Chuck Berry R.I.P.

The two-cd Anthology/Gold is great too--The Great 28 + 22 more essentials ("The Promised Land", "Tulane", "You Never Can Tell", "Jaguar and Thunderbird", "JoJo Gunne"...I could go on)

Thanks Chuck

You can buy this new on CD for as little as $4 online.

http://lossless-galaxy.ru/uploads/posts/2010-11/1290535238_st.-louis-to-liverpool.jpg

Shit, better put some Chuck on the playlist for this party i'm dj'ing tonight now. RIP all-time great.

I'd love to read a feminist appreciation taking into account the reported aberrant sexual conduct.

Chuck wrote so many frequently-covered classics that I'd guess it would be entirely possible to hear many of the classic songs he wrote without ever having to hear the originals... although I strongly recommend that people do.

The thing is, I can only think of one cover of a Chuck Berry song that comes even close to the vitality and awesomeness of the originals, and it's Elvis's version of "Promised Land." Everything else just makes me think, why am I not listening to Chuck Berry right now?

Worth Wild Li'l Tree‏Verified account @karengeier

being a sexual predator plus being good at your job does not make you “complex.” consider the message you’re sending to victims with this

I would never want to talk about art with that person.

just heard the news. RIP Chuck Berry.

tbh "taking into account his aberrant sexual behaviour" is something women do with 90% of rock n roll music as it is, chuck doesnt get special dispensation for it

it isnt exactly a walk in the park being a fan of elvis or jerry lee lewis or the stones or zeppelin or really anyone when you get down to it

The thing is, I can only think of one cover of a Chuck Berry song that comes even close to the vitality and awesomeness of the originals, and it's Elvis's version of "Promised Land." Everything else just makes me think, why am I not listening to Chuck Berry right now?

Same song, even better version;

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gG8rG9RhnhY

being a sexual predator plus being good at your job does not make you “complex.” consider the message you’re sending to victims with this
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, March 18, 2017

You seemed to be more forgiving of Michael Jackson seven years ago.

The songs only hint at what a deeply mysterious man he was; his imagination couldn't keep apace with his demons and passions. I know the newssmen are themselves getting their wits togeher, but I wish they wouldn't talk about him in such abstract terms. He was, with Prince, the most brilliant popular musician of his generation -- why isn't his songwriting and production ever discussed as often as his dancing and celebrity goofiness?
― My name is Kenny! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, June 25, 2009 7:17 PM

would've been cool if we could've waited more than, like, a few hours before derailing into "problematic chuck" talk

I had to check my copy twice but how is it that Great Twenty-Eight doesn't have "Promised Land"?

being a sexual predator plus being good at your job does not make you “complex.” consider the message you’re sending to victims with this
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, March 18, 2017

You seemed to be more forgiving of Michael Jackson seven years ago.

The songs only hint at what a deeply mysterious man he was; his imagination couldn't keep apace with his demons and passions. I know the newssmen are themselves getting their wits togeher, but I wish they wouldn't talk about him in such abstract terms. He was, with Prince, the most brilliant popular musician of his generation -- why isn't his songwriting and production ever discussed as often as his dancing and celebrity goofiness?
― My name is Kenny! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, June 25, 2009 7:17 PM

― clemenza,

oh I've changed since 2009 and have got a paper trail, thanks to more contact with college students. And I'm not sure what you're suggesting? I've nowhere indicated blanket dismissals.

wait -- are you confusing the tweet I pasted (with screenname) with my opinion?

Simply that you were ready to grant complexity to Michael Jackson that you seem to want to deny Chuck Berry. But I agree with J.D.; put all that aside for at least a few hours (I feel bad contributing to it).

where have I denied complexity? This is what I wrote "I'd love to read a feminist appreciation taking into account the reported aberrant sexual conduct." This is adding complexity!

"being a sexual predator plus being good at your job does not make you “complex.” consider the message you’re sending to victims with this"

That seemed directed at Berry--how else is that supposed to be read?

What you're missing is that's not something Alfred said - it's something some asshole tweeted, and he quoted (with attribution).

Always liked this underrated aero piece on "Back to Memphis":

http://lastplanetojakarta.com/articles/memphis.html

clem, I've twice pointed out that I didn't write it: I pasted it from Twitter.

at any rate I wrote an obit two hours ago.

Right--I missed that. Sorry. My impatience--or at least put-it-aside for the moment--is directed at the author of the tweet.

I'm probably working from the assumption that to quote something like that implies some level of agreement, and that it's not just thrown out there--in the context of people paying tribute to Berry--as a conversation starter. I guess I misunderstood the intention.

greil m wrote a very nice piece a while back about "more chuck berry," an old hits collection that popped up a lot in 70s-era critics' all-time best lists. reminded me that i'd really like to reread his autobiography one of these days.

https://greilmarcus.net/2016/02/10/more-chuck-berry-041201/

i'm guessing the "content strategist" who wrote that original tweet had not spent a lot of time thinking about chuck berry prior to this afternoon

There's nothing wrong with the tweet as a conversation starter -- if that's the intention. To remain at the level of the tweet is the end of crit.

I read something by Marcus or Christgau that the rationale for choosing More as the best available compilation was that it was all the best stuff from Golden Decade + "Come On." (But it still misses "Promised Land.")

The Berry chapter in the RS Encyclopedia of Rock is a superb piece of writing.

Wow, this photo: apparently, Michael Jackson made the mistake of introducing one of his sisters to Berry at the American Music Awards.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C7PaOvVVwAA71eb.jpg

her name is LaToya iirc

Ms. Jackson if you're--nah, just LaToya's enough.

Re covers: "Memphis" is far from my favourite Chuck Berry song (I remember my guitar teacher trying to teach it to me when I was 10 or something like that), but I think this is pretty good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQR0K4JT-rA

("In 1956, when American was giving birth to rock and roll, one man was already trying to kill it.")

yeah Memphis is awesome

Sandy Bull's version of Memphis is great

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4_pXCTpjRg

Just remembered he shows up in Wim Wenders' "Alice in the Cities" singing "Memphis," and that the song parallels the film's plot somewhat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Bea9rR4F-4

Only the good die young.

Chuck was great.

RIP Chuck Berry

Saw him once in '86, around the release of that concert doc. He was ornery at the end of it when the crowd started to clamber onstage. I was entirely satisfied.

hail hail indeed

https://goodmusicspeaks.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/send-more-chuck-berry.jpg?w=660&h=412

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C7P4yAQXkAArbWq.jpg

maybe i saw the same show as morbs in '86? he was playing with john entwistle, half of rockpile, chuck leavell, and treated them just like any other backup band with zero rehearsal. brilliant, regardless. miss u chuck.

no, mine was the same ol' usual no-name locals he habitually used.

think i saw him in berlin in '88 but can't find the ticket now. local band played desultory r 'n' r instrumentals to warm up the audience, he left it very late to get on stage, arrived with suitcase and guitar. strict hour set, all the classics and moves, band couldn't keep up with him, akin to a mid-90s fall gig for lack of togetherness and 100% rock n roll. a true great. going to dust off the vinyls now...

matt dc and vegemitegrrl entirely otm upthread.

RIP genius

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jKrHzps0XM

her name is LaToya iirc

I couldn't tell which sister it was (LaToya or Rebbie, but definitely not Janet) and she wasn't ID-ed when I saw the photo on Twitter.

What's not to love about his music? The way the guitar swings on this one, or the lyrical inventiveness, like the way he keeps checking his watch in Reelin and Rockin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5gx_b_XCvY

"Promised Land" is basically the ur-text for Southern Rock.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK6MElklfvM

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/chuck-berry/1986/the-ritz-new-york-ny-5bf64b3c.html

^98% sure this is the show i saw

ah, ok. this one was mine:

https://www.wolfgangs.com/chuck-berry/posters/poster/FEL861018.html

I'd seen this before somewhere--the reviews are funny. (Can't read them if I reduce the size.)

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gxlkC63prUQ/UICCLhE2p7I/AAAAAAAAKto/EDdI6kVIu_Q/s1600/sept80-10-11.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IErA3Ag4w-Q/UICCUYSPgnI/AAAAAAAAKtw/AM2NHuvcVPk/s1600/sept80-12-13.jpg

<3 the reviews, I can imagine that making the Ramones' day.

Thirty-six takes on Maybellene?! Is he for real? Jesus. I always figured they just came in, set up, played it once. It's such a fresh, barrelling performance, just crackling and young and vibrant and bold.

That Powers article is great.

How have I never heard "Tulane" before?

can we talk about the 18 min + track "concerto in b goode" from 1969 album of same name? this thing just kills, almost kraut-y at times. it's like the track was designed to give chuck a platform to experiment with different fx pedals over one chord for an entire lp side. (it also somewhat redeems the mercury years.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAnKqdlPWDo

Wow, this is pretty interesting!

yeahhh, hadn't heard that before this week. pretty sweet -- definitely could pass for a VU outtake jam at points.

and some of that echo-y guitar action isn't too far off from sandy bull's awesome cover of "memphis" too

haha yeah i can imagine chuck hearing "hallo gallo" by neu and being like 'oh yeah we used to do that in practice' haha

Dave Edmunds remembers that '87 NYC show on FB

Me & Chuck

Sometimes you have great gigs, and sometimes you don't. This gig was in St Louis, Missouri, and it was the best of the tour. Great audience, great monitor sound, great band (with the renowned Jamie Oldaker on drums). The kind of gig that whatever you do, whatever you sing, whatever you say, and whatever you play – is right! We did three encores, came off sweating and settled into after-gig drinks in the dressing room. We were towelling off and congratulating ourselves when Steve, my tour manager, burst breathlessly into the room spluttering something about Chuck Berry. “Calm down, Steve!...What's up?”

“Chuck Berry is in the audience sitting with two girls – he's seen the whole show and he wants to get up and do a few songs with you!” Whoa! This is no time for practical jokes. “What did you say?” “Chuck Berry is in the audience sitting with two girls – he's seen the whole show and he wants to get up and do a few songs with you!” I explained to Steve that if he was pissing around and we went back out on stage (the audience was still chanting for more), we have no more songs to do and it could get embarrassing. He swore on everything dear to him that Chuck Berry was ready to climb onstage if we would just go back out. He grabbed my spare (black) Gibson 335 and pushed us back out onstage and, sure enough, Chuck clambered up, strapped on my spare, and went into Roll Over Beethoven, moving on through Memphis, Tennessee, and more.

I wondered if he remembered me from his sixtieth birthday gig in the Felt Forum, Madison Square Gardens, NY, in 1987. I don't remember how this came about, but my then manager, John Scher, arranged for me to put a band together for the gig – an opportunity from heaven. I called in my dear friend and colleague, Chuck Leavell (keyboard player with The Rolling Stones), then John Entwistle, (The Who), and Terry Williams (Rockpile/Dire Straits). Came the night, with no rehearsal whatsoever or any prior discussions with Chuck, we gravitated from our hotel bar across the road to the Felt Forum. There was no one backstage to introduce us to Chuck, so we just sort of gathered side-stage and waited. A couple of minutes before showtime, Chuck ambled up to us and sat down with his guitar hanging around his neck. We nervously introduced ourselves to him, but I am convinced he had absolutely no idea who we were. I dared to ask if there would be a set-list. “Nooo, I always start my songs with this guitar riff” (he plays it – as if no one knows, already), “and then I stamp my foot when to end the song.” “Oh, and no drum fills.” And that was it!

I was fifteen years of age when I first heard Johnnie B. Goode on Radio Luxembourg. I was also fifteen when I got my first guitar. I was determined to learn the opening guitar riff and the solo. I also learned the 'knack' of playing Chuck's “raka-rack' rhythm style on the lower strings while singing. Many accomplished guitar players find this uncomfortable or impossible to do without sounding 'stilted'. His songs, his lyrics, his guitar solos, the style and the keys – I've pondered, puzzled, practised and learnt over the years, eventually incorporating them into many of my records.

That night, I don't know if Chuck recognised I was copping his licks, or whether he was just feeling lazy, but he had me play all the guitar solos – to every song. (except My Ding-a-Ling, when we left the stage). At the end of the final song he grabbed my arm and hauled me centre-stage; he held my hand aloft with his and shouted into the microphone to the screaming audience: “Who said the white man can't play the blues?” It was my proudest moment.

- DE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw-TVrR8wZc

According to a public radio DJ friend of mine, the single from the new album was been sent out today.

Ann Powers on CB and women

http://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2017/03/21/520146232/bittersweet-little-rock-and-roller

― Supercreditor (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, March 21, 2017 3:21 PM (yesterday)

that was a fantastic piece, thank you

Here's the single

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8Zoh-apWRE&feature=youtu.be

Christgau:

http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/magazine-feature/7735698/chuck-berry-rock-n-roll-teenagers-inventor

might wanna listen to this at 9pm ET tonight

https://wfmu.org/2017/03/20/chuck-berry-tribute-thurs-night/

omg

http://images2.onionstatic.com/onion/5657/1/original/700.jpg