Good ol' Chuck Berry

[Bluzmann57]

The man is old and yet he still tours. And his music will live forever. Chuck Berry=the Real King of Rock and Roll!

[mtowngman]

1. My Ding A Ling

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQ_B62k9sQk&feature=related

[jobycom]

2. That's really Elvis

After Elvis faked his death, Chuck Berry himself ironically was killed in a car accident on the way to the funeral, by, of all people, Stephen King. That's what the CIA used to blackmail King into shooting John Lennon, less because of Lennon's political views than the fact that George HW Bush was a big fan of Paul McCartney, and still blamed Lennon for Paul's suicide in the 60s. Check out the earlobes.

Anyway, Elvis was more of a rock puritan than his overfed Vegas era would indicate, and although he had planned to live out his life in relative obscurity (although there were rumors that he was going to switch places with Ted Kennedy, who was tired of DC at the time), he was crushed by Berry's death, and knew that the double blow could shatter the hearts of too many rock and roll fans. So Elvis and Berry's people did a switcheroo, with Elvis loosing a lot of weight and taking Berry's place.

Sweet gesture. Kind of like when Jimmy Buffet stood in for Nolan Ryan late in his career, and racked up two no hitters for The Express.

[Skittles]

3. well said, jobycom

now I will WELL DONE your ass :D

[jobycom]

10. Hey, don't blame me

That was Ben Franklin, although there are theories that he was really... Oh never mind.

[Mr. Blonde]

4. I like this quote

"If you had to call Rock and Roll another name, I suppose you could call it Chuck Berry." - John Lennon


Pretty much sums things up if you ask me.

[KatyMan]

5. what great tone

on his guitar. I've been watching Chuck Berry videos, thanks to the YouTube link upthread. That led me to the Beatles, who were my introduction to Chuck Berry, via the Star Club album, which was pretty awesome, would love to have a copy of it again!

thanks for the OP...!

[gmoney]

6. This video kind of sums up what Chuck was up against back in the day...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxbj1uDQ8MU

Chuck starts out playing "Maybelline" and before he's done with the first verse, you see Gerry and the Pacemakers screen right taking the stage, and before the song is halfway over, G&P take over and play the rest of the song, get the big applause at the end, and barely even give Chuck a nod. What more blatant metaphor does one need for the "white breadization" of R&B music like Chuck Berry's, Little Richard's, Fats Domino's and so many others?

What would have been cool is if Chuck came over and jammed with G&P, maybe took a second solo with them backing him up... a simple idea, but totally against the music biz philosophy at the time.

Do gotta say, the dancers are pretty kickass in a weird sort of way, especially the one blonde woman towards the right who REALLY gets into it.

[MilesColtrane]

7. His talent and his contribution to music history is undeniable.

Too bad he's a creep.

[raccoon]

8. See also,

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3368665&mesg_id=3374046


Seriously, I agree. His contribution to music is just tremendous.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

9. Saw him in 1972 at the Boston Music Hall, opening for Frank Zappa

It was the "Flo & Eddie" edition of The Mothers, filthiest show I've ever seen in my life.

Berry opened. He closed his set with "Johnny B. Goode." It was like anything you could possibly imagine it to be....he did the splits, he did the duck walk, he hit every note to perfection. Amazing, true "rock legend" stuff.

A couple of years later I saw him opening for Little Richard at the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, CA. At this point, Chuck really didn't give a shit about himself or (especially) his audience. He did a 20 minute set, which included a 12-minute "My Ding A Ling," a painfully botched and horrendously off-key "Roll Over Beethoven," and the closer, "School Days." To call the set sloppy would be to give him far too much praise. Then Little Richard came out and played for an hour, giving it everything he had, which wiped away the memory of Berry in short order.

Supposedly the time spent behind bard made him bitter. I don't know where his head's at these days.

[nomorenomore08]

11. Here's him doing "Surfin' USA," er, sorry, "Sweet Little Sixteen."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3i-yL_rEbA

Pretty good sound/video quality for 1958, I'd have to say.

[Cant trust em]

12. Chuck Berry is totally underrated

I think he's probably my favorite of the early rock and roll stars. Him and then probably Buddy Holly.