Riff Raff

SILKE TUDOR
SF Weekly
12/7/1997

Back to Mono! A couple of weeks ago in Los Angeles, San Francisco Neil Diamond cover group Super Diamond played their third sold-out House of Blues show this year. Reason for frontman Randy Cordero's tight black satin pants to fill with pride, sure, but the real coup d'etat came after the show. Cordero (aka Surreal Neil) was taking a stroll through the smoky members-only club upstairs when, there -- among the dark Armani suits, cigars, and greased-back ponytails -- sat Phil Spector.

The legendary rock 'n' roll producer had seen the show. He asked Cordero to grab a guitar and join him and his friends in a private room. Somewhat alarmed by Spector's out-of-it countenance, but unable to refuse the invitation, Cordero complied, offering to sing a few Diamond ballads. This went over well; indeed, when Cordero excused himself to go to Super Diamond's dressing room, Spector followed, marveling at how a Neil Diamond cover band could sell out the House of Blues.

After a few impromptu jams with Spector on guitar, the band headed back to its hotel room, where Spector showed up again, with two armed guards in tow. He was quite taken with the our Diamond impersonator. "Actually," says agent Daniel Swan, "he kept requesting Johnny Cash songs. Randy doesn't know any Johnny Cash, but [Spector] played it on the guitar anyway." Swan says Spector didn't stumble home until 4:30 a.m.