Don’t forget Bowie blows Ronson.
We’re not talking about 1-time stage moves, like Jimi Hendrix setting his guitar on fire or Pete Townshend‘s slide across the stage in The Kids Are Alright‘s live performance of “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” We’re looking to determine—once and for all—Rock’s Most Iconic Recurring Stage Move. What are the go-to stage moves that rock fans can count on, and what is the most iconic of those go-to stage moves?
Is that clear?
Examples of these iconic recurring stage moves and the RTH People’s Poll follow the jump. Your job is to determine—once and for all—the clear-cut answer to settle all heated barroom debates on the subject!
Chuck Berry’s duckwalk. This is among the first and greatest of iconic recurring stage move in rock ‘n roll’s early years.
The Who’s smashing of instruments. The destructive iconic recurring stage move that all young bands hope to one day have the spare cash to pull off.
James Brown’s cape routine. The Hardest Working Man in Show Business can’t go on any longer…or can he? No single cape can put a cap on this man’s performance!
Pete Townshend’s windmill guitar strumming. A move tried by probably all aspiring guitarists, but few do so with the necessary gusto. As brave and bold as I am known to be, even I was always too chicken to really go for it.
The Ramones’ foot-of-the-stage alignment. It’s likely that many bands did this move before the Ramones, but my lasting image of seeing them live at University of Penn in the early ’80s is how many times Johnny and Dee Dee would flank Joey at the foot of the stage, with the 3 of them leaning forward like characters from one of Dr. Tongue’s 3-D movies on SCTV. The symmetry of the guitarists leaning forward on either side of Joey’s Randy Johnson-like step toward home plate was a brilliant display of band unity and purpose.
Jimi Hendrix soloing with his tongue and teeth. Like Townshend’s windmill routine, this is a move all guitarists would like to do but most are too chickenshit to commit to executing. Again, I know I was. The fact that Hendrix could solo better with his mouth than I ever could with my fingers may be the most humbling thing I’ve ever contemplated in 35 years of attempting to rock.
David Lee Roth’s flying split (and variations). I’m surprised there’s not an exercise class built around these moves.
Other, which you can write in and explain here. Surely, I am missing a key iconic recurring stage move or two. Perhaps it’s Saxon’s guitar spinning or the thing Alice Cooper did with the guillotine or Michael Jackson’s Moonwalk.
Let the discussion and polling begin!
What is Rock's Most Iconic Recurring Stage Move?
- Pete Townshend's windmill guitar strumming (45%, 19 Votes)
- Chuck Berry's duckwalk (26%, 11 Votes)
- The Who's smashing of instruments (10%, 4 Votes)
- James Brown's cape routine (7%, 3 Votes)
- Jimi Hendrix soloing with his tongue and teeth (7%, 3 Votes)
- Other, which you can write in and explain here (2%, 1 Votes)
- David Lee Roth's flying split (and variations) (2%, 1 Votes)
- Michael Jackson's moonwalk (0%, 0 Votes)
- The Ramones' foot-of-the-stage alignment (0%, 0 Votes)
- Alice Cooper's guillotine beheading (0%, 0 Votes)
- Saxon's guitar spinning (0%, 0 Votes)
Total Voters: 42
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A good sub-set of the Ramones move is the “bent leg atop the stage monitor at the front of the stage”.
There seem like there are two sets of moves listed. There are the simple moves like the guitar windmill, and then there are entire scripted routines like the Cooper beheading. It’s like comparing a gymnast’s dismount to another gymnast’s entire floor routine.
So, for a simple stage move, I would vote windmill. Awesome symmetry with Daltrey’s mike spinning move. Gotta love two attention hogs fighting for attention.
The two thoughts that immediately came to mind. 1) Townshend’s windmill and 2) Angus Young always playing on the floor. That had to be Tap’s inspiration, no?
Also thinking of bass players who do those great, huge leaps, ala Tommy Stinson. Seen a bunch of bands do that move over the years.
Given the choices, I’ll second ChickenFrank here.
Honorable mention to Rick Nielsen and his plexiglass staircase (or dog ramp) with klieg lights beneath it, which he ascends and then upon which up it he hams.
So I was looking for a photo of that rig, but found two gems I’d never seen before.
“My windmill made the list, your staircase is merely an honorable mention!”
http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8r7rqpwOU1qd0imf.jpg
“You may want to start wearing a hat and some kind of goofball get-up.”
http://www.abalonevintage.com/1977_Cheap_trick_rick_hamer_gibson.jpg
There’s gotta be a Zeppelin-engineered move in there somewhere.
What about lead vocalist and lead guitarist back to back, leaning on each other? Not my favorite, but it is one of *those* rock moves.
Also, what about the related “share the mic” moment, where the singer and guitarist lean in close?
I also think Jimmy Page’s penchant for various gestures with his strumming hand (like he’s casting a spell over the audience, for example) and the related move where he spreads both arms out as if he’s spreading his wings is iconic.
But it may not be as iconic as when guitarists point to the audience with the neck of the guitar, or place the body if the guitar at cock level and wield the guitar as if it’s….a cock. Prince did this at the Super Bowl (2006), in silhouette. Even though it was an old rock move performed by Hendrix, Page, and even Townshend, it got caused quite a stir because of the *very* phallic shape of the guitar, and the use of the silhouette, which left almost nothing to the imagination.
I thought about Angus Young, but forgot about him ending up on the floor. I had pictured only a modified duckwalk.
As for choices, don’t forget the option of “Other” with a write-in. I know what you mean about the bass leap, but I couldn’t think of a specific bassist. Now, though, I am picturing Dave Blood’s legendary “Queen’s leap,” always a moment Chickenfrank and I awaited while watching the Dead Milkmen.
I actually forgot to add a particular Zeppelin move: Jimmy Page’s violin bow trick. That had to have been their key move. The other one that comes to mind is Plant holding the mic down by his right hip, with his denim shirt opened to his bellybutton.
Jim Morrison making up poetry on the spot and inserting th…Oh, “I”conic. Sorry, I read it as “Mor”onic
aloha
LD
I think the most common, ubiquitous, yet basically unnecessary go-to rock stage move is the superflous power chord arm raise. You know what I’m talking about — I’m sure all the guitarists in this forum perform the move with regularity. It’s a simple thing, but *it is a move*. In this move, you:
– hit downwards on your power chord (E, if a member of AC/DC; A if in the Who)
– extend your strumming arm, first at a 45-degree angle to your thigh and slightly away from your chest
– slowly and deliberately raise your strumming arm, now totally straight, until it is perpendicular to your torso, then finally until it is pointing directly unto God and the heavens.
– “palm” your pick and extend your index finger to the skies for extra credit.
THAT is the one stage move every rock show attendee, at every rock show, can look forward to seeing.
Sorry I didn’t make the category specific enough – or sorry that I didn’t intend it to be broader and generic to all performing musicians. I thought we would be determining, once and for all, the most iconic recurring stage move used by a specific artist or group of artists. This may be the most prevalent stage move, but I’m not sure if it’s actually looked forward to by the audience. Most often, when confronted with it from the audience, I just grin at the self-deprecating stupidity of the gesture. I’ve been that guy too. It’s fun, but I don’t think it holds anywhere near the power of the iconic recurring moves that millions of rock fans look forward to seeing from their heroes.
I’m surprised, so far, at how many votes are concentrated on Townshend’s windmill strumming. Although I think it’s cool, I never felt it carried half the power & glory of the band smashing its instruments or Hendrix playing with his teeth.
I’m also a huge fan of the Ramones’ stance. I looked for nearly an hour, chickenfrank, for a photo of the front line with their feet on the monitors. No dice! We didn’t imagine that move, did we?
Although I’m not a great fan of the move, the Chuck Berry duckwalk was the first that came to mind for me.
The one I voted for, however, was James Brown’s fainting/cape routine. I saw him do that live. I knew it was coming. I knew it was one of the oldest acts in show biz. Yet he and his MC delivered it with aplomb. It was both hilarious and exhilarating.
Oh, I finally understand the topic now. It’s the iconic move associated with one artist! I thought you meant an iconic move that any band can whip out. Right, so the back to back guitarists isn’t one because it isn’t associated with any one band. Everyone does that one! I didn’t mean the Ramones do the monitor trick. I just meant it’s a good generic trick.
What do you think Jagger’s iconic move is? The index finger wag? The handclaps by the side of his head? The fey microphone hold?
I’m even more impressed when James Brown does a split. How many men can do a split without having to ice down their groin area afterwards.
aha.
my bad.
i didn’t think the move needed to be associated with an individual, either.
my ‘back to back’ and ‘share the mic’ suggestions have led some of you astray.
mod, i do think the violin bow is page’s signature, as you suggest. but it has so many moves of its own. my particular favorite is his karate chop down onto the strings followed by immediately pointing the bow skyward, and then slowly lowering it to point to the audience; he likes to cast spells. he’s a wizard, you see.
SMASH THE GUITAR, PETE!
Speaking of karate chops, you gotta include late-period Elvis and his kara-TAY moves for iconic stage activity.
I voted for Pete’s windmill, but did anyone ever see X’s Billy Zoom? That dude struck a pose . . . and smiled! It was so unlike anything other bands were doing. This clip captures some of that Billy Zoom move at about 1:24 . . .
http://youtu.be/aWNqrHs4mXY
One of my top five concerts of all time was seeing X at the old Guthrie Theater in Mpls . . . it was widely rumored that Bob Dylan brought at young Jakob to that show . .
I chose DLRoth’s leap to stand in for all of the big jumps, catching air, pogoing and anything else where a band member jumps high in the air. Lead singers, background singers, guitars and basses are all eligible.
Now for a whole band it is the “stop – dramatic pause – everyone comes in on the downstroke” move. Best w/ pyrotechnics.
Pleased the most iconic rock move isn’t jumping or diving off the stage. Rock stars have been severely injured or worse. At least the most iconic move may be over dramatic or whatever but at least no physical harm done. Now performance wise, that’s a whole other matter.
Good call on Billy Zoom’s non-moving move, which is still most definitely a move, and one that is all his own.
I love the Ramones stance too, the symmetry is so fitting their music.
When I was in a band, you could tell who the Ramones fan in the band was and who the Beatles fan was by how they held their guitars — on the thighs or on the chest.
I recently read an interview with Mr Zoom in which he said he did that on purpose to mess with the whole punk pose.
Ok, I know it’s really dumb, but how about including Gene Simmons’ tongue wagging, fire breathing, blood hacking routine. Barring that how about that move Gene, Paul and Ace do with their guitars. You know, the right, left, up, right, left, up thing.
I was going to also nominate Ian Curtis’ epileptic robot dance, but that has an iceball chance in hell of winning.
Yes, and it worked! He stood out above all the other guitarists in that scene. Of course, he had a traditional rock background, having cut his teeth playing in Gene Vincent’s last band in the early 70s.
Yes, Gene’s routines should have been included! Feel free, folks, to rally behind this nominee.
Zoom’s blank smile was an excellent move, maybe rock’s most idiosyncratic stage move.
Page swiped the violin bow thing from Eddie Phillips of The Creation, who was doing it on stage in ’66.
http://youtu.be/Oig8z4HvBL8
Nobody else does the windmill thing like Townshend, hitting the strings full-force. Everyone else I’ve ever seen who tried to ape that move has done so in a fey, half-assed fashion (like they’re afraid they would hurt their widdle hands).
And if this isn’t one of the most iconic images associated with that band, I don’t know what is: http://www.panicposters.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/f63dc5ec28f3175f8a7f615bd217eb71/p/p/pp999-the-who-maximum.jpg
This guy, for one: http://youtu.be/1FYAB74OIeI
Jagger also has “The Rooster” and the “Blimey, I Wish I Was Tina Turner”.
Devo’s synchronized robotic moves should be considered.
We know but few cared. Page owned that move.
Brilliant, but beyond a move? Wasn’t that key to their show? The Boogie Boy thing, however was distinct and amazing.
Yeah, just like he “owned” all the compositions he plagiarized.
Never knew that song was called “Making Time”. Assumed it was “Same Old Song”.” Great song! Not as great as Teenage Wasteland.
White Man’s Burden.
I’ve never seen AC/DC live. Was Angus known for mooning his audience at each of his shows? Or am I completely confused about the person or the shtick? Must be funny if you leave loving the show, but feel gypped if you didn’t get to see his arse.
The Rick Neilsen iconic moves list brought back some memories – before trick put out their first alblum they had a regular gig at a Club called Haymakers outside of Chicago and me and my brother would make it out there purty much every time they played.
Everyone in that band had a set of iconic moves: Neilsen’s barrage of guitars (including the five necker Hamer), Robin Zanders’ changing his stage outfit a half dozen times during the set, Tom Petersson’s playing that 12-string bass…but the killer move was Bun E Carlos whipping out a set of baseball bat sized drumsticks that he’d use to bash the hell out of his kit…
I voted for the windmill for a lot of the reasons mentioned here.
The only other contender for me was MJ’s moonwalk. Not only do I think that is iconic but I think it gets heavier weight because it’s iconicity (if that’s a word) more than any other is due to one specific occasion, that Motown anniversary show.
So now I ask, how do I change my vote?
I voted for the Chuck Berry duckwalk as probably the first iconic move in rock ‘n roll.
Another Elvis Presley move beside the karate chops were the hand expressions that he made. I learned from watching a video about his gospel influence that he took it from one of the gospel artists he admired.
Consider the NBA Logo, the iconic red, white and blue silhouette of Jerry West driving into the lane. Which rock moves could be simplified into something so obvious and recognizable? It comes down to Townshend’s windmill and Berry’s duckwalk.
Either could be recognized reduced to a silhoutte and used as a stylized “rock logo”, and you’d not only instantly recognize who the person was, but also also make the instant connection to “rock”. I picked Townshend after boiling it down to this level, mostly because seeing him in that pose also allows you to instantly imagine the sound about to happen as soon as that pose is resolved, in the same way that the NBA logo immediately gives a pretty good idea of what West was about to do once he stepped into that drive.
And if you can really take a visual image of someone that instantly suggests the sound they’re going to make…that’s pretty much popular music in a nutshell, isn’t it?
Totally agree. That maximum R&B poster link Bittman posted could beTHE logo for rock and roll. The Simonon bass smash picture on London Calling would be a good one too.
Post of the Century? A strong contender, no less. Thank you.
You know what this leads to, don’t you? An initiative to determine the Air Jordan silhouette of rock.
For years, the logo and bumper sticker for the our university radio station was a modified silhouette of Paul Simonon from the cover of London Calling. Instead of holding it over his head, the logo had the bass just as it was about to hit the ground. The catch phrase was “smashing all preconceived notions”.