Cast your mind back to the English music scene in the 60s and 70s.
Think for a moment about the aspiring rock bands who wanted nothing to do with
the squeaky clean, goody two shoes, boy next door appearance of many of their
rivals, and how they set about the task of proving themselves as nonconformists.
It might start with a sneering image or a more defiant dress sense. It might
then progress to destruction of their instruments on stage at the end of their
live shows, and onwards to the use of hotel corridors for Harley Davidson
trials, and hotel bedroom windows for the ejection of clunky old style TV sets
from high floors. Not to mention the groupies and the opportunities to take
advantage.
So how would any of those musicians achieve, in turn, the unlikely
accolade of nonconformist within a nonconformist band? Let’s leave aside the
fact that some of the present day survivors from old times would go back to
their hotels after the show and tidy the rooms. Back to the past we shall go.
As legend would have it, one particular member of a ‘bad boy’ group spurned the
wild party and the groupies and went to bed at a civilised hour. Upon being
rudely awakened by a 3am phone call, he is said to have washed, shaved, and put
on a suit, before descending to the ground floor and expressing his displeasure
with the antisocial caller. No doubt we can forgive the fact that he did so by
punching the miscreant in the face, requesting in rather robust terms not to be
described as ‘my drummer’ by ‘my singer’ ever again.
And on that rather contrived note, what better way to
congratulate Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones on celebrating his 50th
wedding anniversary, a truly rare milestone for any member of one of our long
established rock bands?
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