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You are lucky enough to meet your idols or at least get a friend who works at a venue to ask your heroes to sign something. You've brought along a great item and you're armed with pens/ permanent marker. And when you get the piece back, the damn pen has ceased or bled, basically mucked up that precious signing.

I had the pleasure of getting Cheap Trick to sign my copy of 'Budokan' I had waited years for them to play in Ireland and then they come...and I get the item signed and the silver pen smudges on all the signings wrecking that lovely Tom Petersen sig and Rick Nielsen's black marker is running out! Damn!

What was your worst in person pen disaster?? I'd love to know...

Views: 855

Comment by Micko on February 22, 2014 at 8:54am

And so I get to meet Porcupine Tree backstage before their gig in Dublin. Steven Wilson is such a gent and a musical genius, as are the rest of the band, some of the finest rock musicians in the world at the moment. They are happy to sign my CD...and the silver pen skids and smudges...a real mess!

Luckily I had another piece that turned out beautifully...so all was not lost! Phew!

Comment by Rich on February 22, 2014 at 10:50am

Ironically, the only member of garbage who had marker problems was Steve Marker.

Comment by Ian Baldock on February 22, 2014 at 3:49pm

Thats why Im glad they have the silver and gold sharpies now. The paint pens are too risky. I saw Ron Turcotte (Secretariats rider) ruin some ladies plate a few months ago. I thought she was gonna cry!

Comment by Rich on February 22, 2014 at 6:38pm

Seems like they have dramatically improved the metalic sharpies over the past few years, as they used to be somewhat unreliable.  I still think the best overall quality for metallic/colored paint pens are the sharpie oil based paint pens.  I tested a few pens side by side last week.  The metallic sharpies are efficient and look good but can be rubbed off with enough force (slow drying).  The mettalic colored pens that walmart sells look okay initially but are of generally low quality.  The color can actually be rubbed off quite easily it would seem, leaving an odd metal-looking residue.  The sharpie paint pens dry after about a minute or less, at which time the ink cannot be rubbed or even scratched off.  One forum member has suggested that certain glossy finishes may present a problem with these pens' ink drying quickly, but personally I have encountered no problem with them and would strongly recommend them.  Hobby Lobby also sells a similar pen (called a "duct tape marker").  They look roughly comparable to the sharpie paint pens but seem to dry much more slowly.

Comment by Josh Board on February 25, 2014 at 2:07am

Great topic!  My friend had the worst. He was waiting for UB40. It was raining, the water ruined the Sharpie. The whole band (all 9 original members) were waiting there, in the rain to sign...and his pen didn't work. My worst: a few silver paint pens that the artist couldn't get working. At least one of those artist -- Ray Manzarek of The Doors -- was kind enough to grab a black pen from one of his people. The singer of Bad Company, Free, Queen, and many other bands -- the legendary Paul Rodgers...my Sharpie died on him. We both walked around the entire venue asking everyone for pens. It was so nice of him to do that! We FINALLY found a person with a ball point pen, which doesn't look as nice and is harder to see on a dark album. It also makes the signature look fake, with the first letter being in black Sharpie, and the rest in ball point, blue pen. Oh well. I also had a silver paint pen run out on Jack Black, but you can at least read his first name. Oh....the worst was Jerry Seinfeld. He was in a crappy mood because of sound problems at the venue. At least 100 of us were waiting for autographs after the show (before the show, only 4 of us. He got out of the car and sternly said "Not now guys! After the show.") At least he kept his word. He quickly signed for everyone, and as he signed my video cover, he said "Your pen ran out, sorry man." I didn't even look at the signature, but just kept trying to get him to sign again. He kept ignoring me, and finally, before getting into his limo he said "GIve me the damn thing!" He then signed it. What was strange was...when I looked at it later, it had two signatures! Turns out, the pen didn't die as much as I thought. You could still see 3/4 of his name the first time. But heck...at least I had a second signature of him!!!

Comment by Micko on February 25, 2014 at 10:50am

Great stories Josh...man, you had some problems! I actually got a great Seinfeld sig and the silver sharpie did not let me down. I left Ray Manzarek and Robby Kreiger a pen and paper for them to sign when they came to Dublin and I had a in backstage...but it never happened, but I like to think my sharpie went on tour with fifty percent of The Doors!

Comment by Tim Henderson on February 25, 2014 at 6:34pm
Mine was I was chasing Jeff Beck and I got a tip where he was going to be, well I pulled up to the hotel and saw a man with long flowing hair walking away from me toward the mall with his wife! I drove past him checking my rear view and sure enough it is him. I throw my car in park and jump out, I grab a pen quick not having time to shake it but it normally works well, not today I get my rolling stone of him and Clapton signed and you can barely see it! Before I notice it he is also signing my photo, I realize the pen is blown out so I prep it when he comes back from the mall I ask him to resign because the pen didn't work and he just laughed and said nope I thought you were a professional, you f$7( up buddy! So I then asked for a pic with and the only reason he obliged was his wife felt bad for me and said Jeff I will take it pose with the boy!!! Sucks beck is not easy!! I got 2 out of him at once which is rare but you can't see it!!! That's my worst pen story!!!
Comment by Micko on February 26, 2014 at 10:30am

Of all the people to get with a pen that doesn't work, I think Jeff Beck would be right up there! That would be so upsetting Tim! Thanks for sharing, the healing starts here!

Comment by Micko on February 28, 2014 at 12:29am

Here's another annoying one. The David Bowie is nice and clean then the pen decides to explode with the rest of the guys... A real shame because they were such a short lived group of individuals to get in one place, at one time! Damn you sharpie!!

Comment by Josh Board on February 28, 2014 at 8:31pm

I dunno. I still friggin' dig that Tin Machine photo!!!!

Awesome Beck story. I got him twice...but was backstage, and even then, he wasn't friendly. A third time, out front...he didn't stop for any of the 10 people waiting.

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