Nov 022010
Didja know Anita Pallenberg is still alive?
I did not until reading Keith Richards‘ new autobiography, Life.
Actully, I was reminded of this not too long ago, having been surprised at that time to learn she was alive, but I guess I didn’t believe it. Prior to that, I should have at least remembered she was alive at the time of her appearance on Absolutely Fabulous. If you tell me next week that Anita Pallenberg is still alive I’ll be surprised all over again. Even more than Keef she seemed like a goner.
What’s your most-recent rock-oriented Didja know… moment?
Mine usually involve did you know so and so wrote THAT song?
Like — I never knew (until Sheryl Crow covered it) that my favorite Rod Stewart song was written by Cat Stevens — First Cut is the Deepest.
Two recent ones:
I had no idea that Leon Russell wrote the Carpenter’s hit Superstar.
And I had even less of an idea that Gary Lewis of Gary Lewis and the Playboys fame is the son of nutty professor and French icon Jerry Lewis.
I knew the latter, but I never connected the former, even though I know versions of the song by both artists!
I take it, cdm, that you also learned that Leon was bandleader for Gary Lewis and the Playboys, right?
I just found out from the same friend that the Wrecking Crew made up the Playboys studio band and I think he mentioned Leon Russell in that mix.
That’s funny, I also didn’t know until a few weeks ago that Leon wrote that.
Mine would be that this guy Michael Chapman worked with Gus Dudgeon and Mick Ronson a year before Bowie. At that time Bowie was still doing semi-show songs this is before Space Oddity, Man Who Sold, Hunky Dory and Ziggy..
It sounds like someone doing a Bowie impersonation – actually Bowie established himself copying Chapman..
http://www.divshare.com/direct/10135852-8f9.mp3
http://www.divshare.com/direct/10128218-c77.mp3
And that Deep Purple nicked this riff for Black Night
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOGRTLn2uKY
I’d never heard of this Chapman guy. I see he’s made 30 albums. Before looking him up I was wondering of Bowie killed him. Ronson’s guitar playing is excellent on that second song!
That Chris Goss of Masters of Reality (an interesting hard rock band that Ginger Baker was drumming with for a while) has been producing the Queens of the Stone Age. I guess I saw the name and didn’t make the connection.
Also, Elton John’s middle name is Hercules.
Reginald Hercules Dwight? Can’t be.
Mondo, that is pretty cool, thanks.
Glad it’s rocking your boots – It’s worth grabbing both of these Chapman albums on a twofer one deal..
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rainmaker-Qualified-Survivor-Michael-Chapman/dp/B000094BZG
No, Elton Hercules John.
I just came across another Didja Know? Soul singer Candi Staton married to former Atlanta Braves outfielder Otis Nixon earlier this year.
I have no idea how old Staton is, but wouldn’t she be a good 10 years older than Nixon? (He did look old for his age, though.)
Here’s my latest Didja Know: Cynthia Lennon is…alive?!?!? I thought she died about 8 years ago. Who the heck am I thinking of?
Seems like he was meant to choose Samson as his middle name. Isn’t he the mythical figure who was troubled by hair loss?
Wow he’s almost 19 years younger than her. But yes he did look like a grampa even in his playing years.