funny thing about heroes. you never know what to expect. only once in my life, no make that TWICE, have i ever been starstruck. the first time was meeting Elvis Costello when i worked at Mc Cabes Guitar shop around 1990. he was as sweet a guy as you could imagine and couldnt have been more pleasant. once, i was eating at my favorite sushi bar in brentwood, HANA SUSHI, when, standing behind me was none other than TONY CURTIS….my FAVORITE actor! right behind me! the first thing that came to mind was to quote, like a complete idiot, as many lines from SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS as i could ramble off before he could tell me to shut up. but something funny happened when i opened my mouth; nothing came out! i was terrified!

well, for the last several years ive seen Dave Davies walk in my neighborhood atleast a hundred times. i see him in the market. at the coffee shop. everywhere. and i always want to say hello, to tell him how much the KINKS have touch me as a music lover and influenced me as a songwriter. but i get cold feet each time. until this morning. i was leaving BUZZ CAFE on santa monica blvd this morning when, dead smack in from of 20/20 video, Dave and I came face to face. he was staring straight ahead so i took the innitiative by saying, just as he passed me, DAVE, I READ YOUR BOOK AND REALLY LOVED IT. I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN ABOUT THEAKSTONS OLD PECULIAR! he was TICKLED!!! he turned around and walked back up to me and i began to tell him how much i loved his guitar playing an dhow my friend, Fritz in Cleveland, and i were just talking about the album SOMETHING ELSE BY THE KINKS…it was really going well until this really smelly homeless person came up to Dave and asked him for a cigarette.

that seemed to break everything up, as Dave thanked me and continued to walk towards Crescent Heights, which happens to be the spot where Eddie Murphy was arrested several years back for propositioning a Trannie. so, i found all that quite entertaining. and to think, just earlier, at Urth Caffe, i ran into a LOVE fan named Michael who said he might have an extra Laker ticket for me, which i thought very nice cause i love the Lakers. and David Bowies birthday was yesterday. so there you have it…

Mike Randle