Matt
Corby
The
Reluctant
Star
t 5pm on a monday afternoon
in late January, a queue is starting
to form outside the Teragram Ball-
room. Nestled amongst a strip of
nondescript, slightly decrepit shops
in a nondescript, slightly decrep-
it part of downtown Los Angeles,
the Teragram counts amongst its neighbours a skate shop
(Thrash Gnar), a Thai restaurant (the Excellent Thai Cafe), a
liquor store and, across the road, the San Lucas Senior (62+)
Apartments, the sign to which is painted with pictures of
balloons because getting old is, presumably, quite the party.
At the front of the queue is Jill Johnson, 20, and her father.
They arrived in L.A. this afternoon after a 12-hour driveThe singer has hit records and
thousands of fans. Now if he
could just enjoy it. By Rod Yates