Post a "hard-to-answer" question about a rock musician/band & see if anyone knows the answer without using Google

[red dog 1]

Last edited Mon Apr 1, 2024, 04:36 PM - Edit history (2)

Hard-to-answer meaning a tough or difficult question about a rock & roll musician or band, (some fact not widely known)





My question:

In one of their early U.S. tours, The Rolling Stones performed at a venue which had electrical problems, with power going off several times. After the power came on one time, they started to play a song and the power immediately went off again, angering Keith Richards so much he broke his guitar on stage.

A) What was the city and the venue?
B) What brand & model was the guitar?
C) What was the song they were starting to play?





(Guesses welcome)

[Aristus]

1. This seminal rock band had a famous fixed line-up. But in their earliest days,

musicians rotated in and out of the group on a regular basis. A female bass guitar player rehearsed with them for a short time, but then disappeared, and the band did without a bass guitarist. To this day, no one is really sure who she was.

[ProfessorGAC]

3. The Doors?

First band I thought of that didn't have a bass player.
But, I don't remember the line-up shifting, so probably not.

[Aristus]

4. Ray Manzarek's brothers were on-again, off-again members when The Doors mainly played blues.

The three brothers were their own band for a while. But when Ray brought in Morrison, his brothers' membership became less regular, and they started playing Morrison's psychedelic songs instead.

[ProfessorGAC]

6. So, That Was The Right Answer?

I hold an unpopular opinion that they needed a bass player.
Manazarek's bass lines are quite pedestrian & never have any interplay with the drummer.
By the time I had a critical ear, they didn't do it for me, despite some really good material.

[Aristus]

7. Yeah, you were right.

I don't agree about needing a bass player. I thought Ray's keyboard bass added an interesting sonic vibe to the music of The Doors. As Ray himself said, it pushed air in a way that a bass guitar didn't.

I think they abandoned the keyboard bass for their later albums, and just hired a bass guitar session player instead.

[Brother Buzz]

8. Ray Manzarek did all the bass work with a Fender Rhodes Piano Bass in concerts

But the Doors employed session musician extraordinaire, Larry Knechtel, to play bass on the studio recording of 'Light My Fire', reportedly overdubbing Manzarek's licks.

Oh, Larry Knechtel was credited for playing piano on Paul Simmons monster hit, 'Bridge over Troubled Water', and won a Grammy.

[ProfessorGAC]

11. I'm Going By The Live Work...

...I've heard with Ray playing that Rhodes abomination.
Since a big part of what I don't like in their bass lines is a lack of feel, the best bass player playing over a soulless part still ends up with a dead feel.
Larry may have been a wonderful musician, but he couldn't do miracles.
As you can tell, I have a low opinion of Manzarek's playing.

[Brother Buzz]

13. You can't bend a bass string on a keyboard.

Frank Zappa introduced Keyboardist, George Duke, to a synthesizer and it opened up his entire world, "You can bend a note on a keyboard!!!

[ProfessorGAC]

14. Tell Me About It!

When I got my first synth, I could do all that stuff I heard Wakeman & Hammer doing. Also, the mod wheel allowing me to bring vibrato in as the note carried on. What a revelation.
Of course later, when I learned guitar & bass, bending notes was just something one did.
Also,especially on bass, you can slide up creating a gliss where the change in notes is fast enough that it's heard as a continuous slide. Keys are wholly discrete & even a chromatic scale can't be played fast enough to create that.
I suppose all instruments have their pluses & minuses

[Brother Buzz]

16. Keys are wholly discrete & even a chromatic scale can't be played fast enough?

One could make the argument Oscar Peterson could, or at least get close enough to create the illusion. Just saying

[ProfessorGAC]

17. Not Even Oscar!

As amazing as he was. He or Tatum were the most technically skilled jazz piano players I ever heard. Marian McPartland (who I got to meet!) was a great technician too, but not like Oscar or Art.

[VGNonly]

44. Art Tatum

The great Fats Waller was performing in a club. In strolled Art Tatum. Fats announced to the crowd "I'm only a piano player, but tonight god is the house".

[ProfessorGAC]

45. Tatum Was Special

There was always talk about he could walk into a jam & then play entire songs just like the other piano guys there. Next song, posts like one of the other guys. Other players were astounded he could play like that using someone else's style.
He didn't even have to play like Art to be great!

[yellowdogintexas]

2. This eclectic band plays a wide variety of music but they won a Grammy for Best Polka Band

They started out as a college party band long ago, still going strong

[JoseBalow]

5. The Happy Wanderers

[Brother Buzz]

10. "Weird Al" Yankovic started in college, played Polkas, and won a boatload of Grammy's

But he wasn't electric, and I can't consider a solo artist a band so he's out. I got nothing.

[red dog 1]

22. He wasn't electric, but he was a rock musician

and songwriter too.

[Brother Buzz]

35. Yes, but his Grammys were primarily in the comedy category

I read years ago, he was being awarded the best polka, year after year, but that was bogus.

[LudwigPastorius]

20. Brave Combo

(I went to school in Denton.)

[yellowdogintexas]

27. LOL! We have a winner, right off the bat! They are so good and so much fun!

They must have been wild back in the beginning. I need to find a performance, it has been a long time since I saw them live. I love how they mix music styles so absurdly... like "O Holy Night..cha cha cha"

I think I have about 10 of their CDs
Best Hokey Pokey ever

[Warren_Pointe]

9. Who owned the apartment

where both Cass Elliot and Keith Moon died?

[rogerballard]

12. John Lennon

[Brother Buzz]

18. American song writer...

who should have been a super star singer until he destroyed his vocal cords messing around with John Lennon

[LudwigPastorius]

21. Harry Nilsson

I'm sure that's not all he destroyed keeping up with Lennon on his 'lost weekend'.

[Warren_Pointe]

24. Correctomundo

[Brother Buzz]

32. Keeping up with Lennon?

Some might suggest it was the other way around. Just Saying.

[red dog 1]

23. Harry Nillson

A friend of mine once sold him a motorcycle in Berkeley, CA

"You're Breakin' My Heart' is my favorite Nillson song.

(I just now saw that this one was already answered)

[Warren_Pointe]

25. You are correct.

[Warren_Pointe]

29. After Keith Moon's death, Pete Townsend bought it.

I am not sure who the owner is now, but it is still there.

[ProfessorGAC]

15. I Had One, But...

...I just covered it yesterday.
It was about the guys in American Breed (Bend Me Shape Me) are the same guys that started Rufus!
Would have been a good one, but just gave the answer in Music Appreciation yesterday afternoon.

[Tikki]

19. Not hard to answer, but a fun question. What is the hardest part of the Armored Guard?

from the BLONDIE song..."The Hardest Part." 1979

Tikki

[Jrose]

30. Guessing- his heart?

[Tikki]

33. "Armored Guard" could be a single person who is a guard but more..

likely the three or more personnel that arrive in the Armored Vehicle to collect the monies from different vendors. Think! Brinks Armored Trucks!

The song, written by Deborah Harry, is the challenge of which of the Armored Guard would be the hardest to
to get under the truck robbers' control.

Tikki

[Mister Ed]

78. "The hardest part of the armored car...

... he's made of steel, behind the steering wheel."

[Tikki]

85. Yes...you got it.

We always think of that song when we see an armored car.
Deborah and Chris wrote the song.

Tikki

[AZSkiffyGeek]

26. What band's singer....

1) Wrote English lyrics to the Ewok "Yub Nub" song from "Return of the Jedi"?
2) Sang on a dance version of "Lapti Nek" - the song played in Jabba's Palace in "Return of the Jedi"?
3) Performed Matthew Broderick's songs in "The Lion King", including "Hakuna Matata" and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"?
And who is that singer's father?
Bonus: What sci-fi movie did that band perform the score to?

[FreeForm73]

28. What band was Viv Savage

the keyboard player for Spinal Tap in?
Hint: They were an English 'Progressive' band.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

34. I know the drummer in the movie had some prog cred

He replaced Carl Palmer in Atomic Rooster. Didn’t know the keyboardist was another progger.

[FreeForm73]

36. The band he was in

had 6 releases from 1970-1974

[Brother Buzz]

31. Who goaded John Fogerty to start doing CCR material again by saying....

"If you don’t do 'Proud Mary,' everybody’s gonna think it’s a Tina Turner song".

It was at a Taj Mahal concert.

Extra credit: Taj Mahal invited three stars from the audience up on stage. Can name the third star?

[red dog 1]

37. Well, I know he & Bob Dylan were close friends, was it Dylan?

[Brother Buzz]

38. Yes. Care to hazard a guess on the third star?

Note: All three independently dropped into the Palomino Club to see Taj Mahal play, and that speaks volumes of what all three thought of him.

On edit: Looks like two arrived together and probably to see their friend, guitarist, Ed Davis do his thing

[red dog 1]

48. 4 wild guesses

1) Levon Helm
2) Eric Clapton
3) Gram Parsons
4) George Harrison

[Brother Buzz]

51. The first three names would have been fun to see, but George Harrison is correct

A fourth fun name would have been Ry Cooder, Taj Mahal's close friend from way, way back in LA's The Ash Grove Folk/Blues days.

Taj Mahal was totally in his element, but I suspect the audience was gobsmacked at their good fortune.

The video quality is crap, but the sound is adequate - Proud Mary starts at 1:29:00

On edit: 28:00 Taj Mahal calls the reluctant John up on stage - Fun

[red dog 1]

53. Thanks for posting that

[VGNonly]

92. Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder

played the Rising Sons. Who was the drummer? (The drummer later played in a renowned band with his 14 year stepson, a guitarist)

[Brother Buzz]

93. Kevin Kelley, but I thought they were cousins

Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder's favorite drummer these days is Ry Cooder's son, producer/adviser/manager/sage, and best friend, Joachim Cooder.

In the fabled Ryman Theater, Baby! Note: Jaoachim is playing the drums with a maraca.

Jaoachim did the same thing on Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal 2023 tribute album to Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee album Get In Board where drummer Coyal McMahan is credited on maracas.

[VGNonly]

94. A different drummer,

he played with The Rising Sons in 65 but injured his wrist during a monumental version of Statesboro Blues. Kevin Kelley took over later in 65.

This drummer was older, born in 1923. He played for a number of jazz groups before going rock. Lived till the age of 89, his nickname was Mr. Skin.

[Brother Buzz]

95. Only Kelly is credited playing drums on the ill fated album, Rising Sons Featuring Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder

And Kevin Kelley went on to play with the Byrds for a bit, which totally translates to a renowned band in my book. I knew nothing about the other drummer until I looked; Spirit was never on my radar.


The Rising Sins were horrible mediocre, but by every measure, they got better. I suspect producer, Terry Melcher was asleep at the wheel to not see what was in front of him; good songs, great vocals, and fantastic guitar licks, but with Zero cohesiveness.

[VGNonly]

99. Random bits

Ed Cassidy/Spirit, as far as I know was never on record with The Rising Sons, but they did work together in the early days. Ry Cooder was only 17-18 at the time. Kevin Kelley was a cousin of Chris Hillman of the Byrds. Clarence White pushed for Gene Parsons over Kelley. Eventually Hillman left the Byrds, John York and later Skip Battan joined . Parsons developed the B-Bender with White. White as many know, was killed by a drunk driver while packing up after a show in the 73. I saw Chris Hillman with Herb Pedersen at The Fur Peace Ranch founded by Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna).

[Brother Buzz]

100. Final random bits

Marty Stuart owns and plays the famous 1954 Fender Telecaster Parsons/White B-Bender today.



The wizard, Gene Parsons has a slick cottage industry making the conversions in an undisclosed location near Mendocino, Ca


https://stringbender.com/custom.php

Final random bit: Clarence White made his first television appearance playing a mysterious Martin D-28 on the Andy Griffith Show.

Nine-year-old bluegrass player, Tony Rice met sixteen-year-old Clarence backstage at a Southern California gig in 1960, They talked about the beat up guitar and Tony fell in love with it.

Here's the cool story how Tony Rice came into possession of the mythical #58957. Nobody had any clue just how magical the bastardized guitar was until Rice mastered the skills to let it do its stuff.

https://www.fretboardjournal.com/features/58957-tony-rice-and-his-holy-grail-martin-d-28/

[VGNonly]

101. Clarence and Ry

[link:

|

[Brother Buzz]

104. Would have, could have, should have been

Pure Nashville, Baby! In my perfect world, Ry Cooder and Clarence White would have done a killer album together.

Do you know what studio that was recorded in?

[VGNonly]

105. Just guessing...

Bakersfield CA? Has that Cali vibe.

I found that Gene Parsons still lives and works in Gaspar CA, about halfway between Mendocino and Fort Bragg. He rents out lodging there. The name of the place: Stringbender Cottage!

[Brother Buzz]

108. Ry Cooder tells us how the Prodigal Son discovered God in Bakersfield, and Ralph Mooney is his name

Note: Jaoachim Cooder retired the maraca and is using a soup ladle for just the right sound.

The Prodigal Son
Song by Ry Cooder

-snip-

The father asked the prodigal
"Son, why you been gone so long?
Well, did you so love the world and forget your happy home"
The prodigal said, "I searched for true religion
But no faith and no peace could I find
Until I came to a little place called Bakersfield, that eased my troublin' mind"
That's why I believe that, I believe that I will go back home
And I believe that, I believe that I will go back home
Well, I believe that, I believe that I will go back home
And be a servant of the Lord

I wandered into a tavern where a music band was playin'
Now, the steel guitar rang out so sweet, I feel that I was prayin'
And I asked a comely waitress, is this a new teaching
Yeah, she said there is no God but God, and Ralph Mooney is his name
I said, let me empty your ashtray, Mr. Mooney
And if the drunks interfere I'll be sad
But just as long as you sit there on the bandstand
And play your guitar like Buddha, I'll be glad

The father asked the prodigal,
Did you smell the sweet perfume and hear the angel band?

He said, dim lights, thick smoke, and loud, loud music
Is the only kind of truth I'll ever understand

-snip-

[red dog 1]

39. Name the musician-songwriter who played with a multitude of famous rock musicians, including:

John Lennon
George Harrison
Eric Clapton
Johnny Rivers
Randy Newman
Neil Diamond
Carole King
John Sebastian
Merle Haggard
Tom Waits
Harry Nilsson
Jackson Browne
Teresa Brewer
Judy Collins
Glen Campbell
Donovan
John Lee Hooker
B.B. King
Frank Zappa
Leon Russell
Carly Simon
Country Joe McDonald
Frank Zappa

and many more, including the following groups:
The Everly Brothers
Crosby, Stills & Nash
The Byrds
The Beach Boys
Derek and the Dominos
Delaney and Bonnie
The Carpenters
Traffic
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

[VGNonly]

40. Jim Gordon?

[red dog 1]

41. Yes

[VGNonly]

43. He died last year

Great drummer but schizophrenia (murdered his mother) put him into institution/prisons for his last 40 years.

[red dog 1]

49. He had schizophrenia, but his doctors misdiagnosed the problem & instead treated him for alcohol abuse.

Last edited Sun Apr 7, 2024, 10:50 PM - Edit history (1)

[malthaussen]

42. Who was the first drummer for the Beatles?

Anybody who answers "Pete Best" will be flogged and shown to the door.

-- Mal

[red dog 1]

50. Colin Hanton?

(I think he might have played drums with The Quarrymen)

[malthaussen]

55. Nice try, but I'm picky. The Quarrymen are not the Beatles.

I want the first guy they found to play drums after Stu Sutcliffe invented the name.

-- Mal

[red dog 1]

57. I thought John Lennon came up with the name "The Beatles," not Stu Sutcliffe

Did Sutcliffe come up with the name "Silver Beatles"?

[malthaussen]

58. Lennon and Sutcliffe were brainstorming names...

... Stu came up with the name "Beatals" (and he always spelled it that way). So Lennon said, anyway, but people prefer to credit Lennon because who ever heard of Stu Sutcliffe?

The "Silver Beatles" thing was very temporary. Here's the deal: the Beatles were auditioning for one of the shows Larry Parnes put on in Liverpool in 1960. Brian Casser, leader of Cass and the Casanovas, who were Liverpool's biggest band at the time, told them the name "Beatals" was ridiculous, and that they should change their name to "Long John and the Silver Beetles," as groups were always known by the leader's name "and" the band. It was a vague reference to Long John Silver of Treasure Island fame.

Believe it or not, in those days the Beatles were as prone to hero worship as the next teenager, so they briefly adopted the name, except John didn't like the "Long John" nickname (and the group didn't want to have a regulation name like all the others; even in the early years they were a collection of equal members). So "Silver Beetles" it became, except in some bills it was truncated to "Silver Beats." After a month or so of that, they adopted the name "Silver Beatles," which lasted for a couple of months. Their manager (Allan Williams at the time), never got over that name, although he frequently misspelled it (spelling was not his long suit). After the Scotland trip, they chucked the "Silver" part and were at last, simply, the Beatles. (And not "The Beatles," the article was never part of the name, but of course in English it is kind of habitual)

Along the way, they picked up their first drummer, which is what the question was about.

-- Mal

[Boomerproud]

70. Tommy Moore?

Just a guess. Did he ever go on the tour of Scotland with them? I don't know. Paul McCartney was an occasional drummer in Hamburg.

[malthaussen]

81. Ding Ding!

Tommy Moore it is, although thereby hangs another tale. The Beatles had hired him for the audition mentioned above, but for some reason he couldn't make it (maybe he was doing OT at the bottle works). So Johnny Hutchinson ( "Hutch" ) of Cass and the Cassanovas sat in for the audition (it was his drum kit anyway). Punch line: Hutch always hated the Beatles, even after they became famous, and would probably slug anyone who mentioned his brief stunt as their drummer.

Extra punch line: the Beatles "failed the audition" and did not appear in the show.

-- Mal

[Elessar Zappa]

46. Name Frank Zappa's children.

[rogerballard]

47. Moon Unit and Dweezil

[JoseBalow]

52. And Ahmet, and Diva (the youngest)

[yellowdogintexas]

54. another band to guess very diverse group of very excellent performers, and they sing in 9 languages

who are these people?

[red dog 1]

56. Andrew Long Oldham once locked Mick Jagger & Keith Richards in a kitchen to force them to write a song

The song they came up with was "As Tears Go By"

What British city/town did this take place in?

[Brother Buzz]

59. 'Travelin' Man' was Ricky Nelson's first #1 hit

Singer-songwriter Jerry Fuller wrote it with Sam Cooke in mind, but Cooke's manager was unimpressed and did not keep the demo, which eventually wound up being passed along to Nelson.

What musician heard it being played from the next room, liked it, and retrieved the demo from the trash can to pass on to Ricky Nelson?

Extra credit: What future singing star sang backup on the demo?

[red dog 1]

60. What was the name of the school where Mick Jagger and Keith Richards first met?

[Dulcinea]

75. Wentworth Primary School.

They were neighbors as kids.

[red dog 1]

83. You got it!

Wentworth County Primary School

[Brother Buzz]

61. Where did Mick Jagger finish writing and record Brown Sugar

The local colloquialisms from the locations influenced some of the lyrics.

The Stones finished up recording early, early Friday morning and were in the nightmare of Altamont by the weekend.

[red dog 1]

62. In 1962, when The Rolling Stones were living in a "squalid flat" in Chelsea, and had very little money,

Dick, a schoolmate of Brian Jones showed up with some money he had earned from being in the British Territorial Guard.

Brian Jones convinced him to give him his overcoat and to give his sweater to Keith Richards.

Then, along with Mick & Keith, Brian walked to a local "burger joint" and made Dick walk 15 feet behind them.
When they got to the eatery, he asked him for money to pay for the food, but wouldn't let the guy come in with them.
Brian told told Dick to wait outside, which he did.

He had Dick buy him an expensive guitar and other things as well.

One night, after the guy had been there for a couple of weeks, ,Brian came home from a rehearsal to find Dick sleeping in his bed.
Brian got so mad he chased Dick around the flat with a live electrical wire from an amp -- sparks flying everywhere.
Dick, who was still in his underwear, was chased out into the freezing cold street, where he yelled "Don't go in there, they're crazy!"
A half hour later, after Dick was starting to turn blue from the cold, he was allowed back in.
The next day, Dick took off and went back home.

What British city/town did Dick come from?

[Brother Buzz]

63. What state did Buddy Holly first record in?

"That'll be the Day" and "Peggy Sue" were not recorded in Texas.

[Harker]

67. New Mexico. Clovis. n/t

[Brother Buzz]

71. Correct

Norman Petty Studios. Roy Orbison recorded there, too.

[Harker]

72. Vi Petty played the Celeste on "Everyday." n/t

[Brother Buzz]

73. Cool. Norman Petty was no slouch on the keyboard either

His magical licks on the Hammond Solovox are all over the place in Jimmy Gilmer and The Fireballs' 'Sugar Shack'. It gave it just the right 'pop' to send the song to #1 on the charts

[we can do it]

64. What high school did Chrissie Hynde go to?

[VGNonly]

65. Firestone HS

[VGNonly]

66. When The Beatles first met Bob Dylan,

who was the first of the four to smoke weed with Dylan?

[rogerballard]

68. George Harrison

[VGNonly]

69. It wasn't George.

This member was designated "my royal taster" by another member. X smoked an entire joint himself.

[Harker]

74. John Lennon, I would think. n/t

[VGNonly]

82. Not John

Dylan assured them that weed was "natural" rather than the speed they were taking.

[Harker]

84. So all he had to do was act naturally?

I missed the "royal taster" hint.

[VGNonly]

86. "As Ringo Starr I'm not into meditation,

I just like to have fun."

[link:

|

[brewens]

76. Name all four members of The Banana Splits. :) n/t

[Mister Ed]

79. Fleagle, Drooper, Bingo, and Snorky.

Fleagle was the dog, Drooper the lion, Bingo the orangutan (on drums), and Snorky the elephant (on keys).

[._.]

77. Ok

Which male rocker had a gun pulled on him after he dressed in drag and went out in public In Texas?

[Jrose]

102. David Bowie?

[Mister Ed]

80. What was the full name at birth of Cass Elliott, a.k.a. Mama Cass? n/t

[red dog 1]

87. Who was the most successful concert promoter on the West Coast from 1954 to 1966?

(It wasn't Bill Gtaham)

[Brother Buzz]

88. That's a really good one, and I got nothing

I was first thinking Disney or Lawrence Welk, but nothing was fitting.

Was the Hollywood Bowl a venue, and was the promoter primarily promoting Jazz?

I'm truly scratching my head

[red dog 1]

89. No, it had nothing to do with the Hollywood Bowl

I admit that it's a tough question,

Here's a hint, he booked James Brown, Ike & Tina Turner, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Jimi Hendrix and others.

(Don't think L.A., think S.F.)

[Brother Buzz]

90. That's a lot of help - Not! - Was the promoter a radio personality?

KEWB and KFRC did a bit of concert promoting/underwriting back in the day.

The years totally throw me.

[red dog 1]

97. No, not a radio personality.

Both those stations did do some concert promotion, along with KYA.

My favorite DJ's from back then were:
Russ "The Moose" Syracuse and "Emperor" Gene Nelson
(I think they were both on the same radio station, but I forget which one)

[Brother Buzz]

98. Maybe knowing the genre would help me break through

Rhythm and Blues?

[red dog 1]

106. I'd say yes, mostly R&B

(Hint: See replies # 91 & 98)

[Brother Buzz]

107. Boxing Style Concert Posters?

[red dog 1]

111. I don't think so.

(Not sure what "boxing style" posters means)

[Brother Buzz]

112. Simple bold block lettering, often with colored bands to dress them up

Not unlike a boxing poster. They went south faster than you can spit after Alton Kelley and Stanley Mouse and The Family Dog splashed.

[Brother Buzz]

114. Not much R&B, but the dates work well for Frank Weber

I'm just spitballing here. I would not be sad if you spilled the beans.

[red dog 1]

115. I don't know that name --- Frank Weber

Who was he?

[VGNonly]

91. Was he found dead

under questionable circumstances?

I cannot remember his name.

[red dog 1]

96. Yes

[Cartoonist]

103. Cream

Swlabr?

[VGNonly]

109. In the song Willin'

by Little Feat, what four cities are mentioned in the lyrics?

[Harker]

110. I have two from out west... n/t

[JoseBalow]

113. Doriella du Fontaine

IYKYK - If You Know, You Know...

Choose your own adventure - share some facts you know about Doriella du Fontaine