1988.10.14 - L.A. Weekly - L.A. Dee Da (Axl)

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Far more coveted than a pass to his Forum concert was the Mailgrammed invite to George Michael’s Wednesday-night party celebrating his six sold-out shows in the area. And having been told — and believing — that the press was disinvited to this fairy-tale land-of-the-three-quarter-poses, we tagged along with an invited friend and even made sure not to bring a pen. Weren’t we surprised to see several of our colleagues from the Times, Herald, Us and People, notepads in hand! We swear, it’s a wonder some publicists don't have noses like Pinocchio. Inside cruised the usual thundering herd of stars you’d expect at one of these things, including George Harrison (who never removed his inconceivably dark sunglasses) hanging with Tom Petty; Her Serene Highness Stephanie Grimaldi, elegant as usual, with ultra charming producer/boyfriend Ron Bloom and manager (she shares him with Prince) Bob Cavallo; Bob Dylan, also in shades, who sat in the comer and refused to speak to strangers, instead pointing silently to his manager, Richard Natoli; and new-wave Vanna White wearing a sequined leopard-print Stephen Sprouse that looked painted on. Allee Willis and Paul “Pee-wee” Reubens (who declared this party the best he’d ever attended) cruised around looking to meet George, who cruised around looking happy and not wearing black; Vanna’s Goddess of Love co-star Little Richard (an acting stretch for him — he plays a hairdresser) cruised Will Ennis and Cathouse DJ Joseph Brooks.

Though Michael’s party grounds were intended by the hosts (G.M. co-manager Michael Lippman and wife Nancy) to resemble an underground nightclub, the buzz inside the tented-over tennis court likened the decor more to that of West Holly wood eatery The French Market Place, but more brightly lit. And who should know better than the underground club set, including Henry Peck as DJ and Billy Limbo taking care of lights and slides, non-Pinocchio-nosed publicist Mitch Schneider with wife Rana, George’s gal-pal Kathy Jeung and her roommate, Phillip Weingarten, and former Power Tool-er John Sidel, who told us, “I’ll do a club anyplace they'll let me — which will probably be in the bottom of this Budweiser bottle.’’

Later, while scary Sam Kinison held forth beside the pool, a besotted Sidel and Egg Salad Solomon engaged in a lengthy drunken bull sesh, which continued even as we left for English Acid Once there, Den-Den made a beeline for the bar just in time for last call, bum-rushing The Jesus and Mary Chain and their young-thing entourage being detained at the entrance for lack of ID. (When will these bands from the Isles learn?) Perhaps the strange looks we attracted had to do with our G.M. party favor: a Faith insignia cap we'd forgotten to remove. English Acid is the smokiest club in L.A.; we lasted about three minutes, exiting to find Bazdo Saloman's Studebaker stalled haphazardly on the sidewalk while Sidel’s long-suffering girlfriend Allison wiped up John’s share of the buffet. (Readers’ note: only mention of food in column this week.)

Of course, some people enjoyed the party so much that they stayed a little longer: George and his more intimate friends (including Tatum O' Neal husband John McEnroe must be in a cold sweat) danced in ecstasy until 5 in the morning, at which time Guns N' Roses’ Axl Rose, fully dressed down to his leather jacket, was discovered with a naked woman in the hosts’ Jacuzzi. Coincidentally, phones around the city rang for days with another Axl-is-dead rumor; perhaps Axl had just thought he’d died and gone to heaven. Geffen Records, when not bemoaning the inces sant rumors about G&R, is whining all the way to the bank.