tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676806289104794676.post816148951840172263..comments2023-03-12T22:53:53.506-07:00Comments on Go Head On!: Chuck Berry in Monterey, 1974 (An old post with a great new comment-- see below!)Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16028212499171228040noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676806289104794676.post-36810426635949914402019-05-16T06:57:40.464-07:002019-05-16T06:57:40.464-07:00I too have fond memories of that day, well one any...I too have fond memories of that day, well one anyway. The band I was with, CL Frost (I think we played after Cannery Roll; short set) was doing our sound check when from my right enters Chuck and says do you boys mind if I play one with you. He started playing Johnny Be Good and doing his famous strut across the stage. We finished the tune, he thanked us and off he went......Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14333586514143520762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676806289104794676.post-69853615133381624652013-04-12T21:59:53.284-07:002013-04-12T21:59:53.284-07:00Chrissy-- amazing, again. You're the third pe...Chrissy-- amazing, again. You're the third person from that show to find this and leave comments. You didn't give anyone an autograph that day, did you? That would have been me. We were standing directly below Chuck's feet. <br /><br />BTW-- as I write this, Chuck has just finished his-- what? 9000th show?--- in Curtiba, Brazil. Peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16028212499171228040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676806289104794676.post-20704897164534723002013-04-12T21:54:12.929-07:002013-04-12T21:54:12.929-07:00Hey! I was at that concert and must have been sta...Hey! I was at that concert and must have been standing next to you. I was one of the "usherette" at the concert and went back to Chuck Berry's dressing room to see his guitar,.... really, just saw his guitar; nothing more. I was 17 with short curly hair, cute and oh so young.<br />Well...nice to have read your blog. Remember, it's always about the music :D Chrissy<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06558610894316486346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676806289104794676.post-54453855115606496862012-08-06T07:17:13.116-07:002012-08-06T07:17:13.116-07:00Howard DeWitt! Thanks for checking in. I've ...Howard DeWitt! Thanks for checking in. I've reworked this into a "chapter," so keep coming back.Peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16028212499171228040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676806289104794676.post-25017412431731023302012-08-05T23:58:15.840-07:002012-08-05T23:58:15.840-07:00I loved the show but it was typical of Chuck Berry...I loved the show but it was typical of Chuck Berry in the 1970s. He didn't like his audience. I followed chuck and Bo Diddley through California's Central Valley in the 1970s with Bo renting the Cadillac and Chuck paying for the food and motel. They stayed at Motel 6's and ate at Sambo's, yes that was a restaurant, Chuck told Bo he could have the $1.99 breakfast special and the$3.99 dinner special.They had separate motel rooms and Bo caught Chuck cooking in his room because they spent so little on food. Bo told me it was typical Chuck Berry. Never spend a nickel and get through with the show as quickly as possible. Yet, i Loved the shows. Berry is a contradiction, a brilliant one, Howard A. DeWittAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676806289104794676.post-80822782525903383562011-04-13T01:25:47.619-07:002011-04-13T01:25:47.619-07:00Larry-- Amazing! I have an awful feeling I was o...Larry-- Amazing! I have an awful feeling I was one of the people on stage-- but it was a GREAT Chuck Berry show. Thanks for adding your memories. PeterPeterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16028212499171228040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676806289104794676.post-52260275372899360472011-04-13T00:22:07.045-07:002011-04-13T00:22:07.045-07:00I was the piano player for Butch Whacks and Chuck ...I was the piano player for Butch Whacks and Chuck Berry that Sunday in Monterey. If it matters, I don't remember a car giveaway either. What I do remember was a fun, memorable, totally unpredictable show.<br />Butch Whacks was in Canada when our agent called and asked if we would be interested in backing up Chuck Berry. We, of course, said yes! and immediately asked him to get a set list and the song keys.<br />Very quickly came the response from Chuck's people -- "Buy his double album." <br />We did and we learned every lick, every guitar run, and all the keys of his many, many hits. But this all became moot that Sunday.<br />Like Mike, I too had knocked on Chuck's dressing room door before our set, seeking a set list for the show. I had also done it before our own set and before the opening act -- a local band called Cannery Roll. But Chuck was apparently pre-occupied with an opening act of his own -- unless the young, attractive blonde he was with might have been a personal trainer of sorts.<br />But soon enough Chuck did appear and we followed him on stage -- no set list, no conversation, no fear. He started playing a very repetitive riff and like Mike said, went over to each musician and gave us all specific instructions -- all basically along the same lines as "forget that shit you practiced, just do it like this!" <br />As we were doing the riff he started singing one of his hit songs. Then after awhile he brought the guitar neck down and started playing another very recognizable intro riff -- albeit in a different key -- different from the previous song, and different from the key we practiced. More than once I frantically pecked at a couple hopeful chords and then yelled to my bandmates "He's in D!" or "He's in A!"<br />This routine of repetitive riff, hit song sung to repetitive riff, break, new song intro and sudden panic went on for almost two hours but Chuck had the audience eating out of hand.<br />Finally, when some tired parent tried to place their little boy on the edge of the stage, security rushed over to deal with this breach of etiquette. But Chuck interrupted their heavy-handed ways by improvising "Let the Boy on the stage!" Soon the audience joined in, the security not only backed down, but it seemed half the audience was soon on the stage.<br />I had no idea if Chuck ever talked to Mike about his departure because I couldn't see anything through the crowd. Since we were near the end of another progression I stood on the piano and tried to lead the band into a playoff. Whether they followed me or Mike or we all had the same idea at the same time, we finished the song and then rushed to pack up our equipment before the crowd trashed our equipment.<br />That was the last time I saw Chuck Berry. I heard the Cadillac was gone by the time we got off stage.<br />As Mike said, it was a day I won't forget.<br />Larry Strawther, BWGP, Los Alamitos, 2011.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676806289104794676.post-19573921004239246952010-07-01T10:16:19.571-07:002010-07-01T10:16:19.571-07:00Ha! I've just found that the book I was talki...Ha! I've just found that the book I was talking about is the second edition of Howard DeWitt's Chuck Berry: Rock ' N' Roll Music. And although Mr. DeWitt and I have very different memories of the Monterey show, I see that my own memory of his book is faulty. He doesn't say a word about the car giveaway! Ah well-- memory is a funny thing! PeterPeterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16028212499171228040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676806289104794676.post-75389576928111809852010-02-09T14:43:16.490-08:002010-02-09T14:43:16.490-08:00I was the drummer on that Monterey gig. It certain...I was the drummer on that Monterey gig. It certainly wasn't our "usual gig". Up to that point we (Butch Whacks) had played with many well know acts of the day. One of my favorites was Tina Turner, but that's for another day. We pulled double duty that day, as the opening show and then backing up Mr. Berry. When we asked about at least having a set list with song "keys", Mr Berry suggested that if we didn't have all his songs memorized ( everybody knew all his songs, right?)then we shouldn't be his band. Wow! Ok, we get the picture! After we finished our show, we had a chance to change clothes and I had the responsibility of knocking on Mr Berry's dressing room door(the actual rooms were under the stage area)to let him know we had 5 minutes till showtime! The band rushed on stage and waited for Mr Berry to come on stage. We were told to vamp on a chord and he would lead us into the song. He entered stage right, went right to our piano player, Larry and sang into Larry's ear telling him how he wanted him to play. I was next. My drums were on a riser and Berry came up to my left side and told me "exactly" how the kick drum and snare pattern should be played, and under no circumstance should I change it. Every band member get his orders from Mr Berry and away we went for over two hours-non stop!! Funny, I don't remember the Cadillac give away! He went from song to song, key changes everywhere, tempo changes and not a set list in sight! It didn't take long and the band was "in the groove". At one point, and I have no idea why, Mr Berry, right in the middle of a song, strolled over to the drum riser, reach over with his right hand and motioned for my hand and gave me an extended hand shake. All I could do was smile and wonder why. To this day, I have no clue. At the end, he leaned over to me, as we were still playing and said," keep playing for at least 5 minutes after I leave." He then invited the audience on the stage. Now that was scary. One of our roadies had to run up on stage and protect my cymbels from being stolen. The stage was packed with people dancing and Mr. Berry had, without being noticed, slipped out the back of the stage, got in a car and off he went. There are some decent photos on the Butch Whacks.com site of that day. Certainly, a day I wont soon forget.<br />Michael Patrick Moore,drummer, BWGP 2010Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com