In his 1989 autobiography, Chuck Berry talks about an incident at The Montreal Forum that was a part of rock ‘n’ roll history. He talks about a conversation he had a with legendary radio-jock Alan Freed. Freed a white disc-jockey born in Winber, Pennsylvania in 1921 worked at several radio stations around his home state and then eventually Ohio befoe he settled at WJW in Cleveland.
He played rhythm and blues records. Freed was falsely credited with calling them rock and roll records although the term had been around the Black American community for years as euphemism for both holy worship in the baptist church or sex. Nevertheless in a sense this still ade him the host of the world’s 1st rock and roll radio show. It was called “The Moondog House”(named after a rhythm and blues record of the same name that Freed used as his theme song), Freed called himself “The King Of The Moon Dogs” and this is the reason that Cleveland is billed at “the birthplace of rock and roll and houses “The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame”, although nothing couid be further from the truth.
Chuck recounts in his memoirs how in 1958 that Freed during one his travelling star-studded rock ansd roll revues, told him something telling backstage that was truly repretentative of the business of rock and roll in the 50’s.
Chuck wrote his very first record “Maybelline” in 1955 which Chicago based Chess Records released that same year.
When the record came out, Chuck saw the credits on the 45 that listed himself, Russ Frato and Alan Freeed as co-composers.
Chuck found out that Frato is who Chess used to purchase their stationary from, located across the street from the label in Chicago.
Chuck used to listen to Freed’s rock and roll show which by now was a nationally syndicated program out of New York City on WINS 1010 AM.
A perplexed Berry knew he was the sole composer of the tune. Chess would explain to Chuck that this was common industry practice and the only way to get a record exposure which would then translate into sales.
It was called “payola”, something Freed would plead guilty to in 1962.
Backstage in at The Montreal Forum in ’58 after ingesting quite a few drinks, Freed told Berry that he had fully intended to give him back his share of “Maybelene” before collapsing into Chuck’s arms in a drunken stupor.
Berry would only settle the matter about decare in court.
Freed passed away in 1965.
Fast forward now to 1972, New Year’s Eve going into ’73. The Rock And Roll Revival Tour is coming to the Montreal Forum.
“The Rock And Roll Revival” movement could have very well been started by The Beatles with the release of their magnum opus 1967 album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”.
The psychadelic tour de force record would change the course of popular music as well as the trajectory of rock and roll.
With symphonic orchestras, endless over-dubs, exotic instrumentation from all over the world backed by backward tracks, the foundation that Little Richard, Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry had laid down was all but a mere shadow of a memory at this point.
Rock was now incorporating classical elements, Indian influences, experimentaion like never before. Often times to incredib;le results.
But it wasn’t the blues anymore and at the heart of rock and roll is the the blues.
The Beatles in a sense also are responsible for the advent of the rock and roll revival movement. Their last 2 albums “Abbey Road” and “Let It Be”, released in ’69 & ’70 respectively, were definitely about getting back to the bare essence of 3 chords and lots of guitars albeit with a few string arrangements here and there.
The latter’s sessions were known as the “Get Back Sessions” whicc was also the name of a 2021 Netflix documentary that chronicled the actual making of that album.
In other words, many just wanted to get back to brass tacks of rock and roll.
Fast forward to 1972 going into 1973. It’s The Montreal Forum and a rock and rock revival tour with hit the city on New Year’s Eve with a lineup almost 2 incredible to be true.
Bill Haley & His Comets, The Coasters, Chubby Checker, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Bo Diddley with “The King Of Rock And Roll” himself headlining, Chuck Berry!
My young parents had scrimped and saved to get us 3 tickets for the show which were about $3.50 each.
With our entertainment budget now exhausted after the tix purchase, we wouldn’t be able to afford the costly food and beverages at the Forum so my mother packed baloney sandwiches for us with some potato chips and Allan cola soft drinks which to me at 3 was more than delisciously sufficient.
When the show began at around 7pm and they introduced Bill Haley & His Comets and you heard the inmortal words “One…Two…Three o’clock rock, 4 o’clock rock”, the opening lyrics to his classic smash (We’re Gonna)”Rock Around The Clock”, my father got up and left. He “hated” Bill Haley and felt he was an imposter to the rock and roll culture and refused to take this middled-aged white guy from Highland Park, Michigan seriously. Not because he was white. My pops thought highly of Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis but for some reason, he had it out for Bill Haley the way Elvis did for Robert Goulet for some highly mysterious reason.
The crown roared in approval of The Comets performance which also included their hits, “See You Later, Alligator” and their cover of the Big Joe Turner classic “Shake, Rattle And Roll”]
My mom and I just chuckled and continued enjoying the show while my pops went to the men’s room to relieve himself.
After the Comets finished their set to an insane applause, The Coasters took to the stage and went into “Charlie Brown” and “Yakety Yak” and brought the house down with their comedic style of rhythm and blues doo wop complete with humourous routines and all.
My dad returned just in time for The Coasters, giving his obvious sign of approval.
Then Chubby Checker hit the stage and had 15,000 folks at The Forum twisting like they did “last summer”.
Then Fats Domino ran through his countless chart-toppers, “Blueberry Hill”, “Ain’t That A Shame”, “I’m Walkin’ and “Walking To New Orleans” and finished his set by continously bumping his baby grand to off stage until “The Fat Man” and his 88 keys were no longer visible to the audience.
Right after that, “The Killer” emerged as Jerry Lee Lewis frustrated as always at not being the headliner threatened to steal the show by finishing his performance of his hits like “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” and “Great Balls Of Fire” by playing his piano with his feet and basically banging it up and giving it a beating as if it were the promoters who relegated Lewis to opening act status.
Then it was intermission and I was beside myself with excitement.
When the lights went off again to mark the second part of the show, the sound of Little Richard;s band was unmistakable as they opening boogie chords to “Lucille” kicked off and the self proclaimed “King & Queen Of Rock And Roll” was till nowhere to be seen.
Nah, we were going to have to earn his very pressence. With the band still rockin’ that “Lucille” groove with the heavy bass, chugging horns and irrisistible beat, Mr. Richard Penniman finally emerged.
Wearing a glass mirrored suit, white hi-heeled boots with a handsome face caked with make up, eyeliner and mascara, he approached ther front of the stage with those peircing eyes and the look of a madman which actually did lend creedence that rock and roll might actually be the devil’s music.
With a look of mischief, ecstacy and sex in his eyes, he began taking off his jewelry and throwing into the audience.
Meanwhile the band is still plowing away to the intro of “Lucille”.
He then walks towards his piano and climbs on top of it and begins to strip. He takes of his boots and throws them into the crowd. He rips off his shirt and tosses that into the front row as well. His pants then come off revealing silk drawers. He then hurls them to adoring fans and finally sits down at the piano and begins singing the tune’s immortal opening lyrics, “Lucille, won’t you do your sister’s will”.
I remember very vividly saying to three-year-old self, whatever it is that he’s doing, I want to do that when I grow up!”.
Bo Diddley then took his turn before the headliner and hypnotised everyone with that all too familiar Bo Diddley beat.
Then the moment of truth had arrived. Opening with the most famous rock and roll guitar riff in history that kicks off his 1958 classic “Johnny B. Goode”, it became clear who the real King Of Rock And Roll was.
Oh he did them all. All the classic rock gems that shaped the genre, “Roll Over Beethoven”, Brown-Eyed Handsome Man”, “No Particular Place To Go”, “Almost Grown”, “Reelin’ And Rockin'”, “Rock And Roll Music”, “Back In The U.S.A. and even his brand-new chart-topper which marked the almost criminal first time he went to No.1, the almost children’s sing-a-long anthem “My Ding-A-Ling”.
The encore was a guitar duel between Chuck and Bo that seemed more serious than most were probably aware of.
What a night. Rock and Roll was revived and returned to the scene of the crime at The Forum in Montreal….
