Story

I’m a huge Pumpkins fan, so I was very excited more so at the prospect of meeting Billy and not for the pumpkins reunion. (if it was all the original members I’d have been more pleased). March 2008 they toured throughout Australia and I had prepared two paintings, the first was of Billy screaming, I found it very difficult to paint and so for the second I decided to do a different portrait.
I first tried to meet him at the rehearsal doors to the venue where the band was scheduled to play. After about 5 hours of waiting I watched the band arrive and made eye contact with Billy as I held my painting out with the huge collection of other fans waiting, Billy’s car drove straight by me and parked in the garage of the venue, We all watched Billy get out and thought he might come over, instead he completely ignored us all not even looking back and just walked inside. I was so disappointed after waiting so long. That night I watched the band perform then rushed back out at the end to try again as the band left. Again, crowds of fans waited with me and Billy’s car drove out and sped away, a group of fans chasing behind. I thought it was over, I’d never get this one. The next day I tried yet again. This time I waited at their supposed hotel for some 8 hours in the evening, only to then learn I was at the wrong hotel! I was so frustrated now and was almost ready to quit the whole thing. Again, the next day, I chose to go to the airport to try and meet him as they left the country. After about 2 hours a tour bus arrived and off the bus came the band, thankfully there were only about 5 fans about so it was easy to get to Billy now, who this time was in no rush and was more than happy to meet and greet. He said he’d seen me and my paintings and told me that he didn’t like images of himself screaming, all I could think was how lucky I was to have painted another portrait of a different image, I guess fate works in very mysterious ways. He said he’d sign the one of him not screaming for me and we had a photo together. I look at the photo and he appears unhappy, I got a sense he doesn’t like to smile for cameras, because before the camera came out he was full of smiles and very friendly, a really nice guy who I feel has plenty of time for fans if the circumstances are calm and the fans are not intrusive.