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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-