Before & After Chuck Berry
Listen to the sound of rock ’n’ roll being made.
By GUILBERT GATES MARCH 23, 2017

"Chuck Berry himself would be the first to admit he didn’t invent rock ’n’ roll, but he came to define it in a series of iconic singles made between 1955 and 1959.
Mr. Berry wrote almost all his hits himself, and he drew from the music he loved — from the blues and boogie to country and Calypso.
The result was a hybrid sound that, in 1955, was just beginning to be called “rock ’n’ roll.”
Here, an audio guide to just a few of his revolutionary songs: what came before, and what came after. Listen to the sound of rock ’n’ roll being made."
[www.nytimes.com]

(got about 60 or so easy clicks to the entire history of the thing, going all the way back to Scott Joplin and dozens of seminal songs from all over the spectrum that were the very shape and skeleton of the thing; and the heart and soul; a pretty good piece!)

GOOD ARTICLE ....^^^^^^^^ .........fanks hopkins



ROCKMAN

"Way back in '57, when I first saw Chuck Berry in the film 'Rock Rock Rock', he blew me away, so I immediately went to my local record shop in south London and tried to buy it. They didn't have anything. Nothing was imported on Chuck Berry. So I had to write off to a record company in Chicago and wait a month to get 'One Dozen Berries.' I found later -- researching the Stones history - that that's exactly what Mick [Jagger] did two or three years after I did, because he was younger. Young people don't realize that in the early days, they were not available, those records. That's why the Stones were so successful and so different in those days from any other bands because we were a blues band playing music that the general public had never heard."
Bill Wyman






TY Rocky; that NYTimes piece blew me away; been listenin' and listenin'...they have a 'full track' option too. Also TY SO MUCH! for what you're doing in 'Some Kinda Stone Connections' thread...historic stuff beautifully placed; read every word; every piece!

[www.stltoday.com]

Very good in my opinion. I feel that's the right way to do it.

That will be followed by a funeral celebrating his life, the family said in a press release, but that will be “for family, friends and musical friends” due to limited seating.

wonder if Keith will be there


plexi

Hmm... Google says it's a 482 mile, 7 hour drive from home... I don't have any gigs next weekend... I wonder if there's anything going on in St. Louis on Saturday that I could use to entice my wife to ride shotgun with me...

Peace,
Mr DJA

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mr_dja
Hmm... Google says it's a 482 mile, 7 hour drive from home... I don't have any gigs next weekend... I wonder if there's anything going on in St. Louis on Saturday that I could use to entice my wife to ride shotgun with me...

Peace,
Mr DJA

Chris Rock is in town, final St. Louis Blues hockey game of the regular season, Cardinals are playing the Reds.

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kovach

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mr_dja
Hmm... Google says it's a 482 mile, 7 hour drive from home... I don't have any gigs next weekend... I wonder if there's anything going on in St. Louis on Saturday that I could use to entice my wife to ride shotgun with me...

Peace,
Mr DJA

Chris Rock is in town, final St. Louis Blues hockey game of the regular season, Cardinals are playing the Reds.

Thanks for the heads up, kovach! That 1st one could entice the MRS... Second two are more up my alley. I started looking for websites of "Things to do in StL" but have been busy today and hadn't really gotten all that far in my searches.

Peace,
Mr DJA

Maybe it's morbid but I would love to be able to say goodbye to him. Very pleased Chuck Berry's Family is willing to do this for the Fans. They must have a lot of heart and soul. Thank you again to the guy I call "The King" he made a huge difference and it's very genuine!

I don't think it morbid; I think it a fine sign of love, affection and genuine respect for what Chuck put together; it was really an amazing, amazing series of albums right in row, and intense performances. Bill saw Rock Rock Rock and it changed his entire life right there.

Mr. Berry came into it VERY informed and steeped in the best of the swing thing; he put it all together in his own way as only a very, very few have done, and many of THEM as direct descendents & so many generations of Stones fan feel this and know this especially; He was already 30 when he hit it big and had such a wealth of the best direct influences....it's amazing to go back and listen to what HE was listening to when he was putting his own stuff together with little pieces from this and that; as true greats always do....the impact is asounding and forever, even up into outer space....it's good the aliens will have a rockin' impression of how we get it on down here....



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2017-04-10 07:30 by hopkins.

This is possibly my favorite Chuck Berry piece.

[www.youtube.com]

RIP, Chuck.

Drew

drewmaster, I love that song too! Maybe it's on the up coming CD?

This is so great...

Downbound Train...

[www.youtube.com]

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mr_dja

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kovach

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mr_dja
Hmm... Google says it's a 482 mile, 7 hour drive from home... I don't have any gigs next weekend... I wonder if there's anything going on in St. Louis on Saturday that I could use to entice my wife to ride shotgun with me...

Peace,
Mr DJA

Chris Rock is in town, final St. Louis Blues hockey game of the regular season, Cardinals are playing the Reds.

Thanks for the heads up, kovach! That 1st one could entice the MRS... Second two are more up my alley. I started looking for websites of "Things to do in StL" but have been busy today and hadn't really gotten all that far in my searches.

Peace,
Mr DJA

We also have a great zoo and one of the only free one's in the country.

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kovach


We also have a great zoo and one of the only free one's in the country.

Yes! St. Louis!!

The art museum is great as well...and admission is also free.
[www.slam.org]

This place is a giant step into the past...
[crowncandykitchen.net]

A cool place for a sandwich..
[www.riverfronttimes.com]

A Chuck Berry road trip should include a photo with the statue of the man...

[blueberryhill.com]

Keith Richards on His Hero Chuck Berry: 'The Granddaddy of Us All'

[www.rollingstone.com]

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Lien
Keith Richards on His Hero Chuck Berry: 'The Granddaddy of Us All'

[www.rollingstone.com]

Eh?, no mention of Johnnie Johnson, but Chuck Leavell is the keyboard player in
HH Rock'n'roll?? as quoted by KR. something wrong here.

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MKjan

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Lien
Keith Richards on His Hero Chuck Berry: 'The Granddaddy of Us All'

[www.rollingstone.com]

Eh?, no mention of Johnnie Johnson, but Chuck Leavell is the keyboard player in
HH Rock'n'roll?? as quoted by KR. something wrong here.

They both played.

Quote
MKjan

Quote
Lien
Keith Richards on His Hero Chuck Berry: 'The Granddaddy of Us All'

[www.rollingstone.com]

Eh?, no mention of Johnnie Johnson, but Chuck Leavell is the keyboard player in
HH Rock'n'roll?? as quoted by KR. something wrong here.

Let's question Keith again, he doesn't know what he's talking about.......

What's the best official Chuck Berry live album? I have Hail! Hail! and the one with Steve Miller, and some bootlegs. Thanks.

I love Toronto '69 "live peace" it's out of tune but there's a special charm there. There's many more. Maybe you would like Tokyo 1982, and of course the famous BBC 1972.

[www.rollingstone.com]

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MKjan

Quote
Lien
Keith Richards on His Hero Chuck Berry: 'The Granddaddy of Us All'

[www.rollingstone.com]

Eh?, no mention of Johnnie Johnson, but Chuck Leavell is the keyboard player in
HH Rock'n'roll?? as quoted by KR. something wrong here.

yes indeed and thank you. I didn't get into the piece that heavily admittedly but one of the most premiere important things K did with that movie was find Johnny driving that bus, working out that Chuck was playing in piano keys; chuck has been very specific explaining; I posted the direct quotes somewhere here. getting it down to three notes off the piano and forming his hand shape and entire approach around that. and those hits would not have JUMPED without Johnny; he did sue for copyright percentage but the statue of limitations were passed; he did have a point, even as those masterworks were devloped from scratch...and had been done before, even with distortion, or records before him. JOhnny has a great wealth of influence and knowledge and was absolutely brilliant in every way. K found him and he as there in the film too; so...without belaboring too much; this is the last farewell to the earthly Chuck, and a a dynamic and devastating passing; but no less to me is Johnny, on those records, and his whole story.

Mr. Berry himself finally gave it all up and talked very specifically about working with Johnny and looking at his chord strucures and coming to realizizations how he could incorporate that, almost 'pedal' those slightly moving rhythmic chording in a way, into backing his own narrative style lyrically, extemely importanta and essential in Chuck Berry's writing and ultimately performacne on record and live...so I got to always always give it up for Johnny. RIP to both of those guys who made the records that changed the world of rock and roll and the culture itself...
...and while chuck is doing that rhythmic chording and lead singing JOHNNY IS THE LEAD INSTRUMENT, doing more that punctating thing, tho doing that for sure, but taking the whole thing on an insane roller coaster live with speed & precision and so much, well, soul.
...seemingly casual and inspried but also exploding in pockets than fast, rumbling down them with insane percussive chording that'd give Jerry Lee run for his money; but also melody, 'context,' if you will...it's own story within the story as well as an embellishment; a lead instrument.

[www.rockhall.com]


Keith Richards inducts Johnnie Johnson and James Burton Inductions 2001
[www.youtube.com]
(at about 4:35 Keith stops scratching long enough to induct Johnny.)



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 2017-04-10 07:37 by hopkins.

"A flower arrangement sent by the 'Rolling Stones' rock band is seen prior to the public memorial service for Rock-n-Roll legend Chuck Berry at the Pageant Concert Hall and Nightclub on April 9, 2017 in University City, Missouri."



[www.gettyimages.com]

Ode To Chuck Berry

April 9th 2017

FROM: KEITH RICHARDS

To Put Chuck Berry into words! That is a task.

If I flip the coin and wonder how the f*ck Chuck Berry reacted to me when he first heard my feeble efforts to spread his groove, my guess is a disdainful chuckle and then a gleam as he imagined the royalties roll in. Then a realization that his music was far more important than he had ever imagined. (He did thank me for that). And, let’s face it, Chuck had imagination. Just check the songs. All is revealed on “Monkey Business”, “Wee Wee hours”, “Jo Jo Gunne”, “You Can’t Catch me”, “Childhood Sweetheart”… let alone on “Johnny B. Goode”, “Little Queenie” or “Around & Around”. It goes on and on: “Let it Rock”, “Sweet Little Sixteen” or the heartbreaking “Memphis.”

You have to hear the original recordings to get the whole picture. Let us make no mistake about him. His inventiveness, natural exuberance, brought all of the variations of this vital music together, be it Rockabilly, country, R & B, Jazz or pop. His own roots went wide and deep, even back via Louis Jordan to the big bands. But we’re talking about a complicated and thoughtful man here. Listen to “No Money Down”, the incredible “Bye Bye Johnny” with its reversed riff. As a lyricist his imagination, the themes and subject matter took songwriting to a level yet to be matched. Who else could come up with “Too Much Monkey Business”. Throw in as well “No Money Down”, “Memphis, Tennessee" and “You Can’t Catch Me” … a song that John Lennon reworked with “Come Together”. And then there were the guys he worked with; Johnny Johnson, on piano, an icon of boogie and feel; Willie Dixon, the BASSMAN!; Freddie Below and Ebbie Harding on drums.

He was a very guarded and private man, essentially warm hearted, though he spent a lot of time disguising that fact which could give the opposite impression. Hard to know, moody, but when you got him at the right time, beautifully friendly. It’s hard to find the words to describe his contradictions: warm, infuriating, moody, disarmingly charming, angry . He once gave me a black eye for daring to touch his guitar. Quite Right!!! I called it Chuck’s greatest Hit.

At the moment I sense the same feeling I had at 15 years old when Buddy Holly died. A sickening thud to the guts and a feeling of losing a member of the family. For me the world went from black to white to glorious Technicolor when I first heard “Little Queenie”. There was no doubt in my mind: It was obvious what I had to do and I haven’t changed since. The effortless ease with which he laid down the rhythm makes a mockery of countless grimacing lip biting agonizing imitators.
I’m still working on it.

He brought joy to us; the feeling for a fifteen year old guitar player that there was more to life than seemed possible. With the exuberance, he brought a casual ease and a rhythm that makes bits of your body move you didn’t know you had. In essence, he was a revelation. I ain’t 15 no more but the joy remains.

[www.facebook.com]

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bye bye johnny
Ode To Chuck Berry

April 9th 2017

FROM: KEITH RICHARDS

To Put Chuck Berry into words! That is a task.

[www.facebook.com]

Thank you, bye bye johnny. That was a very nice and emotional tribute from Keith and very well written.

That was a beautiful tribute, thank you for posting that.

NOS site (dutch national news)

GOOGLE TRANSLATE:

Family, friends and fans in St. Louis said goodbye to Chuck Berry. Prior to a private funeral fans could pay their last respects to the rock and roll legend who died last month at age 90.



Berry was laid in music club The Pageant in a white suit with a purple shirt and his signature captain's hat. His bright red Gibson guitar was attached to the lid of the coffin.

Chuck Berry laid out in The Pageant DUTCH HEIGHT
Hundreds of fans waited for hours in line for a final farewell. Some were already waiting at 5:00 am to ensure a spot. A few had taken a musical instrument to play Chuck Berry songs while waiting.



Fans waiting to pay their last respects AFP
After four hours the fans had the time, began at The Pageant of the funeral service for Berry. Pastor Peterson announced that rock and roll-style would happen. "We do not sit here sad."

Beside the coffin stood a funeral bouquet in the shape of the guitar The Rolling Stones, for whom Berry had a great influence. "Thanks for the inspiration. With fond memories, Keith, Mick, Charlie and Ronnie" was on an accompanying map.

Singers Paul McCartney and Little Richard sent condolence letters, as well as Bill Clinton. "He knew how to captivate the audience worldwide," the former president wrote. "His music appealed to hopes and dreams that we all share."
Play video 00:46
"We celebrate his life in rock and roll-style '
Kiss singer Gene Simmons during the three-hour funeral service was persuaded to speak a word. "Luckily I have these sunglasses on," Simmons said of his typical look. "There hide behind real tears."

Also, 300 random fans were present at the three-hour ceremony. They saw sang two of Berry's grandchildren Summertime and his old band played Johnny B. Goode. When Berry's coffin was carried out, sounded St. Louis Blues.

<<< Among the floral arrangements was one in the shape of a guitar sent by the Rolling Stones >>>

[www.bbc.co.uk]

[ I want to shout, but I can hardly speak ]