The Rebel: This is a song about a girl who goes into a fantazy world where she meats the actor Robert De Niro.....yet if you meet De Niro in real life he is supposed to be nervous and shey.
Yes they said that they wrote the song after watching his film Taxi Driver. After hearing the song he phoned them at the council flat they we're living in at the time and took them out ...and, exactly as you state, it was all a bit awkward.
Nice story about Gilby Clarke. I often wonder about these people that have a brush with fame in that way.
As for shows like the X factor. They're about tv more than anything. I like watching them but they have ruined creativity. Bowie for example would never have made it through the first auditions...sorry I think I've probably gone off topic but I could talk about this kind of stuff for hours! Love it! :)