September 5, Chuck Berry
spoke to a group of students at Rock Bridge High School in Columbia,
Mo. He was charming and lecherous and self-deprecating. He began by
answering several questions, recited some anonymous poetry (a joking
first stanza of "My Ding-a-Ling," a moving "Pass Away" (from ROCKIT!),
and "A Vagabond's Dream House") with the skill of an "official" poet
laureate, then interacted hilariously with several students, one who
had "never heard of [him]" but wanted an autograph for his mom, another
who was turned on to Chuck through "Back to the Future" (yuck!) and
claimed to have had his life changed by the experience.
Chuck, as usual, was
in eccentric form. The only recent song he claimed to have liked was
"Achy Breaky Heart"; he wished he'd written "Yesterday" and "Wake Up
Little Suzie"; he claimed "Memphis, Tennessee" as "the best story i'd
ever written"; he claimed to have new songs ready to go, but also to
be too lazy to put 'em out; he sang the praises of Nat Cole, Carl Hogan,
T-bone Walker, Tommy Dorsey, Muddy Waters, and Little Walter; he complained
that kids today don't seem to want to dance close together, that rap
can't teach anybody anything (but he's open), that Madonna and Michael
Jackson were more famous than he, that his high school science teacher
had brass balls.
When he stated that one
of his few regrets was having never invented something (you know, like
a better mousetrap), a local teacher chimed in, "you invented rock and
roll!" chuck responded by saying, with genuine humility, "i only helped
improve it."
Chuck was also presented
a couple of certificates, one a congressional proclamation about his
being a great missouri musician (a bit late, guys!; also, one of the
congressmen who signed it was the host teacher's husband). He was, oddly,
travelling with an entourage: his sister, relatively new wife, lawyer,
and an old buddy or two). And he didn't offer any tips to young video
cam hoisters!
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