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Craig Parker | all galleries >> Chain of Flowers >> Close Encounters > EricRandyCureSB08.JPG
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29-MAY-2008

EricRandyCureSB08.JPG

Eric and Randy with The Cure in Santa Barbara, Ca. (May 29th, 2008)

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Date/Time29-May-2008 18:04:58
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ModelKODAK V1253 ZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA
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Exposure Time1/30 sec
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ISO Equivalent200
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Guest 31-Jul-2008 23:22
Does Jason have some kind of animal on his head? it looks like it's going to attack Simon.
guest 30-Jul-2008 22:28
Looking at some of these close encounters' pictures Porl really seem to be the most friendly one.
He's a keeper, Robert! Till the end, yeah!
Eric 14-Jun-2008 01:18
A friend of mine got to meet Porl, She mentioned what happen in the rush to get us out so they could start the show in Santa Barbara.... Porl remembered and gave her 2 picks one for her and one for me, Turns out he has a Green Pick too, So 3 colors that i know of.... Porl is Awesome!
cloud 12-Jun-2008 12:36
eric ur a cool dude!
like the hat
cloud 12-Jun-2008 12:36
eric ur a cool dude!
like the hat
Eric 12-Jun-2008 01:43
No the song is not about something that happen in Roberts life, He told me where the story of the baby that died came from and where he got the story of a parent that has never been in their son's life... Bolth are stories that are public knowlege..

Thanks I like the hat too, only wear it at Cure or LevinHurst concerts... Got it back in my high school days.
cloud 11-Jun-2008 14:41
so waht did robert tell aout the boy i never knew lyrics, were those stories about him? i mean about his own life or were taken from the newspaper?
man on the hat, ur gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Eric 11-Jun-2008 02:31
I forgot Porl showed me his tat on his hand, its a snake tounge that lines up the the snake on the top of his guitar. Porl was Cool.
CCat 10-Jun-2008 21:38
Simon has a Shiny Happy Forehead!

Everyone looks great. So glad you got to fulfill you dream...
Guest 10-Jun-2008 15:10
Great, Great story!!! You are such a lucky guy! I guess we must have been outside the Shrine together because I remember you giving Simon the bottle of Cabo Wabo for Jason. What a great tour. I cannot wait for them to come back *starts saving pennies, I mean dollars*
Johanna 10-Jun-2008 14:36
You were near me for both L.A. shows. Little did I know you are the luckiest boy on earth!
Craig Parker10-Jun-2008 09:20
From Eric (Amnesty International auction winner):

Id like to thank The Cure and Amnesty International for this chance to meet a band in my home town where The Cure has not played in 19 years, I could not let this opportunity pass me bye.

Since 1985 I have had the glow in the dark, Head on a door poster in a tube, still in plastic never opened because someday I was going to meet the Cure and ask them to sign it.

I used my credit card and put myself in the red but it was well worth it.

I did not want the band to think I was a Super fan, So no black trench coat, 1980s English mod shoes, Or black shirt and pants, I did wear the hat. (Goths were called Mods in the 80s) Also no screaming, or telling them Your the best, Your gods, No talk about the Cure.

I'm sure they get that all the time, So I want to be different.

I showed up at the Santa Barbara Bowl box office to pickup my tickets, I was given front row center tickets, Great if the pit was not 60 foot wide, No lie its HUGE.

Connected to the tickets was a piece of paper that said The Cure, Amnesty International Auction Winners, Please note that we will come and collect you from your seats, as soon as 65 Days of Static have finished their set.
Many thanks and see you soon.

Well 15Min's after their set no one had come to get us and there was only 15Min's till The Cure goes onstage, after a talk with security The Cure's Manager picked me and my cousin up and walked us backstage past The Cure's bus, they informed the occupants inside we were here, 10Min's before they were to go onstage.
So I'm thinking this is a wham bam, Hello, take a photo, get something signed and out the door type of deal.

We were then taken back stage, past The Cure's dressing room and told to wait, then were we moved into a room, upon walking towards the room I saw food and assumed it was the meet an greet room where we would wait for the band.

As I walked in I saw food and Jason playing with his sticks, I stuck out my hand and said "Oh Jason, Nice to meet you" as Jason was saying "Hi I'm Jason" out of the corner of my eye I saw some on a couch wearing all black, I turned it was Simon looking at the set list and playing his bass. I Said "Happy Birthday Simon" he looked up at me, No smile and said "My Birthday is not for another 2 days" then back to playing his bass. OK Back to Jason :)

Jason asked us if we were hungry or wanted a drink and opened up the fridge, I asked if I could have one of his Coronas, Then Jason asked if we were locals and if we were going to any other concert's? after that we talked to Jason about about our jobs and Las Vegas.

My cousin asked Jason what was your favorite venue, Sorry forgot the answer, it was in Spain somewhere, I asked if it was where the MTV concert was held, because that was a awesome venue, He agreed.

I think Simon figured out by this time that we weren't fanatics and said "You heard of Red Rock?" we both agreed that a was a cool outdoor venue, Simon then Said, "Playing in a place like that is unforgettable, visually its just spectacular"

Then in comes Robert He looks at the set list, I'm thinking he wont say much, for 24 years Ive heard he is shy.
Robert comes up to us puts out his hand and Says "Nice to meet you, Eric" I introduce my cousin, I say "Welcome back to Santa Barbara, its nice to be back"

Roberts says "Good to be back, but I don't care for the start time, the sun will be in my eyes" he says that with his eyes squinted and then says "I don't feel very well"

I say I heard from a friend that you lost your voice in Philly,

Robert says " I had to see a doctor and he put me on -----------------." Me and my cousin said are you serious? He shook his head yes.
I cant believe what he's going thru to make sure the fans get what they want.
Robert was talking very low and looking down alot, I thought I was shy.

I give Robert 2 guitar picks, one made out of a 1919 English coin and the other one made from a 1959 Pure Silver American coin, its suppose to make a unique sound when used, He says "oh its got my birth year" I mention that I had the IN GOD WE TRUST remove so it would not offend him, Robert looked at me with you did not have to do that look, then thanked me then hands me a black used guitar pick and says that last nights pick, I thank him.
Robert had a guitar that said GOD, it was circled with a cross thru it like it was saying "No God" I noticed he did not have that guitar at the 5 concerts I went to, He did have it at the Mountain View California gig in October 2007.

By this time its past start time.

I figure now is the time to ask a Cure question, I said " Can I ask you a question about one of your new songs, The Boy I never knew? Robert says "of course" I ask, is it about a child that has died? or a child that a parent has not seen for some reason or another,,, or neither?"

Robert told me that it was actually about both, He told me where the 2 stories came from and that he just put the 2 ideas together to make the song.

In walks the guy I really wanted to meet, The Best guitar player in the world, Porl Thompson, Red high heels and all, The room lite up with his personality.

Hand sticking out with a HUGE Smile "HI, I'M PORL, Nice to meet you!" I walked towards him shook his hand and said " Its great to have you back Porl, you were on Fire last night, I could not believe how much ass you kicked in your high heels" Porl- "Yeah last night was a good show" Me- " I didn't think you would wear that high heels here in the US, That's cool"
Porl clicks his heels together like hes Dorthy, Porl is hilarious, Very out going and Nice.

I then hear we are late we have to go guys, I say can I please get a photo, everyone lines up, the only guy in the room is Roberts bodyguard and he looks at me like I'm not taking it. Robert gives the look and the guard grabs the camera, my cousin says here stand by Robert, I say no problem Ill hang out with Porl... Porl puts his arm around me and we take the photo, Robert says one more.

Photos are done, everyone is heading out, I say can you please sign my guitar? I pull it out of the case and all 4 of them when they saw the guitar said "Woo-ow" Robert says "That my guitar, That's my guitar" Robert says to Simon "look its my guitar" Simon- "Yeah it looks just like yours"

While they are saying this, Robert an Simon both take it away from me and Jason, Robert & Simon are looking at it while Simon and Robert are both holding it.

I mentioned that I found the stickers on a website in England, Robert says That's the same site I got them from.

It was great because It woke up Simon and Robert, they were excited and confused that I was able to make it look just like his, and before that they were both pretty quiet, the looks on their faces was worth every penny.

while they are signing it, Porl leaves the room, I panic, No worries Porl comes back with a one of a kind Schceter guitar that he painted himself.. Porl is so excited that he is bumping his guitar into the Black Smith guitar that was given back to me, he says sorry, then bumps into it again and say sorry again.
I was not worried because that would just add to the story when I'm asked where i got the guitar.

Porl and Robert show me on Porls guitar that on the top of the arm Schecter builds in custom glow sticks so they can see the tabs on stage. Pretty cool, not made for the general public.

Then my cousin bust out Porl's guitar and then room goes "WOO-OW" again, it was great, they could not believe that we were asking them to sign their guitars. Porl grabs the guitar from my cousin and get on his knees to sign it on the floor , I see him doing something at the top of the neck but soon forget about it, They all get on the floor to sign Porl's guitar.

in the meantime Porl has left the room again and i notice that he did not sign the Black guitar.

I tell Jason that i had a bottle of Cabo Wabo for him but forgot it in the car, He says its OK, its the thought that counts.

At the Shrine Simon signed for the fans, so I asked him to give the bottle of Cabo Wabo to Jason, He said sure and walked off with it, It was his birthday so I don't know if Jason got it :)

Ok guys we really have to go.

We say goodbye, as we are rushed out of the room Robert says Thank you for supporting Amnesty International, I say Thank you, have a good show.

I give the bodyguard a Silver pick for Porl and for Simon a Silver pick and Reading Football key chain that had the Stadium photo on one side and a jersey that said Gallup on the back.

In the hallway I mention to the bodyguard that Porl had not signed the black guitar, He ask me to wait and goes into the dressing room, Porl is on the floor frantically going thru a garment bag, he stands up and says I had a photo for you but I cant find it, I'm Sorry, I say its OK can you sign my guitar? he says sure, signs it and add's a dogstar on it and says that's for you,
I was blown away, Porl has done all the art work on their albums thur the years and his paintings go for thousands and he just drew me a dogstar.

The bodyguards says this is for you Porl, I tell Porl its a pure silver pick and its suppose to sound cool, Porl's face lights up and say have you used this? when I was in the Easy Cure i used one of these , Thank you and he gives me a hug, I said have a good night and we were escorted out.

I will always wonder what type of photo Porl had for me.

I had to go down the hill to the box office to leave the guitars in lockup, Santa Barbara Bowl rules.

By the time i got back the concert had started, the head of security said "You held up the he show, we were waiting for you" then said how was it, I said awesome, they were cool.

Sorry for the late start of the concert guys, but I have a felling they did not want to start in the sunlight, they only ones in a rush were management.

After 24 years I never got that poster signed, but it was a choice of poster or guitar, I'm sure if we got backstage earlier they would have signed it.

Later that night I saw that Porl had also put one of his DogStar on the top of the guitar arm, Is that guy cool or what? it was a nice surprise.

No matter what it was worth every penny, me and my cousin had the Cure for 20Min's to ourselves, No one but us.

I tried to get autographs at other concerts and most of the time if your lucky you get something signed or less then a minute so to have all that time alone is something I will never forget...

Thank you for a memory of a life time
Jason, Robert, Simon & Porl