Chuck Berry

[rupert the dog]

Just watched him in concert in 1972, recorded I think on BBC 4 earlier this week. This man is a legend! Between him and Bo Diddley they seem to have invented rock 'n roll. I remember buying "Memphis Tennessee" back in the early '60s for that great guitar, and just about everyone has copied him. He did Johnny B Goode, Rock and Roll Music, Nadine, Maybelline and a load of others. Magic!

Edited by rupert the dog on Saturday 13th November 20:54

[E31Shrew]

Think he fell to earth with his rendition of My Dinga Ling

[jbudgie]

Saw him a few times in the early 70's--was superb then.

He must be about 80 now.?

[Ferg]

I returned from honeymoon in July '87 to see him at Hammersmith Odeon. Brilliant.
Launched the Rolling Stones, of course, and they were never as good when they stopped doing Berry covers!

[audidoody]

"I Couldn't Warm to Him if I Was Cremated Next to Him"

Keith Richards

[E31Shrew]

jbudgie said:

Saw him a few times in the early 70's--was superb then.

He must be about 80 now.?

He's 84 now! Crikey he looked that old in the mid 70s

[Mr. Potato Head]

Love this, thanks for the heads-up



Available on i-player

Edited by Mr. Potato Head on Monday 15th November 08:47

[alfa pint]

Saw him live in 1990 something. His arthritis was so bad that he took 10 minutes to be able to play his guitar properly. He was on stage for a grand total of 45 minutes and had his daughter on to sing for the last 10 mins. No encore.

Wrote some absolutely cracking blues songs and was one of the forefathers of rock and roll, but that has to go down as being a shocking concert.

[ZesPak]

"you never can tell" played at our wedding in the church two months ago.

[tubbystu]

alfa pint said:

Saw him live in 1990 something. His arthritis was so bad that he took 10 minutes to be able to play his guitar properly. He was on stage for a grand total of 45 minutes and had his daughter on to sing for the last 10 mins. No encore.

Wrote some absolutely cracking blues songs and was one of the forefathers of rock and roll, but that has to go down as being a shocking concert.

He is a great performer, however he still plays by the old rules. He gets paid to perform for 45 or 60 mins and that is all he does. I've seen him go off stage mid-number as the clock positioned in the wings counts down to zero. Showtime is showtime, hence no encore.

Just how he is, and how he has always operated - as well as his original peers.

Sometimes you are disappointed having seen what is considered an original rock and roll great. Then again, those that are still alive and able to perform are of serious age. BB King's shows have become a mere parody of what they were even 5 years ago, but I still cannot miss a chance to see him on the ever rarer trips this side of the pond. You never know when it might be the last chance etc.

[Evil Jack]

audidoody said:

"I Couldn't Warm to Him if I Was Cremated Next to Him"

Keith Richards

Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll is a fantastic documentary.

-And yes, it's fair to say Keith and Chuck didn't get along:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClgtoM2RwQY

[greengreenwood7]

no doubting his early writing + performing talents, but was mighty disappointed when i saw him in the early 90s' -the show was stilted and the songs were laboured, almost talked through. Whereas i saw Jerry Lee + Little Richard around that time and both were excellent - given that they were well into their twilight years.

[audidoody]

Evil Jack said:

audidoody said:

"I Couldn't Warm to Him if I Was Cremated Next to Him"

Keith Richards

Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll is a fantastic documentary.

-And yes, it's fair to say Keith and Chuck didn't get along:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClgtoM2RwQY

Bill Wyman said he was a khanht as well.

Edited by audidoody on Tuesday 16th November 16:28

[nogsk]

The man is a legend - listen to his work, no0t just the popular stuff ( I totally agree with the aberration that is 'my ding a ling', but that was the decade of novelty records).

The documentary some years ago when K Richards did the concert thing was amazing, the end, when he ( Chuck ) was playing a pedal steel in his big, empty house was quite special.

Yes he's a hard headed cuss, he probably had to be to survive, and he goes by his rules, but a track like 'Brown eyed handsome man' ? Genius.

[rupert the dog]

audidoody said:

Evil Jack said:

audidoody said:

"I Couldn't Warm to Him if I Was Cremated Next to Him"

Keith Richards

Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll is a fantastic documentary.

-And yes, it's fair to say Keith and Chuck didn't get along:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClgtoM2RwQY

Bill Wyman said he was a khanht as well.

Didn't say that when they were covering his stuff early on, did they?

Edited by audidoody on Tuesday 16th November 16:29

[audidoody]

They hadn't met him then!

It's all in their autobiographies if you are interested.

Edited by audidoody on Wednesday 17th November 00:15

[tubbystu]

He is known to be more than a little precious...........

Then again most "turns" are, but he is A list precious.

[audidoody]

Not long to wait for the "Best Of" re-releases.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12105...

[Benni]

audidoody said:

Not long to wait for the "Best Of" re-releases.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12105...

Wait........his Keyboard wtf???