Interesting But Little Known Trivia About Big Name Musicians...

[jumpnblues]

...I thought it would be interesting to list some musicians and tell some trivia about them. For example, in the thread about Jim Croce it stated he was not only a musician but a musical scholar. I know there are several rock musicians that were accomplished jazz players before breaking it big in rock. Also, although he was not a musician actor Edgar Buchanan (character actor and "Uncle Joe" on the 60's TV series Petticoat Junction ) was also a dentist. OK, your turn...

Tom

[getbent]

Janis Joplin was voted "Ugliest MAN on Campus" at the University of Texas 2 consecutive years.

[endzone]

Originally Posted by getbent

Janis Joplin was voted "Ugliest MAN on Campus" at the University of Texas 2 consecutive years.

That is danged funny, getbent. You're in rare form tonight.

[sixtiesreject]

Hello Hello--
Stevie Vaughan could play alot of his stuff LEFT HANDED the last year or two before his death. [ I know this because I played with him whenever he came into town and he'd flip his strat over in the middle of a song and pull a "Hendrix" . ]
Brian.

[swooda]

Kris Kristofferson was a rhodes scholar and a army helecopter pilot attaining the rank of captain.

[aznrambo481]

Freddie Mercury had the same taste for men as his girlfriend. Plus, he lost his virginity in a toolshed when he was 14. By the way, he liked them butch.

You're welcome.

[Dave Hopping]

I heard somewhere that Steve Morse has all kinds of flight certifications and worked as an airline pilot for awhile a few years ago.

[getbent]

Sneaky Pete Kleinow, famous steel guitarist, was also responsible for many famous special effects animation including: gumby, star wars, empire strikes back, twilight zone, the right stuff, starship troopers... a master of country rock and film special effects!

[getbent]

Mike Reid, singer songwriter, songwriter of the year, grammy winner and author of "Stranger in my house" "I can't make you love me" "Love without mercy" was also an all pro defensive tackle in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals.

[getbent]

Tom Dowd producer/engineer for many many bands from Aretha to Lynryd Skynrd, Allman Bros... and, of course, Layla, also was a scientist on the Manhattan Project creating the atomic bombs that were exploded in Japan ending WWII.

[Paul in Colorado]

Former Tubes drummer Prairie Prince is a graphic artist and designer for movies. He worked on the Batman films and co-designed the costume and Batmobile.

[Big Tony]

This is a great thread!

/ Tony

[getbent]

The very center of the steroid scandal in sports is Victor Conte head of BALCO the company that provided steroids to many, many athletes. He was the bass player for the Tower of Power in the 70's!

Better Living through chemistry!

[Tremo]

Jeff "Skunk" Baxter does classified spook work for the CIA.

[byrdbrain]

The great composer Irving Berlin could only play in F#.
He had a specially built piano with a lever to change keys.

[Tim Bowen]

Originally Posted by Dave Hopping

I heard somewhere that Steve Morse has all kinds of flight certifications and worked as an airline pilot for awhile a few years ago.

Yep, when Steve was working for Delta Airlines, he used to navigate his vehicle by "driving" (manipulating the steering wheel) with his knees, such that he could also utilize the long commute to work as a "practice" session - he used some little mini travel guitar (I want to say it was a "Chiquita"...?). Talk about multi-tasking... there's a guy that wouldn't make me nervous when using a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle!

The only thing that supercedes Mr. Morse's (quite deserved) reputation as a bonafide musical genius (as well as that of genius in the general sense) is the sheer kindness and humanitarian tendencies that he has consistently brought forth toward others, in the course of his illustrious career. A gentleman and a scholar, if ever there was one.

Originally Posted by Tremo

Jeff "Skunk" Baxter does classified spook work for the CIA

Yes, and he has always preferred to gig while seated. He's also long been a champion of printing time-based ambience to media when cutting tracks, as opposed to superimposing such at mixdown... Yes! Me 'n Skunk vs. the world.

_______________________________________________


There are at least two Englebert Humperdin(c)ks... one is the guy that lived from 1854 to 1921, who composed the opera for Hansel and Gretel; the other is the contemporary of vocalist Tom Jones, who was shooting for almost the exact same target market as was/is Mr. Jones, but was sowewhat overshadowed by Tom, in terms of sheer success. However, the more current Mr. H. will be fondly remembered by ladies of my mom's generation for quite some time, I should think.

Rickie Lee Jones and Carly Simon have both battled with stage fright. I can relate.

Pat Metheny has a real problem with "smooth jazz", and with one artist in particular.

Beethoven's father severely admonished and scolded his son, whenever young Ludwig insisted upon "improvising", and fell astray from the prerequisite studies of the day. For all of us, thank God that Ludwig ultimately chose to think for himself.

While certainly capable of works of infathomable depth (his 8th "unfinished" symphony is among my all time favorite pieces of music, ever), the vast majority of Franz Schubert's works were designed to entertain folks at the frequent house parties that he tossed during his brief twenty eight years spent on the planet - in other words, the basic aim was to be "lighthearted". Schubert was, for all practical purposes, probably really the first writer of "song" (and I'll no doubt be challenged on this one).

Dimitri Shostakovich was incessantly shot down by Russian government, with the given premise being that his works were "too political".

J.S. Bach worked relentlessly, like a madman. However, upon completing his assignments, he enjoyed partying in Paris for months on end, and fathered more than his share of illegitimate children.

To the best of my knowledege, nobody has ever composed more symphonic works than has Franz Joseph Haydn - and most of them are really good.

Jeff Beck insists that he's more interested in vintage automobiles than in guitar playing and music.

Allan Holdsworth thinks that his playing is terrible.

Albert Lee is just as happy playing rhythm and being a sideman, as he is in stepping out for a quitar ride.

Jimi Hendrix never felt comfortable with the sound of his own recorded voice.

James Taylor's song, "Mexico", was nearly lost in the moment, due to James' drunken state at the time. The tune was basically relayed back to James after the fact, from a friend that had heard the process of writing go down during the previous evening.

George Jones once insisted that he was to be introduced as "Ernest Tubb, The King of Country Music". Johnny Paycheck was playing pedal steel for George at the time, and after the aborted gig, Mr. Paycheck was found at a local bar, shaking off this rather bizarre gig.

It's been told to me that George Jones was, during his heyday, wrapped from chest to groin in medicinal tape, as to support him in upright fashion on the bandstand.

It's been told to me that, during the marriage of George Jones and Tammy Wynette, Tammy eventually became less than enamored of George's drinking... so, one day, she poured into the kitchen sink the entire contents of George's bottles, smashed a few of them for good measure, and hid his car keys... it's been reported that, upon awaking and stumbling around, George opted to go out to the shed, hop on his riding lawn mower, and drive several miles down the road at a ridiculously slow rate of speed, to the nearest liquor store.

It's been told to me that there were once rumblings of an affair between Tammy Wynette and Portner Wagoner; upon hearing of such, George Jones decided to attend the Grand Ol' Opry, in anticipating the propitious moment when he could confront Mr. Wagoner - George chose the Grand Ol' Opry restroom as his battlefield. As I understand it, George reached up under Porter, grabbed a certain appendage, and said, "I just wanted to see what Tammy was so proud of."

So how's that for propogating the rumor mill? How could I possibly feel good about relating these stories, albeit fact or fiction? I'll tell you exactly why - because people, particularly artists are incredibly interesting and humorous creatures. If somebody related a scenario about myself (not that anyone's hanging out to hear such), it wouldn't really bug me, as long as it basically resembled the original truth. We're humans, and humans are hilarious by nature.

[vic108]

Tim Drummond caught alot of hell for being James Brown's WHITE
bass player. Alot of folks really resented the fact. When Tim went
into the audition, at the end, he was asked ONE QUESTION and
answered it correctly...(not PC!) and got the job. The question
was asked by James himself: "What's the black goo between an
elephant's toes?". Years later, James had an "out of prison" party
and there, admitted to Tim: "I never gave you any writing credit,
did I?". Tim came up with alot of stuff, one being the riff for
"I'm Black And I'm Proud".

[WickedGTR]

Fats Domino is actually only slightly pudgy.

[mojocasterman]

Chris Gaines was really Garth Brooks with a wig... bet you didn't know this one

[clayfeat]

Originally Posted by WickedGTR

Fats Domino is actually only slightly pudgy.

And Memphis Slim was actually pretty big.

[abeanyman]

George had his own minor league baseball team for years, The Delaware Destroyers. He refused to tour during baseball season.

[MandyMarie]

Merle Travis held his wife up at gunpoint and the police called Joe Maphis in to be the hostage negotiater.

...and he had to have a full on blood-cleanin' not once...but twice. I love Merle Travis stories - what a wild and wacky guy - and I wish I could have been his pal. However...I wouldn't have taken him hunting and given him a gun like Johnny Cash!

[TieDyedDevil]

Originally Posted by getbent

Tom Dowd producer/engineer for many many bands from Aretha to Lynryd Skynrd, Allman Bros... and, of course, Layla, also was a scientist on the Manhattan Project creating the atomic bombs that were exploded in Japan ending WWII.

Very interesting guy, Tom Dowd...

I highly recommend the DVD "Tom Dowd and the Language of Music."

[genelovesjez]

Originally Posted by Tim Bowen

Dimitri Shostakovich was incessantly shot down by Russian government

Good thing he wasn't a pilot, like Steve Morse.

[genelovesjez]

Originally Posted by mojocasterman

Chris Gaines was really Garth Brooks with a wig... bet you didn't know this one

And now neither one will admit it.

[Heather Anne Peel]

Chuck Berry was a hair dresser, Little Richard washed dishes at a bus station and Keith Richards has NEVER had a day job!

[fingers23]

Alice Cooper is a golf nut..........

Keith Richards sang in the choir at Westminster Abbey for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953

[streetglide06]

Originally Posted by mojocasterman

Chris Gaines was really Garth Brooks with a wig... bet you didn't know this one

My next door neighbor was crushed when she found this out!! She actually believed he was...ummm....real!!!

[Oster]

Here's a few:

Don Was has never actually produced anything. He just turned up one day on television and was proclaimed 'producer to the stars'. That's why he's in all those VH1 things.

Billy Shears (Paul McCartney's replacement, post Scooter-crash) ironically enough also played bass and sang for a million-selling British pop group called, unbelievably, The Beatles.

The Seven-string guitar trend of the late '90s embraced by rap metal bands was D'Addario-driven. Top execs at the string giant took a gamble on a bored public and, several dreadlock-flying baseball capped videos later, the profits rolled in (said videos were shot at a soundstage in Los Angeles and not on the moon as previously believed).

[mark norwine]

Mike Nesmith's mother inv........

Oh, nevermind....

[BLACKCAT69]

Keith Richards favourite dish is Shepherd's Pie. Here is a link to how he likes it done: http://members.tripod.com/~Blue_Lena/recipe.html

[Big Tony]

Harmonica virtuoso Little Walter Jacobs had the biggest **** in Chicago. Ask Tina Turner, she knows.

[hekawi]

both Mark Knopfler and Sting were school teachers prior to stardom

[Martinussen]

Willie Nelson used to be a vacuum cleaner salesman.

[getbent]

Originally Posted by Big Tony

Harmonica virtuoso Little Walter Jacobs had the biggest **** in Chicago. Ask Tina Turner, she knows.

Ha! Ha!
Okay, in the pc (plaster caster) vein (so to speak) laugh at him all you want...but Huey Lewis is well known to be the biggest man in rock n roll....

(weird things you learn doing Frank Zappa research)

[Big Tony]

Originally Posted by getbent

Huey Lewis is well known to be the biggest man in rock n roll....

I thought that was Levon Helm!

/ Tony

[mojocasterman]

Originally Posted by fingers23

Keith Richards sang in the choir at Westminster Abbey for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953

For some darn reason, I find this to be the most hilarious thing I have read all day :D

[David Barnett]

Phil Collins was in The Beatles' film "A Hard Day's Night".

Oteil Burbridge, bassist for Aquarium Rescue Unit, The Allman Brothers Band, and with Gov't Mule for a while, was one of the street thugs in the film "Being There".

[ClearwaterMike]

Chas Chandler was the bass player for "The Animals" (with Eric Burdon) before he went on to manage Jimi Hendrix.

Linda Eastman took the b&w photographs for the inside cover of "Electric Ladyland" before she married Paul McCartney.

Jimi Hendrix used "Maurice James" as a stage name before The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

I do not know if this is the same "Maurice" referenced by Steve Miller in "The Joker".

[dogggone]

Originally Posted by TieDyedDevil

Very interesting guy, Tom Dowd...

I highly recommend the DVD "Tom Dowd and the Language of Music."

I remember reading Tom Dowd came up with the idea to have slder controls on the sound board.