firbeck 860 Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 50 years ago today Buddy Holly was killed in a plane crash, in our view, the greatest talent of that era, some people consider that Elvis was King, fair enough, but Buddy had that special song writing ability that influenced so many following acts, particularly the Beatles. I often wonder which direction music would have taken had he lived and produced more than just a relative handfull of great songs. On a local theme, I remember the day well, my brother was his greatest fan, he didn't care much for Elvis. I recall him coming home from his complicated route back from Mundella Grammar and bursting into tears when he got in the house, which set me off as well. Do any other old gits like me have a special memory of that day. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 Just found this in the NEP http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/carlton/...il/article.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted February 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 Just found this in the NEP Great article Beefsteak, cheers for that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 Don McLean - American Pie http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iMlzfpwJZuc Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mgread1200 141 Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 i dont remember the exact day but i do remember buddy holly! firbecks so right! his music influenced so much nof what we listened to throgh the following decades mg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted February 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 Don McLean - American Pie[/quotePersonally, I could never stand that bloody record or Don Mclean and his dodgey haircut, sure, his sentiments were genuine and lyrically it was fine, but flipping too long for my liking. Having said that, I once saw him live in concert and he could play a mean bit of banjo ( Fynger take note ) which was just what we needed before being sent to sleep by 'American Pie'. 'Starry, starry, night.................................................zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 If you are going to upset people by slagging off a great song and one of the best singer/ songwriters/musicians , of his generation , please quote the correct opening line "Long, long ,time ago" as apposed to the opening line to Vincent !!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlebro 234 Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 If you are going to upset people by slagging off a great song and one of the best singer/ songwriters/musicians , of his generation , please quote the correct opening line "Long, long ,time ago" as apposed to the opening line to Vincent !!!! Hear, hear. I cannot remember 'the day' but I an remember Buddy Holly and Don McLean. Where would we be without either? The Buddy Holly legacy has touched us all. I thought in it's day "American Pie" was clever & great. They say the "good die young", perhaps the great "die younger"! Thanks Buddy. RIP. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 I hated the song and don McClean when it came out. I have grown to like it. For me it represent all the musicians we have lost. You might like to read... American Pie - The analysis and interpretation of Don McLean's American Pie ... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 Wasn't Madonnas version absolutely s**te !! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlebro 234 Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 Hi Kev, Madonna's was not a patch on the original but was a reasonable "pretender". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 I actually had the privilege of singing it in Captain Tony's bar (The original Sloppy Joe's) in Key West , on my last visit over (2002) and got a great applause as no one thought a 'Limey' would know all the words!! Even the resident musician forgot one of the verses!! (We got loads of shots bought for us, great night , and even SWMBO was impressed) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley 288 Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 I remember Hank Marvin talking about Buddy Holly, not about his music but fact he made glasses acceptable! Seems some old timer told Hank when he first started playing he'd never get anywhere with his glasses on so he dished them, and promptly fell off the stage! Off topic but first line of a song mentioned, so what song starts with memorable words "I would have liked you to have been deep frozen too" !!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted February 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 If you are going to upset people by slagging off a great song and one of the best singer/ songwriters/musicians , of his generation , please quote the correct opening line "Long, long ,time ago" as apposed to the opening line to Vincent !!!! Beefsteak If you want to question my knowledge of singer song writers of the early 70's, a period when I was buying their albums and going to their gigs, please don't forget that you were probably singing 'Ging Gang Gooley' at cub camp at the time. I'm well aware that they were the opening lines to 'Vincent', I can play the bloody song on guitar, it's not very hard. I made the mistake of buying the 'American Pie' album when it came out in 1971, I didn't like it much then, and still don't like it now. Quite frankly, it was the only album that Mclean brought out that received acclaim and 'Pie' and Vincent were the only, original, self penned songs that he had success with, the rest of the songs on the album are pretty average anyway. I went to see him in concert in 72, as a performer with stage presence he was very good, entertaining, likeable, and like I said, played a mean banjo, you also got the chance to nip out to the toilet and have a fag when he launched into what will probably become his epitaph. Quite frankly the bloke never continued his momentum, he wasn't up to it, 'one of the best singer song writers of his generation' he certainly wasn't, not on the basis of one song and one album, it doesn't work like that. Just think of some of the others that were around at the time that I was priviledged to see, James Taylor, Neil Young, even our own late great John Martyn, there was no comparison in my eyes and ears. Mclean deserves to be remembered for 'Pie', but I didn't like it, OK, I'm entitled to my opinion aren't I, if we all liked the same thing the human race would simply be a bunch of robots. Incidentally, did you know the Roberta Flacks 'Killing me Softly', was written about Don Mclean. Back to Buddy Holly and a tenuous link. Apart from wearing the glasses, Hank Marvin fancied owning a Fender like Buddies as well, only problem was that there weren't any available in the UK at the time. When Cliff went off to the States for a bit of promotion for the Shadows, Hank persuaded him to bring one back, which he did, only in red rather than Hollies light blue. This was the first Stratocaster ever to grace our shores, it still survives, only Bruce Welch borrowed it off Hank many years ago and refuses to give it back. This leads on to another link, not wanting to appear to be seen to be copying the Shadows, the Beatles chose originally to use Rickenbacker guitars rather than Fenders. I was surprised that nothing was made of the anniversary on TV last night, BBC4 did it's usual music stuff but nothing relating to Buddy Holly, which they are doing tonight, but why a day late, it doesn't make sense. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted February 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 Wasn't Madonnas version absolutely s**te !! Yes, but at least it was shorter. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Limey 242 Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 I have flown in a Beechcraft Bonanza! It was always thought that the reason for the crash was airframe icing - they took off into a howling blizzard! However, more recent thinking is that the real reason was vertigo - that the pilot actually caused the plane to spiral in - very similar to the Kennedy crash a few years ago. The conditions at the time were a complete "white-out" - coupled with being out in the middle of nowhere meant there were no visual clues to help navigation. Also, the pilot had never flown IFR in that aircraft - which was equipped with a turn indicator, rather than a turn coordinator that he was used to. A sad event - Holly was 22 at the time, the pilot was 21! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 Firbeck , you can't even spell his name correct I rest my case Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,629 Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 I know John Lennon played a Rickenbacker but I always thought Paul played a Hohner or Hoffner violin bass and George either his Gibson or his Fender strat and I don't remember Ringo playing guitar at all (although I may be wrong) Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beavis 0 Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 Ashley That line would be the opener to Spirit of the age, by the best band on the planet, HAWKWIND. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted February 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 I know John Lennon played a Rickenbacker but I always thought Paul played a Hohner or Hoffner violin bass and George either his Gibson or his Fender strat and I don't remember Ringo playing guitar at all (although I may be wrong)Rog Where do you want me to start. Paul, yes he liked his Hofner, the first example he picked up in Hamburg for £30, but he used a Rickenbacker for his largely unknown lead guitar work on many Beatles tracks:- Then, depending on which type of sound he wanted, and this was particularly during the 'Pepper' sessions, he used a Rickenbacker bass:- George didn't use a Gibson, he favoured a Gretsch, however he aquired a Rickenbacker 360/12, the sound he produced with this was the springboard for such US bands as the Byrds to produce their distinctive 'jangly' sound, Roger Maguin always acknowledges Harrison and the Beatles as the originators of the Byrds trademark sound. Harrison aquired his 'Sonic Blue' Fender Strat during their '65 US tour, the first track he used it on was 'You're Going to Lose that Girl' recorded 19th February 1965, Abbey Road 2 studio, sound engineer Norman Smith:- Lennon: double tracked vocal, accoustic rythm guitar. McCartney: backing vocal, bass, piano. Harrison: backing vocal, lead guitar. Starr: drums, bongos. It was the Strat on which he learnt to use his favoured slide guitar style. Lennon simply liked his Rickenbacker, Ringo could only ever manage simple chords on a guitar and he never featured playing it on any of their songs, though, given some of the odd recordings I have of them, anything is possible. Stills from 'Hard Days Night':- Rickenbackers in abundance. Paul looks to be playing his Rick upside down, but then that's the genius of the man, it was a skill he had to aquire when standing in for Sutcliffe during the Hamburg sessions. Please check for spelling mistakes Beefsteak. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted February 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 Firbeck , you can't even spell his name correct I rest my case Beefsteak Please explain which case you are resting, I don't understand, is it the one you use to go on holiday with. If you want me to be pedantic, I would suggest the use of the word 'correctly' in order to formulate your sentence properly. Presumably if you consider all posts with spelling mistakes equals crap, then in your case the drains will be blocked for miles around the Cheshire area, it doesn't matter to me whether anyone can spell properly or not, we all make mistakes, just don't bother to make an issue out of it, be positive and inventive in your critism for Christs sake. Chill out matey, we have differences of opinion, thats good, it makes the world go round, thats what forums like this are for, you have a lot of knowledge and things to say that I enjoy, lets leave it at that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,629 Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 The reason the Rickenbacker looks upside down is because it's a right handed one and Paul is left handed, not many left handed Rick's about, similar to Jimi Hendrix with his right handed Stratocaster that he played left handed. You may be able to help me on this one though, who was the left handed guitar player who learned to play his right handed Strat without changing the strings over ie: top "E" was at the top of the guitar instead of the bottom row? cracking player but can't think of his name. (mainly played the blues) Rog. ps: I did say " I may be wrong" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted February 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 Can't think who you mean matey, but back to Pauls pic, you can see that the bass strings are at the bottom of the pic, that was his amazing ability, he could and probably still can, play upside down, it would do my head in to try and emulate that. Thinks: Rory Gallagher? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted February 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 Back to Buddy Holly, that was the original title of this thread. I enjoyed the BBC4 documentary shown last night, but it was first shown in 1985, is that the best they could do, revamped progammes and an old film, a bit sad. The problem was, you get a documentary then the Hollwood version of Hollies life, it didn't work, you could see the film makers liberties and realise what they had done to manipulate the story to suit themselves, quite frankly the actor, Gary Busey, playing Buddy was great but it was a bit out of time in it's presentation. Did anyone else see it and what were their thoughts. Is the spelling OK Beefsteak. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 it makes the world go round, WHAT !!!!!....when did that happen....HELP HELP WE'LL ALL FALL OFF !!!!!!! (whatever ) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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