Microwaves, Leif Garrett, and Nokia Phones

Years ago, I went with my friend Kim Thayil down to the Showbox to catch a performance by Leif Garrett. I think Kim mostly wanted to join up with Krist Novoselic, who I think was going to be there. Kim and I ended up being late, and it seemed to me that the show also ended early.

This would have been in the mid to late 90′s, and I think Leif Garrett was involved in some sort of musical comeback at the time. Kim, Krist, Krist’s girlfriend Darbry, and Leif Garrett all roll down to a bar nearby after his show ended. I think Jeff Gilbert was there as well. Jeff ended up co-owning Seattle’s fabulous Feedback Lounge. I mostly ended up talking to Darbry, as I was impressed with how smart she was. But of course I was fascinated with meeting Leif Garrett; how could a guy like that possibly match what his public image was in the 1970′s? I hardly remember what we talked about, except his retelling of some sort of Hunter S. Thompson anecdote involving drugs; cocaine I think.

But it all got sort of weird and memorable when the subject of conversation turned to cell phones and microwaves. Seemingly out of nowhere, Garrett tells me what sounds like a landmark urban legend; that if one places two Nokia brand cell phones together when both are broadcasting, that enough heat will be generated to melt the phones. “Dude, they run on microwaves, it’s like a microwave oven” was his technical explanation.

I countered that a microwave oven produces on the order of a thousand watts, whereas a cell phone transmits in milliwatts, a MILLION fold difference in power. Now I must admit, These days I’d probably do some fact checking if I was to seriously assert something like this. But given the circumstances, I would probably say the same thing again.

I can’t remember his response, and knowing me I probably argued with him about it for a while. I never met up with Leif Garrett again, so my memory of him has this strange twist associated with it. Later, I saw an episode of Behind the Music about him and learned of his drug-crazed history. He seems to have hit a rock bottom some time back which was chronicled here.

I wonder what brand of cell phone he uses…