Jeff Marshall Remembers Bobby Sheehan

I'm not the kind of guy that waits in the wings after a show and tries to meet musicians.

I guess that I always get nervous and worry about making an ass of myself in front of people I truly admire and respect.

I met Warren Zevon once and just stood there like a blubbering idiot. He laughed at me. I never wanted to be in that awkward position again. Ugh!

Anyway...I went and caught the Jono Manson Band in February '96 at the Double Door in Chicago. There were a few dozen people there. Chan and Bobby were playing with Jono in support of his new album, "Almost Home."

It was a great show. I haven't listened to the tape in a long time (you can hear me yell "yeah" at one point)...I think that I may have left it in a warm car one Midwestern summer afternoon for about 30 seconds...and it's damaged...but I digress.

I stuck around with Misemer after the show that night...he taped and had to get his stuff together.

Bobby came out and got a drink. I was sitting there with my beer...and offered to buy the man a drink. He declined, but set me up with another. I asked him how he was doing...and if he was digging playing the smaller clubs again (I think that the Chicago gig was the third show on that tour or something). He said that it was a really nice to play with Jono and a change of pace...being in the smaller setting. We talked a lot about "Four." The album was flying off the shelves at this time. He talked about the band letting that ride for a while longer...getting the live album out...and then hit the studio again.

I told him that I'd seen a few of the fall shows...and the Roseland run...with a big smile after I mentioned how great BT ended '95.

He smiled back...like he knew that Roseland run of shows WAS kick ass.

It was the strangest experience I've ever had. We talked about regular every day shit. I wasn't nervous...we just sat there and talked...a lot about Chan's new haircut...we both kind of made fun of Chan because he still bopped his head up and down while he played...like he still had long hair...and it just looked weird.

Bob said that the band was stoked to get the Red Rocks Independence Day gig again and asked if I was going to make the trip.

"It's not THAT far of a drive." he said.

It wasn't all that groundbreaking of a conversation...just plain cool. When I read interviews with the band after that night...I could picture Bobby saying the stuff that was written. He was very down to earth...and the kind of guy that would be cool to sit next to at a bar if you found yourself there by yourself next to a stranger. You'd never know that he could bring the thunder by looking at him.

He signed my copy of "Almost Home" and drew a peace symbol on there.

That's what it was that night...music that got me high and then a conversation that brought peace2ya (to use a MAO signature).

A night I will never forget.

Marshall