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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 1985)
-dns si 1JII-33BJ 9161 ui Jjmq sem anjEjs aqx Xaojsiq jaSpnq uoi[ **** Jl** ^fBmwwfwf -»vfp wwm naHATTIOH^S W'W MO Adopted roadies on tour ByGIGI SHAMSY Reporter Karen Kocurek and Ker- rin Kendrick are best friends. And like most best friends they make plans, just for fun, to do things that would never happen — not even in their wildest dreams. They wanted to some day meet the object of those dreams — Duran Duran. But they never fig ured they really would meet them and they really never figured the inter lude would be so outrageous. The Duran Duran concert in Austin on Feb. 10, 1984 would be the beginning of a three-month esca pade for the two fans. So you’re asking, “How?” and “why?” Well, the evening started easy enough, Kocurek and Kendrick chose nondescript clothes. That, in and of itself, is unusual for Duran Duran fans but espe cially for ones that want special attention from the stars. The clothes were to serve as camouflage when they slipped away from their really bad seats and initiated the plan to rap pel backstage at the Frank Erwin Center. “Rappelling from the 15 foot railing above the stage was just one of our ideas,” Kocurek said. “We stayed up late the night before the concert throw ing out ideas — like flying the band a remote control airplane with a message or constructing backstage passes and posing as re porters.” True to their most creative idea, the two bravely began to mountaineer to a spot only inches away from the band. While moving into position their plans were foiled twice by security guards and con cert ushers. “The whole time, our hearts were beating a hun dred miles an hour,” Kendrick said. “We were hoping we would land near Duran Duran and they’d say ‘Wow! Those girls really want to meet us.’” Kendrick said she the thought the mission was ac complished when she tossed the end of the rope to a band member. But on the other end of the rope was a not-so-impressed usher. Foiled again. Half a dozen flashlight beams hit the pair as they were appre hended by security. Kocurek and Kendrick said they were surprised when the guards allowed them to stay for the rest of the show. “Soon we got this note from a roadie who saw IT SINGLE what we were doing. It read ‘Come meet the band at the Hyatt. Ask for Spy,”’ Kocurek said. “If it hadn't been for Kerrin,” Kocurek said, “I wouldn’t have gone through with any of it.” The hard work paid off, after hours of waiting in the Hyatt lobby, they got close to the band’s room. The popular rock band, often called the Beatles of the '80s, finally acknowled them. Kocurek said she sat on the couch beside her fa vorite, keyboardist Nick Rhodes. “At first, I experienced a moment of shock be cause I’m in love with Nick Rhodes,” she said. “But after he drew me a cartoon of his cat, Sebastion, I relaxed and struck up a conversation.” The two women kissed each member of the band and partied with them until 4 a.m. Before they left, the band gave them complimentary floor seats and backstage passes for the upcoming Dallas con cert. “The whole time we were with the group,” Ko curek said, “they were happy to be with the fans and happy to meet every one. They were nice.” Kocurek and Kendrick followed the band to Hous ton more complimentary seats and backstage passes. They said a representative of Capitol Records threw a party and then offered the women his room and room key for that night and the following day. “Duran Duran thought everyone in Texas would have cowboy hats and would beat them up —but they really loved it here,” Kocurek said. Again, Kocurek and Kendrick followed the group from Houston to the audi torium at Louisiana the next concert. They drove an hour to the Royal Or leans hotel in New Or leans to continue their Duran Duran celebration. “After an hour of decid ing what to do, we went with the security manager to a bar called Pat O’Bri en’s for a 23rd birthday celebration for group member Andy Taylor,” Kocurek said. “Soon it was like we were part of their friends,” Kendrick said about their relationship with Duran Duran. It wasn’t all over until the two had cheered for Duran Duran at the Oklahoma City con cert in April. Kocurek and Kendrick will have one up on a mere concert t-shirt — they were adopted roadies. \ -S-