By sweeneykovar | January 10th, 2013
Story time! A few weeks ago during ArtDontSleep’s That 70′s Soul concert, which featured a plethora of modern artists paying homage to the syrupy sweet sound of decades past, I got the rare opportunity to meet the legendary Shuggie Otis.
I was hanging backstage before the curtains parted, like the lecherous freeloader I’ve become accustomed to being at these functions, when a friend of mine tapped me on the shoulder. “Andres, do you have papers?” Of course I did, but why did she want them? This particular friend didn’t roll her own anything. “Shuggie is here and he needs papers.”
Immediately following those words the man himself walked up to the barstool where I sat, well, more like floated up to where I sat — almost like Dracula — and meekly greeted me under his breath. Dressed like a flamboyant gunslinger, his gaze was intense. I immediately pulled out a brand new pack of Elements rolling papers and handed them over, thinking he was going to take a few leafs and hand them back. He didn’t.
“Aw, I can keep them? Thanks man,” he responded. I was visibly dumbstruck and it took a few seconds for me to formulate my response. The exchange that followed could have easily been something out of Seinfeld, I stuttered and stammered and eventually relented, surprised a musical legend just very kindly jacked me of my only pack of rolling papers.
You’d probably think I’d be honored to have any kind of interaction with him at all, but I was quietly pissed! What kind of etiquette is that? Those were really good papers! To add insult to injury, no more than an hour later, I was approached by Shuggie’s assistant asking, ”Do you have any papers? Shuggie’s out.” Goddamit!
Anyhow, that was a fun night, and I’m glad I have this story to share with you. Check out this edit of a Shuggie tune by one of his biggest fans on the planet, who coincidentally also happens to be one of the best DJs on the planet. Maybe if Kootz edits some Leon Ware, I can tell you how he also pulled a fast one on me that same night.