31. What exactly did you do in the field of personal security?
When I went back to "normal" security work in nightclubs, pubs and the like I had some friends in the music industry. Concert promoters and other such luminaries were regulars and many became friends.
Now, pre MTV, there was a day when international music acts did NOT travel with 200 person entourages and personal security that resembled the Chicago Bears offensive line.
Local promoters had to provide hotel, transportation and backstage security for many touring acts.
Over a period of time, I did personal security for (and obviously met in the course of) ...
Phil Collins (wanted to push him in front of the van, not through the crowd to get into it, he was a total fucktwad)
Bruce Springsteen (lovely guy, "Call me Bruce")
ZZTop (awesome concert, followed by straight back to the hotel, NO after party, could not believe it)
Billy Joel (nice guy and sensational performer - did security for him 3 times)
Tone Loc (left the after party 3 DAYS after the concert !!!)
REM (Michael Stipe is one WEIRD dude)
I also did a whole raft of Aussie bands like Midnight Oil (MANY times), 1927, Party Boys, Australian Crawl, Moving Pictures, The Saints and others.
Amongst that lot there are some stories, let me tell you
I also did some private personal security work, looking after mainly Japanese businessmen, which was mainly well paid babysitting duty.
There were a few times I also got to the plane ride....
They give you a loked briefcase (with papers), you get on a plane, fly to another country, clear customs, hand the bag over to others at that end, and turn straight back around and get the next plane home.
Boring as all fuck but the pay was awesome - as were the frequent flyer points back in the early days of those schemes.
