Did I Ever Tell You the One About...

When Hubba-hubba almost died because of Depeche Mode?

No?

Well, sit back and let me tell you small tale, and obviously one with a happy ending.

Back in the halycon days of New Wave, living in Los Angeles was an exciting, heady time.  Famous bands, and not so famous bands played here, visited here for talk shows and the like, and of course, what used to be a very Big Deal, the new album release.

Sometime in the late 80's (I'm guessing 88 and Hubba-hubba is at work and I am too lazy for fact-checking) Hubba-hubba and some friends went to the Virgin Megastore in Hollywood for a big release party/signing for the Depeche Mode album.

Sigh, back when it was ONLY albums.  Or tapes.  But mainly albums.

Does anyone even use the word albums any more?

The security bigwigs at the Virgin Megastore had erected plexiglass barriers between the crowd and the limo in which Depeche Mode planned on using for departure after their event transpired.

As I wasn't there, I'm not sure if they got there late, or why they were over by the limo instead of where the band was performing/signing.  Suffice it to say that for whatever reason, he and his friends were the first row of the plexiglass barrier line.

But that doesn't really matter.

Hubba-hubba claims that it was he himself who uttered the fateful words, "There they are! Depeche Mode!"

What happened next was something he claims he will never forget, as the surge of hundreds of people toward the plexiglass began inexorably pushing his group up against the barriers themselves.

At first they tried to keep their hands on the barriers and "push" off of them so as to not be squashed, but of course, that was fairly futile against the number of people that were there.

One of his best friends was thrown down on the ground from the pressure.

Hubba-hubba could no longer brace himself against the plexiglass and began to feel his body being crushed, air forced out of his lungs.

He had no breath to cry out.

He told me that he honestly thought he and his friends were going to die, right there, in view of Depeche Mode, whose members were finally making their way into their limo.

And then suddenly, miraculously, the limo drove away and the crowd lost interest.

There was a loosening of bodies and Hubba-hubba gasped for breath and searched for his friend on the ground.

His friend was trampled, with bruises and cuts, but he would be fine.

So would Hubba-hubba.

But to this day, he REALLY dislikes crowds.





Comments

Liz said…
I've never been crushed like that (scary!) but I also dislike crowds.
Ted said…
Wow! Quite a story? Tell me, does HH like Depeche Mode now? Or is the memory of that event too painful.
Anvilcloud said…
I don't know for sure, but I like to think that since one of the group is from Montreal, depeche was a form of depecher which means hurry. Fortunately they hurried away. They maybe got the depeche out of there. Anyway, this translation is only my theory, so it is probably all wrong.

PS: Last try. This capcha is driving me crazy.
marvel said…
Gives a whole new meaning to "Enjoy the Silence."

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Glad everyone was okay, and surprised at the use of plexiglass in those situations--is it common? (you can tell I'm not from a place frequented by the famous).
Gina said…
@Ted- still one of his favorite 80's bands!

@AC- That was seriously funny.

@marvel- I think the use of the plexiglass had something to do with the performance aspect of the appearance, can't have the unwashed masses get too close! Hmmm, I will have to ask HH.
OH how I miss albums and Virgin Megastores and being trampled to catch a glimpse of an idol.

The eighties were awesome.

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