The music world lost a great one in Clarence "The Big Man" Clemons. I was watching a news report covering his death when my son came into the room. His remark was something along the lines of "Why are all of the reports about him instead of Ryan Dunn (the "Jackass" Star) ?" My reply: "Because he was a music legend, in the industry for 40 years, and died of complications from a stroke, where Ryan Dunn got drunk and drove his car off of the road." Don't get me wrong, as both deaths are horrible tragedies and really should not be compared. It just struck me as an interesting question that really speaks to our age differences.
I almost got to meet "The Big Man" when I was in graduate school. One charitable thing that Clemons did was donate over-sized medical equipment to hospitals. Things such as larger wheelchairs and scales that can weigh heavier people are in short supply, especially in smaller hospitals. Clarence had been scheduled to come to the hospital where I worked and donate a wheelchair with his foundation. Of course, knowing what a fan I was, the head of the hospital grabbed me on the morning of that day and made me accompany him on a day trip out of town. I swear that he did this just to piss me off. I wasn't going to embarrass the hospital or myself with exuberant and melodramatic gushing over the best saxophone player to ever play Rock and Roll. I mean, really! So I didn't get to meet Clarence up close and personal and all I got to remember the moment was a photograph taken of him with the wheelchair.
I then started to think about musicians that I had seen before their deaths. I saw "The Big Man" play with Springsteen and it ranks as one of my favorite concerts. Fortunately, I got to see Jerry Garcia and Stevie Ray Vaughan play before their deaths - yes, it would be hard to see them after that...and no, they didn't play together although that would have been interesting.
My hubby and I had very different concert experiences in college. He went to a small private college in the middle of nowhere and was lucky enough to see Rupert Holmes and Peaches & Herb. I went to college in a small town on the map between two large venues and we got lots of great acts booked on the way through : The Police, Tom Petty, The Pretenders, Kansas, Jackson Browne, and on and on...In four years, I saw an amazing amount of good shows, a fact that really tortures my Hubby.
So, the big family joke has always been that when listening to music the conversation is predictable:
Two or three notes into the song and the trivia machine (a.k.a The Hubby) is ready to wow me with his vast knowledge.
Hubby: "That song is by _______."
Me : "Oh, yeah, I think you are right."
Hubby : "Know what the song is called?"
Me: "No. I can't remember those kind of things."
Hubby : " It's ________."
Me : "It sounded better live." (Game, Set, Match)
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So, tell me what late-great you saw or your favorite concert (that you can remember...). Curious minds want to know!
Ha! I regret not going to more concerts in my day, but I did see Prince! (yikes?) And he was NOT wearing a burka.
ReplyDeleteheh heh
(Did you hear his statement? How Muslim women have it good having to wear burkas. Actually, I wouldn't mind a burka! heh heh)
I love going to concerts. I have seen hundreds of them in my time. To answer your question would require me to write a post on it. lol
ReplyDeleteAlthough for Fathers Day my kids got me tickets to see Incubus.
I think everyone I've seen in concert is still alive and kicking...and recording. Let's see, there Billy Joel; Willie Nelson (Waylon Jennings and Johnny Paycheck both played at that one and they're both gone, but Willie was the "Headliner", and he's still around); Phil Collins; Journey; The Eagles; and Aerosmith (yes, I have eclectic tastes in music).
ReplyDeleteI'm really glad I managed to see KISS and AC/DC live :)
ReplyDeleteQuirky - Prince would be a great one to see! Maybe he could have a raspberry burka!
ReplyDeleteOT - Somehow that doesn't surprise me...You should write several posts!!
MG - You and I would have been great pals at these shows - The only one of those that I saw was Billy Joel - I would have certainly seen the rest if I could have!
Nom - Rock on! Heavy duty shows!
Billy Joel BY FAR was the best concert I've ever seen. He's an amazing preformer and showman, as well as sings all his own songs.
ReplyDeleteI hate it when you pay $70+ bucks to see a concert and they play Zepplin and Joplin remixes. UGH!
And on the note of celebrities in the news... Death is tragic, and I truely feel sorry for a life cut short and all those left behind. But the Jackass guy died doing just that... being a jackass. It is horribly sad for his family, but it was totally preventable.
Tragic in any case.
"It sounded better live." That's fantastic!
ReplyDeleteFirst Concert: Five Satins, Herman's Hermits, and a couple guys waiting for a bus. Hey, it was a 50s Revival Show. I'm not THAT old!
Best concert: the Who. This was way before their geriatric Super Bowl tour.
Biggest hearing loss: Cheap Trick
Gayest: Elton John. Hey, I liked it and even took a girl (no, not Mom)
Most beach balls: Beach Boys (I would think that would go without saying).
Scariest: Chicago (not the concert. Walking-walking!!-from Grand Central Station to Madison Square Garden. I was forced to have my glasses squeegeed by a hobo. And surrender my date to a mob).
Most marijuana: Seals and Croft. I think. Dude.
Most lesbians: Heart. I think they dug Ann Wilson. Or was that Nancy?
Most English: Moody Blues
Most felt out of place: Charlie Daniels
Most Earth-Friendly: Jackson Browne. Even his guitar was made of hemp. Although nobody wore socks or used deodorant.
Concert that wasn't a concert even though they called it a concert: Bill Cosby. I didn't mind, though. He probably sucks as a singer. Besides, I got some free Pudding Pops.
I love playing music trivia with my wife too because she never, ever wins.
ReplyDeleteSlightly jealous of your concert attending history though.
What a great comeback line! I also got told about the Jackass guy by someone who thought it was an armaggedon-preceeding event. On the way out, I told Laurie I was proud of myself for not saying, "Was it on Purpose?" even though I really wanted to.
ReplyDeleteI think you hit it right on the head. Sure they are both tragic, but it's apples and oranges as far as the public sees it. One is worthy of being on the news and one isn't. Great post!
ReplyDeleteJuliana - Yeah, Billy Joel is a showman. I'm sitting here now watching a Springsteen concert on TV and remembering how great a show he and Clarence and the gang could make!
ReplyDeleteAl - Wow! What a list! In common - I've heard Heart from my back deck when they played at a local venue last year. Saw Jackson Browne and Bill Cosby (twice). On that theme we got to see Eddie Murphy - but had to show ID to buy a ticket - he was too controversial. Funniest experience - Jimmy Buffett being told by the town council that he couldn't sing "Why don't we get drunk and screw" - so he played the music and the audience sang!
Cheeseboy - Do you change the radio stations constantly after naming the song?!? That makes me insane!! I used to pull out old ticket stubs and show them to the hubby, but lost all but one in the fire - The Dead playing with Bob Dylan and Tom Petty. Funniest thing would be finding a stub and having no remembrance of attending!
CW - I don't think that my son meant it the way that it came out, but I meant what I said. At 18 we are all immortal and can't see 40 years down the road.
Pat - Thanks! You speak the truth but in this age of reality tv and 15 minutes of fame the accomplishments of those who survive on the merits of their talent get overlooked. It is a shame that the heroes of today are newsworthy for all of the wrong reasons.
I still go to concerts, but not of bands most people would know. I like that super crazy metal stuff :-) Helps me stay young, and gives me a way to vent anger/frustration so that I don't end up on the evening news.
ReplyDeleteI saw Lush before the drummer died. Does that count?
ReplyDeleteIt Just Got Interesting
Laughingmom, Nice post, I enjoyed the insights. Curious as to where you went to college but I guess you didn't reveal it for a reason (are you related to Whitey Bulger?) When it comes to celebrity musician brushes, I think I have more than my fair share; have met (and spoken with) Springsteen (but not Clarence), Bon Jovi, Perry Como (honest!), Don Henley and some others. But, as a Jersey Shore native, The Boss is my fave, have seen him and the E-Streeters over 80 times in concert, including a number of small bar venues on the Jersey Shore. Rest in peace Clarence, you deserve it, you brought a lot of happiness to a lot of people.
ReplyDeleteI have seen so many dead people, there are too many to mention.
ReplyDeleteOh, it's a toss up. My favorite concerts have either been Nickelback or Justin Bieber. I can't pick because both are just living legends.
ReplyDeleteIn case you couldn't tell I'm just messing with you...
Bieber was sold out when I tried to go.
The first time I saw Bruce Springsteen & The E. Street Band in concert I was 8 years old. My mother took me. And I have loved them ever since. RIP Mr. Clemmons.
ReplyDelete"So, tell me what late-great you saw or your favorite concert (that you can remember...). Curious minds want to know!"
I'd have to say The Grateful Dead. I followed them for a whole year, before Jerry passed away.
my all time favorite concert was seeing Adamlambert this past september in melbourne FL he was amazing and his voice just blew me away i knew the boy could sing but hearing him live was unbelieveable
ReplyDeletemy most memorable concert was a ninformal concert that Bo Diddley did at a fundraiser and i got to sit not more then a few feet from him while he played it was beautiful
Dr. C. - So slugging it out in the mosh pit does it for you?
ReplyDeleteBrent - What's Lush? An All AA member trio?
LG -You know my Uncle Whitey?? I'm slightly more than Jealous of you. Don Henley and Springsteen - that's like my magical twosome! My Big Bro hooked me on The Boss at an early age when he was touring from Jersey to Virginia and back.
Laura - Are you sure that it's the people you see and not you that is dead?
ABftS - HA! Is there a proper beer to cure that Bieber Fever?
Meleah - My Big Bro and Big Sis followed the Dead for years all across the country. I never traveled more than 2 hours for a concert.
Becca - WOW! Bo Diddley and Adam Lambert - that's a wide swath of the music spectrum!
I saw Kiss in concert and Kick Ass opened for them...I vaguely remember peeing on a street corner on my way to the concert and holding some random guy's hand throughout the concert. Needless to say, I haven't been to too many more because...well, because I pee on street corners and hold random men's hands.
ReplyDeleteThis: Fortunately, I got to see Jerry Garcia and Stevie Ray Vaughan play before their deaths - yes, it would be hard to see them after that...was funny! I laughed out loud! And I love that you can shut your hubby down so quickly and efficient! Ha-Ya ~insert karate chop move~
I went to a Rolling Stones concert before. It was pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteJust came over from Cheeseboy's blog.
ReplyDeleteI recently saw Barry Manilow in concert here in Vegas - never saw him when I was a teenager, but of course, I knew every one of his songs. He puts on a great show!
Lush is a early 90's shoegaze 4AD band. (Have I already said too much?)Then the drummer died and the band broke up. See? I knew it wouldn't even count.
ReplyDeleteConcerts are amazing, but as I get older, the less I care about them. I still take pride that I saw Pink Floyd in 1988 at the ripe old age of 4.
ReplyDeleteI took my dad to see the Police for his 60th birthday a few years ago. It was so much fun! And a great father/daughter bonding experience.
ReplyDeleteSandra - I like the karate chop - may need to add that to the end of each one of these music battles - the gesture and the sound effect!
ReplyDeleteWhisper - The Stones is the one concert that I regret NOT attending - just couldn't afford it at the time and know like me they are just old.
Silver - Thanks for visiting! I know all of his songs too, but have never seen him in person. I have a friend who desperately wants me to go to Vegas - so who knows??
Brent - OK now I feel really old as that made no sense to me...off to google...
Braumaman - Thanks for reading and commenting. You are too young to say those things. Pink Floyd would be cool - although not at 4.
Deidre - that is cool that you took your dad! I was in school when I saw the Police and remember the TA failing us all on a night-time lab because we attended the show and she couldn't (even though we came in early and did the work).
I am SO glad someone did a post about the Big Man! He was awesome, just an incredible person, and a fantastic sax player. Had no idea he was so generous, but it doesn't surprise me.
ReplyDeleteI am a HUGE Springsteen fan - incredible lyricist. Even love his new stuff.
PERFECT: "Because he was a music legend, in the industry for 40 years, and died of complications from a stroke, where Ryan Dunn got drunk and drove his car off of the road."
Great job, Laughingmom!!!
This was so great for me to read because I didn't know much about him. I loved that he donated oversized scales and such to hospitals. That is very admirable. What a loss. :(
ReplyDeleteAwesome post.
ReplyDeletemy fave concert was when i was 8 and my daddy took my to see Dolly Pardon and Kenny Rogers. It was on a Sunday, which upset my mother since concerts are not good for keeping a sabbath day observance.
I love The Gambler.
Hubby here, with a confession that may lead many of you to wonder just what in the hell 'Laughing Mom' saw in me.
ReplyDeleteThis evening I quoted a Rupert Holmes song in dinner conversation and then admitted to it. Can you say 'LOSER'?
My best concert ever: Buffett
My best concert I remember: Fiona Apple with Nickel Creek
I used to go back stage a lot because I had friends who ran the concerts and did the food. I met a lot of people... my DREAM that came true was meeting Richard Butler of the Psychedelic Furs (SO NICE) and then the most unusual was meeting Michael Stipe from REM. He was doing autographs and I asked for him to sign the backstage pass. He said, "What do you want me to write" and I said, "Hmmm...what is your favorite movie" ... he said, "If I could think of one, I would write it. So I will write 'if.'" So I have a backstage pass that says, "If" and it's signed by Michael Stipe. Kinda cool!
ReplyDeletehey, lady, where are you? is everything okay in your world? i was just thinking about you & wanted to check in.
ReplyDelete