Interview with a Vampire Movie Origin

“If you’ve got love in your sights
Watch out, Love bites
Yes it does
It will be hell” – Love Bites 

In the summer of 1991 while on vacation at the beach I was introduced to the 1976 novel by New Orleans native Anne Rice titled “Interview with a Vampire” which came out in a reprint in 1990.  After reading only a couple of chapters we picked up and left the beach for an impromptu trip to New Orleans for a few days where I have family.  On the return to the beach, while nursing blisters from roaming the Quarter for hours on end, I finished the book.  In 1992, I purchased a new fourth edition and had it signed by Anne Rice which sits proudly on my bookshelf. 

(St. Louis Cathedral 1991, by Amy Lee)

When Tom heard about it, the next time he showed up to see me I was made to wait while he dressed in a period costume he borrowed from the studios and made a big production of telling me he would be playing Lestat.         

There is more to the story…

Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love Myths

Kurt Cobain did not have a relationship with a girl named Tracy Marander. This was a girl he knew and gave the name Tracy for my ex-boyfriend. (See 1982 of which the page is bound into my school annual)

Kurt does not have a sister named Kimberly Dawn. Kimberly is my sister-in-law’s name. Dawn is the street I lived on in 1983 when I met them.

Kurt claimed to have an aunt named Mary, for the Mary in the song “Lose Control” performed by Evanescence which I wrote when I was 15 in 1983.

Leland Cobain is not Kurt’s grandfather’s name.  In 1957, Frances Farmer met Leland C. Mikesell, an independent broadcast promoter from Indianapolis who helped her move to San Francisco.

In all the years I knew Kurt, I never once saw in inject himself with a syringe. That is not to say he didn’t do drugs.

The movie Straight to Hell released in 1987, the actress which goes by the stage name Courtney Love looking very much pregnant and I don’t believe that is padding.  Do you?  There is a girl who is part of their clan which Kurt Cobain claimed as his half-sister Breanne, who would be about the right age.  Actually, Breanna is my cousins name which he used.

Courtney’s character’s name in the movie Straight to Hell is Velma. In the town where I grew up, Trussville, there is a bar by the name of Velma’s Place.

Just as Courtney Michelle Love is not her real name.  Her birth certificate is a fake showing her father at age 15 and mother age 20 at the time it happened to be recorded in 1973.

  

Crimson Tide Movie Origin

“Rammer Jammer, Yellowhammer, give ’em hell, Alabama!”

Despite the fact that Kurt Cobain made a connection to Charles Barkley who in 1983 played for Auburn University before going pro, I am a die-hard University of Alabama Crimson Tide fan. 

One of the most iconic figures in SEC football, Paul William “Bear” Bryant, passed away only days after Def Leppard’s Pyromania album was released on January 20th 1983.   

The day after the concert, May 16, 1983, when Joe Elliott and Kurt Cobain showed up at my front door after school, my room was decorated with memorbilia of my school (colors also being red and white) and the Crimson Tide.

While trying to promote the Lipizzaner Stallions touring the U.S. in April 1983, PBS aired a documentary of the stallions at the Spanish Riding School in Austria which I watched.

 There was a discussion later where I argued with someone about whether or not the stallions were from Spain or from Austria.

In August 1989, on the same trip to Gulf Shores which inspired the name for the band 3 Doors Down, I also made a short trip over to Mobile, Alabama to the Battleship Memorial Park.  We crawled around the USS Alabama and the submarine the USS Drum.  Also, at the park happen to be the USS Lexington which has since been moved to Corpus Christi, Texas. 

 (picture of me on the USS Drum submarine)

 

 

 

When I wrote the song Tourniquet to be performed by Evanescence, I make reference to the Crimson Tide.

 “I tried to kill the pain
but only brought more
so much more
I lay dying
and I’m pouring crimson regret and betrayal” – Tourniquet

Valkyrie Movie Origin

“It’s bigger than Germany” – Love Bites performed by Def Leppard

In a previous post I’ve mentioned how Amy means Beloved, to Love, and that I am of English and German descent according to my adoption records.  This is origin for the beginning line in the song Love Bites.

These are things Tom Cruise knew about me.  They all knew about me actually. 

One day Kurt Cobain and Tom were carrying on a conversation and I felt a little ignored.  So, to entertain myself I started singing, “Kill the Wabbit” from “What’s Opera, Doc?  Tom started laughing but then realized it was from Ride of the Valkyries, the popular term for German composer Wagner’s Act III of “Die Walküre”.

That wasn’t my only contribution.  Over the years they would ask my favorite movies and actors who had made an impression on me.  One such movie happened to be Kenneth Branagh’s adaption of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing released in ’93.  At about the same time of this movie I had also taken notice of commedian and actor Eddie Izzard.

To commemorate this brainstorming idea, Kurt had a picture made with a rabbit.

Yes, even Kurt’s love of turtles had a meaning.  Turtle is the nickname I gave Joe Elliott of Def Leppard.

Backstreet Boys Origin

“Back street boy gonna sell you some sin
He’ll wind you up–he gonna suck you in
The blood say yes–the mind say no
The voice in your ear say you go – go – go
Run down–you really run down–you really run down
Cool down–you never cool down–you better cool down” – Emotions in Motion

The Backstreet Boys group which formed in 1993 took it’s name from lyrics in Emotion In Motion performed by Billy Squier.  It was Robi “Draco” Rosa’s, formerly of the boy group Menudo, idea while I was singing the song.

Happy Birthday Freddie Mercury!

“While the sun hangs in the sky and the desert has sand
While the waves crash in the sea and meet the land
While there’s a wind and the stars and the rainbow
‘Till the mountains crumble into the plain” – Innuendo

Released on Queen’s ’91 album Innuendo titled for the song Innuendo, which I wrote and came from lyrics in Adam Ant’s ’82 hit song Goody Two Shoes.

“Don’t drink don’t smoke, what do you do?
Don’t drink don’t smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuendos follow
There must be something inside” – Goody Two Shoes

In fact, I made sure to reference the song Goody Two Shoes again in the song, “Good” 19 times.

Unfortunately, they did change my lyrics which were in direct relation to where I got the idea for the flamenco guitar section of the song.  Originally the lyrics were “Trip the firelight” and was changed to “Tread that fine line”.

My father, the jazz drummer in former life, would watch Lawrence Welk.  If I wanted to watch TV I had to watch what he wanted.  On the show there was a Mexican American girl named Anacani who would perform traditional Spanish and Mexican songs as well as dance.
 
“While we live according to race, colour or creed
While we rule by blind madness and pure greed
Our lives dictated by tradition, superstition, false religion
Through the eons, and on and on” – Innuendo

The band which formed in 1995 took the name “Creed” from lyrics in Innuendo.

Dont Go Chasing Waterfalls

“Don’t go chasing waterfalls
Please stick to the rivers and lakes that
You’re used to
I know that you’re gonna have it your way
Or nothing at all
But I think you’re moving too fast”

While reading the book which inspired the 1985 film St. Elmos Fire, St. Elmo by Augusta Jane Evans, it gave me the idea to show them why I love Alabama so much and places I had been to when little.

In the fall we, several on the Def Leppard road crew, Kurt Cobain, and members of INXS, went to Noccalula Falls National Park located in Gadsden, Alabama (pictured top right).  It was named for the Cherokee princess Noccalula who, according to local legends, plunged to her death after being ordered by her father to marry a man she didn’t love.  The bronze statue memorializing her jump into the falls.

Unfortunately, the day we went to the falls it was at a low ebb and disappointing.  This inspired the lyrics to the song “Waterfalls” performed by TLC. 

I was running along the dirt path in front of Michael Hutchence to get a view of the falls when I tripped over a tree root.  This inspired their song “Falling Down The Mountain (Kiss The Dirt)” released on the album Listen Like Thieves in October ’85. 

With the song Creep also released on TLC’s ’94 Crazy Sexy Cool album, in the lyrics I make reference to a song I made up for Prince titled “Gett Off”.

“The 23rd of loneliness” in Creep is a reference to “23 position in a one night stand” in Gett Off.

While Andrew Farris and Hutch were teaching me Aussie slang words when the subject came to The Outback and words like “the Bush” and “Shrub” which, due to the accent, I misunderstood as “scrub”.  That is what inspired the song “No Scrubs” and eventually the band name Bush.

This trip to Noccalula Falls also inspired the lyrics in Nickelback’s song “Leader of Men”.

“One day, up to a cliff

That overlooks the water

I jumped in to save a girl

It was somebody’s daughter”

What Women Want movie Origins

“What a girl wants
What a girl needs
Whatever makes me happy and sets you free
And I’m thanking you for knowin’ exactly
What a girl wants”

The former ’79 Mad Max star, Australian Mel Gibson, came to see me and, along with Michael Jackson, I pitched him the idea to do the movie “What Women Want” released in 2000.  The idea actually came from the song I wrote “What a Girl Wants” which would be released by Christina Aguilera in 1999.

In the song lyrics for “What a Girl Wants”  I make reference to another girl group I named and wrote songs for,  TLC’s second album Crazy Sexy Cool released in 1994.

   “Somebody sensitive, crazy, sexy, cool, like you-yeah, What a girl wants”

3 Doors Down

“If I go crazy then will you still
Call me Superman
If I’m alive and well, will you be
There a-holding my hand
I’ll keep you by my side
With my superhuman might
Kryptonite”

The story behind the band 3 Doors Down’s official name happening on a trip to Foley, Alabama actually came from a trip I took to Gulf Shores in August of ’89 on vacation.  While looking for a place to eat breakfast, we traveled to Foley stopping at the Foley Coffee Shop.  While talking to the waitress we found out that it was a family run business and her father had just passed away.

 I was heartbroken about the tragic accident in May 1995 leaving Christopher Reeve a quadriplegic after being thrown from a horse.  The original idea behind the song Kryptonite was to honor Reeve.

I make reference to the song I worked on for Prince & The Revolution’s ’84 Purple Rain album titled “Let’s Go Crazy”.

Eventually, drummer Daniel Adair would join my pet project, Nickelback, as drummer.

Titanic the Movie Origin

It was midnight on the sea,
Band playin’ “Nearer My God to Thee”
Cryin’, “Fare thee, Titanic, fare the well,”
Titanic when it got its load,
Captail hollered, “All aboard,”
Cryin’, “Fare thee, Titanic, fare the well” – Huddie Leadbetter (Lead Belly) 1912 Dallas, TX

In January of 1978, a 16 year old redheaded New Zealand girl stowed away on the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker the Polar Star headed to Seattle, Washington.  After making her way to San Francisco, she met the members of the rock band Dr. Hook’s Medicine Show and traveled with them to Texas. 

Four months shy of my sixteenth birthday in 1983, Labor Day weekend, my family and friends headed to Ft. Lauderdale, FL for a cruise on Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras (pictured) formerly known as the RMS Empress of Canada.

In fact, several from the Def Leppard’s road crew were on the cruise.  Kurt Cobain was there too.  I didn’t see any of the members of the band, but I recall giving Rick Savage a t-shirt from the Bahamas.

For most of the cruise I kept to myself there really wasn’t much for a kid to do onboard, or maybe just a kid like me.  Being fair-skinned I really do not care to lay out turning into a crispy critter, though I love to swim but as long as there is some shade to escape to.

(Some friends outside the “Showplace” on the ship. The other is me with some friends inside the Showplace, Mark and the real Rob Thomas pictured center.)

Before dinner I disappeared from my mom and friends just roaming the ship and went to the bow.  I stood on the railing looking down at the water crashing against the sides.  When I hopped down, turned around, and looked up toward the Bridge I saw a man in uniform running across.  Later I learned they thought I was going to jump.

During the cruise I met the Italian First Mate Marco Nogara.  (Marco Nogara with actress Mira Sorvino, years later after he became the Captain of his own ship called the Liberty.  He became a regular fixtured hanging around with Ricky Martin and Robi “Draco” Rosa.  I remember Michael Jackson telling Marco he would have him moved to the Disney Cruise Line.  Marco also wears brown eye contacts sometime.)

Upon the return home I was able to finish a song I had started when I came up with the songs for Oingo Boingo’s Deadman’s Party with Michael Hutchence and Adam Ant.  It was a gospel rock inspired song called “Home” later to be performed by Marc Broussard.

Hot damn you should have felt the groove
Like I was swimming in a sea of soul
The sun was rising and the day was hot
And we was all about to lose control
My daddy turned his face up towards the sky
And I knew that there was nothing to lose
I felt the crowd breathe in and I closed my eyes
And we disappeared into the groove

Said take me home
Said take me home
Take me home
Said take me home

The original lyrics for part of it was changed, but I wrote:

Stray from the water
Stray from the water children

You don’t know nothing about this

I had also started working on a song called “Oops…I Did It Again” and later someone requested I add to the lyrics a spoken verse:

“All aboard
Britney, before you go, there’s something I want you to have
Oh, it’s beautiful, but wait a minute, isn’t this…?
Yeah, yes it is
But I thought the old lady dropped it into the ocean in the end
Well baby, I went down and got it for you
Oh, you shouldn’t have”

I actually started using references to the Titanic in songs, including Supermassive Black Hole performed by the band I named Muse.

A little background on Carnival Cruise Line.  It was started by the late Ted Arison who was in business with Meshulam Riklis, actress Pia Zadora’s ex-husband, who’s business was based in Massachusetts where Billy Squier is from. 

At the time of my cruise Carnival Cruise Line was looking to expand their business.  From what I understand the cruise business was having a hard time in ’83. 

(This picture is of the cover of a photo taken onboard the ship which lists the names of the ships in Carnival’s fleet.  The Carnival, Festivale, Mardi Gras, and Tropicale.)

It was soon after my cruise that Carnival started having a standing in the “entertainment business” and hired Cathy Lee Gifford to do their commercials. 

Part of the blockbuster Titanic movie released in ’97 was based on things that happened to me on the cruise.  Of course, from an artistic standpoint.  They had also wanted to use ideas from Danielle Steel’s ’91 book “No Greater Love” which I tried to talk them out of.  They also wanted to use ideas from the 1943 German movie based on Titanic.

This is the connection between Carnival Cruise Lines and the Titanic.  The article is from January 1986 about a ship model builder. 

Just for the record, I never saw director James Cameron as the script ideas were being developed who claims to have written it.

In November of 1978 there was a headline out of London with the 16 year old New Zealander stowaway exclaiming, “Never Again.”  This inspired me to write the song Never Again performed by Nickelback.

It would be years later that I came up with the idea for and named the annual Rock the Boat held onboard Carnival Cruise Line for the ’74 Hues Corporation song of the same name.