Funny stories about my father The Beatles and Alice Cooper

[nightwing1240]

I'm going to date myself but I was 10 years old when I first saw The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show along with my parents, brothers and sister. After that performance and being awestruck, I told my dad that I would like to learn how to play the guitar. He laughed, shook his head and said I have just the instrument for you, wait here. He returned with his accordion, dropped it on my lap and began his instructions on how to play it. Needless to say, I'm thinking no, HELL NO, this isn't what I wanted. I have laughed for years about it though and mom still teases me Lol.

Fast forward to 1972 where I as a paper boy had saved up some money to buy my first stereo. My brothers and I had paper routes and my parents would only allow us to keep some of the profit but the rest had to go in the bank so it took several years to get to where I could by one.

I was so excited that day and when I bought the stereo I also bought Alice Coopers Killer album. I was stoked! I headed home and to our upstairs bedroom for privacy. With seven in the home privacy is hard to come by and my brothers and I all shared the same bedroom.

So I set up the stereo, plug it in and put the Killer album on to play. I'm upstairs in music heaven, alone and loving it. Soon though my father from downstairs hollers up to turn the music down which I did. Not long after he said, what the hell are you listening to? I said it's Alice Cooper, dad. He asks, who the hell is she? I said it's a guy and he said turn that crap off! lol I still get a kick from that exchange with him.

Several years later, my brothers and I took him to a baseball game in Cleveland and across from Jacobs Field was a restaurant named Alice Cooperstown so we went in to dine before the game. While at our table, guess who was making the rounds saying hello to the guests? Alice himself! After a very brief hello, nice to meet you, handshaking with Mr. Cooper my father remarked he seems nice you can listen to his music now lol thanks dad!

[cyclonefence]

1. I must've been 15 or so when my family saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan

and my parents were bemused by the audience reaction, the clothing, the haircuts, and of course I loved it.

Not only was my father an old fogy about music, he was a tightwad about non-essential spending.

One day I came home from school, and my father (his day off) said, "Why don't you turn on the stereo (bought second-hand from a friend of his, of course)--just play whatever is on there."

Like an unsuspecting dope, I turned it on--and it was the Beatles' first album!! I couldn't believe it! My god--my father had made a frivolous purchase--and for me! I would never have dared to even suggest I'd like a Beatles record, not even for Christmas.

He was delighted by my reaction, and I was just over the moon.

I think he bought it out of his being so tickled by the reaction of the girls in Ed Sullivan's audience.

Thanks, Ed!

[nightwing1240]

2. Awww a nice story as well

That was nice of your father. I remember my mom during the broadcast saying they looked nicely dressed and dad moaning about they needed haircuts lol he hadn't seen anything yet!

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

25. was the album their songs or the album where they did covers?

I have an LP of cover songs. Chains (my babys got me locked up in chains) is the only song I recall on it now.

[cyclonefence]

26. it was the first album released in the US

It probably had some covers (I think "Chains" was on it)--the cover was dark with the four lads' heads pretty much filling it up.

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

27. I think it was called "Introducing the Beatles".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introducing..._The_Beatles

edit to add link.

[OldBaldy1701E]

3. Funny you mention that.

My father was a farmer and had the musical taste one might expect from a southern worker of the soil. However, my mother's youngest brother (who was ten years younger than myself and was my mojo for my entire youth) actually took my father with him to see some of the greatest acts in rock music. My farmer father saw Alice Cooper twice, Creedence Clearwater Revival twice, Zeppelin once, Grand Funk a few times, and so on. It just goes to show you that you should never judge a book by its cover. He was a big Alice Cooper fan, btw. One has not lived until you have been driving the fields with your father while he listens to 'Schools Out' and then going into 'Ring Of Fire'.

[nightwing1240]

8. That is fantastic OldBaldy!

I am sure I'd have fit in with all of you, those are all great bands. Other than Led Zeppelin, I have been to their shows in the past. John Fogerty, Jimmy Page and Mark Farner are all favorites of mine.

The first concert my parents took myself and next youngest brother to was Eddie Arnold and the Cowsill's. We loved it! The Cowsill's btw were the inspiration for The Partridge Family starring Shirley Jones and David Cassidy. My father worked at the local newspaper and was given free tickets or we would not have been there but am very glad that we were.

[OldBaldy1701E]

24. My first concert was The Eagles in 1976.

We were not exactly wealthy nor did we live close to anything, but Norfolk Scope and Hampton Roads Coliseum were about an hour north of me and I did live about 40 minutes away from one of the bigger clubs in North Carolina at the time (The Attic in Greenville... I saw several big names before they were big there). My mother took me to see The Eagles (her fave band at the time) at Norfolk Scope for 'The Long Run' tour. They opened with 'Hotel California'. You know, I find my taste very eclectic but that is because of that varied upbringing I had. In fact, comedian Tim Wilson pretty much summed up what it was like growing up where I did and with whom I grew up with. (Minus the drug use, we knew nothing about that.)

[panader0]

17. My folks met in San Francisco and used to go down to the Fillmore District to listen to jazz.

Mom was an accomplished pianist and sat on the bench with a few of the players. The Fillmore area
was a Black neighborhood then, (late 30's). 30 years later, I went to the Fillmore Ballroom many times to see all
the great old bands. The Dead, Santana, CCR, Jethro Tull, It's a Beautiful Day, on and on, more than
I can remember (I wonder why).

[Shermann]

4. Alice is pretty tame by today's shock rock standards

His early material was straight-up hard rock with a bit of an edge, but his stage persona was over the top. He ratcheted it up over time.

He's one of those artists who has a schtick that gets all the attention but slips in some really good musicianship on you.

[nightwing1240]

9. Very true Shermann

I got to see him at the Akron Rubber Bowl in the 70's and he was wild to say the least. He cut watermelons in half and walked around stage with them on each foot lol we all were laughing.

Bob Dylan and John Lennon were fans of his. Lennon's favorite song of Cooper's was Elected and Bob Dylan remarked that Alice Cooper's music writing was under-appreciated.

[Shermann]

22. I saw him open up for the Motley Crue "Final Tour", and then Iron Maiden

Alice Cooper is a big production now, and really a solid choice for an opening arena act. He doesn't take himself too seriously and puts on a great entertaining show.

The highlight for me was "Poison". The 80's were so great because you had these 70's guys in the mix still finding ways to stay relevant. The 90's killed everything that came before.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

5. K&R. Thanks for sharing that lovely story.

I mowed yards as a teenage boy (typically 75 cents including hand-clipper trim) and saved my money to buy my first ham radio rig with some help from my parents. Fast forward to 1970 when I graduated with a BS in electrical engineering. I'll never forget traveling to my university the summer of '65 when I was still flipping a coin between music and engineering.

Did you ever get that guitar? Raised close to Nashville, I've always wanted to learn guitar but now too damned old.....


KY..............

[niyad]

7. One is NEVER too old! I just googled "guitar lessons for senior citizens",

and there were a number of sites, including youtube videos. Go for it!

[KY_EnviroGuy]

23. Thanks for the encouragement, Niyad. I may yet try it but....

my hesitancy is due to arthritis in my hands and I currently have one finger in each hand out of joint. Not looking forward to what the doctors are going to say, but that's what happens when I have brain farts and think I'm 39 again while working with my tools.

I even have a nice acoustic guitar that a buddy re-strung for me for left-handed play. I am also fortunate to have a very nice electric piano left over from my kids and may try some lessons just for fun. I just love the harmonic sounds of string instruments, particularly when they play those "happy" cords. That helps to keep my depression in-check.

Currently, I'm playing around with some small inexpensive electronic music synthesizers that are a blast to play with.

KY

[nightwing1240]

10. I did buy an acoustic guitar years later

It was an impulse purchase. I hadn't met my wife yet and living in the first home I bought myself. I was 22 and thought I would try and teach myself ala Jimi Hendrix (self-taught, left handed guitarist and one of the GOAT's) Didnt happen lol just ummmm.....NO lol.

Where did I leave that darn accordion??

[Crazyleftie]

6. Several years before the beatles and my inductioon into rock music

my parents gave me ACCORDION LESSONS ....!!!
all I can say is that it did not last long

[nightwing1240]

11. Oh man

Accordions do not seem to attract the opposite sex lol

[rubbersole]

16. They don't attract anything...

(With apologies to Judy Tenuta.)

[Tbear]

12. Rock Theatre

“She asked me why the singer’s name was Alice
I said Listen baby you really wouldn’t understand.”

[nightwing1240]

19. 5

that's from Be My Lover

[panader0]

13. my old band 'Jack and the Rippers' played the Alice Cooperstown in Phoenix. (also next to a stadium)

Nice place but a long drive from SE Az. I think I got home at 4AM.

[rubbersole]

14. I got a Kay brand acoustic guitar with Green Stamps when I was 10.

It was a summer camp counselor in Culver, Indiana that was my inspiration. 1962. Folk songs, Peter, Paul and Mary, Ricky Nelson...then came the Beatles. Electric guitars and amplifiers...garage bands and girls. America was the greatest place on earth until the "British Invasion". My favorite band at the time was The Dave Clark Five, only because the girls were all Beatles all the time. Finding out Ringo Starr was really Richard Starkey broke my sweetheart's heart. For about 5 minutes....

[DENVERPOPS]

15. Oh wow

you made some great memories of mine, come to my mind......

I threw both the Denver Post and RM News back in late fifties and early sixties.........I lied about my age, you were supposed to be 12 and I was only eleven. Getting up at 3:00 am to throw the News and also the same time to throw the Denver Post on Sundays....
Year round, winter storms were the worse for trying to deliver the paper, in the dark, and having to hand walk my bike because of the snow.
I had somewhere around 125 customers, 137 for Sundays...

Today, it would be classified as child abuse..........LOL

[nightwing1240]

20. So true lol

Those were some large routes, I had 58 on mine and it was an afternoon paper at the time. But I sure do remember the snowy cold winters. All worth it and honestly, the money my parents had me save I was able to pay cash for my first car. A '67 Ford Galaxy 500 new to me in 1973. I did eventually sell it for more than I paid for it to a collector. It was still in mint shape and low miles.

[DENVERPOPS]

21. In the late 50's

we made 15 cents a month for each customer..........on top of that, the F'ing Denver Post and the News both made us buy our own rubber bands.......and if any customer complained about anything, true or not, we were docked their 15 cents for a month.....

[PatrickforB]

18. I was nearly six when the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan.

My older cousins were eagerly anticipating it, though, and I wanted to see them. Now Uncle R had a big house and more than one TV, so the cousins could gather in the room where it was and watch.

My family, on the other hand, had only one TV, and it is was in the living room. And when Dad was home, he was the one who called the shots. Period. I can remember watching afternoon cartoons when I got home from kindergarten and then Dad would come home, take one look at the TV, say, "What is this bullshit?" and change the channel.

He did like Ed Sullivan - it was always a 'really big shew!' in our house when he was on.

So the night came!

Ed looked a bit pained, like a guy who had strained his back. He always looked like he was strapped to a board. So he says, "And now, The Beatles!"

John, Paul, George and Ringo trotted out, and my dad said, "Goddamn long-hairs" and walked over to the TV and changed the channel. No remotes then.

Dang. That's OK, though. I long since made up for it by getting most of their albums, and certainly I watch some of their live performances on YouTube.

[ProfessorGAC]

28. This Was A Great Thread

Lots of fun to read memories.
My dad was a cool jazz fan, so was pretty open minded.
The only thing that worried them is that getting into rock music would ruin my focus on jazz piano.
Back then, it didn't. But, after college I played only in rock bands. So, .maybe it did. LOL!
My parents both thought The Beatles were pretty good.
Sabbath & the glitter rock stuff were the only stuff they didn't like me playing loud.
Overall, very little pushback in our house.
Oh, and...
My dad heard me listening to Yes. (Pretty sure it was Yessongs, the live album.) He was impressed!

[nightwing1240]

29. Those are some great memories!

I too was lucky my parents were open minded other than dad about Alice Cooper the one time. He was shocked to hear he was a she lol.

Oh man I wore out the Yes song Roundabout back then, I couldn't get enough of it.