than Bruce Springsteen."
Like I said, Billy had grown arrogant.
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