You opened for WHOM???

BIg O · #1 07-02-2003, 08:00 AM

Our drummer, Bert, is quite the character with a long and checkered career that has included stints with Copper Penny (a Canadian band from the 1968-74 era) and Ronnie Hawkins (some of his sidemen became The Band).

So this past Sunday we are recording a demo, and while doing the mix, our guitarist Rob notices a picture on the wall, and comments to the engineer Brian.

Rob: "Great early photo of Led Zeppelin."

Brian "Yeah, I got it in a local shop - you'll never guess where it was taken"

Rob: "Toronto?"

Brian: "No, up in your neck of the woods - Kitchener."

Bert: "Oh yeah, I remember that show, that was when we opened for them."

Rob and me: "You opened for Led Zeppelin???!!!"

Brian confirms that Copper Penny opened that show, then Bert regaled us for 15 minutes or so about how the stage was set up, what a jerk Robert Plant was, what a jerk Copper Penny's manager was (his booking and recording deal was 51% to management, 49% to the band!) and how the show was cut short because Plant didn't like the PA. This tour was after the first Led Zeppelin album was released, but before the second.

Bert continues to amaze us with these stories out of nowhere....

Hope you enjoyed this little journey into the past - I know we did!...

edit - Any other stories like this from other part-timers out there?

BIg O · #2 07-04-2003, 12:20 PM

Bump for "brush with fame" stories....

Razor · #3 07-05-2003, 05:21 PM

That's awesome dude!

Petebass · #4 07-16-2003, 10:36 PM

My original band had a good run at one point. We opened for some well known Australian artists, who of course mean nothing to you guys.

But we did open for Billy Idol when he was out here. It was an overwhelming experience......

Funkster · #5 07-17-2003, 06:30 AM

Awesome story Bob!!!
Speaking of Zep, My Zep tribute band opened for Blue Oyster Cult in 91 They were such IceHoles, After them sitting in there trailer blowin a bunch of illegal drugs up there nose for two hours they wouldn't even take the time to meet us or anything.
No autographs no nothing they wouldn't even sighn my agents of fortune album. They pulled the plug on us after 30 min and there roadies practicly threw us and our gear off the stage.
Needless to say I broke my album in to little pieces while they were playing and left. To this day when ever I hear one of there tunes on the radio no matter what I change the station.

My same band opened for Rick Derringer in 98 and he was one of the nicest people I ever met, We talked backstage for a good hour or so about everything from Edgar Winter to politics and gear.
That was awesome, That's about it for me

BIg O · #6 07-17-2003, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Funkster
...
My Zep tribute band opened for Blue Oyster Cult in 91 ...
My same band opened for Rick Derringer in 98 and he was one of the nicest people I ever met, ...That's about it for me

Very cool!

So Blue Oyster Cult are still 60's stoners, eh? Some folks never grow up, I guess...

Great stories, Henry!

Brendan · #7 07-17-2003, 08:49 AM

Opened for Dark Faith. Death/Black metal band that's getting on it's way up to being one of the bigger names in the metal underground.

Not much...

BIg O · #8 07-17-2003, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Petebass
My original band had a good run at one point. We opened for some well known Australian artists, who of course mean nothing to you guys.

But we did open for Billy Idol when he was out here. It was an overwhelming experience......

Hey Pete - who were some of the other artists you opened for? Aussie bands often get more airplay here in the Great White North than in the Excited States, and I might even have heard of them..

And, in your opinion - is Billy Idol as much of an egomaniac as he seems in interviews?

Thanks for the contribution

fastplant · #9 07-17-2003, 01:28 PM

My old band opened up for a lot of big name acts:

Skid Row, Ratt, The Bosstones, Blondie, Moby, Letters to Cleo, MXPX, Fuel (a few times), Better Than Ezra (a few times), Cracker, Everclear, Goldfinger, Echo and the Bunnymen, Orange 9MM, Local H, Violent Femmes, The Amazing Royal Crowns, Superdrag, Stabbing Westward, The Verve Pipe, The Specials, a few others I'm sure I'll think of later.

Definitely good times.

Petebass · #10 07-18-2003, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BIg O

Hey Pete - who were some of the other artists you opened for? Aussie bands often get more airplay here in the Great White North than in the Excited States, and I might even have heard of them..

And, in your opinion - is Billy Idol as much of an egomaniac as he seems in interviews?

Thanks for the contribution

Machine Gun Felatio and Vanessa Amorosi were the 2 who were "current". The rest were older acts with hits from the past.... Mark Lizotte (aka Diesel)The Chior Boys, The Radiators, Mental as anything, Pseudo Echo, Richard Clapton, Jenny Morris, James Reyne, Daryl Braithwaite, Doc Neeson from the Angels, Screaming Jets, the hard ons.... plus some I've probably forgotten. There's a real mixture of musical styles in the list above.

Is Billy an ego maniac? I don't know. He was so damn stoned no-one could get any sense out of him. I was at the side of the stage for soundcheck and Billy often looked dlike he was going to walk off the edge.

His band and crew were absolutely fabulous. Stevie Stevens stole the show IMO.

Gard · #11 07-18-2003, 01:00 PM

BOOYAH!!!

...ah, the memories.

steve-o · #12 07-22-2003, 06:19 AM

I opened for the know how..they are a well known ska band...but thats it so far that someone might actaully know...that was in my old band

steve

thrash_jazz · #13 07-22-2003, 07:03 AM

An old metal band I was in back in '99 opened up for In Flames, Arch Enemy, Nevermore and Moonspell... those are droppable names on the metal circuit.

rumblethump · #14 07-22-2003, 08:09 AM

In my long and illustrious career I've opened for Grace Slick and The Great Society (who became the Jefferson Airplane), The Coasters, Eddie Money ( he was so hammered our band smoked him the first night), Heart (Ann was such a jerk that I have boycotted their albums), and several C&W acts you probably have never heard of.

**Chris A** · #15 07-22-2003, 08:58 AM

One band I was in opened for the Guess Who and Starship(featuring Mickey Thomas).

My current country band has opened for Alabama, The Marshall Tucker band (3 times), Charlie Daniels (4 times), Little Feat (twice), Pam Tillis, the Mavericks, Kurth and Taylor(Kurth is on the soap General Hospital).

I think that's it.

Chris A.

BIg O · #16 07-22-2003, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gard
BOOYAH!!!

...ah, the memories.

Hey Gard: I missed the link when I read this the first time - Now it brings back memories of all the internet voting to get you guys there!!! I'll bet it's still a life experience highlight!

fastplant · #17 07-22-2003, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rumblethump
Ann was such a jerk that I have boycotted their albums

I know how you feel. I'm the same way about a few bands we opened for. The members were such jerks that I can't listen to their music anymore.

Petebass · #18 07-22-2003, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fastplant

I know how you feel. I'm the same way about a few bands we opened for. The members were such jerks that I can't listen to their music anymore.

I was pleasantly surprised when I met the Aussie artists mentioned above. 95% of them were very down to earth, just normal people who happen to be household names over here. It actually made me respect them and their music even more.

Gard · #19 07-22-2003, 09:54 PM

Man, it sucks to hear about people that have an attitude just because they got lucky.

Sammy Hagar was a genuinely decent guy, lots of fun to talk to, just another guy. Zero attitude, a true "guy".

No one has earned the $h!tty attitude that some of the prima donnas display, and I have no time for it. Someone gives me that crap I'll just walk away.

**Josh Ryan** · #20 07-23-2003, 02:45 PM

My old band opened for Murphy's Law in Northampton Ma.