Rock Roxx

[Condobloke]

I had a great deal of time for Joe. Loved his voice and the passion that ensued from it.

After Cocker got his big break by covering The Beatles' With A Little Help From My Friends, which went to number one in the UK in 1968, the Fab Four sent him a telegram of congratulation.

The Sheffield-born star later recalled how Sir Paul McCartney once told him his rendition was "clearly the definitive version of the song".

Meanwhile, R&B legend Ray Charles was said to have described Cocker as one of the three best blues singers in the world - along with Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye.

Compliments like that show the respect Cocker commanded for his vocal prowess.

 

[wizardfromoz]

Oh, don't get me wrong, lol.

I adored his music.

Sadly, at the concert I saw him at, he could could barely stand up, even "With A Little Help From My Friends".

I was sad when he died.

 

[Windmill]

Ana Popovic live
@Condobloke and many others might not like this.

 

[wizardfromoz]

@Condobloke and many others might not like this.

I'm not sure I would try to second guess on what we like and don't?

 

[wizardfromoz]

My 12th concert was 10cc at Festival Hall on 5 September 1977.

Another wonderful, professional performance.

Here's a couple.

and

 

[Condobloke]

‘There’s no better feeling’: TikTok star Go-Jo to represent Australia at Eurovision 2025

Singer of viral hit Mrs Hollywood hopes his milkshakes bring everyone on board at Basel this year when he sings Milkshake Man, an ode to self-confidence

www.theguardian.com

 

[wizardfromoz]

My 13th concert was Jethro Tull at Festival Hall on 26th September 1977.

I remember the date because my girlfriend of 18 months chose then to break up with me, the day before my 20th birthday (didn't see that coming), and I had to ring a friend to get him to come with me.

Here's a rocker, followed by a quieter one.

and this one was live just before they went on the tour that I saw

 

[KGIII]

My 13th concert was Jethro Tull at Festival Hall on 26th September 1977.

You can watch at least one of his concerts on YouTube:

Also, he claims to have been, and continued to be, sober... I have my doubts.

I'm not sure if it's this concert but there was one that I recall (with BBC maybe?) where he'd disappear behind the stacks and come back out with a case of the sniffles. It could be coincidence or he could have been keeping himself motivated to continue his stage antics.

Somewhere around here, I have a cover of Aqualung where I had the pleasure of having a floutist and keys player. I'll spend some time looking for it and share it - perhaps privately.

 

[wizardfromoz]

It could be coincidence

It could be. He has COPD.

I love it when he used to play the flute on one leg.

IMO, he and Thijs van Leer (Focus) were the best flautists is Rock.

 

[KGIII]

I love it when he used to play the flute on one leg.

He is quite a showman, though he was less active when I saw him a dozen or so years ago when he was performing under his own name.

 

[Condobloke]

 

[GatorsFan]

 

[wizardfromoz]

This is one of our Top 12 finalists for Australian Idol TV show, Hannah - she is one of my faves

 

[Condobloke]

She is good !!!

 

[wizardfromoz]

She is a bartender from Perth in Western Australia. I really hope she goes places.

 

[wizardfromoz]

My 14th concert I have fond memories of. It was Australian group Sherbet, fronted by Daryl Braithwaite, who later pursued an enduring solo career.

It was at The Gabba - the Woolloongabba Cricket Ground, in Brisbane, August 1978 and was the first in a series of free concerts called "Freeps" funded by the Brisbane City Council.

It marked a shaping of my future career, as it was there, lying on my belly in grass alongside my girlfriend (became my first wife), that I made my decision to pass over a job with Woolworths supermarket chain, in favour of a job that promised security, with the Commonwealth Department of Social Security, now known as Centrelink,

I had sat for two tests or entrance exams -

• one for Commonwealth Public Service, where I became one of only three people in Queensland to be offered a job, and
• one for Trainee Manager with Woolworths. I was just short of 21, and Woolies did not usually offer the job if you were short of 25 years old, but I had scored the highest result in the world for the prior 10 years, and so they made an exception. I only found out how well I had done when I turned down the offer, and they flew the Australian Personnel Manager into Brisbane to try to talk me around.

Here's a couple of Sherbet songs

"Summer Love"

"Howzat" - became an anthem for ball catches and bowling wickets in cricket

 

[Condobloke]

 

[KGIII]

My 14th concert I have fond memories of.

I'm kind of amazed that you remember all of these. I've been to a ton of concerts and can't remember the order in the slightest. I'm not sure that I remember them all. I've done a fair bit of performing which might play into that in that as it's all just one fuzzy mess of memories.

But, I can tell some stories of my youth and experiences...

One of my earliest concerts (with popular contemporary music and without adult supervision) was Peter Paul and Mary.

I fricken' love Peter Paul and Mary. Later in life, I'd meet Noel "Paul" Stookey. He doesn't live too far away and I've had the honor of playing on stage with him (at a yearly festival in Kingfield). He has never been to my house but I have been to his house a few times to rehearse. We were backed by a local orchestra which was pretty exciting.

He has a recording studio that was an old commercial chicken coop called the 'Henhouse". It no longer reeks of chickens. I'm told that I can use his studio 'any time' but I think he was just being polite. He's also quite a religious fella, as is his wife, which I'll leave at that. I was never made to feel uncomfortable and the man is remarkably down-to-earth.

While I maintained my composure, I don't think he realized how much of an idol he was to those who wanted to actually play their gutiars. He's very accomplished and skilled. His work is not easily replicated by a novice guitar player, meaning you've really got to work at it in order to learn.

I don't recall the entire concert but they did perform what I consider to be one of the greatest 'break up' songs ever created. The song is originally a Bob Dylan song (whom I've also seen numerous times) and everyone does a Dylan cover eventually. Peter Paul and Mary would cover multiple Bob Dylan songs, putting their own spin on them.

As I said, this is probably the greatest 'break up' song ever. Well, it's up near the top.

And, yes, as much as I adore Dylan's work - many of the people who've covered his work have made the songs even better than when he made them. They've certainly sung them with greater skill and played them with more skillful guitar. Though, Dylan's guitar playing would improve with time...

Though, to be fair, you don't listen to Bob Dylan because you want to hear the guitar. You want to hear him and the guitar is the medium he uses to express himself. So, it's okay if people cover his work and adapt it to their style. So many bands have covered at least one Dylan song. It's almost a right of passage.

 

[Brickwizard]

I fricken' love Peter Paul and Mary.

And who in our age range would not just love the leggy long haired blond with the fantastic voice that was Mary Travers

 

[KGIII]

And who in our age range would not just love the leggy long haired blond with the fantastic voice that was Mary Travers

Sadly, all sorts of people didn't like the band or their music. They're wrong and broken, but they exist(ed) - even in our age category.

Among my friends at the time, only a few of us were into folk music. They were more into that whole new hip thing we called Rock n Roll. Well, that and (American) country music. Country music was actually quite popular in the 60s and 70s, which were my more formative years.

Which reminds me of another awesome Peter Paul and Mary song...

And, yes, she was quite attractive. I don't get all that bothered when famous people die but I was pretty bummed out when Mary passed away. I'd never really known her though I did get her autograph once when I splurged for the VIP tickets. It was an outdoor event and VIP ticket holders were under a tent with catering and a bar. The real reason for the VIP pass was that we'd get to do a 'meet and greet' with the band. This was quite a bit later in life and they didn't draw much of a crowd - which seemed to be okay with everyone involved.

I haven't used it in a number of years but I have a nice bound leather notebook with quite a few autographs in it. It's one of those rare things that I've had since my childhood. I also still own my first guitar. The fingerboard is worn to the point where it needs to be replaced but I'll never have that work done. It could be done. I have a luthier who can do that job easily. I could probably manage to do it myself. But, that wear and tear was put on there honestly and the guitar has earned its retirement.