RIP Chuck Berry

fretmeister · March 2017

just announced in BBC.

shaunm · March 2017

such a shame, he is without doubt one of the most influential musicians of the last 100 years.

fretmeister · March 2017

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39318602#

Moss · March 2017

A true legend

96 is a damn good innings, though

Octafish · March 2017

Not a bad old age. Saw him live in 1990, amazing performance.

Octafish · March 2017

Moss said:

A true legend

96 is a damn good innings, though

He was 90, but still a good innings.

Teetonetal · March 2017

Massively influential. Enough said.

koneguitarist · March 2017

Brilliant writer and guitarist of his time that influenced every guitar player.
But a nasty piece of work that ain't done a decent thing since the 60's.
Would love to have seen him in his heyday, must have been awesome.

scrumhalf · March 2017

A giant amongst 20th century musicians, and one of the century's finest poets. His lyrics were wonderful.

proggy · March 2017

That's a shame. RIP Chuck Berry.

DulcetJones · March 2017

Sad to hear this but he sure had a full life. He was among the large pool of guitarists that made me want to pick up a guitar.

Octafish · March 2017

koneguitarist said:

Brilliant writer and guitarist of his time that influenced every guitar player.
But a nasty piece of work that ain't done a decent thing since the 60's.
Would love to have seen him in his heyday, must have been awesome.

He was pretty awesome at the age of 63 when I saw he live. Sure he hadn't written anything decent for decades, but he was really sharp on stage and still played, sung and danced like a man half his age. His backing band were really tight (local pickup band) and he just shouted the songs to them as he went along.

The venue was a 2000 seater theatre type and towards the end those at the front were getting up and dancing, which did not please the security guys who starting making people sit down. Chuck Berry saw this happening and stopped the band mid-song, and angrily told the security guys to leave the audience alone, then helped a load of them up onto stage and then carried on playing. The local paper reported sightings of him boarding the last train to London that evening with guitar case in hand, such was his dislike of any unnecessary expenses.

mudslide73 · March 2017

His influence is massive via Beatles, Stones , Clapton etc. As I've mentioned a few times on here I particularly love the lyrics in his songs especially.

Flink_Poyd · March 2017

DulcetJones said:

Sad to hear this but he sure had a full life. He was among the large pool of guitarists that made me want to pick up a guitar.

Yes, apparently he also punched Keith Richards in the face. I hope to follow in his footsteps

artiebear · March 2017

been reading some of the comments on the BBC site. What a vacuous .ill informed place we live in. Idiots talked about George Michael as a Messiah but don't realise that Chuck gave us much of rock'n; roll as we know it, and the basis of every riff that a 13 year old kid is currently trying to nail in a bedroom on first guitar. Sad day

Evilmags · March 2017

Saw him at 64. He was awesome. Played with the better guys who were regulars at the Preservation hall IRRC

Ally · March 2017

Have I got my memories wrong?

Did he not have two cases of abuse of minors against him that he traded (pleaded to a lessor charge) or bought his way out of? Also a known abuser in general.

Good music no doubt, but can't help feeling he should have faced some kind of justice before death.

Harsh? Keen to know thoughts. Not looking for arguments here as I might be misrembering things here, and could do with some views.

Philly_Q · March 2017

Johnny B Goode was one of the very first songs I failed to learn to play properly.

RIP Chuck.

tone1 · March 2017

Bloody Hell..I was only playing Johnny b Goode this afternoon..RIP

EricTheWeary · March 2017

Ally said:

Have I got my memories wrong?

Did he not have two cases of abuse of minors against him that he traded (pleaded to a lessor charge) or bought his way out of? Also a known abuser in general.

Good music no doubt, but can't help feeling he should have faced some kind of justice before death.

Harsh? Keen to know thoughts. Not looking for arguments here as I might be misrembering things here, and could do with some views.

He had at least three prison sentences for various things. I think what happened in 1960 he pleaded guilty to marijuana charges in place of a transporting a minor charge but it came up again (I'm slightly confused by this process I'll admit) and he went to prison in 1962 for the transporting charge. Chuck maintained his innocence, there was no charge of assault as such (as I understand it) and a white judge , white jury, prominent black guy and a southern state might have added up to a miscarriage of justice. I think later on he was found guilty of taking illicit photos of women in his restaurant toilet. Chuck made very little money out of music and made ( and often lost)his money in real estate and restaurants.

Regardless of his personal behaviour he was a huge influence on western popular music heavily influencing the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, ACDC and pretty successful in his own right. Chuck was heavily influenced by Muddy Waters and T Bone Walker as well as jazzier guys like Louis Jordan. However, Chuck brought these influences over to a wider audience and is a link between black American music and it reaching a wider audience.

Edit: nearly forgot RIP Chuck. I highly recommend his autobiography BTW.

not_the_dj · March 2017

Just packing up from tonight's gig and heard the news about Chuck Berry....without him a hell of a lot of what I played tonight wouldn't have been written.

He was the foundation of the mighty wall that is Rock'n'roll.

TheBlueWolf · March 2017

A very sad loss

Johnny B Goode was the first song I learnt by ear, aged 13. I'm still learning from that Saturday afternoon.

Sambostar · March 2017

Woah

martinw · March 2017

Ally said:

Have I got my memories wrong?

......but can't help feeling he should have faced some kind of justice before death.

Yes.

He did face justice, he was charged, convicted and imprisoned.

Also you make him sound like a Savill-style paedophile, whereas in fact he had sex with a 14 year old who was working at a night club. If every rock star who'd had sex with a girl under 16 went to prison......well, that would be all of them I'd guess.

But he was black and famous, and made the mistake of taking her from one state to another = federal case.

Not condoning it, but lets keep things in proportion.

RIP Chuck. Like many others, made me want to pick up the guitar.

Dominic · March 2017

Rock and Roll Inventor
except perhaps "my ding - a- ling "

koneguitarist · March 2017

I think you only have to google chuck berry and a whole host of unsavoury incidents come out. Most involving hookers etc, but also filming women in the toilet in his club. Should have gone to prison, but he had to compensate every woman.
My mate did PA for him about 15-20 years ago, the rider was two plane tickets, chuck and guitar, return flights same day. Two hookers in a limo to drive him around until showtime.
Band would not meet him until he gets on stage and his instructions are when I stamp my foot we stop.
Wrote the book on rock and roll guitar, I know I copied so much off his guitar playing. I also thought he wrote some of the greatest rock and roll songs that identified with teenagers ever.
School days, You never can tell, Sweet little 16 and No particular place to go are amazing without Johnny B Goode and the rest of his classic stuff.
Sometimes especially in the UK we build stars up so much as wonderful artists, but guys like Chuck Berry are still nasty pieces of work.

Drew_TNBD · March 2017

Nowt wrong with hookers.

RobDavies · March 2017

Drew_TNBD said:

Nowt wrong with hookers.

...or putting a camera in the bog.

IvisonGuitars · March 2017

koneguitarist said:

I think you only have to google chuck berry and a whole host of unsavoury incidents come out. Most involving hookers etc, but also filming women in the toilet in his club. Should have gone to prison, but he had to compensate every woman.
My mate did PA for him about 15-20 years ago, the rider was two plane tickets, chuck and guitar, return flights same day. Two hookers in a limo to drive him around until showtime.
Band would not meet him until he gets on stage and his instructions are when I stamp my foot we stop.
Wrote the book on rock and roll guitar, I know I copied so much off his guitar playing. I also thought he wrote some of the greatest rock and roll songs that identified with teenagers ever.
School days, You never can tell, Sweet little 16 and No particular place to go are amazing without Johnny B Goode and the rest of his classic stuff.
Sometimes especially in the UK we build stars up so much as wonderful artists, but guys like Chuck Berry are still nasty pieces of work.

I played the 100 Club a week after he last did it in 2008. The promoter said it was an incredible gig but the rider was demanding. In addition to handing Chuck the full fee in cash on the night before he went on stage, he had to supply the Band (who don't know the set list, what key the songs are in and are expected to know his entire back catalogue), 2 matching Fender Dual Showman amps and a limo from the airport to be ready to take him back the moment he came off stage....

Modern music would VERY different if it wasn't for Chuck. The Guitar Hero's Hero.

IvisonGuitars · March 2017

Let It Rock
Roll Over Beethoven
Johnny B Goode
Maybellene
Little Queenie
Brown Eyed Handsome Man
Come On
Carol
Talkin' About You
Run, Run, Rudolph
You Never Can Tell
Memphis, Tennessee
Sweet Little Sixteen
Too Much Monkey Business

How many of these titles do you see mentioned in the autobiography's of legendary musicians as influences....

Neil · March 2017

Very sad but he led a good long life and his influence was immeasurable.

Saw him many years ago and loved his show.

RIP Chuck.

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RIP Chuck Berry

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