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Note from your Adminatrix:

With so many NOTS fans and Dean Johnson fans converging on the Motherboards this year, I thought I would point you towards this topic by Dean, who was "velvetmafiacapo" here.

Back to Dean - and isnt the first line haunting?


I loved the article in "Next Magazine"; and I think it's the only time I'll ever be alluded to as a "genius" in print so I plan to have it buried with me, thank you so much. I already told you how I almost died laughing on the F train when I recognized Rabbit as Stevie on the cover. Love it! I was glad the article acknowleged the problem a few years ago regarding the "Stepford Stevies" who were taking things a little too seriously. I'm glad you're moving the event back toward it's original energy.

You know Chi, all these seventeen years I thought you had gotten the idea for NOTS from the Stevie Nicks Tribute show I was fired from The Pyramid for promoting when I wrote "wear your shawl, bring your spoon - all coke dealers admitted free" on the invitation. I didn't know the new owner was a cop.

After reading your article I realized we must have both developed the idea organically at the same time (great minds...lol) and that reminded me of a story.

After I was fired from the Pyramid job I lost my studio on Ludlow Street snd was shipped off to my Mother's farm in Maine to clean up my act and kick dope. While I was in exile our dear mutual friend Clark Render (Duelling Bankheads) came up to visit and enjoy the scenery - and brought me some goodies from "A-squared".

While we were high I said, 'Clark, I've become totally obsessed with this video of Stevie Nicks performing live at Red Rocks Colorado. She is so over-the-top she pulls me right over with her, I get chills every time I watch it. She's obviously out of her mind on coke but she's so OUT THERE it's like watching a tight-rope walker; her performance style is somewhere between Yoko Ono and Buffy Saint-Marie and there's this intense sapphic energy going on between her and the back-up singer; YOU HAVE TO SEE IT! It blows my mind!"

And then I sat him down and put on 'Edge of Seventeen'. Well, you know Clark. He was, needless to say, appalled, but trying to retain his composure. Finally, after struggling for something positive to say, he turned to me.

"You know who has this same problem? Chi-Chi Valenti. You two should start a support group or something."

And I guess that's exactly what we did. Smile

Everybody have fun friday and break a leg-warmer!

xo
dean johnson
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BRILLIANT!

Thanks so much for that Dean..it brought a much-needed laugh.

I have just finished editing the tribute video for NOTS of the legends past..That reminded me to mention that the original concept for NOTS actually was presaged in 1981 when Gennaro Palermo staged a Stevie lip-synch performance of mine for Haoui Montaug's cabaret. Talk about people being appalled, they really were at the time.

Yes, amazingly, I never heard about your famous Pyramid show till the very early years of NOTS.
But it was that night at Jones Beach (1988? 89?)
when Rags and I ran into both you and Joey Arias at Stevie's concert that I realized just how major this was..

And the rest is herstory.
Last edited by Chi Chi
I "did" Stevie a few times at R&R Fag Bar at The World in the Eighties. Once I did Fleetwood Mac's extended version of "Rhiannon" complete with Stevie's eight-minute interpretive dance solo while Christine McVie (Tabboo!) sat on the side of the stage applying make-up, eating potato chips and reading the National Enquirer. Then when I reached the big finale, Christine stood up behind me, held up a huge sign that said 'MUFF DIVA' and walked off the stage.
Last edited by velvetmafiacapo
Ha! Right after I saw this posting I found this quote in the EdgeNY article:

""I think the funniest moments for me were the first ones because it just seemed so absurd," said Johnson. "I remember sitting in the dressing room with Chi Chi and Joey Arias (we were the only three Stevies that night) and thinking, 'Well, this is avant-garde!'"

"And then Joey went up and started singing along to 'Stand Back'...but he didn't know the words and he had a coke straw hanging out of his nose," Johnson continued. "So he just kinda faked his way through the lyrics...and Chi Chi and I looked at each other and lost it; we just doubled over in laughter and we suddenly and simultaneously realized the endless possibilities for this concept and that there were a thousand ways to interpret Stevie Nicks. We were hooked."


It was what Oprah would call a "lightbulb moment."
Last edited by velvetmafiacapo
Can I also just point out that we save "Stand Back" for Joey every year? It's a Stevie tradition. It's also a tradition that he never learn the words.
EVERY year he says, "I'm going to really learn the words this time" but he never does.
The funniest moment was a few years ago (after he swore he knew he words) Joey was in the middle of a verse, just sort of mumbling and I turned the music off letting him mumble acapella.
I did it about three times exposing him.
He was mortified.
Even though he STILL does not know the words I swore that I would never do that to him again.
I hope I can keep my promise.
I'm really going to try.

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can i also just point out that last year *musQrat and i had to follow that performance.
joey was substituting f-bombs for the words she didn't know and the crowd did NOT feel it... they started booing!!
daddy came on to try to remedy the sitch but then we had to "white light" it to another level. funny thing was, i had said to *musQrat, "work! we've got FIERCE placement!! right after joey arias!"
little did i know the damage control we'd have to do.

but honestly, if she ever learned the words to that song i'd be devastated.
Okay Y'all...I rarely find myself at a loss for words. The operative word here being Rarely. All I can say is Thanks for sharing. I thoughly enjoyed reading everyones posts here. I found them to be Entertaining, Educational and Enlightening.
My Heart goes out to all of you for the loss of your Dear FriendFrown
I may have to go watch Live @ Red Rocks LOL...
Much Love & Respect*~
Lizzie Balboa-Davis
Enchanted Gypsy
Spins-In-Veils
And this - thanks for the plug, Mustie! And Dean thanks you too, I'm sure!

quote:
In her own choice headwear, arts maven Chi Chi Valenti told me that her eccentrically glamorous Motherboardsnyc.com is seven years old"”that's older than some of Hulk Hogan's girlfriends. "The Dean Johnson fans and the Night of 1,000 Stevies people have bonded on one of the forums," she gushed, "and made it into a total religion!" Sounds totally kooky and hot"”hand me my red ribbon!



http://www.villagevoice.com/nyclife/0816,24-star-won-t-...vates,411779,15.html
Yeah Me Too Prel*~...Well we met, but I didnt know him...He helped me though, unbeknown to him SmileOne Of His My Space Blogs, about layered clothes in the winter time...I know you walked a Spiritual Journey with me here, and Whoa that was something!!!!
What a great picture, & Im with Chi Chi here... That BIG Tambo with Diva on it that is Priceless...& by the way so glad you had a Fabulous Birthday Prel...
Huggles*~...
Lizzie*~...
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