By this time the Contessa and I, who were on hand to present the OUTSTANDING BASSIST award (more on that later) migrated to the backstage area and viewed Schon's mastery of his floyd rose customized Les Paul from the side. Then Smash Mouth was brought out for the big closing jam of their version of the Neil Diamond penned Monkee's classic "I'm A Believer." The Contessa and I were also encouraged to join them for this but I didn't really feel like shaking a tambourine and it wasn't like I could just conjure up the bassline on the spot.

Then after the close of this number, Smash Mouth started into the Van Halen classic "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love!" Hagar made them stop while they brought Michael Anthony back up on the stage because, well, its his song damn it! Once the rock epic got into full swing I had to get a piece of the action and there were way too many open mics for me to resist. I even shared a mic with Hagar at one point as SM's Steve Harwell, Hagar, Me and everyone else sang the verses and choruses. After the show the producer of the TV version that is going to air Sunday May 5th on KBHK UPN 44 told me that I was looking over my shoulder like I was going to steal that microphone and that it was hilarious. By the time I stole said mic, I looked over to my left and Dave Meniketti had joined in and was plugged in and shredding.

After the song was over, Greg Camp of Smash Mouth handed me his Fender Mustang Guitar and I did a pentatonic run and then told him never to hand a bassist a guitar and he drunkenly hugged me. As I was exiting the side stage some kid in the upper deck was yelling that I sang like Jim Morrison! Now I have to keep my ego in check before I implode turn into a black hole (nothing can escape it - not even light).

Last year I was at the California Music Awards (formerly known as the Bammies) as a nominee for OUTSTANDING BASSIST, an award which I narrowly lost to Mike Dirnt of Green Day who is really a class act and I couldn't have lost to a more game opponent. Last year I also presented THE OUTSTANDING MODERN ROCK BAND award with my ISW co-host ALAN BOLTE. Incubus was the winner of the award but Bolte and I ignited the stage. You can read all about last years' BAMMIES here.

Since the Contessa and I bowled over the Bammies committee with our fashion sense that put the glamour back in glam, we were both asked back this year to present the award that I lost last year. Jack Blades of NIGHT RANGER and THE DAMN YANKEES gave us an incredible introduction and testified about the powers of my newfound mullet and the Contessa read the winner who was Tobin Esperance of Papa Roach. Now I saw Papa Roach about 2 years or so ago when I was working a Stinky's Peep Show and it was pretty dead. Some guy told me that PR was going to hit it big and I kind of dismissed him only to find that they were all over MTV about a month later! This should give every band who has played a dead Covered Wagon some kind of hope.

Backstage, we were mobbed by our adoring public and were interviewed by such media giants as Dragon Dave, Huge, Ace and Danny from Reality Check (I wouldn't be the star that I am without these guys), Sterling James of Alice 97.3 who was interviewing us for the KBHK Ch. 44 telecast of the show, and Penny and the crew of Contra Costa's KVHS 90.5 The Edge. Penny has been spinning "The Deadliest Man Alive!" for a while now and it is because of her and KVHS that I often consider conquering Concord and becoming THE COUNT OF CONTRA COSTA!

In a strange incident, the show's co-host and star of the hit movie "Airplane!" tried to make time with Contessa!!! Wait until the Enquirer gets ahold of this because Enquiring minds want to know!

I also rapped with Alicia Perrone of Simon Stinger and hope to be putting on a show with them real soon, got some free strings and talked to the guys in Alien Ant Farm again. I haven't seen those guys since last year's Van's Warped Tour!

All in all, this year's Bammies were a blast and if nothing else, they signaled that something Van Halen is in the air especially knowing that the Hagar/Roth tour is just around the corner. It really feels like the mid-1990s with all of the KISS sentiment going around that resulted in he make-up tours only this time it is all VH and I am just glad that I could be a small part of it!

Special Thanks to Dennis Erokan and the entire BAMMIES staff for a fun show. Special special thanks to Queenie Taylor for making all of our rock and roll dreams come true.

Click here for astounding pics of The Count hobnobbing with the Stars at the 2002 Bammies!!!