Welcome back to our two-part Halloween special on urban legends in rock! Last time we discussed someone who sold his soul to the devil, and now we’ll be discussing rock you’ve actually heard about. As rock gained traction and began dividing itself into separate genres, performers began using more and more gimmicks to stand out and get attention. Taking it one step further than earlier controversial stars like Elvis Presley, artists in the 1970s pushed the envelope with their names, their public persona, and their music itself.
KISS, whose name was rumored to be an acronym for Knights In Satan’s Service, caught a lot of heat from religious groups for the group’s suggestive lyrics and “demonic” face paint. The hue and cry from conservatives hasn’t hurt them in the slightest. In fact, KISS frontman Gene Simmons has used the band’s enduring popularity to fuel sales for everything from comic books to caskets. For the first issue of Marvel’s KISS comic books, the band members poured vials of their blood into the vats of red ink for printing – an act which was witnessed and signed by a notary public to ensure authenticity. That issue still sells to collectors for around $400 depending on condition. Whether or not it’s worth it depends entirely on you! But if you’re a vampire, maybe look into a blood drive to get your fix or something. Speaking of someone who’s probably swallowed more blood than the average person… When I say Ozzy Osbourne, what's the first thing you think of? Bats? Crazy Train? Maybe that time he wandered around the Alamo in Sharon’s dress? He did bite the head off a bat after a fan threw the poor thing on the stage, but the bat bit back, and he had to be treated for rabies. Which is a shame, because foaming at the mouth would probably be the coolest stage trick ever. But almost a year before that, at a sales event for Columbia Records, Ozzy was supposed to release two doves as a peace offering. Now, remember, this was back before Ozzy was a lovable mumbling TV Dad. This was full on Prince of Darkness Ozzy, fresh from being kicked out of Black Sabbath. So when a label employee was bothering him, Ozzy grabbed the doves, bit their heads off, and spat them at her. One after another. Just keeping up with The Osbournes, right? Yeah, not so much. This momentary lapse in judgment got him kicked out of the party – which was probably his goal the entire time. We could write a book on urban legends in heavy metal alone (and we wouldn’t be the first), but we hope you've enjoyed the few here! Did we miss your favorite? Leave a comment and let us know! Written by Ashton
0 Comments
Since its inception, rock and roll has been the subject of rumors, misinformation, and propaganda ranging from the plausible (Stevie Nicks practices Wicca!) to the bizarre (Ozzy Osbourne is the actual Devil). With Halloween almost upon us, what better time to shine a flashlight under your chin and talk about some of the urban legends of rock? This is part one of a two part series about urban legends in the world of rock. And, like all good ghostbusters, we’ll be looking to see if there’s any truth to them at all.
One of the lasting stories about music is selling your soul to the devil to play well. Whether "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" or up to Boston, the pact remains the same: you'll be a famous, talented musician, and the devil will take you after so many years' time. This legend got started before rock and roll was even dreamt of, trickling down from the story of Faust, to virtuoso violinist Niccoló Paganini, and to Robert Johnson, one of the earliest cautionary tales of rock. Robert Johnson was born in Hazlehurst, Mississippi in 1911, and started picking up instruments at an early age, although according to musicians who knew him, he was hopeless at the guitar. Desperate for greatness, he either summoned the Devil at the crossroads to give his soul in exchange for talent, or conjured him up in a graveyard. Either way, the stories differ about what happened next, but the result is the same. Whether or not Satan took his guitar and tuned it for him before giving it back, made a more traditional contract with the young man, or Robert simply began to see the payoff from all of his practice, he became an incredibly talented musician. Part of his demonic benefits package included the clause that any woman who heard him play would desire him, no matter how virtuous she was or who she was married to. While this was a great idea in theory, he should have pushed for some health insurance too. In 1938, he was flirting with a woman at a party when her jealous spouse gave him a poisoned bottle of whiskey. It’s not confirmed whether or not the woman heard him play, but it seems like her husband wasn’t taking any chances. Johnson died several days later at the young age of 27 (making him one of the earlier members of the 27 Club) and was buried in a mass grave for the poor. The tales about Johnson’s bargain grew taller in the decades after his death, and even now, almost eighty years after his demise, it’s still discussed in rock folklore. Want to know more? Check out Crossroads: The Life and Afterlife of Blues Legend Robert Johnson by Tom Graves, Steve LaVere. This concludes Part One! Let us know what you think in the comments, and come back next time for the thrilling conclusion! Written by Ashton |
Categories
All
Archives
June 2018
AuthorThe Launchpad Blog is written and made possible by our team members at Ticket Galaxy. Each contributing writer shares their passion for the sports, music and entertainment industry. |
|
Ticket Galaxy is the sports and entertainment industry’s leading marketplace to buy and sell tickets to sport, concert, theater, and family events. Providing consumers with hard-to-get, sold-out, and discount tickets to live entertainment in the United States and abroad, Ticket Galaxy partners with some of the world’s most identifiable brands. Its retail website, TicketGalaxy.com, grants fans access to unmatched inventory, premiere customer service and secure ticket transactions in an easy-to-navigate environment, all with a 100% money-back guarantee.
|