Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Hi guys, Will here from Izzys site...

Just got back from an amazing weekend in London. I headed down on Friday hoping that Izzy would have me on the guestlist but without any actual confirmation from him (he had previously put me on the donnington list). Waiting outside the arena for the list to be posted I met up with Axls accountant (who was a damn cool guy).

As it happened Izzy had put me on the list so I managed to get backstage. I crawled and pushed my ass through the filled arena (Bach was already on stage by the time I got in) and when I was front row a guard allowed me to climb over the barrier (apparently I could have used the side door to get backstage but wheres the fun in that?). The first person I saw when walking through the curtain backstage was Izzy... walking towards me in full suit and Converse trainers carrying his guitar case. We were chatting for around 30 minutes... he told me about his life back in Indiana and how the area compared to Glasgow (he knew I'd travelled from Scotland), he showed me how to open beers "the indiana way", talked about his holidays in Baha and how he will enter the races one year. It was a real good mood so I asked if he was tempted to just walk out on stage right there and then and play a solo song or two and he replied saying how much he would love to but probably wasn't allowed  ;D He asked what I thought of the new songs and I said I was a fan of 'Better'. Izzy said it was a cool song, and although he hadn't heard any final versions of the songs he had jammed to it a little backstage. He said his favourite song was Chinese Democracy (he even air guitared the riff lol). Izzy introduced me to George Chin (photographer) and Tommy Stinson. Izzy asked if my pass was okay and said if I had trouble of security guards I could say I was Izzys Admin - "admin get access everywhere". He invited me back for the second show and told me he wouldn't be making the aftershow gig - so I didnt bother going. Walking around backstage I saw two Hells Angels in front of a door called 'Jamming Room'. I walked past them but was pulled back saying no fans were allowed in there. I said I was Izzys admin and they said it didnt make a difference... then Tommy Stinson walked past and said I was cool because I was with Izzy (izz had introduced me to tommy saying I did his site) so they let me walk in. Although Axl wasn't there I went in and saw Robin, Richard and Izzy all jamming away. Another Hells Angel in the room asked who I was and Izzy shouted over saying "No its cool, this guys with me. Hes my web guy"  :hihi: I only got to stay in the room for one song because everyone was being cleared out backstage - I think Axl must have arrived or something - but it was certainly cool for the few minutes I got to watch GNR jamming away.

The show was cool, although the setlist seemed really short to me. Watching Izzy live for the first time (excluding the jam room) was really special.

At the end of the show I basically slept in a hotel lobby, on the streets, in a tube station... I couldnt get a taxi, the buses were filled with GNR fans and just weren't letting more people on, and the hotel next to the arena said it was fully booked. Basically 12,000 fans on the streets lol. Sunday morning I emailed Izzy asking him to confirm that it was okay for me to come back for that nights show. I told him I missed the aftershow gig and slept on the street with other fans because of the late finish.

I stood around backstage the second night, talking to a couple of fans - Jarmo from htgth being one of them - and they were telling me about the aftershow. When Izzy walked passed he came over and apologised for the terrible show the night before. His words, not mine. He said there was a problem with the sound and couldnt hear very well. The band had been late arriving so I only had a few minutes to talk to Izzy but again he offered me a beer and checked my pass was good. Izzy did something very cool for me before he left which I never had a chance to thank him for in person but I want everyone to know that what he did makes him one of the nicest and most genuine, down to earth people I've ever met.

The gig on Sunday was awesome because when Axl walked off stage Izzy was the only original member of the band left on stage. At the end of Paradise City he went bouncing and jumping off stage... it was so fuckin cool to see Izz live and won't forget this weekend.

I have photos from backstage, none of the band because I didnt want to hassle them, but things like Izzys guitar case (which he asked me to look after whilst he went to get me a beer).

To everyone I met this weekend it was cool to finally meet you all... I hope your weekend was as awesome as mine.

fuckin cool post


im not worthy im not worthy!!!


i envy you dude

Interesting review...I'm surprised Izzy hasn't listened to the final version of Better though...I thought he'd gotten to listen to Chinese Democracy...

so how do you actualli open a beer the indiana way?

Really good read... sounds great... Wish I got backstage...

Thats awesome, from starting an Izzy site to efffectively becoming Izzy's webmaster, ragz to richez or so they say....

And how could u think the show on the 29th had a short set list - u got 21 songs - us saps on the 30th got 14!

JARMO - Do you have post describing your backstage experiances? 

ill try goin backstage sayin im fincks admin, thatll get me in for sure!!! : ok: :rofl:

Will damnid post your story on the Izzy board ;D

Very cool bro 8)

enjoyed reading that, thanks dude

Thats really cool to read. What was the really cool thing Izzy did for you that you wanted to thank him for?

really good story to read. it must have been fun for you!

I feel sick...too fuckin' cool......Izzy/Tommy...jammin room.....this thing is going to get good. :drool: Thanks Buster! I assume you will get that. ;D

Really great story man  ;)

thanks for the post! i really enjoyed reading that!

I met Will and his friend that day. Then I also met some other people who aren't in the band and who might post on various boards.

I also had a beer.


There you go.  : ok:



/jarmo

Jarmo was backstage to meet BFMV when they came off stage FACT his back stage pass was for BFMV not GNR? :hihi:

cool read nyd? : ok:


they probably chew thru the glass? :hihi:

Great read, my mind....Izzy sounds like a class act

Haha I totally forgot that when I first got over the barrier I saw the singer from Bullet For My Valentine preparing to go on. When I walked past he said 'hi' and I didnt have a fucking clue who he was. Seeing as he had a guitar in his hand I said 'maybe you shouldnt go on'. think the guy was pretty offended but i didnt know who he was so wasnt gonna kiss his ass  :rofl:

Great read and thanks for shareing :)

Totally awesome, great read!!

Cool post. For some reason I picture you walking around backstage like Wayne and Garth on Waynes World! : ok:

will saying im Pittman's admin get me anywhere?


sweet story btw

Man guarding the band was the "hells angels", man they still are a dangerous band!!!!!

you'd get kicked out for making a non-existant website :hihi:

seriously, how DO you open a beer the Indiana way?
I'd appreciate a quick reply cos I wanna try it this saturday ;D
and what was it you wanted to thank Izzy for?

I am So Jealous!!!
Izzy is the man! I'd give anything to go backstage  :'(

Actually, I'm not even sure saying you were CHRIS PITTMAN would get you backstage. . .? :hihi:

Pittman would probley have to say he's Dizzy's admin  :hihi:

I'm from Indiana and I have no fuckN clue how to open a beer the "Indiana way."     or maybe I just instictively do it and didnt know it was the "Indiana way"

btw..  i always open a beer by biting the cap off.




j/k...  id like to know what he was talking about though

/phoenix