Tuesday, September 16, 2008

The People You Meet


I had a pretty wild encounter with someone I never expected to meet in my entire life. It happened a long time ago, but as I sit here wondering what to blog about today, he came to mind. He is an artist, a businessman, a visionary and remarkably rude.  I think that is one of the things I liked best about meeting him. Sound strange?  It does unless the person you run into inadvertently is John Lydon, former sex pistol and all around pistol.

It happened at the Metro Toronto Convention Center during Canadian Music Week about six years ago now. I guess he was a guest speaker at the world-class event. I was going up an elevator to a meeting when he pushed his way onto the elevator with me. He was instantly grumpy. I recognized him almost the instant he got on and google-eyed me like he might be ready to spit. 

I could not help it.  It was guy level. I said to him, "Never Mind the Bollocks" made my mother mental. I helped, too".  He stared at me.  He said, "Is she dead?" I told him that we was very much alive and still mental.  "Nice work. We did it together." He shared credit with me for making my mother a neurotic mess. I was thrilled. As we got off the elevator I said in typical Canadian fashion, "Nice to meet you".  His response: "Sod you!"

A great memory in the life of this aging punk.  

Sure...some fun today, but tomorrow there some serious tv and marketing stuff.


2 comments:

Angela said...

haha wow great story Mike!

andrew newton said...

See the Sex Pistols frontman in his first ever TV advert. Celebrating the Britishness of Country Life butter as well as its taste, it launches on ITV1 tonight during the Pride of Britain Awards. The ad was created by agency Grey London

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hzQsvxtLTM