GEOFF READING: IT STARTED WITH STEVE JONES PART TWO >>>

This is the second part of the “It started with Steve Jones” story. For a refresher on part one, click here.

So, we (New American Shame) go and play our show. It is almost impossible to get tired of playing rock music to a house packed to capacity with rock fans. What we were doing wasn't rocket science, but it seemed to convey. Performing in front of The Cult's crowd, it felt like we made a connection every night we went out there, and that’s really all you can hope for. 

After we got off stage, a friend that had made the trip from home and I high-tailed it out the back door, through the loading bay and out to our tour bus â€" intent on stealing a few moments alone. My friend looked like a Barbie Doll from a Marilyn Manson video â€" which is to say she looked great.

As we're rushing to make our way back- in the way we had come out - we run smack into Mr. Steve Jones.

Trailing Jonsey was somewhere between eight and 12 girls - all high heeled and low cut. This was Vegas, after all, and this was Steve Jones. There was a lot of after market accessories on these ladies. I look at him, and then behind him, and then I notice he’s doing the same thing to me. Then we both gave the same little 'half smirk/half dude nod' to each other. He told me he’d been trying to get all of these girls in the back door, but was having a mild amount of difficulty with the gentleman whose job it was to not let people in the back door without passes (even if you were in the Sex Pistols). Jonsey had a pass, of course, but he was in the market for a dozen more. I told him I would run in and find The Cult's tour manager, or at least send someone down whose job it would be to tell the door guy to stop doing his job so well.

I excused myself from my friend and got someone to open the backdoor floodgate, all before The Cult started in on “She Sells Sanctuary,” my favorite song in the world. Things were going great. 

After the show finished, The Cult's guitarist Billy Duffy told me to hang around for a bit. He had to do a meet and greet, and wanted me to wait for him. He said we'd take a cab to catch up with the rest of our two bands who were headed to a strip club. So I did. He did his thing, I milled around until he was done.

When we left, it was Duffy, Martyne LeNoble and myself. We walked out of The Mint (the venue inside the Hard Rock Casino) and passed a long, rectangle bank of slot machines with a double life sized, mirrored statue on top of it. At this point, I'm VERY aware that I'm currently bro-ing around with a guy whose music made me want to attempt to live this life in the first place - still in the moment and enjoying it, but extremely aware of how close to a dream come true I am.  

Duffy gives a little head nod up to the statue, "How ya like that, mate?" he asks.

I have to explain here that when Sonic Temple came out I thought “Fire Woman” was a cheap rehash of “Sanctuary.” I went to see The Cult on that tour and they sucked. Ian was drunk, Sorum was out of the band by that point, and I was completely disappointed. So, I never bought that record. On the tour we did together, they were all sober, and they were hungry again. I found the songs on Sonic Temple to be some of my favorite to watch the band perform. I had seen the cover â€" which features Duffy and his axe - but never really put together what it was.

Back to Vegas, and I take a second look at the statue. Then I realize the mirrored monster statue is the “Legs spread wide, guitar hanging low, arm in the air windmill style” from the cover of Sonic Temple.

And then I really realize, just in that moment, that it’s him.

I found myself saying, "Oh yeah, man. That’s that thing from...the... from your.... Ooohhhhhhhh shit! That’s fucking YOU!” 

Martyne gave a little non-condescending smirk, and Billy just chuckled â€" saying something about getting “comped” whenever he comes here.

Then the three of us got in a cab and were off.

Drummer Geoff Reading â€" who writes a bi-weekly online column for the Weekly Volcano called “Holding Down the 253” in addition to his weekly Wednesday music column â€" has played music in tons of Northwest bands â€" Green Apple Quickstep, New American Shame, Top Heavy Crush and most recently Duff McKagan's LOADED â€" to name but a few. He's toured the world several times over, sharing stages with the likes of Slipknot, The Cult, Buckcherry, Korn, Journey, The Sex Pistols, Nine Inch Nails and on and on. He has called Tacoma home since 2005, and lives in the North End with his wife and son.