A little help!

As well as being a massive Fish fan, I also run a couple of other websites. They are mainly sports focused but there is a growing music section.

Anyway, I recently posted this on it - http://v2journal.com/musical-odyssey-to-meet-axl.html

I was hoping that you could all take a look and help me out with contacts, suggestions and general support!

Cheers!

Here is an update on my mission!

Its been a week since my self proclaimed musical odyssey began.

For first time readers of this column, two weeks ago, I set myself a mission to meet one of the most reclusive rock stars on the planet within the next year, I set myself the nigh on impossible task of gaining an audience with Mr Axl Rose (Read about it here). And for the pedants who read the first draft of my far fetched destiny will know, the week didnt get off to the greatest of starts....

The article was published, the roadmap to success was set and the twitter account was up and running. I even started to tweet the article to Guns N Roses band members amongst others. Surely all I had to do now was wait.

And wait.

After a few days it became quite apparent that this was going to take more than a few tweets to get things moving. But worse than this - much , much worse than this - was that in documenting and subsequently mentioning it to Guns n Roses themselves, I had made a slight typo. And it was in the worst possible place.

I was apparently trying to meet AXEL Rose who I guess is not the same person as Axl Rose. On reflection, maybe looking for Axel Rose would be easier. Maybe there was someone out there who enjoyed both Harold Faltermeyers 80's smash and flowers so much that they changed their name. And now I was starting an internet trek to meet him.

Who knows? Either way, neither Axel or Axl seemed too interested in making contact at this point. And nor did Fish for that matter, who appeared just as reluctant to meet/talk/ acknowledge.

Yes, this story was going nowhere, via a misspelled detour, very fast.
But then I had an idea. And this idea wasn't half bad. If I couldn't get to talk to Fish just yet, I would take baby steps in his direction. And those baby steps started by getting in touch with his past. [please note that was going to say Fishes past but it dawned on me you can not pluralise "fish" and it would lead to a whole world of confusion as to whether it would be "fish", "Fishs" , "Fishes" or Fishi" - it's "he" from now on].

So where did it start for Fish? Well most of you will know Fish from his days with Marillion. And as luck would have it, whilst standing in the queue for the Fish concert a few weeks back, I was handed a flyer for "Stillmarillion" - a Fish era Marillion tribute band. Maybe, this band could get me an audience with the first stepping stone in my quest.
Which leads me to tonight. After dropping the band a few messages via various methods, the bands keyboardist got in touch with me just moments ago. And they have given me my first success on this road to Mr Rose. So it is with great pleasure that I announce that very soon, I will be meeting the closest thing there is to Fish - the band that play his hits for a living.


When I started my odyssey, I knew that this journey would be a long and lonely road. And for that reason, I knew that I couldnt do it alone. Which is why I have invited you all along with me on the way. And as you are reading this, hopefully, you are with me in spirit as I take my first movement towards the end game.

In that spirit of community togetherness, I therefore invite you all to join me in asking questions to one of the greatest tribute acts I have personally seen (this is not brown nose hyperbole - the last time I saw them, they were actually better than the last time I saw the actual Marilllion line up!). So, should you have a question, no matter how bizarre, please let me know and I will do my best to pose it to them when we meet.

So for now, dont forget to follow me in my journey and follow @meetaxl and tell others about the long road ahead. Until next time, when I will be one step closer, I look forward to reading your questions! (post them here)

A

If you would like to see StillMarillion live in concert, and join me for a beer, then they are playing in Glasgow at the ABC2 on Saturday the 30th June.


You can get me on adamd@v2journal.com

I will interview Axl Rose within a year (2nd June). And you will read about my epic quest here......

Keep it up!

I'm sure some straightforward stalking would be quicker though

What a bizarre thread!

Have you tried messaging or e-mailing Fish via this site? Or Twitter? Or FB? Maybe if you were more clear about what it is you would like to talk to him about...

Plus, he's been on tour and in Poland for a week. You're not going to get much out of him there

and I'm not sure he even reads tweets directed directly at him!....

I think you are right about him not reading his tweets, however, he did get back to me via email today

And then I just saw this tweeted by him:

Fish - Derek Dick ‏@FishDerekDick
Still waiting on awards to start. Axl Rose presenting ? Few girls here feel I should run out to burger van for. Poor wee souls.

What a coincidence that is!

Its going to happen! Mark it in your diaries - I will meet Axl in May 2013!

What a coincidence that is!

I think that Fish was actually using his satirical wit to poke fun at both the awards' and Mr Rose's tardiness.

Part 3:

Its week 3 already and still Axl hasn’t called or written. I really hope that he is okay.

I was sure by now that Mr Rose would have read my opening gambit and have contacted me via email. I am sure that he has tried to but maybe his internet provider is having a few issues. That’s it for sure – Beverly Hills or wherever it is he lives (note to self – do a little research on Axl before you meet him) has had server issues for the last fortnight.

By the time you read this note, I am convinced that Los Angeles will be back on line and my inbox will ping with “you have mail” from the desktop of the GnR front man.

Until then I am still drawing up my roadmap of how to get me in front of the reclusive rock star.

Now as you may remember, I set out my starting and finishing point in the very first article. And although that infernal internet outage on the west coast of America has prevented me from talking to Axl, I have made movements towards meeting my number 1 target on my musical odyssey.

For regular readers of this column, you will already be aware that my first pit stop is to meet the ex frontman of Marillion. And although my attempts thus far had drawn a blank, things had began moving in the right direction when I managed to secure a interview with the premiere Fish Era Marillion tribute band [Still Marillion].

The interview itself is taking place next week, so make sure to check it out when its published. And whilst I am at it, thank you for your questions.

So what has happened since then? Well quite a lot actually.

On Monday evening, my inbox alerted me to a new message. Now this happens a lot, and isn’t really that exciting in isolation. In fact if the email notification alert tone was an exciting occurrence and reason for writing an article, I would be up there with the Grishams and Patersons with regards for output. My inbox is a hive of activity akin to a...err....hive? Lets just say its rather busy. Talking of hives, maybe I should make Sting one of my stepping stones towards Axl?

(if anyone wants to drop me a message or help me in my journey, feel free to make that inbox even more fervent - adamd@v2journal.com)

Anyway, back to this particular email and how my short journey thus far suddenly took one massive step in the right direction.

Fish emailed me.

Now don’t get me wrong – the message wasn’t a huge letter of epic proportions, extolling the merits of my quest and how I, above all others, can gain a audience with the Scottish legend. However, it wasn't a "go away" either. In fact it was quite a pleasant matter of fact "this is my email address - I am going to Malta for a few days".

Needless to say, the email has given me a huge confidence boost and more importantly is personally a huge thrill! One of my favourite singers of all time has emailed me! Me!

This odyssey is beginning to gain momentum and hopefully my next contact with Fish will be the result I want - a interview in place with real rock royalty (although to those unfamiliar with him, you might only consider him a 3rd cousin removed to the Earl of Sandwich - to me heir to the throne)

So there you have it - I am now have a small amount of access to Mr Fish's inbox and more importantly, he knows that I am on the face of this planet, moving slowly towards my goal of meeting Axl Rose. So whilst I await the return of my first interlude in my musical dalliance to these fair shores, I move on to StillMarillion in Glasgow tomorrow evening.

By the time next week comes around, I will hopefully have the news that you my readers have been hoping for - first contact on the quest to meet Axl.

Until then, if you are in the vicinity of Glasgow, come and join me on the 30th at the ABC where I will be joining StillMarillion for a night of classic rock and if nothing else, make sure to read the full interview next week.

A

Part 3: Fish emailed me.

Needless to say, the email has given me a huge confidence boost and more importantly is personally a huge thrill! One of my favourite singers of all time has emailed me! Me!

Fish. Warming people's hearts since 1958.