-
9. Close Encounters in the Music Business
- Wesleyan University Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
9 Close Encounters in the Music Business Over the course of his years in the music business, Bernard Stollman crossed paths with many notable figures beyond the sphere of ESP’s activities. Here he recounts episodes involving the more well-known artists. Barbra Streisand Mike Wallace had an interview show on television [PM East/PM West] in 1961, and one of his guests was a tall, slender young woman, whose movements and gestures were beguiling. She was f unny, wisecracking, and I t hought she was attractive. I found her phone number in the directory and called her. Th e time was about midnight. She took the call, and I told her who I was. She responded by engaging in a long melancholy reflection on life. When she finished, I said, “Well, let’s have dinner.” She agreed. At the appointed hour, I showed up at her apartment, a studio walk-up in Chelsea. She came to the door, looked at me, and said, “Yes?” I said, “How do you do? I’m Bernard Stollman.” She did a double take. “This isn’t some kind of a joke, is it?” “A joke? No.” “What did you say your name was?” I said, “Bernard Stollman.” She said, “Oh. Okay, I’ll get ready.” She went back to freshen up, leaving the door open. I didn’t enter the apartment; I stood at the door. I could see a poster of Anthony Quinn on the wall. We walked from 23rd Street up to 44th Street t o her fa vorite G reek r estaurant, t he P antheon. S pyros S kouras, t he Hollywood producer, was there at a back table with his family. As we sat down and ordered, and all through the meal, women buzzed around and pleaded for her autograph. I found that she was appearing in a Broadway musical, I Can Get It for You Wholesale. We never really got into a conversation. When we finished the meal, I walked her part way toward the theater. I suggested we get together again. She said, “Okay. September.” It was June. She was embarrassed. “I have a boyfriend in t he show. He’s terribly jealous.” The boyfriend was E lliot Gould, 63 64 what got into his head whom she later married. We parted company. I thought that was the end of the story. It wasn’t. About two weeks later, I get a call from my bank, informing me that my account was overdrawn. I said that this was not possible, as I had just checked my account and there was money in it. “I know, we put it in your account by mistake . It belonged to another person with the same name.” I said, “Would you mind giving me his phone number and address?” “We don’t do that; it’s a policy of the bank. I t hink I’ll make an exception in t his case.” So, I called him a nd asked, “Are you Bernard Stollman?” “Yes.” “Well, I’m Bernard Stollman!” He said, “I know about you. I’ve gotten your mail and calls for you.” I s aid, “I’ve never heard of you. Maybe we should meet.” He agreed to come to my oἀ ce. He was very dapper, with wavy blond hair and blue eyes. I saw no family resemblance . He was an architectural engineer. I asked, “Do you have a girlfriend?” He said, “Yes.” “Let me see if I can guess her name. Would her first name be Barbra?” “How do you know that? Oh, you’re guessing.” “You’re right, I’m guessing. Let me try her last name: Streisand.” He said, “How did you know?” “Because I took her out by mistake. She thought I was you.” He said, “I’ll have to call her and tell her that it was not a practical joke.” And he called her at the theater. Jimi Hendrix It was August 1966, a beautiful sunny afternoon. I was strolling along MacDougal Street in the Village and heard the sounds of an electric guitar wafting up from a basement. I was never particularly enthused about electric guitars, but I liked what I heard. So, I descended the stairs to the Café Wha? The door was unlocked, and the club was empty. At the very rear, a musician was st anding and playing his gui tar, a small a mplifier by his side . When he st opped, I a pproached him and...