Fact #126194
When:
Short story:
Chuck Berry records several tracks (including She Once Was Mine and Jamaica Farewell, at Pye Studios, London, England, UK, with pick-up band The Five Dimensions, to be released on the album Chuck Berry In London. That evening he plays a gig at The Astoria, Finsbury Park, London, along with The Moody Blues, Long John Baldry and The Graham Bond Organisation.Full article:
Ian Samwell (songwriter/producer) : I was rung up and told about the plan to record a live album with Chuck Berry in London, so I suggested a bunch of musicians, The Five Dimensions, who I reckoned would be up to the job, and they went ahead and did the album at Pye Studios.
That night, I went down to The Speakeasy [unlikely, given that The Speakeasy didn't open until January 1967] and, lo and behold, there was Chuck standing alone at the bar. I'd never met him, so I went up and introduced myself, explaining that I'd organised the band for his recording session. I asked him if it had gone well, and he said, "Yeah, OK." He was obviously not inclined to talk, so I started to leave, then I turned back and said, "I can't go without thanking you, because if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be in this business."
He looked at me, and then he said, "I know." That's all he said, which seemed very cold.
(Source : interview with Johnny Black)
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That night, I went down to The Speakeasy [unlikely, given that The Speakeasy didn't open until January 1967] and, lo and behold, there was Chuck standing alone at the bar. I'd never met him, so I went up and introduced myself, explaining that I'd organised the band for his recording session. I asked him if it had gone well, and he said, "Yeah, OK." He was obviously not inclined to talk, so I started to leave, then I turned back and said, "I can't go without thanking you, because if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be in this business."
He looked at me, and then he said, "I know." That's all he said, which seemed very cold.
(Source : interview with Johnny Black)