Rock 'n' Roll Rumors and Urban Legends

[John Battles]

Have any of you heard any good Rock'n'Roll rumors ? They don't have to be incriminating. Some might be things you WISH would have happened , e.g. the New York/Boston super - bill at The Warsaw in Brooklyn with The Dictators , Fleshtones , Real Kids and DMZ. I asked Handsome Dick about it , and he said "That's the first I've heard of it. But , it's a good idea."

Then there's rumors that are pure libel , like the one about Lux Interior dying of a Heroin overdose in 1987. I knew right off the bat that it was bullshit , but the damage was done.

Or some that are fun to think about even if the likelihood of their having happened is slim.

Such as it's true The Beatles visited Elvis Presley at one of his California homes in '64 or '65 (?). What's unlikely is that The Beatles and Elvis broke into a jam session , or that they played Monopoly with real money. Does'nt seem like the world will ever know.

Likewise , The Rolling Stones supposedly did a recording session at Chess Records with Muddy Waters , probably in '65.

Then there's pure trash urban legend that only a fool would believe.

My Coach in Jr. High told me that Frank Zappa staged a "World's Grossest Band" contest , which his band won. I asked him , what did they do , and he told me , "I can't tell you what they did , but the band that LOST crushed live baby chicks on stage!"

Even my naive as Hell Teenage Head was'nt buying that one.

[Ken]

I love these kinds of stories!  I even started an recurring short in Nix Comics about these kinds of myths:

Joe Tex and James Brown's feud from issue #3 (Art by Matt Wyatt):

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B0iakJ5yvUeUNlBzRnVPNXQxUzQ

Ray Davies's mental Break Down from issue #4 (Art by Darren Merinuk)

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B0iakJ5yvUeUc0djbkREYzhfM0U

In upcoming issues I'm going to do Screamin' Jay Hawkins going into the studio with the intent of laying down a classic-smooth love ballad and coming out with "I Put A Spell On You" and the mysterious circumstances behind the death of Bobby Fuller.

[John Battles]

The James Brown vs. Joe Tex debacle has many twists and turns. Hello ,James Porter !
Tell the good people about it , James......

I knew an older Black gentleman who claimed to have performed with the best , as a Little Richard impersonator (Right after Richard got religion. THERE WAS DEMAND FOR SOMEONE WHO COULD DO HIS ACT.). He certainly knew enough about certain performers , I had no cause to doubt him . He even asked me , "Do you know what happened to my good friend in Texas? Esq....ESQUERITA ?". Of course , I had to tell him. But , he told me Joe Tex was the best performer he'd ever seen , and that James Brown got a lot of his schtick from him.

Screamin' Jay Hawkins had a talent for not telling the same story , the same way , twice , or changing his opinion of another performer at the drop of a hat.
I don't knock it , that's human nature.....to an extent , anyway.
When I met Hawkins , he was talking about how James Brown challenged him to a scream - off. He said he told him , "OK , I WILL SCREAM YOU INTO THE GROUND , DOING ONE OF YOUR SONGS !" ....So , they both sang "Please , Please , Please" together , and , when it was over "James Brown has hackin' and coughin' , and I said , "I told you ! It's time for the pupil to meet the master!"......But , in Spin (Yes , Spin was half worth a damn , many years ago.) , Screamin' Jay said he did a bill with Brown at The Apollo ,and the Famous Flames , who were to back everyone , did'nt want any part of him. So , he told them , "OK , you don't have to rehearse with me. I WILL DO ALL JAMES BROWN SONGS FOR MY SET.". So , that's what he did. James Brown appeared backstage ,flanked by two bodyguards , saying "Man , you do a HELL of a job with MY songs !". Jay said , "N***** , why don't you turn one of those gorillas on me , right now ?!". When he did , Jay produced a 357 Magnum , and said , "I'd like to see any motherfucker break thrugh THIS !!!".

WHO KNOWS WHICH STORY IS CLOSER TO THE TRUTH? IT'S ALL IN THE NAME OF ENTERTAINMENT.

As for Ray Davies , there's no doubt he was stressed out , and had a run of bad luck (3 year Ban from The US , anyone?). But , he's probably the luckiest man alive. When he and his Brother went to John Wayne Gacy's house , at least he had'nt begun his killing spree.

[trashman]

Well we all know the Rod Stewart one.

But what I find interesting is how it all evolved.  I remember hearing it back in 4th or 5th grade (1979 or 80); but I heard it from a kid in a lunch room.  And I thought it sort of started there. Then I met kids in other high schools and they knew it.  Then onto college and they knew it.  Then professional life living all over the U.S. and they knew it.  

This rumor was spread before the days of the internet so remarkable the way it carried along an oral tradition (no pun intended) of storytelling.  Of course, we all got to an age we knew it was false but remarkable to the extent this dirty little rumor spread.  

I recently heard Rod Stewart address while doing the media tour for his new book.  It was started by an ex-publicist he fired.  Remarkable.  

The way this story spread via person to person in the late 70s/80s is worth a book in itself.

[Andy Climax]

Does the Paul Mccartney's dead rumour count? Abbey Road'n'all that guff. Back then i suppose it was news. Now, after the last album, it would be a blessing! (only joking of course)

[Andy Climax]

Another myth i heard fro a friend recently was, that Nickleback were good? is this true?

[The FRANCS]

HA... Good one!!!

Andy Climax said:

Another myth i heard fro a friend recently was, that Nickleback were good? is this true?

[Kirk Teeters]

What about the persistent rumor that Brian Jones was "done away with"? No one ever seems to have come up with a particularly convincing explanation for "Who" or "Why"  but every time it's mentioned in the media there's that bit about "rumors abound that he met with foul play."

[Johnny Danger / Itchy Scabs]

Such as it's true The Beatles visited Elvis Presley at one of his California homes in '64 or '65 (?). What's unlikely is that The Beatles and Elvis broke into a jam session , or that they played Monopoly with real money. Does'nt seem like the world will ever know.  

However, it is very likely that the Beatles raced the King on his personal professional grade slot car track (a Blue King 8 laner). Who won?

[Kirk Teeters]

I'm bettin' on Elvis. After all, it was his track. So... home-field advantage?

Johnny Danger / Itchy Scabs said:

Such as it's true The Beatles visited Elvis Presley at one of his California homes in '64 or '65 (?). What's unlikely is that The Beatles and Elvis broke into a jam session , or that they played Monopoly with real money. Does'nt seem like the world will ever know.  

However, it is very likely that the Beatles raced the King on his personal professional grade slot car track (a Blue King 8 laner). Who won?

[Andy Climax]

I think Ringo would've won it by a nose, haha

Kirk Teeters said:

I'm bettin' on Elvis. After all, it was his track. So... home-field advantage?

Johnny Danger / Itchy Scabs said:

Such as it's true The Beatles visited Elvis Presley at one of his California homes in '64 or '65 (?). What's unlikely is that The Beatles and Elvis broke into a jam session , or that they played Monopoly with real money. Does'nt seem like the world will ever know.  

However, it is very likely that the Beatles raced the King on his personal professional grade slot car track (a Blue King 8 laner). Who won?

[Ken]

I didn't know the John Wayne Gacy thing.  Is there more of a story there?

John Battles said:

As for Ray Davies , there's no doubt he was stressed out , and had a run of bad luck (3 year Ban from The US , anyone?). But , he's probably the luckiest man alive. When he and his Brother went to John Wayne Gacy's house , at least he had'nt begun his killing spree.

[Grazianohmygod]

One that's true, but good enough to be a legend, is that Keith Richards literally wrote the guitar line to Satisfaction in his sleep.

Richards used to keep an audio recorder by his bed. One morning he woke up to find that the tape was at the end. Richards rewound it and hit play -- pause -- bwam-bwam...nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh...bwam-bwam for thirty seconds. Then the sound of the guitar being thrown down. Then forty-five minutes of snoring.