Ever since I posted the photo taken with Robert Smith I've had people ask me about the encounter.  It was a magical night!

The picture was taken on May 23, 1992 in Burgettstown (outside of Pittsburgh), PA. It was after the show, backstage at the Coca-Cola Star Lake Amphitheatre. I met my wife Margaret the very next day, so needless to say it was one the best weekends of my life!!!

I've been a Cure fan since the early 80's. In 1987 I began an "alternative" music radio show called "Modern Times" on WYEP FM here in Pittsburgh. I also worked for the corporate office of the now defunkt retail music chain National Record Mart. Through my contacts at NRM, Elektra Records came up with the money to produce a Modern Times/Cure "Wish" t- shirt. I'm wearing it in the picture. The front promotes my old radio show, while the back featured art based on the "Wish" album cover. There were only around 200 shirts produced, so it's a neat collectors item!

Leading up to the concert my label representative from Elektra promised me I'd get to go backstage and meet Robert. If he told me once, he told me 10 times that the president of Elektra Records had never even met Robert, so I should be extremely grateful for the opportunity (needless to say I was!!!).

After the incredible concert I was lead backstage to a room lit only by candles. The room was filled with people from the Pittsburgh "top 40" radio station B 94. It was a HUGE deal for Elektra that the station had "Friday I'm In Love" on their playlist. I'm sure it was the one and only Cure song that the station ever played!
 

All of us got into a line to wait to meet Robert. Since Elektra thought the B 94 people were important they were all put at the head of the line. I was relegated to the back. I'd hid one of those old 110 cameras in my sock and snuck it into the venue (you know how these places love to confiscate cameras!). I was told by the people from Elektra "No pictures. Don't ask Robert for a photo opportunity". I though to myself, yeah, right! I may never get this chance again!

So, finally Robert and Simon walk into the room. The Elektra folks start to introduce them to the B 94 people. Simon seemed to lose interest quickly and left. Then, something magical occurred!

It was obvious that Robert knew the schmucks from B 94 could care less about him and The Cure, so he did the incredible. While someone from B 94 was blathering away Robert walked past the rest of their contingency and came right up to me. He KNEW I was a fan, not just some idiot there to soak up some glory with a celebrity. He put out his hand and said "My name's Robert" (like I didn't know!!!). What's your name?". So we chatted about "Wish" and the tour for a few minutes and I asked if he minded having his picture taken with me. I could see the Elektra reps glaring at me for stealing B 94's thunder and for having the nerve to ask for a photo. Robert said "Sure, if I can make a funny face". I replied "YOU BET", and a wonderful moment in history was preserved on that crummy old camera.