Brush with Greatness (or, "Hey, I once played a gig with him!")

[peteb]

10 hours ago, MacDaddy said:

Didge Digital? 

 

 

The very same, except we call him Phil. 

 

[Maude]

The guitarist and singer of one of the bands I'm in have been in bands together previously. One of their previous bands were doing quite well locally and another band on the scene that had supported them before got hold of them and asked to play support at their upcoming Tavistock Wharf gig. 

They said they had some record company types that wanted to see them ASAP and the Wharf would be the perfect venue. 

My bandmates band thought some record company exposure could be good so jumped at the idea. 

Roll on plenty of years and that guitarist and singer are in a band with me and their support band did alright out of the deal as well I think. I don't know where they are now. 

They were called Muse. 

 

 

 

[EliasMooseblaster]

15 hours ago, Mickeyboro said:

Pretty sure Rick only played with them on one studio track and was paid in beer! 

 

Can you really see the man who ate a curry in stage with Yes staying behind a curtain? I can’t!
 

 

I suspect you're right - I almost certainly heard that one from a drummer I worked with for many years, who devoured rock star biographies and was chock full of music biz anecdotes just like that. I have long suspected that roughly 50% of them were mis-remembered or just plain made up!

[sprocketflup]

16 minutes ago, Maude said:

The guitarist and singer of one of the bands I'm in have been in bands together previously. One of their previous bands were doing quite well locally and another band on the scene that had supported them before got hold of them and asked to play support at their upcoming Tavistock Wharf gig. 

They said they had some record company types that wanted to see them ASAP and the Wharf would be the perfect venue. 

My bandmates band thought some record company exposure could be good so jumped at the idea. 

Roll on plenty of years and that guitarist and singer are in a band with me and their support band did alright out of the deal as well I think. I don't know where they are now. 

They were called Muse. 

 

 

 

Would that band have been named Goodstaff?

[Maude]

Just now, sprocketflup said:

Would that band have been named Goodstaff?

No, I think they were Majik Fish at the time, from Plymouth. 

[Cat Burrito]

I have so many stories but the one that raises the most eyebrows is that we gigged with Boris Johnson's sister. Obviously we try to keep Basschat politics free but just putting that out there. It was at the Troubadour in London around 10yrs ago or longer. I don't recall her set but she wasn't a big fan of her brother. 

[Dan Dare]

2 minutes ago, Cat Burrito said:

I don't recall her set but she wasn't a big fan of her brother. 

 

Is anyone?

[sprocketflup]

8 minutes ago, Dan Dare said:

 

Is anyone?

I think he is.

[Mickeyboro]

1 hour ago, EliasMooseblaster said:

I suspect you're right - I almost certainly heard that one from a drummer I worked with for many years, who devoured rock star biographies and was chock full of music biz anecdotes just like that. I have long suspected that roughly 50% of them were mis-remembered or just plain made up!

His son Adam played for them live for some years (visible or not, I don’t know)…

 

I wouldve thought any decent keyboard player would have wanted to remain anonymous 😂

[Chezz55]

Around 1974/5 we were booked to play at a village hall in rural Essex.

 

We arrived and introduced ourselves to the organiser - who told us an upcoming band would be opening for us.

 

That upcoming band went on bigger and better venues, they were called ............................ The Stranglers

 

 

[Mykesbass]

16 hours ago, peteb said:

I have gigged with not one, but three former members of Gerry & The Pacemakers at various times. However, I never with more than one ex-pacemaker at a time. I bet that you're all really impressed...! 🤩 

 

 

One at a time? You'll never walk alone.

[Greg Edwards69]

Another story, from many years ago so the details are quite hazy.

 

My first ever band, mid nineties, from Canvey Island. I must have been around 17 years old at the time. Me on bass (plugged straight into our cheap PA - not even a DI box - yes we were quite poor), my brother on guitar (with a Vox AC50 he bought off a mate for next to nothing) and my mate Kelly on drums. Our PA was an old, very basic, powered mixer - (like those ones in rehearsal rooms, but worse - probably only had about 4 channels) and a couple of Wemm 4x10 columns we acquired from someone for free.

 

Anyway, we were hired by a local impresario to play at his street party. It was apparently his way of thanking his neighbours for putting up with his noisy comings and goings at all hours. He told us that he knew Peter Green's family (another Canvey native) and that Peter's niece was coming along. She approached us after we played and said our version of 'Albatross' was one of the best she had heard in years. Unbeknownst to us, someone had recorded it as well.

 

Fast forward a couple of weeks later and my brother bumped into the same girl. She told him she had played the tape recording to her Uncle Peter and he was very impressed and started reminiscing.

 

Not long later, Peter came out of his self-imposed hibernation with his "Splinter Group".  I'd like to think we had something to do with that.

Edited March 8 by Greg Edwards69

[BassTractor]

Oh, I remember another one: Markus Stockhausen, trumpet player and son of Karlheinz.
 

In '79 or later, preparing for a gig, I met this bloke my age in the corridors, and we immediately found the tone together so our conversation went on and on ...
Luvverly.

Later that day I met him again, and he turned towards a gentleman at his side, saying: "Dad, here's my new friend. I mentioned him".
The gentleman shaking my hand uninterestedly was only Karlheinz Stockhausen ...
So ... to this day, I maintain that when I had a gig in the Main Hall, Stockhausen had to accept Hall no 2.
(The only reason was that the main hall had the pipe organ we needed. Stockhausen drew all the audience. 😃 )

Anyway, Markus later had his own musical career, which reportedly continues to this day.

 

 

Since this thread also mentions people who were already famous:
Bill Bruford wanted to kick my årse!
I've told the story before, but: a college percussion band (who were being instructed by Bruford that week) asked me to dep on piano, as they said for an easy piece of music: "Very simple! You'll do it sightreading!"
Slight detail: the piece was a modern, avant-garde like, mainly percussion piece, and I didn't know it. I had no idea how to count the empty bars, and knew nothing about when to put in my tiny piano part.
So I kept totally silent, seeing a grumpy Bruford in the audience, on row three or so, looking me in the face.

The next two days people warned me I'd better hide, as Bruford was fuming, and searching the whole building for me, wanting to kick my behind.
I remember me saying before: I fear his mouth more than his boot.
😂

Edited March 8 by BassTractor

[markbunney]

I sold a bass to Frankie Poullain from The Darkness.

 

I had listed it for sale on Gumtree, and I met him outside my old office in Canary Wharf to hand it over.

 

It was an Epiphone Thunderbird, and he said that he wanted a cheaper one to play at home, as he was worried about leaving his expensive Gibson ones lying around with young kids in the house!

[Frank Blank]

23 hours ago, Lfalex v1.1 said:

Benji from Skindred is a good laugh. Real nice guy.

 

He really is a top man. I shared the bill with Dub War a couple of times and on both occasions Benji wore one of our beanies, well chuffed.

[Muzz]

I have, in no particular order, either chronologically or in fame terms:

 

Had a wee in a pub bogs next to Mick Hucknall when he was still in The Frantic Elevators.

 

Been told to f*ck off by Lemmy - he was occupied at the one armed bandit in the club...I was delighted, went back to my friends and said 'Lemmy's just told me to f*ck off!' 'Brilliant!'

 

Shared a rehearsal room with James. Never saw them.

 

Played a terrible version of Sit Down to Tim Booth in a bar...his wife (very drunk) said if we did it again he'd get up and sing. I looked over her shoulder and he was shaking his head and waving his hands. I didn't blame him.

 

Played a middling version of Not Nineteen Forever in a pub to 75% of the Courteeners. They looked amused, at least.

 

Done the After You Claude Two-Step thing in a bar doorway with Roger McGough (poet, broadcaster, author, etc) in Manchester. Two weeks later I was coming out of a bar in Bruges and exactly the same thing happened. He looked shaken, and I don't blame him, either.

 

Completely failed to strike up a conversation with Richie Sambora when our drummer brought him over to our table. He went 'Hey', we went 'Errrr..hey?'. Cue awkward silence, exit Sambora.

 

Played with JP Cooper at his first pub gig. He's been signed to Island awhile, and was last on the telly doing a BBC2 thing about Bob Marley last year. 

 

Played with members of a Number One Album band at a lot of jam nights - The Lottery Winners, who supported Rick Astley at the Arena last week. They were back in the bar again the following day.

 

Been to a solo gig (£8 ticket) in an audience of about 50 people to a new singer/acoustic guitarist lad, he was very good. Got chatting to him afterwards, he was very polite and quite posh. Driving home, I said 'He'll go far, that lad. What was his name again?' 'My other half said 'George Ezra'.

[Hobbayne]

I once played a dep gig for a friends band. The lead guitarist brought his friend along who was introduced as Owen. The guitarist said that he was a musician too.

He was a nice chap and played a few songs on guitar with us. It transpired that he was Owen Paul who had a single out back in the 80's called 'My Favourite Waste Of Time' 

[sprocketflup]

A memory prompted from a post up there, flew back from Ireland and on our plane was Dean Friedman.  When we landed he used the urinal next to me. And didn't wash his hands

[Norris]

Half cut, I once stood there chatting backstage with Dave Edmunds for half an hour or so without a clue who he was

 

I was the bass player in a scratch band to back Geoff Downes (Asia, Buggles) at a charity gig he'd organised. I was rather ashamed that I didn't have the foresight to learn Video Killed The Radio Star even though it wasn't on the song list. I busked it ok, but it would have been so much cooler to have known it properly

 

Last year I lent my Thunderbird to Martin Turner (Wishbone Ash) when he turned up to a gig in Nuneaton without his bass! 😂

[MichaelDean]

I once played a supporting slot for St Vincent back in 2009 if that counts. I didn't get to speak to her or anything, but it was a fun first gig for the band!

[Burns-bass]

I’ve played gigs and festivals with Wilco Johnson (nice guys!), Jethro Tull, Carl Palmer, Arthur Brown, Wishbone Ash, the Stranglers, Asia and quite a few more I can’t remember. Went on tour with The Musical Box and recorded two albums with Genesis producer Johnny Burns.

 

This stuff means nothing to most people but was fun.

 

Sold a guitar to Phil Oakey and I’m sort of friends with Sade’s producer.

 

 

[Owen]

I played in a band at Brecon Jazz many years ago. There was an up and coming singer playing support. I could not be bothered to walk out of the green room to watch. It was Amy Winehouse. Duuuuuuur.

[Owen]

The guitarist in the band I was playing with was John Parricelli. He was not there because I was there. But he is one of the 2 best musicians I have ever been anywhere near. Just astonishingly complete. 

[Norris]

33 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

I’ve played gigs and festivals with Wilco Johnson (nice guys!), Jethro Tull, Carl Palmer, Arthur Brown, Wishbone Ash, the Stranglers, Asia and quite a few more I can’t remember. Went on tour with The Musical Box and recorded two albums with Genesis producer Johnny Burns.

 

This stuff means nothing to most people but was fun.

 

Sold a guitar to Phil Oakey and I’m sort of friends with Sade’s producer.

 

 

I saw the Musical Box last week doing the Selling England By The Pound 50th anniversary tour. Still utterly fabulous!

[rmorris]

1 hour ago, Burns-bass said:

I’ve played gigs and festivals with Wilco Johnson (nice guys!), Jethro Tull, Carl Palmer, Arthur Brown, Wishbone Ash, the Stranglers, Asia and quite a few more I can’t remember. Went on tour with The Musical Box and recorded two albums with Genesis producer Johnny Burns.

 

This stuff means nothing to most people but was fun.

 

Sold a guitar to Phil Oakey and I’m sort of friends with Sade’s producer.

 

 

 

Who you referencing as Sade producer ? Mike Long ?