Waterstones Bookshop,
Picadilly,
London
6pm

joined the queue outside Waterstones Bookshop, in Picadilly at approx 4.15pm.

There was already quite a queue formed outside.
I was promptly given a rafle ticket to join the queue, but firstly i had to go into the shop, purchase the book, then come back outside, and rejoin the queue.
My ticket was number 91.

Soon the queue behind me stretched back a good 100 yards... before long
Paulywaul, Beast, MOWAT etc, etc, rocked up and joined the ever-growing masses.

Shortly after 6pm, Jo Wood walked past the queue, all smiles, into the store, and about this time, the queue started to move.
The staff were allowing batches of 20 people, in at a time....at 7pm, it was my turn.
We were escorted up to the first floor, to join a new queue.
We were informed that Ronnie would only be signing copies of the book.

no posed photographs
no merchandise signing

there was a strong Stones security prescence, staff made us open our books at the "correct" page...'post it notes' indicated who the dedication was for.

All baggage had to kept behind a roped off area, 10 foot back from the desk...photos of Ronnie were permitted from behind the rope, but there was so many bouncers/security present, you'd need to have been lucky to have got a decent snap...not worth the hassle.

My time came...i was ushered up to the signing desk.
Ronnie was wearing a black blazer, was sipping a cup of tea and looked in rude health... good old Ronnie!
I asked him a couple of questions and got the stock answer for the day:-
"i'm still getting over/resting up from the summers tour"
(same answer to the 4-5 people infront of me that i could hear)

within 20-30 seconds, it was all over.... i shook his hand and went about my merry way, a happy fan with my book signed.
A long,drawn out 3 hours..but well worth it.
Thanks Ronnie

Thanks for sharing Adrian L!

I had number 129. Ronnie was very polite and patient. My main impression: he is SO small, so tiny...

Congrats to all--sounds like a great time!

....that's great Adrian.....and wouldn't it be wild if you meet him again five years from now and he still remembers you. ("Oh yeah, you're the bloke who wouldn't let go of me hand")



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2007-10-16 23:38 by Lukester.

thanks for the front-line reports!

yeah, it was well worth the effort.
I just hope that he managed to get to sign for everyone in the queue before
he pushed off.
It was a pretty big queue,though.

Lukester Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ....that's great Adrian.....and wouldn't it be
> wild if you meet him again five years from now and
> he still remembers you. ("Oh yeah, you're the
> bloke who wouldn't let go of me hand")

lol lukester.....actually i'll let you into a little secret ,as you're such a nice guy.
I superglued my hand to his, so now we're conjoined...he's sitting on my lap right now, and he looks alittle peeved, it has to be said.
He says hi though

Really, I think it's a great thing to meet Ronnie, but am I the only one who feels that the " rules" make it all very robotic! Stand here, buy now, wait here, you get 20 seconds, shake hands, MOVE ON! Is this what his life has become? Sell the book but do not actually have a CONNECTION with your fans, God forbid!

To tellyou the true I don't want to meet my idols, because meeting your idols they become human

__________________________

Glad that Ronnie is in good health and that he has time for his fans.

Does anyone have any reviews of the book?

NICOS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> To tellyou the true I don't want to meet my idols,
> because meeting your idols they become human

I really like that they do just become human when you meet them. I think it's healthier to have them lowered down to that level than to idolize them from afar.

people had fun ~ Ronnie was gracious and fine ~ sounds great to me.
enjoy it! that's what it's for



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-10-17 00:26 by with sssoul.

Enjoy your book Adrian, glad you got through the queue and I hope all the others waiting so patiently got theirs signed too

Am happy for all you true blue Stones fans but can't help thinking I'm glad that
"another author," Bob Dylan, doesn't demean himself this way.

I don't idolize them ( i don't idolize anybody) I just love them how they are fuc-king good music makers nothing more

__________________________

First, meeting them does not diminish them in any way. Second, Dylan would never meet his fans that way because he is just plan WEIRD! Also, I think he is terrified of people in general! Third, when you are lucky enough to meet someone you adore, when they act "" normal and human", it is indeed endearing, it does not shatter a myth, unless of course they act like a real idiot. That is an unfortunate risk we take and some " idols" do disappoint.

I completely understand being excited to have Ronnie sign his book. I'm just a little overwhelmed by the sudden glut of rock star books where the publishers push every tabloidy word they can. It's like the music barely matters in the promotion of the "product."

And, Mickschix, where did you ever get the idea Dylan was WEIRD?
I do agree that we meet so few people who are endearing it's lovely to have the opportunity.

Very well described by Adrian-L. Ronnie was very gracious to his fans. I was number 150 and it's my birthday this week. So I got a "happy birthday" inscribed in my book as well as my name - but best of all, a drawing of a champagne bottle with cork popping and bubbles escaping. I was so enthralled watching him draw it that I forgot to tell him how I was already enjoying the book. But I didn't forget to thank him for the drawing.

Beast Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Very well described by Adrian-L. Ronnie was very
> gracious to his fans. I was number 150 and it's
> my birthday this week. So I got a "happy
> birthday" inscribed in my book as well as my name
> - but best of all, a drawing of a champagne bottle
> with cork popping and bubbles escaping. I was so
> enthralled watching him draw it that I forgot to
> tell him how I was already enjoying the book. But
> I didn't forget to thank him for the drawing.


Wow--incredible! So nice of him.

Oh Yeah beast...so nice of Ronnie
and HAPPY BIRTHDAY for that day this week....

Take Care and hope ya get some real cool presents....Hug for ya..



ROCKMAN

Why, fank yew kindly, Rockman!

Pleasure my friend....real pleasure...



ROCKMAN

mickschix Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> First, meeting them does not diminish them in any
> way. Second, Dylan would never meet his fans that
> way because he is just plan WEIRD! Also, I think
> he is terrified of people in general! Third, when
> you are lucky enough to meet someone you adore,
> when they act "" normal and human", it is indeed
> endearing, it does not shatter a myth, unless of
> course they act like a real idiot. That is an
> unfortunate risk we take and some " idols" do
> disappoint.


yeah i hear you mickschix; but it seems that's always the way it is, regardless of the writer, be it a rock star or a space traveller or whatever...
the bookstore sponsors the thing to sell books and that's the price for an autograph and a quick moment...it must be weird for the celebrity's too, but what can you do? especially if there's a huge line...

i've been to signings by singers and writers a lot in santa monica and different borders and barnes and nobles and even the last indie bookstore there; the midnight special on the promenade...and it seems the rules are always the same; even if there's only ten people in the line...

if it's somebody not HUGE like a stone, you MIGHT get a quick word with them afaterward but their people are usually into getting them out of there and on to something else very quickly...it's business..it is impersonal...but it was a thrill for the fan who started this thread so that's cool...

i sense a little frustration in your post...and it IS frustrating...u get physically close but it's extremely impersonal...

the nice thing about country music; at least the way it was until recent years; they had 'fan fair' every year...i think they still do it but it's at a different place and i don't know if it's got the same committment...

anyway...
it used to be on some cool old fairgrounds, and ALL the stars would participate...and you might have to wait a long time, but you got to meet, greet, talk a little, get pictures taken, share a laugh and a story...and the general atmosphere was very friendly and forgiving and people were happy and nice and not pushy and weird...(these are my memories from the 80's...
when i lived there the last few years before seattle ('04, '05), i didn't go to any of those kinds of events)

...it was very well respected and taken very very seriously by all the artists and the industry...and i always thought that very nice...to have one time a year where you could meet your favorite star for a few minutes and have a laugh and a pic and share a moment...i don't know if what they do nowadays is as committed or friendly...but outside of that...or knowing somebody personally, or paying like a zillion dollars for a backstage pic and signature (which i think is so cheesy) there's no way to get even that close...

those book signing things are serious business for the retailers and publishers and promoters and little else...sometimes, if it's not such a huge star as ronnie, i like it when they'll have a brief Q&A; those are fun...

Yep, was standing in line with beast, paulywaul, BarRoomQueen, MOWAT, and met Adrian-L afterwards. Was well worth the time spent waiting around. Ronnie looked great, was polite, and when I asked him "Has your hand gone numb yet?" he replied "Yeah, it just did actually" !!

Great to meet him and have something personal to cherish.

_____________________________________________________

What's your favourite flavour?...........Cherry Red!!

It is great you got to meet him! SO FANTASTIC!
It is interesting though how things have changed....I remember when his first book came out...and he was on tour with Bo Diddly, he came through Detroit and did a book signing and it was such a loose low key affair. There was a nice line, really no security to speak of...Jo sat at a table with him and he signed most anything you had (he signed my copy of Lacerated), and I had several pics taken with him shaking hands...very informal...
Interesting how it is more amped up and formal now...

thanks for sharing your rolling stones thrill!!!

Hey good for you, Adrian, that you got to meet Ronnie!
But are you sure that he actually signed your book ? He wasn't making grimaces, having a cigarette - while pretending to sign ?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-10-17 09:04 by Erik_Snow.

Beast my dear, congratulations on acquiring an original RW! how very glamourous and cool :E

Erik_Snow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hey good for you, Adrian, that you got to meet
> Ronnie!
> But are you sure that he actually signed your book
> ? He wasn't making grimaces, having a cigarette -
> while pretending to sign ?

lol Erik- no... and he wasn't munching on a banana either.
He looked good (if a little bored, by the signing procedure).

congrats Beast...lovely that he added an extra special touch,
for your birthday.
have a great one.