Dave Edmunds (I Hear You Knocking) and the John Lennon Tribute Concert
nowhere man
my role as musical director for the "The Lennon Tribute," a lavish and
star-studded event organized by Yoko Ono and producer Neville Bolt. Set
in Liverpool, this was to be an enormous 'live' televised production.
(an edited version was planned for broadcast on HBO at a later date.)
The artist list read; Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, Joe Cocker, Hall &
Oates, Al Green, Roberta Flack, Paul McCartney, Cyndi Lauper, Dave
Edmunds, Lenny Kravitz, Ringo Starr, Michael Jackson, Randy Travis,
Terence Trent D'Arby, Kylie Minogue, Dave Stewart, and The Moody Blues.
Having already gained some experience with such events, I was impressed
with the seemingly unlimited budget, affording generous rehearsal time,
first class hotels with no-expense spared. Not only was I able to hand
pick a superb bunch of musicians, but we were also supplemented by The
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Ann Dudley from The
Art of Noise. Each artist chose two songs from John's repertoire, but,
being musical director, I pulled rank and did three. I especially wanted
to perform two songs that would have been impossible to do 'live' when
the Beatles recorded them, due to the lack of sufficient technology;
"Strawberry Fields Forever," and "A Day in The Life." With the help of
sampling machines and the orchestra, we were able to reproduce the
original recordings in the purpose built twenty thousand capacity
open-air venue built next to the River Mersey. This gig was a dream, not
only to be working unhindered by cost with the cream of British
musicians and some world renowned artists, but because no matter how
much we rehearsed, we never tired of the Lennon legacy of songs. After
three weeks rehearsal in London and Liverpool the three hour show hosted
by Christopher Reeve and Michael Douglas went smoothly and according to
plan. Six weeks later I received a five a.m. telephone call from Yoko.
So taken was she by the success of the Tribute in Liverpool, she had
decided to repeat the whole thing, in it's entirety, in Tokyo the
following December and wanted me to confirm my role as M.D. At five
o'clock in the morning! Without even thinking I accepted, the difference
this time being that no pre-production was required, as the backing
musicians, artist line-up and song list were already established. It
would be a simple matter of going to Tokyo, rehearsing for a few days,
and doing the show.
Frazzled with jet-lag, I boarded the Tokyo bound plane for the Lennon
Tribute sequel. The venue for this event was the enormous Tokyo Dome. I
find it difficult to distinguish the onstage action from the Liverpool
effort except for one unforgettable incident. Just before showtime, I
was summoned to Yoko's dressing room. She said she wanted to add "Happy
Xmas (War is Over)" to the song list, and that she and son Sean would
come out to close the show with it. I had the band quickly rehearse the
number in readiness.
The show started off well; Natalie Cole performed a dynamic, but out of
context version of "Lucy in the Sky (With Diamonds,)" Cyndi Lauper did
"Hey Bulldog," and a frightening version of "Working Class Hero." Miles
Davis performed a bizarre rendition of "Strawberry Fields," I did my
selection and everybody else did theirs. It was all rolling along
splendidly. We came to the end of the show and I signaled to drummer
Kenny Aaronoff to count the band in for "Happy Xmas," indicating the
moment for all artists to come onstage for the finally. Imagine, if you
will, the entire cast of performers lined up, left to right across the
front of the stage, with microphones placed strategically in front of
them to pick up their backing vocals. The capacity audience let out a
huge roar when Yoko and Sean walked confidently to the center stage
microphone to join me. Everything sounded great, just like the record.
All we needed was for Yoko and or Sean to start singing. I looked down
at her, and she looked up at me: perhaps she needed a cue where to come
in! I nodded to her at the appropriate moment, and she nodded back to
me. I waited for the moment to come around, and nodded again. Again she
nodded back to me. After a few minutes of this, while the band kept
recycling the intro, it suddenly dawned on me that Yoko had not the
slightest idea of even the first line of one of her husband's true
classics, arguably one of the finest popular Christmas songs ever
written. I decided they was nothing to do but approach the microphone,
stick my head in the lion's mouth, and start singing a song I had never
in my life sung before. I sang the first few lines and realized, to my
horror, that I also had no idea of the lyrics. Onstage in front of
thirty thousand people is not a good place to panic. I used every
cover-up tactic I had ever learned, but was ultimately forced to repeat
the first few lines of the song over and over, while Yoko and Sean stood
motionless. At an appropriate moment during the chorus, I maneuvered
myself along behind the throng of artists, attempting to find someone
who knew the lyrics. Darryl Hall told me that he had been singing, but
his microphone appeared to be dead! I signaled to the Japanese sound
engineer to fix the problem, and was met with a blank stare. Darryl
eventually joined me center stage, bringing some sort of order to the
song, which by then seemed to be reaching into eternity. I think I would
need a couple of stiff drinks before watching a video recording of what
was definitely one of the most embarrassing onstage moments of my life.
Johnny Dupe
(quoting Dave Edmunds)
<snip>
> I think I would
> need a couple of stiff drinks before watching a video recording of what
> was definitely one of the most embarrassing onstage moments of my life.
LOL!! Thanks for posting that, Will.
It was nice that Dave was candid and honest about that night. Really,
this type of thing happens alot with musicians. Even the most famous
lyrics in the world can suddenly be forgotten- regardless whether you
heard them one time or 10,000 times.
Sorta like the "Star Spangled Banner", or even reciting the "Hail Mary".
Whether it's out of nervousness, or just a plain mental block, it just
happens.
However, I don't recall reading Edmunds' reasons for not remembering
John's lyric (or Yoko's). Was it stage fright, a mental block, or the
fact that they simply didn't know the lyrics?
In Yoko's case, I would imagine she knew the lyrics- but completely
spaced it.
As far as Edmunds is concerned... well, he can be embarrassed, but
there'd be thousands of people that would love to have been embarrassed
like him that night!
-John W.
http://jwebsongs.homestead.com/index.html
Don't just hate me for my posts, hate me for my music too!
nowhere man
> nowhere man wrote:
>
> (quoting Dave Edmunds)
>
> <snip>
>
> > I think I would
> > need a couple of stiff drinks before watching a video recording of what
> > was definitely one of the most embarrassing onstage moments of my life.
>
> LOL!! Thanks for posting that, Will.
most welcome.
> It was nice that Dave was candid and honest about that night. Really,
> this type of thing happens alot with musicians. Even the most famous
> lyrics in the world can suddenly be forgotten- regardless whether you
> heard them one time or 10,000 times.
>
> Sorta like the "Star Spangled Banner", or even reciting the "Hail Mary".
> Whether it's out of nervousness, or just a plain mental block, it just
> happens.
still after Yoko 'summoning' Dave to say that she and Sean would close the
show with Happy Xmas, the least one could expect would be that the woman and
her son would at least know the lyrics they so badly wanted to sing.
If I had been Dave, I would have left her to her own devices. He shouldn't
be the one that is embarrassed about the situation.
> However, I don't recall reading Edmunds' reasons for not remembering
> John's lyric (or Yoko's). Was it stage fright, a mental block, or the
> fact that they simply didn't know the lyrics?
I don't thoink he could reasonably be expected to have known them John.
> In Yoko's case, I would imagine she knew the lyrics- but completely
> spaced it.
yes, most likely.
But frig, I would always have backup in the way of a lyric sheet beside me as
I walked on.
One would have to ask questions as to what preparation she and Sean had done
for their song.
This is elementary stuff.
thech...@gmail.com
Played trumpet for Natalie Cole and Dave edmunds.
ALAN CHEZ
thech...@gmail.com
The Bloomfield Bloviator
> Is there any video of this concert in TOKYO.
>
> Played trumpet for Natalie Cole and Dave edmunds.
>
> ALAN CHEZ
thech...@gmail.com
Maybe that was someone else?
Marcus
Bet he can't find any he shares with them.
really real
I recently found this video of him and Geraint Watkins, another favorite
of mine, doing Promised Land.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIIoWFnsc6w
Let me know if you find the video of your concert.
Phil A. Scheo
>
> Fellatio, fellatio, fellatio.
You called?
btz...@gmail.com
Anyhow, you can hear my bud Ed Hamell beat that story right here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5mzgIOb6Tg
-- Dr S.
(PS: I slammed into Sean once myself, by accident, at a Grand Royal Records function for his first album...)