Common rock-pop misperceptions

[Chris D]

List some canards from rock-pop history you have heard, perhaps even promulgated, while the facts put the lie to the myth.

Fer instance, it's commonly held that at Altamont, Meredith Hunter was stabbed to death during "Sympathy for the Devil." Poetically that would have been nice, but it's not true. If you watch "Gimme Shelter," it's clear Hunter was killed during "Under My Thumb."

I don't know how many times I've heard that "Sympathy" was the tune of death, and the myth persists in print and on the Web.

[Tanager]

Oh, man, surely one of the biggies has to be the whole "backards satanic lyrics" thing.

I remember the Bloom County strip in which they play a Billy and the Boingers record backwards to find the evil lyrics...they come out as "go to church...say your prayers...tithe, tithe!" I have the strip upstairs in the attic, if I wouldn't have to make a ton of mess to find it I'd scan it and post it.

[Brian Olewnick]

Mama Cass died from choking on a ham sandwich.

[Underhound]

I once had an argument with a guy who insisted that Frank Zappa's father was the Mr. Green Jeans guy from Kaptain Kangaroo. I tried explaining that such a rumor was a result of his recording the track"Son of Mr. Green Genes" on Hot Rats.
But no, he knew better and he was adamant about it.

We didn't get into the whole FZ-eating-poop-onstage myth, which I'm sure he also fell for.

[Sergio Zamora]

Paul is dead

[Gentle Giant]

Rod Stewart had a gallon of semen pumped from his stomach.

[al j]

I love Jethro Tull. He's so awesome.

[Tom Storer]

Brian - you mean Mama Cass didn't die from choking on a ham sandwich?? I suppose you're going to tell us it was something completely different, like cancer or a stroke.

Or maybe it was a turkey sandwich?

Tell us, tell us!

[Chris D]

I believe Cass Elliot died of a heart attack.

Yeah, the Rod Stewart story is one I've heard a lot; sometimes Jagger is substituted.

[Sergio Zamora]

Originally posted by Chris D
Yeah, the Rod Stewart story is one I've heard a lot; sometimes Jagger is substituted.

Yeah, I've heard it with Jagger, but not Stewart.

[BFrank]

Rock stars are really cool people who are worthy of your admiration.

[Jazzooo]

A gallon of semen? Get real--that would be, like, four or five ejaculations for me.

Signed,

Splash Gordon

[Pete C]

Alice Cooper was Eddie Haskell.

[Noj]

Marilyn Manson was the older brother from Mr. Belvedere.

[Monte Smith]

You explode if you chase them with Coke.
























Oh wait, that's pop-rocks.

Mikey!!!!!!

[lazarus]

Sex Pistols first bassplayer got fired because he liked The Beatles.

[Tom Storer]

Hey, I didn't know Alice Cooper was Eddie Haskell! Cool!

[Aggie87]

Also, Marilyn Manson was Paul from the Wonder Years.

[Gentle Giant]

Danny Bonaduce didn't really play those great bass licks on the Partridge Family albums.

[Alexander]

Elvis Presley stole rock n' roll from African Americans.

[Jason Bivins]

By the time I heard it in junior high, the myth was that Rod Stewart had a quart of Mick Jagger's semen pumped from his stomach.

[Gentle Giant]

The Monkees never played on their albums (they didn't at first, but did eventually).

The Beach Boys dug surfing (really it was only Dennis).

Jimmy Page and Ritchie Blackmore are Satanists.

The rhythm on Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk" is a reverse human heartbeat, and if you listen long enough you'll get a heart attack.

If you listen to Black Sabbath at 78 rpm you'll see God (courtesy of Cheech y Chong).

[Cem]

Stevie Nicks' anal glands takin' over for her nasal glands with the aid of assistant/groupie in coke consumption...?

Originally posted by Jason Bivins
By the time I heard it in junior high, the myth was that Rod Stewart had a quart of Mick Jagger's semen pumped from his stomach.

OK. I get it now. I always wondered why that naked woman who Stewart barfed all over at Altimont during Sympathy for the Devil sued Jagger for child support.