Chuck Berry - Coventry Theatre 1975

 

Chuck Berry - Coventry Theatre 1975.

by Pete Clemons

Few music lovers in Coventry are unaware that Chuck Berry recorded his infamous hit at the Locarno. But that wasn't Chuck's only visit to the city. He also appeared at the theatre during 1975. Chuck's band that night was John Spurling on bass, from Max Merritt and the Meteors - Lance Dixon on keyboards and Gilson Lavis on drums who later joined Squeeze and is still drummer for Jools Holland. The compere for the evening was Bob Stewart of Radio Luxembourg.

Outside of America, Chuck never toured with his own band. He once mentioned that, apart from his guitar, he took no other luggage with him. 'Just a comb and a toothbrush' he once said. His wife added that he enjoyed the freedom of doing what he wanted to do. He didn't rehearse for a tour. He expected the musicians to have listened to his songs and learnt them.

Additionally, while touring, Chuck never asked for much. But what he did ask for was insisted upon. And, on later tours, one of those demands was that he played for cash only. This coming about after being ripped off too many times in the past. Again, another phrase Chuck often used was 'Money goes in the guitar case for the guitar to come out of it'. Chuck certainly did things his way.

Chuck Berry's life story is a whole other tale. But through sheer talent, drive, determination and bloody mindedness he certainly contributed to helping change the world. And those factors made Chuck Berry come across as temperamental that's for sure.

And during his 1975 UK tour Chuck walked off stage several times during, what appeared to be, mid-set. And the Coventry Theatre gig was no exception as there were chants of money back. Scuffles also broke out as fans were refunded to leave the theatre. Truth was however that Chuck had already left the building.

At one gig on the tour he did actually return to the stage to explain that 'I'm already 15 minutes over' – meaning the minimum scheduled appearance time – and told the audience that he had been insulted by two of the fans amongst a group who had been invited up on stage to join him. Then wearing his coat he left to the cries of 'more' and 'refund our money'.

My own memory of that Coventry Theatre gig was that, as short as it was, Chuck Berry was a real treat. He ripped through 'Sweet Little Sixteen', 'Go Johnny Go' and 'Memphis Tennessee' along with many other hits. Despite comments by folk who had seen him regularly over ten years or so, saying that he was getting worse, Chuck Berry came across the supreme professional.

One news outlet commented on the gig as follows: 'Given a really hot band, Berry would surely be unbeatable. As it was he led a rousing version of Ding-a-Ling and played guitar like only he can. Probably because of the poor back up band, Chuck got increasingly better on his old red Gibson. His style is steeped in old chorded blues and has probably been copied by every major guitarist at some time or another. Fittingly he finished with a free for all on stage, where Teds in full drapes, fluorescent day glow socks and beetle crushers, jived around him. Vintage stuff!'.

Chuck Berry's music is many things but is literally out of this world. In 1977, a recording of Chuck Berry's 1958 hit 'Johnny B. Goode' was included on a golden disc sent to space with each of the Voyager missions. Astronomer Carl Sagan oversaw the collection, which included greetings in 55 languages, the sound of a mother kissing a child and Stravinsky's 'Rite of Spring'. The missions still continue today. Both Voyagers long left our own solar system and are currently in deep space. If contact with other beings is made I'm sure the first message from them will be 'send more Chuck Berry'.