Emmett Chapman on What's My Line - two-handed tapping

[Markusewitz]

Luv it! Gene and Soupy are so cool. Can't wait to get my new Stick in October :-) !!

[abrahm714]

it is a shame that Emmet's bass string was slightly out of tune and his popular debut performance was slightly flawed, but this is an amazing instrument... I daresay Frank Herbert's instrument the baliset in his Dune novels was a descendent of this instrument.

[stickplayers]

@abrahm714 The "Baliset" was actually a dressed-up Stick, and the music they used when the instrument was played in the director's cut version was Emmett playing his solo song "Backyard". And as was mentioned, on a live TV show, the instrument was just sitting there under lightswhile Emmett was being interviewed and then he had to go play it.

[KrOwAnsKi]

@abrahm714 Erm, this is just the beginning era of Chapman Stick.. I think that Emmet is not quite familiar with playing and tuning these instrument that he created. And yeah, he's the God Father who's a creator and pioneer that could create this thing like a person playing a guitar, bass and piano and it got all this elements (the concept of playing this instrument) mixed up. I don't think it was a shamefulness to him though it was out of tune.

[wbgo]

Very interesting! And notice 10 minutes of network TV, music TV even, without spam; those were the good old days. BTW, I've seen two instances of Emmett's of amazing memory. Seems that he remembers the name of just about anyone he's ever met. Well, at least in two instances.

[maxauto44e]

OMG SO GOOD super talent

[jamesha175]

wow the first stick! check out the newest ones.

[DaronStorey]

amazing

[wutzernutzer]

Wow! Found out about The Stick today and then I find this video. Thanks a bunch!

[kanebod]

Emmet is the best!

[BagpipeHustler]

WOW that is how you play a chapman stick!!!!

great arrangements indeed....

[Morahman7vnNo2]

I think the panel took the "stick" part too seriously.

[sclogse1]

Soupy rules...don't like the phasing on this. This thing is about big rich tones...big bass, orchestral sounds..you can do weather report tunes on a chapman....

Remember Soupy asking kids to reach into mom's purse and send him money? My man soupy...dow dow!

[don56texas]

@sclogse1 I was living in las Vegas in the 1990s and met Soupy Sales there. Like you, I was raised with him. I was really in awe of him and called him Mr Sales. He said " my dad was Mr Sales...just call me Soupy'. What a beautiful man. He is just as nice as you imagine he would be.

[lamecasuelas2]

@sclogse1 well,isn't in fact a lot like a piano?

[FatTomy]

550...nowadays 2000....

[gvt76]

I wish that someday the Chapman Stick becomes a must be in a group as well the bass and the drums cause it's the invention of the millenium! Mr. Chapman is thousand years ahead of us! Cheers from Brazil!

[alonzogarbanzo]

Sounds like he was using a Mu-Tron phaser. Wish those things were still available. The BiPhaser was a wicked effectmaker.

[dianalang]

I just watched this again. I remember just how I felt when you did it, and how I still feel now. I am so proud of you!!!!

[kxx46]

Like the "chimes" as he is signing in.

[deepintoblues]

Wow!

[Bluplirst]

Now that's the real "brown sound"! Thanks for sharing this classic.

[upshaw26]

Great! Soupy looked really impressed at the end there.

[SHAWNMCDUFFIE]

lol

[karmaburna]

nice arrangements, didn't help that the stick was quite out of tune :S

[stickplayers]

one of the hazards of live TV, I suppose. 10 minutes under stage lights with no opportunity to check the tuning. May I have a roadie please...?

[Adelstick]

What's My Bass Line.

Excellent clip.

And unbelievably, the same questions arise today.

Steve A

[wtxstick]

Very much enjoyed this. Thanks Emmett.

...and Gene Shalit.

[mlpoulter]

A real piece of stick history- thanks for putting this online.

[TheFolksinger]

A really fine video to watch and listen to. Way back "then" it was already a fine instrument. I wish I had purchased mine at that time. But I didn't have Five Hundred Dollars! Emmet is always an inspiration. Five stars and more.

[gusletarist]

1974! Best Time of Rock music! This historical video about Genius of Strings! Glory to Emmett!

[gymnastix]

The early '70's were actually a rather dull period of rock music ("Afternoon Delight" & The Carpenters were topping the pop charts), when things were at their most corporate, albeit some good underground music being made in response to that--The Stooges, The New York Dolls, and the glam rock of David Bowie, T. Rex & Alice Cooper.

I'll grant 1974 was the birth of punk rock with The Ramones, which really exploded by 1976 with Patti Smith, Blondie, The Dead Boys, The Sex Pistols, The Clash, etc.

[giedosst]

Gene can go !@#$ himself!

[soulierinvestments]

Gene could be an irritating wiseguy. Let's see him invent any type of musical instrument!

[donschiff]

I love this video, Emmett you look the same to me then as you do now. That timeless spirit just shines through the ages. I also had a pair of 'flair bottoms' pants just like that.

Excellent!/Don

[soulierinvestments]

I like the subdued powder blue background with the powder blue ??? but what was the designer thinking with the Red and Yellow Stripes at the board. It makes me dizzy just to look at it.

[soulierinvestments]

Even in its last season, the all-star power of WML still amazes: Chapman, comic Soupy Sales, opera superstar Beverly Sills, Today Show host Gene Shalit, radio show host Arlene Francis, Broadway actor Larry Blyden.

This is a good illustration not only of Chapman's talent, but of Blyden's interview talent. He draws Chapman out well.

WML is always both educational and entertaining. I had never heard of the stick until this. Fascinating. Thanx for posting.

[Stckmand]

wonderful hairstyle in the 70' ;-)

ha ha ha.....

[Grozeil]

Great, I like this kind of vintage TV broadcast!!! lol

[byrd56]

The 1968-75 syndicated "What's My Line?", as its supervising producer Gil Fates described in his book about that show in 1978, went beyond the mere guessing of occupations to become more "omnivorous", as this round proves.

[EDH1712]

I think we can all agree that the stick took on a whole different meaning through this questioning. LOL

[stickero]

jeje

LOL !!