My response to Steve Stanley's email
I was very pleased when I saw Steve's email, and as I promised, I deleted certain posts as a way to remove the harshness and stigma that would have been here forever. I do not want anyone injured, including myself. My goal has been and still is, to come to an understanding of facts and issues, which have arisen out of the release of the Chris Lucey cd in 2002, and the subsequent realities and responsibilities that accompany that release.
I know that Steve's heart was in the right place when he started, and that malice was never his intention. Even as he offered to give me his check for writing the Mojo article, he was attempting to give me something that he believed I was due. That money was his, so I could not have taken it, but I do understand that it was a gesture of kindness by him.
Steve Stanley does not owe me money, Rev-Ola Records and Joe Foster owe me money, as does ACE Records UK, who are involved with Rev-Ola, regarding the licensing of Chris Lucey. Steve was able to secure a small check for me, from ACE, $127.15, some months ago and I now publicly thank him for doing that. It was not his obligation to do so, nor was it his obligation to give me money for his writing of the Mojo article.
As I have said, and reiterate here, Steve included in that article, my requests, that not being paid for my writing and recording in the past, be included in his article, as well as that the Chris Lucey album was written, recorded, and released before Love's first album. He did this quite graciously, and I thank him for it here.
As you can see from Steve's email, his position on certain issues has modified, and I told him that I have made more mistakes than most in my life, but that moving forward in the end is always the best point of any achievement. Everybody screws up from time to time but the point is we get better at this thing called life by growing as people from the inside out.
If I was held responsible, forever, for all the stupid and hurtful things I've done in the past, I would be in prison for life. It takes a lot of character to admit that things got a bit out of hand, but it is imperative that I make clear that I do not hold a grudge for Steve Stanley, or feel as though I have won anything.
What is clear to me in this whole thing, is that everyone can win a little and give in a little, so that in the end what was once a sticking point, now becomes a valuable lesson learned and that the future will be smoother because of gains we have made here.
I had to literally die from addiction and suicide to become willing to change. I would hope that some can take a lesson from Steve Stanley, and become willing to change and progress without having to reach rock bottom to do so, as I did. I was able to find sobriety by the admission of my own defeat. It does not have to always be that hard.
At any time, anywhere, we can alter our course because it is sensible not because we are forced to. I have the greatest respect for Steve Stanley and the courage it took to wage this battle in public, but more so, for his courage to press on with me, and together reach an outcome that is good for both of us. Thank you Steve and I will now think of you as my friend. Bobby
Friday, July 18, 2008
(part 93) EMAIL FROM STEVE STANLEY
Email from Steve Stanley to Bobby Jameson
I received this email from Steve Stanley today after Steve and I had a long an productive telephone conversation regarding what was being posted on my blog. I am posting the email with Steve's knowledge so you can be aware of what has happened in a positive way to both Steve and myself. I will be removing from the blog some of the posts which have Steve and I responding back and forth. I agreed to do this so as not to have a record posted publicly of the bitterness we both exchanged equally. Steve and I have resolved our differences in a way that is constructive for both parties and I applaud him for his willingness to accomplish what was a difficult task for both of us. I will post my response to this email which I am delighted to say will be quite positive. I apologize for any comments that might be lost when I made changes to the blog.
Bobby and I ironed out a lot of issues yesterday and I wanted to share some thoughts with his readers:
In 2002 I was given the assignment of annotating and art directing the Chris Lucey CD reissue for Rev-Ola. It was odd timing because I had just discovered a copy of the LP a few weeks earlier, so I was new to the material and completely unprepared for the story that I was about to uncover. I set about researching “Chris Lucey” and found that he didn’t exist, or did he? Further research led me to understand Chris was, in fact, Bobby Jameson. But where was Bobby? I kept finding people that claimed to have known him or was in his orbit, but I couldn’t find Bobby. Where was he? Everyone thought he was dead. Without any leads to make me believe otherwise, I marched on, collecting tidbits here and there. I became obsessed with his story, and as my deadline neared, and I was nowhere near finding him.
The deeper I dug, the stranger and more fascinating the story became. I had a lot of research material, and some of which I collected was entirely false—he NEVER turned Diane Linkletter on to LSD. (I profoundly regret writing that.) He didn’t open up for Ceasar and Cleo (Sonny & Cher). And he didn’t jump off the Hyatt House—it was the Pacific Theater where Bobby took his leap and (miraculously) lived to tell. I ended up interviewing a dozen or so people but was never fully satisfied with what I came up with. There was a huge chunk of reality missing from this tale.
I never really believed that Bobby was dead. A few months went by and I became dedicated to finding him. I just had to know what his story was really all about. So I hired a private investigator, used his SSI number, and found him. ALIVE. So I was really relieved to find him. We spoke for hours and I told him that he would be receiving royalties for the Chris Lucey CD. It was my belief that he would be paid fairly and promptly. I sincerely regret telling him this now because his royalty check—which was very small— didn’t materialize for another five years. It was a mistake of mine to force Bobby to revisit prior record business frustrations (read: PAIN). I apologize for that.
Now, the truth is this: Bobby didn’t want to be found by anyone. He was satisfied living a life of anonymity, far from Hollywood, U.S.A. Bobby, I apologize for taking you away from the obscurity you preferred to reside in. I hope that the path you are now on leads you to new friends, positive experiences, and inner peace.
Thanks for letting me contribute to your blog.
Best,
Steve
I received this email from Steve Stanley today after Steve and I had a long an productive telephone conversation regarding what was being posted on my blog. I am posting the email with Steve's knowledge so you can be aware of what has happened in a positive way to both Steve and myself. I will be removing from the blog some of the posts which have Steve and I responding back and forth. I agreed to do this so as not to have a record posted publicly of the bitterness we both exchanged equally. Steve and I have resolved our differences in a way that is constructive for both parties and I applaud him for his willingness to accomplish what was a difficult task for both of us. I will post my response to this email which I am delighted to say will be quite positive. I apologize for any comments that might be lost when I made changes to the blog.
Bobby and I ironed out a lot of issues yesterday and I wanted to share some thoughts with his readers:
In 2002 I was given the assignment of annotating and art directing the Chris Lucey CD reissue for Rev-Ola. It was odd timing because I had just discovered a copy of the LP a few weeks earlier, so I was new to the material and completely unprepared for the story that I was about to uncover. I set about researching “Chris Lucey” and found that he didn’t exist, or did he? Further research led me to understand Chris was, in fact, Bobby Jameson. But where was Bobby? I kept finding people that claimed to have known him or was in his orbit, but I couldn’t find Bobby. Where was he? Everyone thought he was dead. Without any leads to make me believe otherwise, I marched on, collecting tidbits here and there. I became obsessed with his story, and as my deadline neared, and I was nowhere near finding him.
The deeper I dug, the stranger and more fascinating the story became. I had a lot of research material, and some of which I collected was entirely false—he NEVER turned Diane Linkletter on to LSD. (I profoundly regret writing that.) He didn’t open up for Ceasar and Cleo (Sonny & Cher). And he didn’t jump off the Hyatt House—it was the Pacific Theater where Bobby took his leap and (miraculously) lived to tell. I ended up interviewing a dozen or so people but was never fully satisfied with what I came up with. There was a huge chunk of reality missing from this tale.
I never really believed that Bobby was dead. A few months went by and I became dedicated to finding him. I just had to know what his story was really all about. So I hired a private investigator, used his SSI number, and found him. ALIVE. So I was really relieved to find him. We spoke for hours and I told him that he would be receiving royalties for the Chris Lucey CD. It was my belief that he would be paid fairly and promptly. I sincerely regret telling him this now because his royalty check—which was very small— didn’t materialize for another five years. It was a mistake of mine to force Bobby to revisit prior record business frustrations (read: PAIN). I apologize for that.
Now, the truth is this: Bobby didn’t want to be found by anyone. He was satisfied living a life of anonymity, far from Hollywood, U.S.A. Bobby, I apologize for taking you away from the obscurity you preferred to reside in. I hope that the path you are now on leads you to new friends, positive experiences, and inner peace.
Thanks for letting me contribute to your blog.
Best,
Steve
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