Two "DOGGED" Night: Never Again!

Why I will never again support or pay a penny to see Three Dog Night in concert.

About 4 years ago I had obtained Chuck Negron’s signature on an 8X10 B&W photograph from a celebrity autograph convention he attended. Thee Chuck Negron being the original 3^rd member so many years ago that was at the time, all three of Three Dog Night. Bringing these two photographs with me to the Arcadia Performing Arts Center, my wife and I arrived about 2:00pm that afternoon and through the rain that poured off and on all afternoon, waited to see when both Danny Hutton and Cory Wells, the two now remaining members were to arrive, that they too might be willing to add their signatures on my photographs.

Waiting patiently by the back stage entrance, Danny was the first to arrive shortly before 7pm. I was shocked, flabbergasted and still shake my head at his reaction when I asked him for his signature. The conversation went like this as Danny Hutton exited his car and began walking up to the back entrance:

Stephen: “Hi Danny, could you sign a couple autographs for me?”

Danny: “What do you have?”

Stephen: “A couple photographs”.

Danny, stopping and now looking at the photographs.

Danny: “Well, I’ll sign just one”.

Stephen: “Awesome. Thank You”.

Danny: “Whose signature is this on the photo”

Stephen: “It’s Chuck Negron’s. He signed it for me a few years ago and I was hoping you can add yours to it too”.

Danny: “No! I am not gonna sign that. I am not going to sign anything that has his signature”.

Danny Hutton then walked away not signing either photograph and not at all interested as I tried to explain to him that I have tickets to the show and was just a fan trying to obtain his signature.

When Cory Wells arrived about 20 minutes later, the response was even worse. Putting his hand up to my face as he walked from his car into the venue with an authoritive “NOOOOOOOO!!!”

Apparently, there is much residual and ongoing animosity between the current version of Three Dog Night and their former band mate. If so, it’s both none of my business nor my concern. Seems to me that it’s a private matter and a business matter, and these two gentlemen should have the decency and the class to leave their fans out of it. I could care less who dislikes who, why and how it all came about. I am a fan of both parties and paid good money to see a concert all in good honest faith.

Now, I am the first to agree that payment of a concert ticket entitles me to a night’s performance of music and entertainment, and nothing more. These two gentlemen or any celebrity is not obligated to sign an autograph for anyone at any time, and have an equal right to say YES to a requesting fan or say NO. I have no misgivings or no illusions of any presumed obligation to sign autographs for their fans whatsoever. My complaint again is not their decision to not sign my photographs, but the way in which they both went about it, the rudeness in which they declined signing, and the presumption that I am to somehow “know” that they will not sign a prior signed item by Chuck Negron.

The driver who drove both of these gentlemen to the venue and was a "roadie" of such, did come out and told me, "next time don't have anything signed with a member who has been out of the band for over 30 years". My response to him was, "how the hell am I supposed to know these things". His response was equally just as arrogant and rude, "that's your problem, now you know".

I am sorry, but I do not have the gift of “second sight”. If I did, instead of being at the Arcadia Performing Arts Center all afternoon waiting in the rain for these two guys to arrive, I would have been down the street at the Santa Anita Race Track betting on the horses.

I am used to some rudeness in many circles while collecting autographs as rudeness does walk hand in hand with celebrity ego, but not from a couple broken down and aging singers whose glory days was over 40 years ago and now reduced to touring state fairs and casino's.

Tags: anita, arcadia, cory, dog, hutton, negron, night, santa, wells

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Comment by Barry S on January 11, 2015 at 2:54pm: Wow! I'm not a huge fan but would definitely go see them if they come here, but not now! How rude. You bought a ticket to see them, not a way to treat your fans! I hate to hear this. Mama should have told you not to come. Sorry, just came to mind.

Comment by Brian Burger on January 11, 2015 at 5:50pm: There is bad blood between members over a book that Chuck Negron wrote about the band and his time in the band so I'm not surprised they didn't sign. They are tough autographs I tried for them 2 years ago without Chuck on an album and they were jerks about signing. The same has been said on here about Guns N Roses about getting Axl Rose first before anyone else because if he sees Mr. Saul Hudson on the album before he signs 90 percent of the time he will not sign after him. I too will not waste my time on Three Dog Night anymore. If you find Chucks long out of print book it's a great read.

Comment by Ian Baldock on January 11, 2015 at 6:08pm: Chuck has signed photos on his website along with the original drummer, Sneed I think. You run into a lot of this stuff. I believe Felder no longer wants to sign Eagles stuff, his vip meet and greets stipulated it even though people paid a lot for them. No pick guards either. Other guys sign over the others they don't like. Unfortunately theres more and more of this stuff.

Comment by Josh Board on January 11, 2015 at 11:17pm: I wrote about Three Dog Night in a blog recently. You should try to find that. Yeah, that was a totally jerk move on their part. (side note: the concert sucked, too!)

Comment by Robert Babb on January 12, 2015 at 4:24pm: it is sad that they have all been feuding for many years! lawsuits back and forth I believe!

Comment by Dom Vito Castiglione on January 19, 2015 at 9:28am: Putting his hand right to your face is totally unnecessary, especially how respectful you were. One of the worse ones I've heard was a friend of mine who took his jr high aged son to Hooters one night after a movie. His son noticed up and coming "artist" Kanye West sitting near by with his entourage. This was before camera phones so no chance of asking for a picture. My friend told his son once the food was removed from West's table, he could go over and shake his hand and ask for an autograph. His son waited for that and then asked the server to borrow a pen and took a napkin off the table. He went to the table and asked nicely if he could please get an autograph because he was a fan. West took the napkin and and scribbled something on it, spit into it and crumbled it up before handing it back to him. He went back to his dad and he didn't believe it until he opened the napkin up and saw it was all wet. If you don't want to be bothered, just say so. No need to be rude to people like that, including kids not even old enough to drive yet.

Comment by Null on January 19, 2015 at 12:38pm: I've never even heard of these goofy looking geezers which makes it even more hilarious that they think they are so "above" signing certain things for people.

Comment by Ian Baldock on January 19, 2015 at 1:44pm: That just confirms my thoughts that West is a scumbag, ever since he dissed the lovely Taylor Swift at the grammys.

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