October 21, 2004
BILL GRAHAM
Billy was a madman. Nowadays when ones thinks of an "impresario" one thinks of the leeches that skulk around the soundrooms of the Mouseketeer Show in Orlando, ready to find the next 11 year old girl whose parents are ready to prostitute their daughters for a shot at the big time. It did not used to be that way. Girls were at least 16, back then.
Graham was a new breed, though, when he put on his first show in 1965. An in your face asshole, he brought off innumerable rock and roll shows. Made the Fillmore East and West. Made questionable talents heroes, and burned some bridges.
There was nothing cooler to me at the time than to sit in a theatre as a young teenage punk in 1973 and watch a rockumentary wherein Bill cursed, cajoled, threatened, and blasphemed agents, publicists, rock stars, and the like.
He was a prick, but he virtually ran rock and roll for years.
The Man You Loved To Hate. A worthy goal. Well, actually the Mouseketeer gig is the one you want.
you know you're going to hell for calling the reverend billy graham a "prick". you should also know you're on your own with this one...i got no pull with the boys downtown...i gots all i can handle keeping my own butt out of harm's way.
Posted by: mr. helpful at October 21, 2004 10:30 PM