Unusual Rock Trivia?

[dalkowski]

J. Geils lived (and died) in my town.

 

[Michedelic]

Nicole Richie (born Nicole Camille Escovedo) was adopted at the age of nine by Lionel Richie and his former wife Brenda Harvey. Nicole's biological father is percussionist Peter Michael Escovedo III. Her grandfather is percussionist Pete Escovedo, her aunt is percussionist and singer Shiela E., and her great uncle was percussionist Coke Escovedo.

Don’t forget Alejandro(and his brother Javier), great singer/songwriter in the Reed/Springsteen mode with a long career.

 

[GregC]

Don’t forget Alejandro(and his brother Javier), great singer/songwriter in the Reed/Springsteen mode with a long career.

Beat me to it. Alejandro (and of course Javier) are great uncles to Nicole, and uncles of Sheila E. Alejandro's Wiki for those who want to know more. Alejandro Escovedo - Wikipedia

 

[dalkowski]

Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull owns a salmon fish farming business on the Isle of Skye which he started decades ago. Today, Anderson's company, Strathaird, is the largest independent smoked salmon firm in the United Kingdom. Anderson said he has been able to transfer his skills as a band leader to his salmon business.
​

Wish I'd known this in 2019 -- spent a few days on Skye that summer.

 

[Michedelic]

Beat me to it. Alejandro (and of course Javier) are great uncles to Nicole, and uncles of Sheila E. Alejandro's Wiki for those who want to know more. Alejandro Escovedo - Wikipedia

You know, it’s funny, I’ve been a fan of his for decades, all the way back to Rank And File and The True Believers, and while I’ve spoken to him at gigs, I don’t really know him; however, a number of friends are real tight with him from different situations. Plus there’s some other two and three degrees of separation...my wife played with his sometime drummer Linda Pitmon once in a throw-together band, and then True Believers guitarist Jon Dee Graham married the daughter of my high school art teacher(who I used to give guitar lessons to when she was a kid).

 

[GregC]

You know, it’s funny, I’ve been a fan of his for decades, all the way back to Rank And File and The True Believers, and while I’ve spoken to him at gigs, I don’t really know him; however, a number of friends are real tight with him from different situations. Plus there’s some other two and three degrees of separation...my wife played with his sometime drummer Linda Pitmon once in a throw-together band, and then True Believers guitarist Jon Dee Graham married the daughter of my high school art teacher(who I used to give guitar lessons to when she was a kid).

I've been following him that long, too. Had the big Rank and File album, saw him with True Believers (excellent show), then saw him a couple years ago with the Minus 5 opening and then backing him up. Peter Buck played both sets, I like how he and Mike Mills are still happy to do small-club tours even though they could easily just be chilling on beaches, in villas, etc.

 

[Richland123]

You know, it’s funny, I’ve been a fan of his for decades, all the way back to Rank And File and The True Believers, and while I’ve spoken to him at gigs, I don’t really know him; however, a number of friends are real tight with him from different situations. Plus there’s some other two and three degrees of separation...my wife played with his sometime drummer Linda Pitmon once in a throw-together band, and then True Believers guitarist Jon Dee Graham married the daughter of my high school art teacher(who I used to give guitar lessons to when she was a kid).

I have this Rank and File album in my collection.

 

[Richland123]

Freddie Mercury reportedly used the same piano which McCartney used for “Hey Jude” seven years prior to record “Bohemian Rhapsody”. In fact, the piano in question has famously served an array of top-notch performers of the era, including David Bowie, Supertramp, Nilsson, and the Rolling Stones.

Described as a century-old Bechstein Grand Piano, a bit difficult to play but which produced a really genuine and clear sound, the instrument lured famous performers of the day to come to the Trident Studios in London’s Soho district.

It was not just “Hey Jude” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” that were recorded with its help, but albums such as the Beatles’ “White Album”, David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” and George Harrison’s solo album “All Things Must Pass” to name just three. Other top-selling singles that used the legendary Bechstein include Mary Hopkins’ “Those Were the Days” and Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day”.

 

[Richland123]

Comedian Phil Hartman might be best known for his many, many iconic roles: Troy McClure on The Simpsons, many characters on Saturday Night Live, the original Genie on Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, and golden-voiced Bill McNeal on Newsradio. But he was a relatively late starter, career-wise, only reaching the height of his fame in his forties, shortly before his tragic death in 1998.

Before his comic career took off, Phil Hartman was a working graphic designer. In fact, graphic design was Hartman’s first calling: He managed to get a degree in graphic arts at Cal State Northridge in 1974. In the decade that followed, Hartman designed over 40 record covers for bands such as America, Poco, Steely Dan, and the Firesign Theatre comedy group. He even designed the crazy Celtic-style logo for Crosby, Stills, and Nash.

Here are a few of the album covers that Phil Hartman designed.

 

[Richland123]

Speaking with 60 Minutes, Paul McCartney described it as “embarrassing” that he didn’t read music. But what he said next revealed he wasn’t too embarrassed about it. “I don’t read music or write music. None of us did in The Beatles. We did some good stuff, though.”

Of course, Paul, John, and George always wrote down their lyrics, chords, and other notes that allowed them to keep track of their songs. Once they finished a track and were ready to send it off to the publisher, someone in the studio would transcribe it into sheet music for them.

The Beatles aren’t alone in not reading music. Elvis Presley, one of John’s favorite musicians, also didn’t read scores. And Jimi Hendrix, widely considered a great guitar player, didn’t either.

 

[Polish Thunder]

Apologies if this was posted before, but Creed from "The Office" was in the 60's band Grass Roots.

Bonus points if you can pick him out in the video.

 

[58kites]

Apologies if this was posted before, but Creed from "The Office" was in the 60's band Grass Roots.

Bonus points if you can pick him out in the video.

Guitar player in the striped sweater, for sure.

 

[RichardW]

And Jimi Hendrix, widely considered a great guitar player,

Understatement of the year

 

[Richland123]

Status Quo has performed at Wembley Arena in London, U.K. more than any other band with 45 gigs.

 

[Michedelic]

While David Bowie adapted aspects of the 1971 film A Clockwork Orange into the aesthetics and lyrical content of Ziggy Stardust the following year, which then trickled down to the subsequent UK punk culture(self-fullfilling prophesy?)including a literal interpretation by The Adicts, years earlier an idea was floated to adapt the novel(published 1962)as a film vehicle for The Rolling Stones, but nothing came of it. Andrew Loog Oldham would still use a bit of Nadsat slang in early Stones album liner notes. As the Stones were the anti-Beatles(in terms of reputation/image), that would have been the anti-Hard Day’s Night, and certainly Mick would have been a great Alex(I’ve always suspected that McDowell’s impish evil take was inspired by Jagger), and I could see Keith as “Dim”, but the problem with the concept is that in the novel, Alex and his droogs were teenagers. The Stones(including Bill, who was pushing 30)and the film principals were all in their 20’s, which was a bit weird to me.
Besides the punk thing, the imagery was picked up on by John Bonham, occasionally seen droog drag..

...and in a chicken and egg conundrum, who while watching the film didn’t think, at least for a split second, that “Billyboy” wasn’t Jimmy Page...

Page obviously picked up on it...

In recent times the vibe had been picked up on by bands like Turbo Negro and The Jackets(although her thing may be more Alice Cooper)...

 

[roccobass]

Hoping this isn’t a repost.

Duane Allman started playing slide guitar in his 21st birthday. He was laid up at home nursing an elbow injury when brother Gregg secretly left a Taj Mahal record and a bottle of Coricidin pills on his doorstep and ran.

Later that evening he a call from Duane telling him to come over quick.Turns out after listening to Jesse Ed Davis play slide (with a wine bottle, mind you) on the Taj Mahal record, he figured out he could do slide with the Coricidin bottle. The rest is history

 

[roccobass]

More Allman info...

Early names for the Allman Bros band included The Escorts, The 31st of February, Hour Glass, Almanac, and The Allman Joys....(the last was my favorite)

 

[Richland123]

Lenny Kravitz and Al Roker from the NBC TV Today Show are distant cousins. Their grandfathers were cousins.

"We both have Roker," Lenny added. "My mother was Roxie Roker and my grandfather was Albert Roker from the Bahamas.

 

[Richland123]

At their official state summit in the summer of 2006, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and U.S. President George W. Bush had pressing matters to discuss. When they wrapped, Bush had a surprise gift for his longtime political ally — in honor of Koizumi's impending retirement, Bush gave him a jukebox filled with classic Elvis tunes and a trip for the two of them to travel to Graceland on Air Force One. Koizumi was a die-hard Elvis fan who had released a cover album of his favorite Presley tunes in 2001. No detail was spared, down to the meals served on the plane: Presley’s famous fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches were offered to staff, and The King’s top movies were screened via in-flight DVD players. George W. Bush became the first sitting U.S. President to visit Elvis Presley's Graceland home.

 

[Richland123]

Leo Fender, the founder of the iconic electric guitar and bass brand and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, never learned to play either instrument. He became interested in music during grammar school and took piano lessons, but switched to saxophone.