RA: What happened on April 21st when tickets went on sale?
Neil: We put too many shows on sale at once...we will have safeguards for
the 3rd leg.

RA: About how many people did get tickets?
Neil: I don't have the exact numbers...when tickets went on sale there was
quite a surprise in the volume of calls.

RA: Why has AF1/FR been ignoring members' e-mails?
Neil: (He explained to me that they answer e-mails in order with the
chronological listings of the shows. FOR INSTANCE: If you have had problems
with a show in october, but you e-mailed FR in June...your e-mail has not
been answered because if someone had problems with a show in june and they
e-mail FR in June or earlier than their e-mail gains priority...Understand
this?) "I believe customer service is soo important...we recieve thousands
of e-mails and deal with shows in order, not chronolgical e-mails. We Deal
with people going to shows first. (In other words, if you didn't get
tickets, your questions will be answered later as opposed to someone with
tickets who has not yet recieved information about their tickets...so on and
so forth...0

RA: What do you plan on doing for members who were unable to purchase
tickets in the first place? (I talked to him about a certain fan I know who
has participated in 27 shows during the 9 lives tour, but was unable to get
tickets to shows through FR this tour, so she has given up...I didn't use
her name...will be contacting her later...)
Neil: We are doing everything to accomodate rabid fans. [Ticket Sales]
required perserverance. (don't we all know it!) I attended every show in
June to listen to fan club members. Third leg seating will be better. We
want them in the best possible seat. I would like to get every fan club
member in the front rows or the Aero-Cafe if I could...
We have spent a lot of money to attend shows (money, by the way, they are
not necessarily making back)...I don't have a million dollars to buy
everyone a good seat...

RA: Why is it taking so long for members to recieve their tickets?
Neil: Tickets have been challenging to sort. We sort them by show-location
and then individually by seniority...(so YES! tickets were given out by
seniority...if you are a senior member and still have bad seats, then please
understand) A couple of shows in August are still being sent out...we should
be caught up with ticket sales in 10 days or so, and the 3rd leg will go
much smoother.

RA: Why is the seating so bad?
Neil: We are not the vendors...we have to look at seniority too. We only
sold what SFX sent us. (So SFX is probably more to blame for this mess than
anyone, if we really want to set out and blame someone...)
Better seats are given to members who have had a rough time and talk to us
at the shows...if we can give out seats we do, and if someone has been in a
particular mess we have given out a couple of seats in the Aero-cafe. (this
is the best they can do.) You can't make everybody happy. We want to do
all the right things. I can go to sleep and feel good about the efforts
I've made.


Neil was a cool, confident business-like guy, who answered my questions very
straight forward. To those of you worried about the random groupies being
handed backstage passes and the sort, AF1 has nothing to do with that.
Plus, according to Neil, backstage business with Aerosmith is a little on
the boring side...all the partying hooplah is just that...hooplah...which I
though was interesting. Knowing Aerosmith and all...I'm surprised there
isn't more going on ;). AF1 is doing their best. I love Aerosmith. I love
Neil for answering my questions! I hope this puts some troubled minds at
rest. Now, my article is going to be put through a dramatic proof read to
incorporate the feeling of Neil.