Sweet, sweet Connie was doin’ her act

OMFG I hung out with Pamela Des Barres last night. Here she is with honky-tonker Mike Stinson.

In the early years of college a friend turned me on to the now-defunct website Groupie Central (accessible by the magic of the Internet Archive). That started an obsession with the phenomenon of groupies, fueled by my already long-standing obsession with music journalism and making zines/trying to interview all the bands I loved who played Oklahoma.

The library had a copy of Des Barres’ book, which I quickly devoured, and from then on I was committed to journaling the exploits of my life (which, by the way, have not included losing my virginity to Jimi Hendrix’s bassist).

Meeting her was a pleasure and if I wasn’t going to New Braunfels for this, the 5th anniversary of my marriage, I would be studiously taking notes in her memoir workshop here this weekend.

I nerded out to her by saying “I read your memoir when I was a kid,” and she replied, “Yeah? Well I have three other books too.” Touché. Then again, when I asked her how she knew Mike she gushed “He’s my boyfriend!” like a 15-year-old girl. So I think we’re even.

You can read my interview with her in the Houston Press.