With the 90's came a change

 Marilyn and I during a break at The Edge during an interview.

With the 80's playing a big part of my music memories from records and radio, the 90's I'd have to say was my time for live concerts and discovering new music beyond the radio and music videos. Lots happened in my life and some of the best people I've ever met came about in mid 90's. This includes people I have in my life even to this day as well as brilliant artists with which paths we crossed. One person stands out the most and that's Marilyn Manson aka Brian Warner. We had a chance meeting while I was waiting in a line to meet Nine Inch Nails/Trent Reznor which never happened as there were too many people that had to be turned away. This was in August of 1994. The whole band was there and signed my copy of Helter Skelter that I was reading at the time which I find very funny and ironic. I'd never heard of the band before and was going to see them the next day in Barrie for the Soundgarden/NIN show. Something good came out of that day at least. I suppose this could become a story so for now I will just say that wasn't the last time Marilyn and I saw each other. I shall expand on this more later on. 

Brit Pop entered my life in the 1990's as well and still remains as a favorite. Some of my favorite bands got together in this time frame. Suede is still number one with me then Blur, and there's also Oasis, The Charlatans and The Manic Street Preachers. I'd like to also add the fact that many of these bands were massively huge back home playing stadiums sometimes and when they came here to Toronto they would be booked in smaller venues often in clubs. Because of this it was easy to meet many of them. CFNY 102.1 The Edge radio station used to let people join in the studio while bands were being interviewed so this was also a good opportunity to meet several artists.  

Liam Gallagher and me. He'd probably be surrounded by bodyguards nowadays.

I guess you could have called me a rocker chick earlier on but that did end up changing. Alice Cooper still holds a place in my heart. The below photo is an HMV signing. I was so not ready for that shot. I was however recorded on video meeting him which turned up during an interview on Much Music. I need to find it on my old vhs tapes and post it. Many years later I bumped into him on Yonge Street walking by himself and of course recognized him. He was nice enough to stop and chit chat for a little bit. I think he was in town for a show in Oshawa.  

Alice Cooper at an HMV signing.

  

Here's the shows I saw back then...

1990

• Whitesnake, Kiss, Faster Pussycat and Slaughter Fri Jun 15, CNE Grandstand
• Cher Wed Aug 29, CNE Grandstand
• Kiss w/ Slaughter, Winger, Fri Oct 12, Copps Coliseum
• The Pursuit of Happiness Fri Oct 19, Seneca College

1991

• Guns N Roses w/Skid Row Sat Jun 8, CNE Grandstand
• Jeff Healy band Sat Jul 20, Ontario Place Forum
• Alice Cooper, Judas Priest and Motorhead, Metal Church, Dangerous Toys, Operation Rock and Roll Mon Aug 19 Maple Leaf Gardens stub (site says CNE)

1992

• Slik Toxik Sat Sept 12, RPM
• Guns N Roses, Metallica (Faith No More cancelled sun aug 9) Sept 13, CNE Stadium
• Kiss w/Faster Pussycat, Trixter Sat Oct 3, Maple Leaf Gardens - Met Faster Pussycat at venue
• Slik Toxik Sat Oct 17, Hamilton bar - Met at show
• Erasure Fri Oct 23, O’Keefe Centre

1993

• Slik Toxik Fri Jan 29, Concert Hall
• Duran Duran Thurs Jul 29, Kingswood Music Theatre
• Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Neil Young Wed Aug 18, Exhibition Stadium
• Madonna Mon Oct 11, Skydome
• Stone Temple Pilots Wed Oct 20, Concert Hall/Masonic Temple

The super talented Damon Albarn and me.
Photo credit Forest Lightbody.

1994

• White Zombie Mon Feb 7, Palladium
• Redd Kross Sat Feb 19, Palladium
• The Charlatans Mon May 2, Warehouse - Met at HMV signing
• Paul Weller Thurs May 12, Phoenix
• Depeche Mode Jun 20, Kingswood Music Theatre
• Violent Femmes Fri Jun 24, Ontario Place Forum
• The Farm Wed Jul 20, Lee’s Palace - Met at Much Music
•  Lollapalooza ’94  Main Stage: Smashing Pumpkins, Beastie Boys, George Clinton & the P. Funk All-Stars, The Breeders, A Tribe Called Quest, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, L7, Boredoms, Green Day Second Stage: The Black Crowes, Blast Off Country Style, The Boo Radleys, Charlie Hunter Trio, Cypress Hill, The Flaming Lips, The Frogs, FU-Schnickens, Girls Against Boys, Guided By Voices, King Kong, The Last Poets, Lambchop, Luscious Jackson, Palace Songs, The Pharcyde, Rollerskate Skinny, Shonen Knife, Shudder To Think, Souls of Mischief, Stereolab, The Verve Several of the artists, including Green Day and Cypress Hill, skipped at least one Lollapalooza tour date in order to appear at Woodstock '94 instead. Jul 28 Molson Park, Barrie, ON http://janesaddiction.org/lollapalooza/lollapalooza-94/Tour Lineup
• Soundgarden, NIN, Marilyn Manson, Reverend Horton Heat, Pop Will Eat Itself, You Am I, Sat Aug 6, Molson Park Barrie
• Blur w/Pulp Sept 28, Phoenix - Met both bands and hung out after the show.
• The Soup Dragons Sun Oct 9, Warehouse
• Oasis Oct 21, Lee’s palace - Met during an interview
• The Jesus and Mary Chain Wed Oct 26, Warehouse
• NIN w/Marilyn Manson Self destruct tour Jim rose circus Thurs Dec 1, Maple Leaf Gardens - Hung out with both bands after show at MLG and after show party at The Phoenix. 

Tim Burgess, lead singer of The Charlatans.
Photo credit Forest Lightbody. 

   

1995

• Suede Fri Feb 17, Warehouse - Met at HMV signing, then later at Catch 22 club and hung out all night.
• Oasis Mar 14, Toronto Phoenix
• Portishead Wed Apr 26, Trinity Centre
• Stone Roses Thurs May 18, Marine terminal 28 - Met during an interview
• Edgefest Blur, Elastica, Ned’s atomic dustbin, Our lady peace Sun May 21, Molson amphitheatre - Went to an after party w/Blur at Velvet underground
• Radiohead Tue Jun 6, RPM (Warehouse)
• These Animal Men Sat Jun 10, Lee’s Palace - Met before show at venue
• Bjork Aug 7, RPM (Warehouse)
• Menswear Sept 13, Opera House - Met after the show
• Tricky Sat Sept 16, Opera House
• David Bowie & NIN Sept 20 Skytent Skydome - Met Charlie Clouser and hung out after show.
• The Charlatans Mon Oct 2, Opera house - Hung out with band after the show
• Gino Vannelli Thu Oct 12, Music Hall Theatre
• Oasis wed Oct 18, Warehouse ticket stub, official site 13.12.1995 Toronto Liberty Warehouse
• Marilyn Manson Oct 27, Opera House
• David Sylvain Tue Nov 7, Music Hall Theatre
• Shed 7 Fri Nov 10, Lee’s Palace - Met at the venue
• White Zombie w/The Ramones Mon Nov 27, Copps coliseum

1996

• Marion Mon Feb 26, Lee’s Palace - Met during an interview
• Black Grape April 29?, Opera house  (photos shows this date) - Met during an interview
• Pulp Thurs May 30, Opera House
• Catherine Wheel Sat Jul 13, Lee’s Palace - Met
• Sex Pistols Mon Aug 12, Molson Amphitheatre
• Manic Street Preachers Sat Aug 24, Horseshoe Tavern
• The Cardigans w/ Kinnie Star Sat Sept 7 Lee’s Palace - Met after the show
• Marilyn Manson Oct 22, Warehouse - Hung out after the show at the venue
• Genitorturers Tue Oct 29, The Joker
• Ocean Color Scene Tue Nov 26, Opera House

You can actually see Shaun Ryder with his eyes open!

   

1997

• Space Mon Feb 10, Lee’s Palace
• Kula shaker Mon Feb 17, opera house
• Erasure Mon Mar 17, Guvernment
• Dodgy Sat May 3, Opera House
• Suede Fri May 9, Warehouse - Saw at an interview
• Chemical brothers/The Orb Tue May 13, Warehouse
• Gene Sat May 17, Opera House - Met before the show.
• Supergrass May 26, Opera House
• Prodigy Mon May 21, Warehouse ticket stub (reviews say Arrow Hall)
• Marilyn Manson Jul 31, Varsity Arena 
• The Seahorses w/Mansun Fri Aug 8, Opera House - Met Seashores at an interview, met Paul Draper (Mansun) at the venue
• INXS Fri Sept 26, Warehouse
• The Verve Tues Nov 11, Phoenix
• Portishead Sun Dec 7, Warehouse

1998

• Bow Wow Wow Wed Feb 18, Club Shanghai
• Garbage Sun May 24, Phoenix - Met at HMV signing
• Marilyn Manson Wed Nov 18, Arrow Hall - Hung out after the show (Marilyn and Twiggy stayed on the tour bus).

1999

• Stabbing Westward/Placebo Fri Mar 19, Warehouse
• The Toilet Boys w/Dee Dee Ramone Apr 29, El Mocombo - Met Miss Guy after the show
• Pet Shop Boys Tue Nov 9, Warehouse