It's true... it ain't what ya know it's who you know....

Tonight (Wednesday) at 6pm at Virgin Records there was a signing session for the HOT FUZZ soundtrack with Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Forest - so of course I had to be there.

it was fairly busy with the usual strange-looking sorts that make up the SPACED/SHAUN demographic... mostly late 20s-early 30s blokes who look strangely lost in the bright lights of the megastore. I had got there about 50 minutes before the start, had purchased 3 cds to get signed - one for me, one for Owen and one for Boss Richard - and stood gawping about myself in the queue until a mighty cheer was heard from the front and we started moving. I also had in my bag the video sleeve for Edgar's first film FISTFUL OF FINGERS that Richard asked me to try and get signed.

When I got near the table a security woman looked at the three cd booklets in my hand and said "They are only signing one cd per person". I said there was no mention of that when I bought them but she still said it was still only one cd. A big and gurly security bloke then took one of the booklets and placed it in front of Nick F who was yabbiting away to a guy standing beside the table so I never got to tell him how great I thought his performance was but got a smile off him when he handed me back the booklet. Edgar was next to him and as I handed him the booklet I said "So where are the posters you promised the shop then?" - he looked up and recognising me laughed and said that what with the film's hugely successful opening the office hadn't had a chance to send them out but he would make sure his assistant was onto it. The Divine Pegg was earwigging all this and asked Edgar who I was and he said "This is the guy from Flashbacks where I bought all the cop movie posters for the office" - imagine my delight mixed with sadness when My Simon said "Oh I've been meaning to visit your shop"!!! I told them the shop was now closed but quick as a flash pulled out the new comp slip and gave it to Edgar. He saw what I had in the unzipped bag and said "You've got a FISTFUL OF FINGERS cover". I said "Yes but they won't let me give it to you to sign" - to which he said "No I'll be happy to sign it" so while he was doing that I slipped the unsigned cd covers to His Dreaminess The Pegg and said "Could you sign these please?" - "Sure no problem" says he. I think I gabbled a thanks to them both as I felt the security bloke giving me evils so sped away sharpish!

Now I understand that for a popular event such as this - although it wasn't as jammed as the SHAUN OF THE DEAD dvd signing - they need to keep the queue moving as well as allowing the chance for everyone to get something signed but nowhere did it mention anything about the one item only rule - there were no staff working the queue informing us and the guy who sold me the 3 cds certainly didn't - even after I enquired where the signing was taking place. Surely if the punters are buying what you are there to promote then it should be no problem to sign, within reason, a number of items. The best experience of that I had was Mary Wilson at Borders when she was signing copies of her autobiography. A guy had some Supremes lps and the Borders person said "Miss Wilson is only signing the book", Mary W overheard this and said "Honey if I'm on it I'll sign it".

Now where did I put my free HOT FUZZ badge....