The Never Ending Story Continued....

Ahem.  I feel the need to get all this background shiznit out for a few reasons.  First, to explainas to why I get to clown around at various music events.  And second, people ask 

me about it frequently enough (which is no prob!), but I figured it might be handy to have all of this in one place. You never know, I might forget it all at some point too.

Anyway, I REALLY wanted to do my third year (of 5, most of NU's programs are legitimately 5 years) co-op in NYC.  I still had no clue what I wanted to do and scored an internship at MTV, specifically at VH1 Classic because it was fully music oriented and obviously my background was in music, not TV production.  Anyway, I don't think anyone can complain about living in New York City at age 20.  I lived in some summer dorms in Midtown that a women's college rented out to interns every summer.  To me interning equaled fun and interesting people, so I was excited for a building of people like me!  Unfortunately, my roommate was a business intern really trying to get ahead in the modern world and all that.  Beer, boys, rock n roll, and other things I considered normal and fun were like another planet from this girl.  She was nice at all and I tried to connect with her but I think she was pretty repulsed by my lifestyle which wasn't THAT crazy.  I just went to see a lot of live music.  I do remember looking at a book on her desk in disbelief that someone would purchase and read something called "How to Network" or something like that.

Anyway, I walked to my internship in Times Square every day which was a trip in itself.  I think I'd only been to NYC once, when I was 17, to look at NYU.  VH1C was cool and I got to help and run around on shoots with Roger Daltry and Ringo Starr (!).  My awesome boss, Eric Sherman, even got me into a meet n greet with Ringo.  A Beatle!  He was my height and I was freaking out in general. That was also the first time I saw and met the gorgeous Elizabeth Fruend. Elizabeth is Ringo's everything woman with regard to his career and a total hero of mine in many ways.

Earlier in the summer, I was briefly dating my now good friend Josh Frankfort.  Being the sweetheart that Josh is, he would take the Chinatown bus down to NYC to visit me and show me what he knew about NYC.  Josh is one of my friends (along with Jenny Applebaum, Chris Vinyard, Ryan Armes, I know there are others I'm missing) that just knows so much more about cutting edge music than myself.  Not that I'm saying I'm the be-all-end all of knowing cool bands.  Far from it.  I spend way too much of my time listening to music I already know in love; I guess that's the pop music fan in me.  So anyway, Josh would come to NYC and I remember around that time he wouldn't shut up to me about a band called The Dresden Dolls. I'd always respond "the makeup band?"  How judgemental of me!  I'd never even heard the music. But I distinctly remember Josh looking me in the eye and saying "Emily White, you will love this band."  We also had a grand old time at the short lived Field Day festival that year running around catching Radiohead and Blur.  Although Blur is my number two fave Britpop band ever, it was obviously a mistake to choose Damon's set over my darling Elliot Smith who I never saw live.  I also skipped Elliot's show at Avalon during my freshman year of college because we were swimming BU (aka huge rival) the next day.  Don't take for granted seeing young musicians live who you think will always be around to tour constantly!  So anyway, Josh came down one weekend as it was also an excuse for him to see said Dresden Dolls I believe at The Knitting Factory.  Josh and I are WAY better off as friends which occurred to me halfway through that visit.  I'm sure part of it was my fault but he was driving me crazy on the way to the show, we were separated on the subway (like out of a movie, him getting onto a subway car right as the doors closed in front of me).  I didn't know how to get to the venue and didn't even really h

ave the $12 for the cover.  So I want home.

I wrapped up the summer living in Greenwich Village at my Uncle's apartment, had a weird moment of being along in the VH1C studios nearby doing work on the set during the NYC blackout, but was soon ready to wrap things up in NYC for now.  I'd had enough of Styx, Journey, and REO and it was time to get back to Boston.

Almost immediately upon returning to Boston I immersed myself in the scene again.  The Boston Music Awards were at The Wang that September and it was probably the best setting I've ever seen that event take place at.  I scored a press pass/ticket through Skope as I was to write an article about the show.  They sent me with a girl who was new to town named Jennifer Wilson.  Jen and I hit it off from the start sharing an instant love for music and she was a total hip babe in general. Jen was super tight with Brian Viglione which I thought was SO COOL at the time, ha.  The Dolls' played the awards.  Definitely "Coin Op" and I think something else, but regardless I was blown away and instantly a fan.  After the show we ran into Tom Kielty, a staple of Boston rock who writes for The Boston Globe and Phoenix.  He invited us to the Middle East as Ed Valaskus was playing with some band.  Sure, why not.  Of course we were pulled over and to this day it blows my mind that Jen and I were able to talk the cop out of giving Kielty a ticket.  Kinda sad on the cop's part that he caved so easily, don't you think?  

Jen and I became fast friends running around to shows around town.  It was so fun to have a concert buddy!  Especially since I was in the midst of training for swimming which was like another world all on its own.  Not that I give a shit, but I'd like to clarify that Jen and I were just friends!  The swim team peeps thought we were dating or hooking up or whatever.  Not to get all Gayle King on everyone, but girls can be tight friends without hooking up!  Maybe this was spurred by the fact that Jen is bi, but she always said I wasn't her type; ha!  We had a great time living on Gainsborough Street and I have fond memories of the Boston scene during that time.  I think I saw The Dolls' at The Paradise Lounge right after that and was obsessed from there on out.  I was so inspired by Amanda Palmer, her lyrics, and her vision.  

Jen and I of course had to get decked out and attend The Dresden Dolls' debut CD release party at The Paradise.  To this day, I don't know if I've ever seen such an amazing, beautiful, inspiring, and varied event.  Unknown to me in my little athlete world, Amanda Palmer had been throwing similar multi-media parties around Boston for years, many just down the street from my NU world at the Cloud Club.  Regardless, Amanda had DECKED The Paradise like I'd never seen it before: living statues, Michael Pope video installations, and a varied vaudevillian lineup. I should just look up the lineup but I believe Eugene Mirman was on the bill and I thought it was so cool to have a comedian support instead of some shitty local rock band.  I mean there was way more than one opening act, but you get the idea.  Oh, yeah YouTube.  Here is some Pre-Show Footage. 

A few months later, The Dolls were playing good ole' After Hours, the free, sans alcohol little "nightclub" at NU.  They served food late though, can't complain about that.  I begged the girls on my swim team to attend saying they would regret it when The Dolls were massive, but no one showed.  I believe homecoming king Jeff Riley came with me though!  You're the best Jeff. Mali and Jaggery were on the bill too.  Amazing!

The show was of course, fantastic.  I'd thought about approaching the band about helping out before but figured they were "too big" and didn't need it.  HA!  An unsigned band with no management or agent blowing up and pretty quickly sold through the 10,000 CDs they had printed up themselves? Come on.  I decided I'd buy a few CDs and have the band sign them for my 3 BFF's in Wisconsin who probably had never heard of The Dresden Dolls.  I was SO NERVOUS to meet Amanda, mostly because I was just a fan and really admired her.  Of course, we got to talking, she asked my background, I told her if she ever needed help, to give me a ring and I gave her a card. Haha, I totally had my own cards in college.  She instantly and intensely said "What are you doing tomorrow, can you come over?"  So off I went to Amanda's house the next morning having no clue what to expect.  Since The Dolls' had won the BCN rumble a few months prior, rumors went around the scene about crazy orgies and all of the drugs the band does.  I love it.  In reality, like 3 people made out at a post-rumble party once and Amanda and Brian are probably the healthiest musicians I know. But back then I had no clue.  

I knocked on the Cloud Club door and Amanda invited me in for tea.  We seemed to hit it off from the start despite the fact that I felt like a preppy athlete which goes to show you how relative life is as some of the swimming girls thought I was an all out freak.  Amanda had been running her own business and literally banging away on the keyboard in an unhealthy manner and was on the way to some serious tendentious.  So I would come over a few times a week and start writing her business emails for her.  In hindsight, what a great way to immediately delve into a band's world.  I was seeing everything that was going on from gigs, to fanmail to album sale stuff, etc.  I helped Amanda with whatever the band needed which was A LOT and brought in some additional ideas and projects that I had in mind for the band as well.  A few months later the band had plotted their first "national tour" hitting "venues" such as Geno's Sports Bar in Boone, NC and Big Bill's BBQ in Carbondale, IL.  But the tour was really booked and routed around The Dresden Dolls' debut at SXSW.  I asked Amanda one day who was tour managing.  She said she was just going to do it.  I offered, letting her know I was on co-op that semester, and although I didn't know what I was doing, I could at least sell their merch, right?  Amanda said it was a band decision and that she had to go over the decision with Brian (who I didn't know at all at the time).  A week went by and I finally asked her again.  Upon being reminded, she classically said "Oh right, totally forgot about that.  (yells across her apartment) Brian, can Emily be our tour manager?"  "SURE!"  And there you have it.

I got to work right away, making a tour book that is an embarrassment next to tour books that I would take too much pride in creating years later, but is a cute little relic.  I advanced shows, ordered mech, mapped everything out and we were ready to rock.  The Dresden Dolls were opening for Faun Fables and Sleepytime Gorilla Museum.  If you don't know either artist, go check them out NOW.  They are all from the Bay Area, and again I looked like a preppy jock next to them but were total sweethearts and we had a blast.  Dawn The Faun would tour with us years later and I've always been in awe of her vocal skills.  This is probably one of my favorite tours ever because it was just so special overall.  Me, Amanda, Brian and Joel (soundguy) in a van, traveling around making $100 a night.  What could be more fun?  The band did get to play the legendary Pabst Theatre in Milwaukee which my parents and grandparents were super impressed with.  We stayed at my parents house in Hartland, they made us awesome food, and I gave my mom a tour of the Sleepytime homemade tour bus.  SXSW is where we really bonded for various reasons and that first SX is where I was properly introduced to the first time to Mark Kates (the real first time was outside of TT's as he now knows), Scotty Waldman, and Anthony Rossomando.  Though at the time, Ant was playing with the super awesome Damn Personals before running around the globe with The Libertines and Dirty Pretty Things.  Such a fun weekend!  And definitely a huge part of Dresden Dolls' lore.  All in all, I have such great memories of this tour as who can complain about just turning 21 and running around the country with one of their fave bands?

I just took a break to eat an awesome sandwich from The Daily. But in true Amanda Palmer blog style I'm going try and knock all of this out so Wizzle World can be active in 2008.

Apparently the band approved of my TM skills as I continued to basically TM/Merch every show that I could from there on out.  A few months prior, the band had actually signed to Roadrunner Records (YAY DAVID BASON!) and subsequently performed a showcase at Joe's Pub  that was essentially a manager feeding frenzy.  I THINK I briefly remember meeting Luba but there were a lot of peeps to meet (I actually way more remember meeting Martin Bisi who produced The Dolls' debut album) and tons to do.  The band of course, killed it, and eventually decided on Mike Luba and Madison House for management!  Things started to happen quickly including a show with MSI (Bill? Sean?  Were you at the Tribeca Rock Club that night?), The Mint Chicks from New Zealand, and Mission of Burma (thanks again Kates!), a Beachcomber play, and our first trip to LA (Viper Room).

That summer Luba scored us a slot on the revitalized Lollapalooza tour alongside The Flaming Lips, Morrissey, SCI, and a ton of others.  Maybe trying to merge hipsters and hippies ala Bonnaroo just a few years before the concept's time was unfortunately the downfall.  Or the relatively high ticket prices.  But unfortunately the tour was cancelled.  Instead, Hickey booked us a real deal up-and-coming club run and our first proper trip up the west coast.  I remember thinking "god who's going to show up in places like San Diego, we've never been there before?" Gotta love the internet.  The band sold out The Casbah in San Diego, The Troubadour, in LA, and Cafe du Nord in San Fran.  I remember thinking "wow, they're becoming like a legitimately known band."  Well deserved!  Those shows back in the day were truly epic and amazing.  I'd run around singing all the words, merching, and yapping about the band.  Oh!  the band also made it's network TV debut by playing on the Jimmy Kimmel show on that run.  I think that's part of the reason we routed west anyway.  What a classic night of sharing a hotel room with the random but not-so-random posse of Joel, Michael Pope, and Bart "Take My Debit Card" Dahl.  Amanda also met Avril in the bathroom that night!!!!  

Following that amazing run, I had previously set up an internship at MTV UK with the help of my old boss, Eric Sherman (who is now the president of Fuse).  It was SUCH a hard decision to temporarily leave the band.  I had been planning on working in London my entire life.  In fact, I didn't even care what in music I did in magic UK land, my goal was to walk into Ignition (aka Oasis') Management, hand over my resume until Marcus Russell was convinced he needed me in his company.  But because I'd met Amanda and Luba and loved everything we were doing, I moved to the UK with the intention of coming right back after my internship to resume right where I left off in Dolls' world.  It was the right decision.  I dove right in helping my boss on shoots with The Cure (I GAVE ROBERT SMITH THE DOLLS' CD!!), REM, Bob Geldof, Super Furry Animals (!), David O Russell, and even met Price Charles (NOT KIDDING, it was at a concert we were shooting).  I had some wild nights with my besties Briana Dougherty, Elif Mills, and Emma Willis.  Everything from Shane McGowan to just hanging at The Barfly and Lock Tavern (HOTTEST BARTENDERS EVER).  Luckily, those three babes are all rocking in their own worlds and I run into them at random festivals or SXSW.  Below is a funny shot of BriAna and myself at the I Heart Huckabees premeire in London alongside a shot of Emma and myself in the middle of the night in Lost Vagueness @ Glastonbury.  For a 10 quid deposit you can change into costumes.  Fun fun!

The Dolls were also embarking on their first European club tour during that time and it was a blast helping at their London debut (Madame Jo Jo's in Soho) and also traveling to Stockholm and Frankfurt to see the band.  Man did I miss them though!

I returned to Boston for my last semester of college better educated about various subjects, revitalized and antsy to pick up where I'd left off.  I dove right into the band's New Year's shows (including a San Diego play with lotsa funny stories with the Jon Spencer Blues Explsion/Dave Burton) and we also hit Sundance that month.  Nothing too crazy to report from that except that the band played with Saul Williams, Nellie McKay Ben Kweller!  I was stoked to merch for Ben and Lizzie and as previously mentioned, Saul approached us instantly as he is a huge Dolls' fan.  Future NIN support unite! We did a few radio shows on that run as well playing with bands only I'd be excited to party with like Razorlight, Ash, Ben Lee, The Black Keys, and The Bravery. A and B often usually didn't know who a lot of these peeps were but I was happy to inform them.  We also did a a New England run with an unknown named Regina Spektor as support in which the band sold out Lupo's in Providence (1500 cap or so)?  That's officially when I considered The Dolls' a big band.  What a fun one!  BriAanna, Wes, and I selling merch as quickly as possible while Luba distracted a cop who was trying to kick the fans out for violating the (10:15) curfew so they could turn it into a crappy dance club night that no one was even lined up for yet.  A lot of dance clubs have early curfews when bands play before turning over, but COME ON.

Next the band went to Europe for a few weeks and I couldn't go because I legitimately couldn't miss that much school and graduate.  I'd been living in Allston that semester (not a cliche or anything) but really had the best time ever living in the same house as Brian Viglione, his childhood BFF + our Monitor Tech Dave Mac, our Merch gal BriAnna Olson, and other random clowns like Greg, Pete, Andrew Dimola, and Jesse.  I threw my most epic party to date around that time in which swimming and rock worlds combined.  See, world peace is attainable.

Finally it was time to graduate!!!  Stoked.  A few months prior when we were in LA at KCRW the-recently-relocated-to-NYC Luba was telling me how awesome Mad House was and how after I graduated I was going to come and work there too.  Why not?  :)  I didn't have to worry about it quite yet as we had mad touring to accomplish that summer of 2005 aka my greatest summer to date (though 2008 is shaping up nicely).  Unfortunately I couldn't walk in my graduation ceremony as that day (April 30th) we were at Coachella kicking off the international NIN tour!!!!!!  I'd never been so excited about anything in my life.  I remember pouring over Rolling Stone when I was a kid staring at the amazing photos of Trent Reznor and listening to Downward Spiral over and over again.  I'd be touring with Trent?  Amazing!  Coachella itself RULED and we were well taken care of by Nat and The Goldenvoice Staff (who always really took care of us at shows, thanks again guys). The shot atop this post is a gorgeous shot by Pixie that kinda sums up the day.

The NIN tour was amazing, I learned a ton, and it definitely changed my life.  I toured on a bus for the first time, saw the entire country, admired their straight-outta-spinal-tap Production manager Chris, met my saviour Chewy, spent a lot of time with Trent's assistant Brett, and got to see a NIN show every night!  We went all of the US, did a few Canadian shows, Mexico City (10,000 cap arena! amazing!  The Dolls did great), and straight into Europe.  Below is a random tour shot of my two favorite rock stars in the Burbank airport

But this European run must be paused upon for a moment as the band was to play the Hurricane Festival in Germany with OASIS!  I did all of my work for the day in advance and The Dolls were done with their set super early, I think they were the first band of the day on the mainstage. Anyway, I hung out in the artist lounge land ALL DAY nursing waters and diet cokes.  I'd met a ton of rock stars at that point who I didn't give a shit about, but I'd never met Noel Gallagher who is probably the reason I work in music (with a little help from The Beatles). EVERYONE knew what a big deal this was for me.  Various NIN band members and friends from my crew would walk by and say "did you meet them yet?"  FINALLY, around 11 PM or so (Oasis' headline slot was at Midnight), they turned up!  I nearly choked on my drink when Liam and Noel walked by me.  I was with Jerome from NIN and Dave Mac who encouraged me to just go to their dressing room and say hi.  I honestly didn't want to bother them pre-show. But it just took Jerome saying "If not now, when, Emily?"  to push me over the edge.  Good job Jerome.  I introduced myself to their security guard explaining that I wanted to give Noel a Dolls' CD.  So he just brought Noel out.  It was that simple.  We chatted for awhile about music and he was really fascinated by me!  This young, crazy Oasis loving midwestern girl who was touring the world with rock bands.  Eventually he had to go to stage but he invited me to hang after the show (!!!!!!!).  I dragged Amanda to the side of the stage and in a surreal moment watched my heros with Amanda to my left and Trent Reznor to my right.  If only 8th grade MLE could picture that.  Blurry photo below, but you get the idea....

Anyway, after the set I dragged Amanda to Oasis' very small, festival style dressing room and Noel said "Come on in!"  I sat right next to Noel and he offered me a cigarette (I don't smoke) but of course happily accepted.  He asked me if I'd heard him dedicated "Don't Look Back in Anger" to me. (My head went off "what?????")  I totally missed it because of the muddy sidestage sound.  But I thanked him regardless.  It took me a good year to find a real bootleg of the show, and I have it linked up on my (never updated) Myspace Page:  www.myspace.com/swedishgoggles. (Thanks for turning MS into one big wasteland of obvious advertising Rupert Murdoch!  Oh well, it's Facebook's gain and a nice snapshot relic of my Brooklyn life). We talked forever about music, my background, his label, and he couldn't believe I even knew my fave song ever as it was such a rarity (really, wasn't just trying to be impressive, listen to "Flashbax" it's Noel at his best). Meanwhile amanda was sitting on the floor in deep (drunk) conversation with Liam that is hilarious in itself.  But being the shockingly responsible TM I am, I made us leave at the last minute possible as otherwise we'd miss our morning load at the Southside Festival....  Sigh.We said goodbye and Noel said I could have Oasis tix for life. They say don't met your heros.  But that one couldn't have gone better! I've run into Noel a few times since and he always remembers my name + gives me a hug/kiss hello.  What more could a girl want?

2005 was the summer of festivals: Wireless, Glastonbury, Donnington, Werchter, Roskilde, Fuji Rock, Edinburgh Fringe, etc.  GLASTO!  Life changing for sure.  Amanda streaking and snogging Bright Eyes during his infamous set only scratches the surface of what went on that weekend.  A US tour with DeVotchKa followed as did New Years dates with SCI and our new soundguy David Hughes who for better or worse, became a massive part of my life.  Just kidding Psycha, love ya! :)

In January of 2006 I did a quick run with Imogen Heap which was AMAZING.  To the left is a photo of me looking like I'm doing some fancy in-ear monitor trick but actually am just duct taping Immy's in-ears as every time her UK unit would run against the material in her dress, she would get fuzz in her ears as did the venue security guys. Imogen and her tourmate, ZOE KEATING were an absolute blast to hang with and obviously incredibly talented musicians as well.  It was just us 3 girls and the soundguy, James, who also works with Secret Machines.  Skiing at Sundance was so fun!  Below is a pic from Park City.  Zoe put me in touch with her lil sis Laura as she said we had a ton in common.  I invited Laura to do merch on the upcoming Dolls' European tour and she accepted.  Hooray future bestie!

2006 was just more tour tour tour: SXSW w/ The Fiery Furnaces (who'd I'd work closely with in the future), Random Radio shows with Nine Black Alps and OK GO! (thinking girl!), more Jimmy Kimmel, etc.  

TBC Tomorrow.  Tired!