Part 1
"It Was Great When It All Began"

Part 2
"Erotic Nightmares"

Part 3
"Absolute Pleasure"

Part 4
"Didn't We Pass A Castle?"

Part 5
"Not A Sequel, Not A Prequel,
Not An Equal"

Part 6
"We Return To Transylvania"

Part 7
"Perhaps Even Time, Itself"

Part 8
"Superheroes"

ROCKY HORROR
"WE RETURN TO TRANSYLVANIA"

I wanted to get as far away as I could from ROCKY HORROR.
I went to the East Coast for 4 months.
But it seemed that Fate had decided that ROCKY HORROR was going to follow me wherever I went.

I got a job at Denny's on Route 35 in Eatontown, New Jersey.
On Saturday & Sunday mornings, the cast from the, GCC Shrewsbury 3 would come in after their show.
I thought that it was wonderful that ROCKY HORROR was playing there.
I was adored by the cast there. and invited to their show.
("Finally!...Someone who can do "The Time Warp" right!...Would you join our cast?")
They were really nice, but I knew that it would have been wrong for me at that time.

Chelsie from THE DENTON AFFAIR was in NYC, and we made the pilgrimage to the 8th Street Playhouse.
Sal was a gracious and wonderful host.
But I knew that NJ was not for me, so in August 1982, I returned to California.
I divided my time between Hollywood & Hermosa Beach.
I also stayed with Kurt, who lived on Oxley Street in South Pasdaena, directly across from The Rialto Theatre.
I don't think ROCKY HORROR was playing there at that particular time.
Perhaps it was between casts or something.
We never saw anyone there on Friday & Saturday nights at Midnight.

The night I went back to the Tiffany, I found that the scene was on the wane.
A few of the true hardcore like Jill & Michele were still attending, and it was great to see them.
Richard was working there as a projectionist.
I had one of the Best, No-Bullshit nights that I ever had at ROCKY HORROR. I felt calm and at peace.
SHOCK TREATMENT was playing there as a regular feature, but I was not really interested.

In mid-1983, the Tiffany Theater stopped showing ROCKY HORROR.
I went to the last show dressed in my Criminologist outfit, and did The Time Warp one last time.
One the one hand I was sad...it was The End Of An Era, one that people still talk about.
On the other hand, I knew that I would never have to see certain assholes ever again.

People were spinning off again in to different lives and situations.
But even then, "Rocky Horror Politics" managed to rear it's ugly head again.
It was a bitter, unfriendly time that culminated in a nasty brawl by the end of the summer.
Lines were drawn, people's lives were ruined, and friends became enemies.
I stayed away from ROCKY HORROR for over 3 years.

The next time I went to ROCKY HORROR was when I took Jade Blackmore to the Nuart in 1986.
She was a Virgin, and she got a real kick out of it. She said, "That Frank N. Furter is pretty cute!"
I think this might have been the first incarnation of SINS OF THE FLESH that I ever saw.
I remember that they were really good, and the crowd was really into it.
I also met Dennis Miller, who was signing people up for the fan club.
But, life moved on for me, and ROCKY HORROR was not on my mind for a while.
Playing music was now the focus of my life (That's another story).

By mid-1987, I was ass-out, and living in my car. (So much for playing music...)
I hung out with Steve, and we would go to the Nuart just to keep ourselves sane.
By now, SINS OF THE FLESH were the established ROCKY HORROR cast for Los Angeles.
"Going to Rocky" was good for me. It made me forget my troubles for a little while.

A few days later, I was bumming on life sitting behind the Pantages Theater in Hollywood.
A white Cadillac pulled up right next to where I was sititng, and there was...Tim Curry.
Tim was starring in stage production of "Me And My Girl".
I said "Hi", and he smiled at me and headed on into the theater.

I found myself in the same spot the next week, once again, a white Cadillac pulled up and there was Tim Curry.
This time he walked up to me and shook my hand. I could tell that he didn't think that I was a stalker.
I told him how I enjoyed his work, and he invited me to be his guest to see the show the following evening.
I asked him if it would be all right to bring some thing to autograph, and he said, "It will be my pleasure!"
The next night, I arrived nice and early with my #01809 of 2000 of "THE ROCKY HORROR SCRAPBOOK".
I went to the box office, and sure enough, I was listed as Tim's guest. Woo-Hoo!

The show was great! "The Lambeth Walk" was ringing in my ears!
Afterwards, I was escorted backstage to Tim's dressing room.
He welcomed me in, and was gracious and just plain wonderful.
I presented my scrapbook to him, and he smiled as he looked at the picture on the cover.
He said, "I'll sign it on the arm."

ROCKY HORROR made me happy even when I was at a low point in my life.

By 1988, I was working at Ziggie's Music in Phoenix, Arizona.
Out of boredom, I did see the film in Phoenix. It kinda sucked...no real cast or costumes.
The entire pre-show was a kid who basically insulted everyone that was in the audience.
No Fun. I walked out.
The next time I went to nearby Mesa.
Mesa was fun...good crowd...worst print of the film I've EVER seen in my life.
But...I got laid! God, I love this movie!

Steve came out to visit me in Phoenix, but the show had been dropped from the theater the week before.
We thought about going to see it in Mesa, but when I mentioned to him that the theater had the worst,
most-scratched and chopped-up print of the film I've EVER seen, we decided not to go.
So we sat around my place, smoked pot, jammed on guitar, and caught up with each other.
A few months later I was in LA on business, and Richard, Kurt, Steve & I went to the Nuart and had a great time.
That was the last time I remember being able to go up & grab the partner of your choice.

My house in Phoenix burned down on July 4,1989..."Fuck You, Debbie"!
By August 1989, I hooked back up with Richard, who based out of Moreno Vallley.
I spent a lot time working in Hollywood, and I would hang at Richard's place.
We set upon a new level of extreme partying with vast quantities of drugs and alcohol.
That got old quick, and we knew that we needed some new kind of kick.

The ROCKY HORROR resurgence of 1990-91 was in full swing. It was a great time.
There was an air of freshness and vitality going around that had not been felt in years.
I made sure that we had the RHPS 15th Anniversary Box Set and the re-issue of the film soundtrack on CD.
On November 8, 1990, FOX had released the VHS of the film, and we bought one on the first day of release.
It cost $89.95, but one our oldest ROCKY HORROR dreams had come true: To own an actual copy of the film.
Richard put it in the VCR and we started to watch it.
I turned the volume up on the amplifier, and the wonderful music started to play through the monitors.
Richard said, "Fuck it...Crank the volume all the way!...Let the neighbors know what's good!"
And we did. We celebrated our favorite film once again.
We dug out the old costumes, and started making new ones.
Richard started working on a new Frank "Sweet T" costume.

I became an Official Fan Club Representative. I still carry my membership card in my wallet.
We went everywhere in Southern California that showed the film.
The Nuart, Claremont, Pasadena, Long Beach, Redondo Beach, everywhere.

In early 1991, we went to the Nuart for one of the most memorable nights we ever had there.
We were tripping on some really good LSD. ("Don't piss, Troy!...You'll waste your fry!")
People stopped and stared when we got in line. We had the "magic touch".
Richard went across the street to get something to eat, and he came back to the theater.
All I could see was Riff-Raff crossing the street.
Not Richard dressed as Riff-Raff, but RIFF-RAFF.

Claremont was fun.
EROTIC NIGHTMARES went there a few times way back in late 1979.
Claremont was the first place Richard won Best Riff-Raff.
Now 10 years later, he debuted his new "Sweet T" outfit, and realized one of his dreams...performing Frank.
The local cast was nice, and we really enjoyed going there.

During the 1991 pilot season, my old band mate, John Baltic told me that his cousin had written a new TV pilot.
The show was a sitcom called "Big Deals", was wtitten by Chris Thompson, and it starred Tim Curry.
It was was going to be shot at Paramount Studios in Hollywood. I had been working there during that season.
Richard, our friend Larry, and I got there early, so I decided to show them around the lot.
As we went on to the soundstage, Tim was heading out to his trailer. He recognized me and said "Hi."
We spoke for a moment, and then headed back outside to meet with the rest of our party.
After being seated, we discovered that several people from The Nuart had been invited to see the show.
They a great appreciative bunch. We were in good company.
We were seated in the front row, and I had a direct view of Tim on the stage.
The cast came out and took a bow before the show.

"Big Deals" was about 2 guys trying to make money.
Tim played Christopher Nissell, a divorced father.
Corey Parker played his roommate, and Holland Taylor played his ex-wife.
Christopher Nissell loses his job, and out of desperation, he trys to get a job at a movie theater.
There was a very funny bit with Tim dressed up in an elaborate vintage "Chinese Theater" movie usher's uniform.
He is so embarrassed by his situation that he mocks suicide using his flashlight as a ceremonial dagger.
By the end of the show, all is well, and Christopher Nissell gets a new job and a litter of puppies for his son.
After the show, the rest of the audience left, and we remained on the stage and joined the private party.
Tim & I spoke for little while, and I introduced him to Richard.
Daryl Lathrop to the photograph that appears below.

On Saturday October 26, 1991, Richard, Kip, Carol & I drove to Plummer Park to see the show.
It was pouring rain for the entire drive from Moreno Valley to West Hollywood.
Upon our arrival, we learned that the show had been cancelled due to the rain.
So we drove in the pouring rain from West Hollywood to South Pasadena.
The rain stopped as soon as we arrived at the theater.

We had such a good time, that we decided to go back 2 weeks later.
This time, Richard would wear his new "Sweet T" costume, and I would be the The Criminologist.
Our friend Dan was a Virgin, so we dressed him in Richard's Riff-Raff costume, bald cap and all, for his first show.
When we got to The Rialto, several girls asked him, "Are you one of the guys that were here 2 weeks ago?".
Dan replied, "Nope. I've never been here before."
I got to do The Crim that night. We had a lot of fun.
One thing was certain, we had not lost our touch!

On the night we went to Redondo Beach, Richard wanted to wear his "Sweet T" costume.
Just as we were walking to the car, Richard fell down the full flight of stairs in full Frank drag.
I was mortified that he might have hurt himself, but he all he did was break a heel.
He went back upstairs, and pulled out a long industrial screw, and drilled it into the shoe. Good as new!
Sooo...we went to Redondo Beach, and as we were standing in line, a group of fans came up to us and asked,
"Are you those 2 guys that have been going to all of the theaters? We heard about you!"
Our reputation had preceded us, and we both felt that that in itself was worth our efforts.

All good things must come to an end, and this was no different.
I moved into Hollywood & Western 2 weeks before the Los Angeles Riots.
One of the best things about Hollywood Billiards was that almost everyone there enjoyed Rocky music.
And if they didn't like it, they at least respected it.
I bought "A Different Set Of Jaws" one-sheet poster and hung it in my room.
But once again, ROCKY HORROR was for the most part, "back in the closet" for me.
I watched the film when FOX broadcast it on TV for the first time on October 25, 1993.

After Northridge, I moved across the street from our Tiffany-era "Rocky HQ".
I had come full circle in a way, and I was proud that I had "come back to the old neighborhood".
By the Fall 1994, Richard, Steve & I were hanging out again, but we didn't really "go to Rocky" much.
I was more concerned with working. I went back to work as an actor in early 1995.

In October 1995, Richard, Steve & I attended The ROCKY HORROR 20th Anniversary Celebration in Hollywood.
Friday's event was held at the Roxy Theater...right down the street from The Tiffany Theater.
The Roxy is my musical home away from home...I've seen a lot of bands there over the years.
It was great to go there and do ROCKY HORROR for change.
I met a wonderful and diverse group of ROCKY HORROR fans from all over the world.
A Wonderful Affair.

The next night was at The Pantages Theater.
The Pantages is not far from my house, so we walked down Hollywood Blvd. in our costumes.
I went dressed as The Joker, complete with green hair.
Steve went as Mr. S.L. Gumby, and he got mobbed by a group of Japanese girls.
Richard went as Riff-Raff. I ran into my friends from THE DENTON AFFAIR.

BUT THE BEST PART OF THE ENTIRE WEEKEND WAS SEEING JILL & MICHELE AGAIN.

However, even at this wonderful occasion, the foul odor ROCKY HORROR politics was wafting in the air.
A lot of things pissed me off that night.
Some fat, smelly geek kept following me around...I HATE being followed.
He had green teeth and saliva flecked from his mouth as he spoke.
He kept talking to me in some "ren faire" language. (GAAHHH!!!...)
Even then, there was not much coming out of his mouth, other than the saliva.
He was cramping my style...and scaring away the ladies.
People were talking shit about Tim Curry for not being there. Like he owed them something, you know?
That kind of pissed me off since the Pantages was where I first met Tim back in 1987.
The Joker was rising.

Not letting Richard in the costume contest was the last straw.
Richard was dressed as Frank at the Roxy the night before, and as Riff-Raff at the Pantages.
When they brought all the Riff-Raff's on to the stage, Richard was forbidden from entering the costume contest.
It was a violation of the "rules" of the costume contest...you had to dress as the same character both nights.
We figured,"Hey...Suck One!...WE PAID OUR MONEY, and you're on our turf, so Fuck You!"
Richard walked on to the stage anyway, and stared at the crowd. As always the crowd went nuts for him.
I started climbing over the seats screaming, "BIG PENIS!!!...BIG PENIS!!!...BIG PENIS!!!"
I left early because I had a horrendous headache, and I had had enough.
My head felt like it was about to split open. I thought to myself, "So this is a stroke..."
Richard & Steve came home later to find me on the floor.
Richard just said, "Ahhh...Troy....Everyone still knows how much of an asshole you are."
He did however, present me with a copy of the new "Sing It!" CD.
Richard soon moved up to Boise, Idaho for a while.
I didn't go back to ROCKY HORROR for 12 years.

I bought a DVD player, and the first DVD I bought was the 2-disc version of the film.

I met Richard O'Brien in 1999, and I'm very sorry to say that he was a dick to me.
We were standing in line at Starbucks in the Beverly Center.
He was practicing "The-Fine-Art-Of-Being-Noticed-Without-Looking-Like-He-Wanted-To-Be-Noticed."
He stared at me as we waited in line for our coffee. I recognized him and said "Hi".
All he did was put both of his hands up to his mouth and say "Oh Dear!...Oh Dear!...Oh Dear!"
He glowered at me with contempt. His 2 comrades appeared out of nowhere, and flanked him.
One of them told me, "Contact Sal Piro regarding any kind of ROCKY HORROR fan activities".
Richard O'Brien then stormed off like I had just killed his Mom. Needless to say, I was very disappointed.
Oh well...That's Hollywood.

In 2000, I appeared in an episode of "Spin City" entitled "Balloons Over Broadway".
I played one of Mayor Randall M. Winston Jr.'s bodyguards.
WOW!!!...I got to be in a scene with Barry Bostwick!

I first met Drew Carey when I was working at the bookstore. Drew reads a lot.
We became friends when he would come to the Bigfoot Lodge to sing karaoke.
Drew's a good singer, and a ROCKY HORROR fan.
I'll never forget the time I sang "The Time Warp" for the first time.
Drew was in the audience taking that "step to the right".
Through my work at the studio, I have met with Kathy Kinney, and Ryan Stiles.
This is one my favorite bits from "The Drew Carey Show".
It's "New York and Queens" from the 4th season. It was filmed on the WB lot.
Thank you, Drew!

In 2001, Kurt informed me that the Riverside Tyler Mall United Artists Theater 4 had been demolished.
Naturally, I felt little sad about it. It was the theater where I first saw ROCKY HORROR.
It was where EROTIC NIGHTMARES did their best stuff, and where we had learned to "tread the boards".
Another important part of my "Rocky" past was gone, but I knew ROCKY HORROR would endure.