Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll (Part 1)

http://www.youtube.com/sambobla

Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll is a 1987 documentary film directed by Taylor Hackford that chronicles two 1986 concerts celebrating rock and roll musician Chuck Berry's 60th birthday. A soundtrack album was released in October 1987 on the MCA label.

The two concerts were held on October 16, 1986, at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis; among the artists performing with Berry were Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Etta James, Johnnie Johnson, Steve Jordan, Bobby Keys, Julian Lennon, Keith Richards, Linda Ronstadt and Joey Spampinato. Along with concert footage, the film also features scenes from the rehearsals for the shows, interviews with Berry and members of his family, and "talking-head"-type appearances from a number of musicians, including Bo Diddley, The Everly Brothers, John Lennon (archival footage), Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Little Richard and Bruce Springsteen.

Raised in a working-class African-American neighbourhood on the north side of the highly segregated city of St. Louis, Berry grew up in a family proud of its African-American and Native-American ancestry. He gained early exposure to music through his family's participation in the choir of the Antioch Baptist Church, through the blues and country-western music he heard on the radio, and through music classes, especially at Sumner High School. Berry was still attending high school when he was sent to serve three years for armed robbery at a Missouri prison for young offenders. After his release and return to St. Louis, he worked at an auto plant, studied hairdressing, and played music in small nightclubs. Berry traveled to Chicago in search of a recording contract; Muddy Waters directed him to the Chess brothers. Leonard and Phil Chess signed him for their Chess label, and in 1955 his first recording session produced "Maybellene" (a country-and-western-influenced song that Berry had originally titled "Ida Red"), which stayed on the pop charts for 11 weeks, cresting at number five. Berry followed this success with extensive tours and hit after hit, including "Roll Over Beethoven" (1956), "School Day" (1957), "Rock and Roll Music" (1957), "Sweet Little Sixteen" (1958), "Johnny B. Goode" (1958), and "Reelin' and Rockin'" (1958). His vivid descriptions of consumer culture and teenage life, the distinctive sounds he coaxed from his guitar, and the rhythmic and melodic virtuosity of his piano player (Johnny Johnson) made Berry's songs staples in the repertoire of almost every rock-and-roll band.

At the peak of his popularity, federal authorities prosecuted Berry for violating the Mann Act, alleging that he transported an underage female across state lines "for immoral purposes." After two trials tainted by racist overtones, Berry was convicted and remanded to prison. Upon his release he placed new hits on the pop charts, including "No Particular Place to Go" in 1964, at the height of the British Invasion, whose prime movers, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, were hugely influenced by Berry (as were the Beach Boys). In 1972 Berry achieved his first number one hit, "My Ding-A-Ling." Although he recorded more sporadically in the 1970s and '80s, he continued to appear in concert, most often performing with backing bands comprising local musicians. Berry's public visibility increased in 1987 with the publication of his book Chuck Berry: The Autobiography and the release of the documentary film Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll, featuring footage from his 60th birthday concert and guest appearances by Keith Richards and Bruce Springsteen.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• hail
• rock
• and
• roll
• Hail!
• Rock
• 'n'
• Roll
• chuck
• berry
• concert
• live
• documentary
• legend
• interview
• bio
• music
• songwriter
• electric
• guitar
• blues
• oldies
• 1987

[sambobla]

@elshafto111 noooooo..? :D 

[donfrein1]

the real king of rock n roll is chuck berry. sure. elvis is the king of gospel. i love elvis.

[aronkacska]

Little Richard is fuckin crazy

[DelBoyoElMundo]

this is major archive materal..

[Atomicflash500]

little Richard makes no sense.

[MrTimnSteph]

I love lil Richards Music... but in this video he really appears to be a very annoying character

[swiggy58a]

@GreenLightMe GreenLightMe.....you're a goddammed FOOL!

[swiggy58a]

@GreenLightMe GreenLightMe....you just SOOO don't get it! Chuck wrote 25 or 30 killer songs in those 5 years. While your " heroes" only wrote one or two decent songs in their whole "careers". There's a WHOLE lot more to the "Music Biz" than just selling your soul to score a "hit" or two! You think it's a monetary "contest". You're wrong! It ain't about how much money you make; it's about what you CREATE! Wake up! DOPE_HEAD!

[PoetryETrain]

Thank you, so so much.... Chuck You Rock Man 4 ever, lol

[joshua626]

Thats saying alot coming from Jerry Lee Lewis, even his own momma. LOL!!! Sadly he who has the power gets to write history.

[ImCockToasten]

@ImCockToasten More for ya Greenlightme... Both the Beatles and Stones LOST the rights to a load of their early work. The Rolling Stones STILL do not have the rights to any of their recordings prior to 1967.

We don't you petition the Rock N Roll Hall of fame and have them change their criteria for induction? I have my doubts they will bother to listen but there's always that chance.

Blurting out absurdities on a place like this will eventually be seen by people like me and get challenged.

[ImCockToasten]

@ImCockToasten Greenlightme, further, those guys kept right on playing into their seventies because the enjoyed what they were doing AND were making money. Why can't someone retire at 40 if they have the means to, wouldn't you?

Many of the old timers managed to lose their money by being swindled by the record companies, promotors and agents. The Beatles and Rolling Stones took Chuck Berry's lead and formed their own publishing companies and record labels. They also bought back their recordings.