You mentioned the great Frank Zappa/Alice Cooper onstage gross-out contest in the late 60s or early 70s. Here's the version I was told back in the 60s/ early 70s

Seems that Zappa had Alice come out on stage at some concert. But instead of playing a song together, they decided to have a gross-out contest. I don't recall the preliminary feats of disgust, but eventually Alice, in what he assumed would be the winning play, took a dump on the stage. But not to be outdone, Zappa got a spoon (most bands usually have silverware onstage during a gig, right?) and took a big steamin' bite. Frank won the contest.

Back in high school, around the time this supposedly happened, I heard that story repeated several times by friends and school mates.

But in the 1980s, when original Mothers drummer Jimmy Carl Black moved to New Mexico, I asked him about it. About halfway through my question, Jim took over and told the rest of the story. "SO it's actually TRUE?" I asked incredulously. "Fuck No!" he said.

Later in his band of fellow Zappa vets called The Grandmothers, Jimmy and Don Preston recorded a song called "The Eternal Question" (originally titled "What Was Zappa Really Like?") -- which contains a refrain, "And did he really shit on the stage?"

I can back Mark George Harrison up on this one, I was going to say the same thing until I came across his post. When I started reading this thread I had to Google the Rod Stewart myth to find out what is was, only to find that it was the one I'd heard attributed to Marc Almond, roughly around the time of 'Tainted Love', or a bit later. 

John Battles said:

IN SLADESPEAK : CUM ON , MAN , YER MAKIN THAT NOIZE UP.
 
Mark George Harrison said:

Strangely I'd never heard the Rod myth, here (UK) it was always credited to Marc Almond.

John Battles said:

YOU KNOW WHAT , YOU'RE RIGHT ! THERE IS A BOOK , THERE.....I heard it in Junior High at the same time. We were kids , not particularly progressive in our thinking , we wanted to believe certain things , but , in the back of my mind , I thought another kid at school made it up.  I did'nt hear the story again for YEARS , until my friend's band , Lava Sutra , made reference to it in a song. It WAS the equivalent of what "Going viral "is , today. Peter Bagge DID A HILARIOUS CARTOON , around that time ,  changing said Rock STAR'S NAME TO "Reginald".

trashman said:

Well we all know the Rod Stewart one.

But what I find interesting is how it all evolved.  I remember hearing it back in 4th or 5th grade (1979 or 80); but I heard it from a kid in a lunch room.  And I thought it sort of started there. Then I met kids in other high schools and they knew it.  Then onto college and they knew it.  Then professional life living all over the U.S. and they knew it.  

This rumor was spread before the days of the internet so remarkable the way it carried along an oral tradition (no pun intended) of storytelling.  Of course, we all got to an age we knew it was false but remarkable to the extent this dirty little rumor spread.  

I recently heard Rod Stewart address while doing the media tour for his new book.  It was started by an ex-publicist he fired.  Remarkable.  

The way this story spread via person to person in the late 70s/80s is worth a book in itself.

I haven´t heard Radio that much in the past, first because i´ve been "on the road" (by bike) all the time and second because most of the radios (i could listen to) were shitty. 

With few but excellent exceptions... just i need more time to recall.. (i´m getting old!) :D
coming next...

Good topic, by the way!

Couldn't resist putting up this gloriously trashy Revillos tune, featuring, of course the two voices of Eugene Reynolds and Fay Fife. Dig that crazy guitar solo!

Greg Hanson said:

The Rezillos and Revillos are incredible. I'm pissed I missed them in their heyday. 

Destination Venus is such a great track, to which I was introduced by Man or Astro-Man? who do a good cover as well. I think this live version is the best - the studio one is killer but there's an amazing atmosphere and energy to this one that is (only slightly) missing on the studio recording.

Andy Climax said:

If ye've got any push across there John. Could you get the Kennedys back together and in the spirit of bands touring albums from long ago which seems to be the 'thing' just now. Get them to tour Plastic Surgery Disaster. Me an Jello need to sit down and have a long chat about this, that, and the other. On the subject of bands touring. I'm off to Glasgow on Friday to see 'The Swans'. One of my alltime bands. Original lineup as well. Cannae wait. Saw them the 1st time in 89 and have seen them a few times since. I think the wife is doing her hair that night haha (she hates the Swans) Would love them to tour the Cop or Greed albums.... Preferably both. Enjoy the Rezillos. Hell! theres nodoubtin' you will.

The Rezillos and Revillos are incredible. I'm pissed I missed them in their heyday. 

Destination Venus is such a great track, to which I was introduced by Man or Astro-Man? who do a good cover as well. I think this live version is the best - the studio one is killer but there's an amazing atmosphere and energy to this one that is (only slightly) missing on the studio recording.

Andy Climax said:

If ye've got any push across there John. Could you get the Kennedys back together and in the spirit of bands touring albums from long ago which seems to be the 'thing' just now. Get them to tour Plastic Surgery Disaster. Me an Jello need to sit down and have a long chat about this, that, and the other. On the subject of bands touring. I'm off to Glasgow on Friday to see 'The Swans'. One of my alltime bands. Original lineup as well. Cannae wait. Saw them the 1st time in 89 and have seen them a few times since. I think the wife is doing her hair that night haha (she hates the Swans) Would love them to tour the Cop or Greed albums.... Preferably both. Enjoy the Rezillos. Hell! theres nodoubtin' you will.

HA HA HA
did they get drunk at BBC-recording? They are misplaying, aren´t they? :D

Tersicore said:

I can´t skip two of my youth´s Heroes, even if too treacly in here...

 

I can´t skip two of my youth´s Heroes, even if too treacly in here...

To John, 
we went brazenly Off Topic, what about to become friends and use another channel? 
:D

ps: Sure, i know Johnny Cash´s Bio and so June´s as well!

The Red Aunts last show... I was underage.. it was really sad..

-Ills

Wow , sorry to hear that. That was probably right after I saw them in Dallas.
  Not to gloat , of course. 
SMF said:

I was set to see The Clash in Tucson @ '82, but I blew out my knee just before the show and there was no chance of seeing anyone, let alone the best band on the planet.

I was set to see The Clash in Tucson @ '82, but I blew out my knee just before the show and there was no chance of seeing anyone, let alone the best band on the planet.

Oh yeah, Wes is the thing! Coming to think of it:

I can only imagine that he would have been eaten up by the new "performance art show" crowd of nowadays, for his, uhm, all natural looking "act." Only to headbutt them  for a hello, haha!

Chris Henniker said:

Anyone like Wesley Willis? A true outsider musician if there ever was one, who was so bad, he was great.

YEah! He's a good one. He's also in the one-off explosion that is THE BRASILIAN MOB podcast from, ...well Brasil: http://www.garagepunk.com/2008/10/06/the-brazilian-mob/

Along with the "GO-GO boy from Alabama" also one man, also Brasil. But I guess he must already be in here somewhere.

letz said:

did anybody mentioned O Lendário Chucrobillyman? The best brazillian oneman band. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk6_rBJCKP0

Anyone like Wesley Willis? A true outsider musician if there ever was one, who was so bad, he was great.

did anybody mentioned O Lendário Chucrobillyman? The best brazillian oneman band. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk6_rBJCKP0

Yeah , Zak Starkey , that's his real name , is Ringo's Son ,and he's been playing Drums with The Who for years. He's so close to Moon's style , it IS pretty scary. Of course , Moon and Starr were close friends ( THE MOON AND THE STARRS, LA LA)....YEAH , "El Ultimo Beso" ("Last Kiss") was a hit , I think , in Mexico , for Los Johnny Jets. I met their Drummer's Son ,last year. His name is'nt Zak.

Aaanyhoo, for them wot haven't seen it, here is The Who on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour 1967 (High Quality) in its entirety. Enjoy! 

Tip o' the hat to ya for Los Johnny Jets, couldn't find that song, but this

Los Johnny Jets El ultimo beso could almost be in a Scorcese soundtrack. (off-topic, I know)

I didn't know that Ringo's kid was playing drums, good goin' Ringo!

Yeah, both the Kinks and The Who missed out on the opening B.I salvo, the Kinks by Dave Davies bashing a shutter-bug *at the AIRPORT*, Oy! Back to ol' Blighty for you boys... With The Who, maybe it was simply pesky bad luck, 'cause they sure had everything else going for 'em! (Although 1 of those creepy British tabloids had the nerve to dismiss them as 'nippers with big noses and small genitals' [!!!])

The only song with the word "Yo" (Which is'nt even a word)you need to own.
 
dave said:

Hey, look what I found!

The High Numbers (The Who) live in 1964

THAT'S PROBABLY ALSO TRUE.... If they got away from each other long enough , I'm sure they  could all be pleasant. I don't know anybody that ever knew them , tho'. A friend of mine literally ran into Pete in Richmond , UK. HE SAID HE WAS IN A BIG HURRY AND DID'NT STOP TO BICKER , Just as my friend did'nt block his way , to talk about Guitars.
 
dave said:

Hi John,

Thanks for hipping me to 'Call Me Lightning' I'd never heard it. Liked it so much I put it in a mixtape ...

Yeah, over in the States The Who seem to be criminally overlooked. As far as British Invasion stuff goes, for me they are part of the Holy Trinity: Stones/Who/Kinks (Beatles were the tip of the wedge, opening the way for others [betters?]...)

I love loud crunchy chords with lyrics, harmonies, as well as a bit of Baroque Pop, so only the Kinks come close (but they have that feyness that makes 'em the Kinks, The Who always seemed tough to me. Daltrey wasn't merely a tough guy, he had that great raspy vocal delivery).

I didn't find out about 'em 'til I was a Jam fan (barely play them anymore. The Who, always).

Incidentally, have y'all seen this, Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who (2007) part 1

Fucking amazing white-boy R&B, smokin' stuff!

(Part of me still wishes they had kept with the R&B, wow...)

Still a Moon fan, tho' Kenny was great in the Small Faces (another overlooked band in America, dimmit!)

Hey, look what I found!

The High Numbers (The Who) live in 1964

Dave , Yeh, I recently found that "Amazing Journey" set, great stuff , especially the rare as fuck High Numbers performance of "OO Poo Pah Doo" and another R'n'B song I forget.

Daltrey looks badass , utterly full of himself with those big bug wraparound shades , but , that's what that band needed. But , I don't , personally , consider The Who to be part of The  British Invasion , if only because , by the time they conquered America in earnest , the Invasion was over. They were TRYING during the Stones/Who /Beatles /Animals /DC5 onslaught , to be sure. "Call Me Lightning" was a minor U.S. hit , so , the 45 , backed with Entwistle's  Horror classic , "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", is still pretty easy to find.

Los Johnny Jets , from Mexico , their version , as "Dam Dam" is killer , even replicating Entwistle's second greatest solo/bridge to a tee. I even found a budget CD in Mexico with a remake of "Dam Dam", probably from the 90's , that's even better than their original recording !

I'm not saying Moon can be touched (Tho' Ringo's kid is doing an awfully credible job.),

but , I saw The Who in 1980 , with Kenny Jones , of course , and damned if he did'nt hold down the fort. The Small Faces still don't get their due in America , but people who SHOULD be fans would rather listen to Northern Snore. Not that you can't like both.

WELLLLLLL.....I'd say he's a Cracker Soul singer like Wayne Cochran and Tom Jones , in a more "ROCK" Setting.
 
James Porter said:

I don't hear the "soul" in Arthur Brown, but that Crazy World Of Arthur Brown LP is pretty good. More going on than just the one hit.

I don't hear the "soul" in Arthur Brown, but that Crazy World Of Arthur Brown LP is pretty good. More going on than just the one hit.

He is one of Britain's finest soul singers, after all. He should be in the RRHoF by right.

John Battles said:

If I'd had 20 choices , I'd already  have considered putting Brown on my list , which is no slight on his importance , nor his enormous talent as a writer , singer and even dancer . He's VERY difficult to classify , as he's done early Space Rock , Post - Freakbeat Psych- Rock , Electronica (Not the butt - shakin' , coke snortin' variety , HA HA.), AND HIS OWN TAKE ON BLUES and R'n'B.   THE HELL OF IT IS , HE'S PROBABLY AN EVEN BETTER SINGER , NOW , THAN WHEN MY BROTHERS AND I USED TO PLAY OUR "FIRE' SINGLE IN THE DARK AND SCARE THE PISS OUT OF OURSELVES.   
Chris Henniker said:

I considered him as a possible wild card, but my lists would be too big otherwise.

The Revox said:

Have someone mentioned the great Arthur Brown ?? He should be in the top of the list even if he didn't play garage !

Dig Ted Benson, is not what I was looking for but is good, I liked it. I like Black Angesl, I listenen to them for the first time a couple of years ago and they caught my ear. Pissed Jeans sounds good, i'll look for more.

I been lately into Art Phag, House of Knives, Barton And Harry, Sunglasses After Dark and Voodoo Idols. 

Thank you all for the recommendations, if you have anything like the bands mentioned before just let me know.