Feb 232010
Say what?
For some reason this photo of Elvis Presley playing bass always makes me do a double-take. Of course he was capable of doing more than holstering a guitar – and every guitarist knows it’s not too hard to pick up a bass and fake it now and then – but Elvis seems too regal for the bass. I don’t know, it’s a bit like seeing Carl Wilson play drums (thanks to Townsman bobbybittman for directing me to this video of a relative masterpiece among post-Brian turds).
Speaking of Beach Boys photographed on unexpected instruments, the following came to mind:
CAUTION: Genius on Drums.
What photos of musicians playing unexpected instruments shock you to this day? If you can cite a link, please do so.
The photo of Elvis playing bass reminds me of the story of the Beatles meeting Elvis:
PAUL He showed us in. He just looked like Elvis – we were all major fans, so it was hero worship of a high degree. He said, “Hello, lads – do you want a drink?” We sat down and watched telly, and he had the first remote any of us had ever seen. You just aimed it at the telly and – wow! That’s Elvis! He was playing Charlie Rich’s “Mohair Sam” all evening – he had it on a jukebox.
JOHN He had his TV going all the time, which is what I do; we always have TV on. We never watch it – it’s just there with no sound on, and we listen to records. In front of the TV, he had a massive amplifier with a bass plugged into it, and he was up playing bass all the time with the picture up on the TV. So we just got in there and played with him. We all plugged in whatever was around, and we played and sang. He had a jukebox, like I do, but I think he had all his hits on it. But if I’d made as many as him, maybe I’d have all mine on.
PAUL That was the greatest. Elvis was into the bass, So there I was, “Well, let me show you a thing or two, El…” Suddenly he was a mate. It was a great conversation piece for me. I could actually talk about the bass, and we sat around and just enjoyed ourselves. He was great. Talkative. Friendly and a little bit shy. But that was his image. We expected that, we hoped for that.
Funny you should immediately think of that story, BigSteve. I’m currently reading a McCartney biography, and when I got to this point in the tale of the book I thought of this photo and this thread.
I still crack up every time I see that video of Bon Scott playing the bag pipes
http://www.i94bar.com/images/Michael_Iggy.jpg
http://cache1.asset-cache.net/xc/85233697.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=77BFBA49EF8789215ABF3343C02EA548420683634ABFDC05CA62624B3EF7E29F9D46D0CD0EC73941
http://www.keno.org/lennon_images/John_playing_drums.jpg
http://i.realone.com/assets/rn/img/1/7/8/5/21865871-21865873-large.jpg
What’s he doing with that?
TB
The first time I ever saw Jagger with a guitar I was like, “Put that thing down! That’s for Keith! Pick up your mic, Mick!”
It really threw me for a loop.
http://musicaememoria.altervista.org/thumbnails/tn_mick_jagger_guitar.jpg
http://media.commercialappeal.com/media/img/photos/2009/08/07/Elvis_Presley11_t607.jpg
“C’mon, boys, ‘yall sit down here and let the Kang tell ‘yall what it’s about!”
Those Beatles meets Elvis stories are about as varied as they come. I remember the first time I visited Graceland, that white P-Bass was on display. All I could think was, “This bass could have been in the presence of The Beatles!”
TB
http://www.feelnumb.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/the-dirty-mac-1024×820.jpg
It’s not the photo that shocked me so much as Keith’s playing on the song.
Bob Dylan on Fender bass,
http://pribek.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/dylan069.jpg
Mo on guitar:
http://www.terrascope.co.uk/TerrastockNation/family_tree_images/Mo%20Tucker%20by%20Richard%20Booth.JPG
The most delicate of oxen:
http://cache4.asset-cache.net/xc/85034771.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=77BFBA49EF8789215ABF3343C02EA548EA6378AF24A48207ABDB32DFE2F7094C9410E48074AC4375
Phil Collins on a different instrument (video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlsS37eLwtQ
The mics on those drums in that Brian Wilson shot – that’s some close micing a) in general for overheads b) for that era c) for that model of mic. That, to me, is even more unexpected than seeing him at the kit.
TB, The King playing bass on the couch is one of the most beautiful shots ever. It’s like Rock Hudson as The King in Pillow Talk.
cher, pretty cool note about the drum mic’ing in the Wilson show!
One-off, as far as I know, Dylan playing sax in concert in 1981.
http://www.savoy-truffle.de/dylan/bilder/bobonsax.jpg
Joe Plucker?
http://cache3.asset-cache.net/xc/85846926.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=77BFBA49EF8789215ABF3343C02EA5480584388721161684D62FA54A437CB0927EA49EE637B2D9A3
Your link didn’t work, chickenfrank. Is this what you intended to send?
http://www.bluegraysky.com/images/joestrummer4mohawk.jpg
Actually, I meant this one
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/85846926/Redferns
but your photo was much better, Mod!
Don’t blame me. The back office had just deposited a bullet in my cranium for the crime of too much exposition.
I didn’t open all of the links, so if this was already covered, I apologize.
I know that Keith Richards played bass on a bunch of Stones recordings, but the sight of him playing bass with Lennon at the Rock-N-Roll Circus always looks so peculiar to me. It just doesn’t look “right” to me…