This week’s question is a mouthful, I know. But one perk of how wordy it is is that it requires no additional explanation.
What one dead musical act would you have a necromancer resurrect so you could see them perform live (and why)?
I’m truly torn here between three different acts that I love for very different reasons and which have all brought me huge amounts of joy in my life: Bing Crosby, Queen, and David Bowie.
Yes, Queen technically still exists, but I’d want to see the original line-up - which would probably mean trading one of my kid’s souls to Mephisto to bring Freddie Mercury back to the land of the living. As for which of these acts I would ultimately choose, I think the only honest answer I could give is how I feel today. That means Queen, since its arena shows are legendary at any point in their career.
If I went with Bowie, it would have to be mid-’70s Bowie, preferably before he headed to Berlin.
And as for Bing…well, I’d take him anytime between 39 and, say, 60. Thirty-nine because that’s the year he first recorded “White Christmas”, which I’d want to see him close the night out with during a Christmastime performance. After 60, his stage performances began to wane in quality.
So, friends, what have you got for me? Be sure to read others’ responses and dig deeper into them with the posters.
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There's a Bowie Biography by Dylan Jones based on a bunch of interviews. Enjoyable, gave a real feel for his life and process, great section on Live Aid where Bowie and Queen collaborated. The Bowie Bing Christmas collaboration is wonderful and everyone should revisit. My resurrection pick would be Frank Zappa. Late in life, he was early and often commenting on artistic freedom. Our current moment would be an interesting one for him to drop into.
Instead of a band, I thinking the lineup for what's now called The Greatest Jazz Concert in the World in March 1967 (Ellington, Fitzgerald, Hawkins, Peterson, Walker, and on and on). If I answer the question as you meant it, I agree with those saying The Doors, maybe Prince, and while not exactly dead, certainly won't be resurrected - The Beatles.
I've seen Queen 3 times with Adam Lambert as lead, because he's one of my favorite singers. Seeing the original Queen with Freddie, just once, would be neat too.
My answer is The Beatles. I fell in love with the band almost 29 years ago thanks to the Anthology. I've even had the privilege of crossing Abbey Road and seeing other Beatle sites in person, but I was born in the wrong decade. Many times I've imagined myself seeing them perform live; and enjoying the music, not screaming.
Hmm, well, this is a tough one since my taste in music spans too many genres, most especially because my father was a huge jazz, big-band/swing junkie. So I had the immense privilege to see a few "deadset legends" as the Aussies say, including Dizzy Gillespie and the Count Basie band with Frank Foster and Billy Eckstine. So, if I reach that far back I'd say Ella Fitzgerald or Benny Goodman. Fast forward to Prince!
Honestly not sure any of these folx are dead but if Pere Ubu does a reunion tour I will cross continents and hand cash over fist for the opportunity to see them live.
Although seeing the whole of Led Zeppelin fulfills a childhood dream, the chance to see the Doors at Whisky a Go Go when they were the house band(!?)... yeah, that's probably the top spot right there.
If I've got to sell my soul, I'd like to pick the specific gig; Roy Orbison's Black and White Night, please! But I'd also be extremely tempted by an Elvis Vegas dinner show.
Frank Zappa. When I was at college at Syracuse University in the 80s, he was scheduled to give a concert at USA Sam's, a large bar/club in the city. I was a weird kid, and already enjoyed Zappa by the time I was 14 (late 70s) -- his lyrics were fun, but his music was unusual and spectacular. Zappa canceled the concert about 3 days before the event. I got my money back, but to this day it's the only concert in my life I genuinely regret not getting to see and hear. Honestly, with his improvisational musical skill and the amazing bands he put together (Steve Vai, Terry and Dale Bozzio) I'd ask him to play me a few concerts with different band members to salve my disappointment.
So many, but I would gladly trade an organ to see Giuni Russo. She was an opera-trained Italian singer who became famous with a synth-pop summer hit but had an impressive range of genres. She died way too young in the early 2000s.
There's so many. I was a little too young (and had overprotective parents) to have seen Nirvana or Soundgarden or Alice in Chains in their heyday, even thought grunge was hugely influential on me. I wish I could have see Wu-Tang Clan before ODB died. I wish I could have seen the Sex Pistols on their shitshow of a US tour. Or maybe the MC5 at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit.
But, my answer to this question is always the same, and it's The Doors. Specifically the early era, say self-titled/Strange Days era Doors before Jim got completely fucked up.
Kay Thompson and the Williams Brothers was a legendary nightclub act. There is very little evidence of it. I would also love to see Fred and Adele Astaire dancing together onstage. Again, no footage (ha!) survives.
I think the one I'd resurrect would be Jimi Hendrix.
But if I could borrow a TARDIS and go back to any specific performance, I'd go to the first performance of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. Because it's the greatest music ever written, and because I want to see if it's true that he was so deaf by then that his friends had to get him to turn round so he could see the audience applauding.
The Doors
There's a Bowie Biography by Dylan Jones based on a bunch of interviews. Enjoyable, gave a real feel for his life and process, great section on Live Aid where Bowie and Queen collaborated. The Bowie Bing Christmas collaboration is wonderful and everyone should revisit. My resurrection pick would be Frank Zappa. Late in life, he was early and often commenting on artistic freedom. Our current moment would be an interesting one for him to drop into.
The Bowie-Bing rendition of the Little Drummer Boy is the freakin' best!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCpXMy5GalI
As I just mentioned to Tim, I've actually written about this collaboration here at 5AM STORYTALK: https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/one-surreal-christmas-day-in-1977?utm_source=publication-search
I saw that the night it aired on Bing’s special! It remains my favorite Christmas song to this day.
Tim, I just posted a note (yesterday) about that Jones book: https://substack.com/@colehaddon/note/c-77072970?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=1mimd1
And I've written about the Bowie/Bing collaboration here: https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/one-surreal-christmas-day-in-1977?utm_source=publication-search
Nina Simone - in a small jazz club. Smoky and intimate.
That would be amazing!
TUPAC
Run DMC with Jam Master Jay still alive, playing material from Raising Hell, King of Rock, Tougher Than Leather.
Instead of a band, I thinking the lineup for what's now called The Greatest Jazz Concert in the World in March 1967 (Ellington, Fitzgerald, Hawkins, Peterson, Walker, and on and on). If I answer the question as you meant it, I agree with those saying The Doors, maybe Prince, and while not exactly dead, certainly won't be resurrected - The Beatles.
I've seen Queen 3 times with Adam Lambert as lead, because he's one of my favorite singers. Seeing the original Queen with Freddie, just once, would be neat too.
My answer is The Beatles. I fell in love with the band almost 29 years ago thanks to the Anthology. I've even had the privilege of crossing Abbey Road and seeing other Beatle sites in person, but I was born in the wrong decade. Many times I've imagined myself seeing them perform live; and enjoying the music, not screaming.
Amy Winehouse
Yes! I’d have loved to have seen her performance with The Specials in particular.
Prince, The Beatles, and I agree with you on Queen
Woody Guthrie
Jimi Hendrix Experience…all gone now😥💙☮️
James Brown.
Hmm, well, this is a tough one since my taste in music spans too many genres, most especially because my father was a huge jazz, big-band/swing junkie. So I had the immense privilege to see a few "deadset legends" as the Aussies say, including Dizzy Gillespie and the Count Basie band with Frank Foster and Billy Eckstine. So, if I reach that far back I'd say Ella Fitzgerald or Benny Goodman. Fast forward to Prince!
Velvet Underground & Nico (rub shoulders with Andy Warhol in the audience?)
Chester Bennington from LINKIN PARK
INXS
Bob Marley
The Ramones
The Doors
I saw INXS during their "Kick" tour in the USA when I was in college They were fabulous.
Honestly not sure any of these folx are dead but if Pere Ubu does a reunion tour I will cross continents and hand cash over fist for the opportunity to see them live.
Also wouldn't mind seeing Sonic Youth.
Although seeing the whole of Led Zeppelin fulfills a childhood dream, the chance to see the Doors at Whisky a Go Go when they were the house band(!?)... yeah, that's probably the top spot right there.
Marc Bolan. I really felt he went too soon.
God I'd give a lot to see T-Rex live.
Otis Redding. I’d love to see him perform These Arms of Mine, I’ve Been Loving You Too Long and Cigarettes and Coffee.
If I've got to sell my soul, I'd like to pick the specific gig; Roy Orbison's Black and White Night, please! But I'd also be extremely tempted by an Elvis Vegas dinner show.
I’d like to take my dad to see Elvis.
Frank Zappa. When I was at college at Syracuse University in the 80s, he was scheduled to give a concert at USA Sam's, a large bar/club in the city. I was a weird kid, and already enjoyed Zappa by the time I was 14 (late 70s) -- his lyrics were fun, but his music was unusual and spectacular. Zappa canceled the concert about 3 days before the event. I got my money back, but to this day it's the only concert in my life I genuinely regret not getting to see and hear. Honestly, with his improvisational musical skill and the amazing bands he put together (Steve Vai, Terry and Dale Bozzio) I'd ask him to play me a few concerts with different band members to salve my disappointment.
His name is Prince. And he was funky.
Ron Koslow
Elvis - Pan Pacific Auditorium, 1957... When he was still a rocker. It remains the best I've ever seen.
Lowell George (and Paul Barerre and Ritchie Hayward) for Little Feat
Definitely The Beatles, but I'm 69, and lucky enough to have seen a lot of my idols perform before they died.
Nirvana. Yeah, only one of them is dead, but he was a fairly important member of the musical group.
So many, but I would gladly trade an organ to see Giuni Russo. She was an opera-trained Italian singer who became famous with a synth-pop summer hit but had an impressive range of genres. She died way too young in the early 2000s.
Harry Chapin, Buddy Holly
The Who, with Keith Moon. I was 11 years too late, the first time I saw them.
Yes!
Queen, the Supremes, and Harry Chapin-- that last bc I had TICKETS to see him before he died
Vladimir Horowitz. I had tickets to see him in Philadelphia. And then, as he often did, Horowitz canceled. He died before I had another chance.
Hendrix or Prince. I really cannot decide.
Scott Walker
Leonard Cohen
Jimmy Buffet
Kinky Friedman
Hank Williams
Nirvana
Queen
Bob Marley
Selena
There's so many. I was a little too young (and had overprotective parents) to have seen Nirvana or Soundgarden or Alice in Chains in their heyday, even thought grunge was hugely influential on me. I wish I could have see Wu-Tang Clan before ODB died. I wish I could have seen the Sex Pistols on their shitshow of a US tour. Or maybe the MC5 at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit.
But, my answer to this question is always the same, and it's The Doors. Specifically the early era, say self-titled/Strange Days era Doors before Jim got completely fucked up.
Kay Thompson and the Williams Brothers was a legendary nightclub act. There is very little evidence of it. I would also love to see Fred and Adele Astaire dancing together onstage. Again, no footage (ha!) survives.
I think the one I'd resurrect would be Jimi Hendrix.
But if I could borrow a TARDIS and go back to any specific performance, I'd go to the first performance of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. Because it's the greatest music ever written, and because I want to see if it's true that he was so deaf by then that his friends had to get him to turn round so he could see the audience applauding.
I’d like to see the sensational Alex Harvey band.