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Post by HARD ROCK UNIVERSE on Feb 15, 2005 2:55:25 GMT -5
I was checking out Eric Johnson's website, and I came across an interview conducted in December of 2004, where I found this interesting tidbit of information. Apparently Mariani, one of Eric's early bands (great album by the way, a "lost" hard rock classic in my opinion)was opening for Deep Purple, which had to be in the early '70's: PS: What was your favorite Mariani gig? EJ: We played a couple of gigs down in San Antonio. There used to be this place called Jam Factory. We opened for Deep Purple down there. It's where I met Chris Geppert (Christopher Cross) actually. He was filling in for Ritchie Blackmore that night because Ritchie was in the hospital sick, and Chris knew Joe Miller who was putting on the show and Chris knew every single Deep Purple song backward and forward. [laughter] So Chris shows up with this crazy huge hair and a big beard and a Flying V! Just totally different than what he was like later. He was really a hard rocker and he wanted to play through my Marshall with Deep Purple. I remember at the time, I told him "you have to use channel 2 'cos channel 1 is broken" and he looked at me like I was just saying that to goof him up, but it was really true. That was a fond memory and a great gig. We got to open for Deep Purple and because Ritchie was sick they went on really late, so we got to play way longer than we were supposed to and the crowd loved us! It was fun. It was just a really magical night, then we got asked to come and play Jam Factory again. That band had a lot of potential. We only played a handful of gigs but there was a real magic to it that people responded to. " Kind of strange thinking that the same man who gained fame with the light rock songs "Sailing", "Arthur's Theme" and "Ride Like The Wind"(later covered by Saxon of all bands), would actually play in Purple, even for one night..truth certainly IS stranger than fiction, I suppose!  |
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Post by JaminJim on Feb 15, 2005 6:26:37 GMT -5
Well, loke at the stuff Blackmore is doing these days  |
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Post by nightrocker on Feb 15, 2005 11:12:34 GMT -5
Very interesting! at least Richie waited till After he did a lot of Great hard rock to go Soft! old Cross seems to be all washed up now!..
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mak
New Band Member
Posts: 4
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Post by mak on Feb 15, 2005 17:13:49 GMT -5
NOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by eilene on Feb 15, 2005 17:30:08 GMT -5
I agree Mak...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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Post by Rush862 on Feb 15, 2005 20:38:24 GMT -5
If anything, I would have liked to have heard this...
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Post by Trexx on Feb 16, 2005 3:30:46 GMT -5
Well, loke at the stuff Blackmore is doing these days You mean that renaissance stuff with harpsichords and flutes? |
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Post by HARD ROCK UNIVERSE on Feb 16, 2005 3:39:05 GMT -5
You mean that renaissance stuff with harpsichords and flutes? Yes, that'd be it. Personally, I don't particularly care for the Blackmore's Night thing..I tried, really I did, but it does absolutely nothing for me..glad it was a promo and I didn't have to pay for it  It's now proudly gracing the racks of a used CD store..somewhere, I'm sure |
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Post by Trexx on Feb 16, 2005 4:23:35 GMT -5
Yes, that'd be it. Personally, I don't particularly care for the Blackmore's Night thing..I tried, really I did, but it does absolutely nothing for me..glad it was a promo and I didn't have to pay for it It's now proudly gracing the racks of a used CD store..somewhere, I'm sure Uhhh... that'd be the one that I picked up. It's "P.U" as in:  . It went back to the store. Fast. |
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Post by JaminJim on Feb 16, 2005 11:14:44 GMT -5
Uhhh... that'd be the one that I picked up. It's "P.U" as in: . It went back to the store. Fast. As a matter of fact, there’s a girl in my neighborhood who is into all that renaissance stuff. I gave her my Blackmores Night cd. And she hated it! |
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Post by Jesse on Feb 16, 2005 12:05:24 GMT -5
If anything, I would have liked to have heard this... Same here, would be interesting at least.....and who knows, maybe it was actually GOOD!  |
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Post by Trexx on Feb 16, 2005 21:06:34 GMT -5
Same here, would be interesting at least.....and who knows, maybe it was actually GOOD! The interview talks of it being a "fond memory" and "the crowd loved us". Sounds like it was good. |
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Post by Trexx on Feb 16, 2005 21:07:48 GMT -5
As a matter of fact, there’s a girl in my neighborhood who is into all that renaissance stuff. I gave her my Blackmores Night cd. And she hated it! Such a strong word... Oh my. |
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Post by OutlawSteph on Feb 17, 2005 1:44:15 GMT -5
I gotta say.. I saw Christopher Cross a few years back at the tour called A Walk Down Abbey Road. Jack Bruce played too. I was surprised at what a good and rockin' guitar player Cross was!
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Post by HARD ROCK UNIVERSE on Feb 17, 2005 3:47:04 GMT -5
I gotta say.. I saw Christopher Cross a few years back at the tour called A Walk Down Abbey Road. Jack Bruce played too. I was surprised at what a good and rockin' guitar player Cross was! Yeah, it's too bad that he abandoned his apparently hard rock roots for a total change in direction in order to make it big. Same thing with Bruce Springsteen, supposedly he used to play heavy rock in the vein of Mountain, Grand Funk etc. in New Jersey before he was "discovered"  |
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Post by HARD ROCK UNIVERSE on Feb 18, 2005 11:38:00 GMT -5
Just a little update on this for you. I also posted this thread on the Deep Purple message boards at the official Purple website, Highway Star, just to see what the response would be, and to possibly see whether someone had actually seen the show referenced in this interview. Where it sat..and sat...50..60 views and no response...75 still no response..then the responses started rolling in, with the general consensus among the moderators coming to the conclusion that this story is "rubbish", because "after researching MY archives, I can't find any mention of such an incident taking place..if this had happened I surely would've heard about this by now" Well, I'm inclined to believe Eric, who actually was THERE, rather than people who quite possibly weren't even BORN when this took place. So, to see whether or not I can find any further info regarding this, I've contacted via e mail Park Street, who conducted the interview, and whom is a long time associate and friend of EJ's(managing the Electomagnets back in the '70's, and is the moderator of the EJ website), so I'll let you know if, and when I find anything further regarding this, what the response is etc. |
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Post by nightrocker on Feb 18, 2005 15:34:49 GMT -5
:)Good deal Nightwatcher!  |
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Post by Rush862 on Feb 19, 2005 9:15:46 GMT -5
Thanks for the update...as I said earlier, it would be cool to even hear this, but I'll take an update as to whether or not it actually happened.
I have to admit, I was a closet Christopher Cross fan when his first album came out, so I have a passing interest in this story...
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Post by Frank on Feb 20, 2005 13:09:01 GMT -5
I have to admit, I was a closet Christopher Cross fan when his first album came out IT TAKES A REAL MAN TO ADMIT TO THAT ONE. LOL I HAD AN OLD GIRLFRIEND THAT WAS REALLY INTO THAT ALBUM WHEN IT CAME OUT. SO I HEARD IT MORE THAN I CARED TOO....................... |
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Post by Rush862 on Feb 20, 2005 16:06:12 GMT -5
IT TAKES A REAL MAN TO ADMIT TO THAT ONE. LOL Remember I was an Osmond Brother fan as well... |
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It's now proudly gracing the racks of a used CD store..somewhere, I'm sure 
