I think you might be on to something here… She could definitely fit the bill… My only concern is when George says: "Years later she would become really famous and end up talking to David Letterman and everything. "
How famous was Exene? I’ve never heard of her, but that’s not saying much.
Back in the day - the '80’s? Oh yeah, she was famous. X was a band that mattered in those days.
After breaking up with John Doe, didn’t she marry someone famous? Like Viggo Mortenson or somebody?
Wow, that was a blast from the past! Thanks for posting the link to the Letterman clip, noodlehaus and welcome to the SDMB.
I agree Exene is a good choice. I would say she was moderately famous, although not quite mainstream famous. On the other hand, if your subset is “women who played on the same circuit as Roach Motel,” she’s got to be the one who enjoyed the most fame.
That WAS a blast from the past. Exene isn’t looking too healthy these days. Check out the Knitters clip on the X site and you’ll see what I mean. Thats the one thing I hate about seeing my old punk rock heros age. It reminds me that I’m forty, and any day now I’m going to look into the mirror and see some old guy looking back at me 
On the other hand, Billy Zoom looks exactly the same as he did in 1982.
Thanks for the welcomes people, but I don’t think I’ll be splurging on a full membership anytime soon. It’s a little too expensive right now. 
Not sure I’d describe Exene as “beautiful” though…even in the 80’s.
No. Nor am I sold on “famous” either.
It’s all in your frame of reference. Obviously George Tabb thought Exene WAS beautiful and famous.
What’s fame mean anyway? People like Iggy, Zappa, Velvet Undergound…whoever …are famous to music fans, but the averge guy on the street doesn’t know who they were. Exene was that kind of famous.
Now come on…do some of you people think somebody like Linda Fucking Ronstat would have toured with George Tabb? Obviously you guys have no idea who he is. His band in that time period was probably False Prophets whose big claim to fame was a song called “Banana Split Republic” on the classic anti war, anti Reagan/Thatcher “P.E.A.C.E” compilation album. He might have been in Iron Prostate at the time, but I think that band didnt start till the late 80’s. Anyway, my point is…to some teenage punk rock guy in the early 80s, Exene was pretty damn famous. and HOT.
Besides, X’s “Hungry Wolf” was on heavy rotation on MTV, they were on Urgh:A Music War, they were on a major label, Ray Manzarek mihgt have well have been a member of the band because he not only produced the band, but also played with them and contributed to their sound in a big way. How much more famous do you want?.
I think he mentions in the article that he was playing in Roach Motel at the time of the encounter.
Oh. Well, in that case, maybe it WAS Linda Ronstadt.
Heh, your age is showing. Beatles Schmeatles, now Mario Lanza, there was a famous singer. I’m 45 and remember X well, its gotta be her. I also once went down on a hottie from somewhere in the Balkans (Isn’t Exene a Croat or something?) and had basically the same experience.
For those just joining us, the primary clues:
Taking the OP’s word that this incident probably happened in the early 80’s, the band in question would not have been famous at the time (the club where both bands played was small, he says she got famous “later”). I’d argue that in the early 80’s, X was pretty much as famous as they were ever going to get (URGH! was released in 1981). While they are certainly well-known, I don’t know if I’d call them “really famous” in a mainstream sense. Although if Mr. Tapp’s definition of fame is getting to sit on Letterman’s couch, that means my friend Mike is “really famous,” so there’s room for interpretation there.
Also, in the above-linked Letterman appearance, neither Exene nor any other band member approached Letterman’s guest couch. Has she ever done this at any other time in her career?
(By the way, yes, Exene was once married Viggo Mortensen and they have a son, Henry. According to the behind-the-scenes features on the Lord of the Rings DVDs, Henry was instrumental in Viggo accepting the role of Aragorn.)
Natalie Merchant sounds more likely than Exene. 10,000 Maniacs formed in 1981 and toured through the early '80s but didn’t score a big hit until 1987. They certainly would have been considered a “hippie band” by punk-rockers, but it wouldn’t have been out of the question for a punk band to open for them. In fact, their drummer Jerry Augustyniak played in punk band The Stains when they asked him to play with them (wiki link ). She most certainly did become very famous, by all definitions, both with her band and even more so as a solo performer.
However, was she married at the time of the alleged incident? I can’t Google any personal information on her besides the fact that she’s married now. Also, I don’t know if she ever graced Letterman’s guest couch, either.
It is also possible that Tabb may have deliberately changed details to make the woman harder to identify. He may genuinely wish to protect her identity, adding tantalizing but misleading clues.
As for other nominees:
Cyndi Lauper: Possible, depending on when the incident in question happened, and when she was actually touring with Blue Angel. She became hugely famous circa 1983, so it would have to have been before that. How many years between the time she was touring with the band, and she released “She’s so Unusual?” As far as hair color, I think she’s a natural blonde but has dyed it every known hue, so that’s no help. Also, she didn’t get married until 1991, AFAIK.
Aimee Mann: Possible. She was in a punk rock band in the early 80s. But she’s a blonde and would have been unmarried at the time.
Chrissie Hynde: No way. The Pretenders were huge by 1980. Very doubtful she would need to beg for head in the back of some college kid’s Datsun.
Linda Ronstadt: Playing with a punk band in the 80s? she *later *became famous? Uh, no.
(all assertions based on the assumption that Wikipedia is correct, of course…)
This seems to have happened when he was a student in Florida and the singer was playing there. When was he a student in Florida and who would have toured there.
Now we have to guess who Darth Vader’s Little Pal 's friend Mike is.
Nobody you know, believe me. Well, maybe . He wrote a book, and has done a lot of one-man theater shows.
Quite possibly.
No way. She was nowhere near as famous as those you listed. There will be a significant number of people who have heard of Iggy, Zappa & the Velvet Underground who have no idea who Exene is.
:dubious: I bought all the early X records as they were released. I’m a huge fan. But I don’t think she fits the descriptions of “beautiful” and “famous”. I’m dubious about X being a “hippie band”, too.
Well, Exene is from Florida.
She left Florida in 1976. Also, in tyhe Early 80s, Exene was as famous as she was going to get. Also, the woman in question was not famous at the time:
Also, I wouldn’t describe Exene’s hair as “silky” at any point.
I have a WAG…what about **Susanna Hoffs ** of The Bangles? The timeframe is about right, and the Bangles’ 60s schtick of the time might be construed (by a punk) to be “hippie”.
However, I refuse to believe that Susanna would be anything less than scintilating, so maybe this WAG is just not on.
Another possibility would be Courtney Love. She was briefly a member of Faith No More in 1983 and had some girl group with a couple of the women from Babes in Toyland as well. And she’s certainly been on Letterman.
Hmmmm…now you make me doubt my own theory. Although, she most likely DID have a nasty pussy < shudders > I don’t think she was married until Cobain.
Great. Now I’m visualizing Courtney’s crotch. I bet it’s a scary place.
Heh…Courtney’s Crotch. Now THATS a band name!