THE IOTA STORY by MZ

Okay, the following is a somewhat brief history of IOTA the orange, featherless pecker.

First of all, I'm not a freak who likes to carry rubber items or animals around with me to concerts and parties. I'm just a normal fan who got lucky to have an avatar that has become recognizable by some fans and friends alike.

One day, a F/C member was browsing my yahoo pics and saw a photo of my 8 year old nephew holding up an orange chicken at a SF Giants game. She thought it was very funny and said that I should use it as my avatar on queensrÿche.com. As a joke, I asked her to shrink my chicken. She took the photo and minimized it to fit our avatar restrictions on the site. I posted the avatar not thinking it would last very long and ended up having many people post comments about the pic, both positive and negative.

So, I thought I'd leave it up on the board for a while. Then as the 3 shows in Chicago were approaching in January, 05. I got some requests to bring the bird to Chicago. I thought it would be a lark, pun intended ;), so IOTA made his/her/its first trip to the Midwest.

Traveling with a rubber chicken is quite an ordeal in itself. I'll never forget the look I got from the airport security lady as I was pegged for additional inspection. She opened my suitcase to search my bags and IOTA, folded up inside, literally POPPED out of the suitcase and flung out at her!!! Her back was towards me and when the rubber bird unfolded and launched out, she slowly turned to face me holding the orange rubber bird in her hand, shaking her head in extreme disgust. I can't even imagine what she thought, well maybe I can but I just about died of embarrassment while I prayed she didn't draw any more attention to my bag!

IOTA had much fun in Chicago, spending most of his time perched up on the coat hook in the Chicago House of Blues hotel. I let Rychedelic use the room to change and store some bags on the last night. I was at the bar late, go figure, and she asked for the key to get her stuff out as they were heading to Sismary's house for a sleep over. When I got back to the room IOTA had his/her first bout of physical abuse!! (see pic) It was so damn funny that I left it up all night and into the next day. Love ya Rychedelic!

After hearing that IOTA made the road trip, many other fans were asking to see the orange, featherless pecker.

The next shows were San Francisco, Kelseyville, Lake Tahoe (Stateline) in February '05. SF was much fun. The pre-show rocked and I got some great shots of IOTA and some cool fans and one fans mom! One fan stuck a cig in IOTA's mouth which made a great pic! You know with all the strange weirdo's in SF you'd think a rubber chicken hanging from a guys neck, walking down the street all dressed in black wouldn't even get a raised eyebrow. But it did. Fortunately, people just stared and I made it to the venue in one piece.

SF was the first of many shows that IOTA was close to meeting his rubber mold maker! I had him held up in the air during the first set bopping his head to the music and somebody behind me grabbed one of his chicken legs and started pulling! Luckily, I had him around my neck as well with my lanyard so I yanked back half expecting to see his legs amputated but he returned in one piece!! Phew!

During the show, I realized why I had to have him with me at these shows. One F/C member and fellow NCSE member Margie (Quebesenuf) had spotted the bird during the first set and at the break I heard from across the venue, "IOTA, IOTA!" She made her way over and said she recognized the bird and wanted to introduce herself! Isn't that cool? IOTA, starting as just a novelty, was now getting noticed by some F/C members at shows! We hung out during the rest of the show and Rÿched out together.

Kelseyville and Tahoe were memorable for Iota for many reasons. More and more fans came up and asked for pictures with IOTA. Some really hammed it up and either stuck their tongues out towards the chicken or pretended to be, choking the chicken, with one or both hands!! Sweet ;)

This was Mrs. IOTA's first of now many QR shows and she soon joined the fun with IOTA and gave love to the bird as well striking some fun poses with other fans and new friends.

Tahoe was interesting because a bunch of my family members joined us at the concert. I bought tickets for 8 of us so they could experience the Ryche. The looks I got from them were priceless. My very conservative brother in law just shook his head and said, "I don't want to know".

Again, I met many new F/C members by simply having the bird with me. The pre-show was fun with Uzume getting her first official pic choking Iota! One fan was there with his friends and very pregnant wife, saw IOTA, and came up, grabbed me and brought me over to introduce me to his wife as "the chicken from the boards". She was visibly disgusted but hey, it comes with the territory. ;) NCSE member Lorrieanne also spotted IOTA and made sure she introduced herself. Very cool! On the way out of the venue, one guy who was around me during the show came up to me and said, "dude, next time I go to a concert, I'm totally bringing a rubber chicken!!!"



The M&G was memorable as this was when I decided IOTA needed to be signed by the band. The look on Mike Stone’s face was funny as hell. Geoff, for the first time called it a turkey! LMAO! Scott was funny too and commented that he had never been asked to sign a rubber chicken. Shocker! Everyone was gracious and many posed with pics with me and the bird.

At the Reno QR/JP tour I only had IOTA out for the pre-show party. I was in the elevator with an elderly gentleman who kept giving me sideways glances as Iota hung from my neck. Upon arriving at his floor, the guy left the elevator and said, “nice chicken, it’s my favorite prop.” I gave the guy one of those looks l usually get because I had no idea what the heck he was talking about. Until the next morning on the shuttle to the airport, I was told there was a clown convention in town!! The dude was a clown, man!

Some fan club members love seeing IOTA at concerts and pre/post show parties. If requested, I’ll almost always do my best to bring him. On the other hand, some despise the bird for whatever reason. You know who you are!! LOL Even our dear Pamela Moore is not the biggest fan but she may be coming around.

More shows, many trips and many Purell baths later, have left me with some lasting fond memories. Being able to meet new people and seeing old friends have been a highlight for me and many have come with the help of the bird. The pictures with IOTA and F/C members are piling up. There are pics of Iota in many compromising situations both with and against his will (Anaheim!) and I think soon, we’ll start an IOTA F/C pic section.

So, if you’re ever at a QR show and see a flailing rubber chicken bopping his head to the music in the air or hanging from my neck, please come over introduce yourself and say hello. I love meeting fans and making new friends. And trust me, the bird enjoys getting the love!

Rÿche on!
MZ

PAAaaawwwK GAaaawWWWKKK!!

Special thanks to ICE9 Networks
Copyright 2005 Nor-Cal Sanctuary Empire