BIGDAN Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Hi All, I was asked by a friend a few months ago if i knew if it was Robert Plant who stole Sonnyboy Williamson Harmonica, he even asked me if anyone on this site would know. Well i wasnt about to accuse anyone of theft without any evidence so i dug around a bit a found this today. "Plant played in the original Band of Joy with Bonham in 1967 and 1968. The group never caught on, and Bonham and Plant both found new gigs. Back then, Plant's influences were primarily Mississippi Delta blues. He grew up going to blues festivals, introducing himself at 14 to legendary harmonica player Sonny Boy Williamson at a urinal. Williamson responded with a curt "f*** off." Plant's answer? He snuck backstage and stole Williamson's harmonica." http://www.rollingst...w=article&id=58 Well i know Sonny could be a cantankerous old sod and Robert wasnt gonna be talked to like that so i take my hat off to him, any thoughts people? Regards, Danny PS, I can now go to my friends and confirm his accusations, and have a good laugh at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Hi All, I was asked by a friend a few months ago if i knew if it was Robert Plant who stole Sonnyboy Williamson Harmonica, he even asked me if anyone on this site would know. Well i wasnt about to accuse anyone of theft without any evidence so i dug around a bit a found this today. "Plant played in the original Band of Joy with Bonham in 1967 and 1968. The group never caught on, and Bonham and Plant both found new gigs. Back then, Plant's influences were primarily Mississippi Delta blues. He grew up going to blues festivals, introducing himself at 14 to legendary harmonica player Sonny Boy Williamson at a urinal. Williamson responded with a curt "f*** off." Plant's answer? He snuck backstage and stole Williamson's harmonica." http://www.rollingst...w=article&id=58 Well i know Sonny could be a cantankerous old sod and Robert wasnt gonna be talked to like that so i take my hat off to him, any thoughts people? The harmonica wasn't the only thing he stold: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGDAN Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 The harmonica wasn't the only thing he stole: Hi Snapper, Robert sang it better though, and played a better harp in my opinion and as for stealing? not so. Jimmys contribution makes it a different song, and a better song, again in my opinion, but Sonny should have beem part credited in my opinion again. There is no crime in taking someones song and doing a near copy of it, there is no crime to not give credit to the person who you took it from but thats another story. Plagerism is not theft, its bad manners at the most and it can cost you a packet if you get taken to court but you wont go to jail for it. Regards, Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGDAN Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 Found this as well, right on our doorstep. Regards, Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Hi Snapper, Robert sang it better though, and played a better harp in my opinion and as for stealing? not so. Jimmys contribution makes it a different song, and a better song, again in my opinion, but Sonny should have beem part credited in my opinion again. There is no crime in taking someones song and doing a near copy of it, there is no crime to not give credit to the person who you took it from but thats another story. Plagerism is not theft, its bad manners at the most and it can cost you a packet if you get taken to court but you wont go to jail for it. Regards, Danny Hi Danny, I was 'trying' to be humerous. IMO, in the blues, everyone steals from everyone else and did so long before Zeppelin came along. There's only so much you can do with a 12 bar blues rhythm, however, you can get into trouble when you quote lyrics word for word though. Personally, I wouldn't have it any other way. Maybe Sonny should have been a little nicer to "little Robert Anthony". All is fair in 'Blues & War'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGDAN Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 Hi Danny, I was 'trying' to be humerous. IMO, in the blues, everyone steals from everyone else and did so long before Zeppelin came along. There's only so much you can do with a 12 bar blues rhythm, however, you can get into trouble when quote lyrics word for though. Personally, I wouldn't have it any other way. Maybe Sonny should have been a little nicer to "little Robert Anthony". All is fair in 'Blues & War'. Hi Snapper, No worries mate, but where did you find out about quoting lyrics even word for word getting you in to trouble? as i understand it as long as you give proper credit and pay your dues you can take what you want from a song, how can anybody stop you? everybody did it and some still do, let me know will you please? Regards, Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Hi Snapper, No worries mate, but where did you find out about quoting lyrics even word for word getting you in to trouble? as i understand it as long as you give proper credit and pay your dues you can take what you want from a song, how can anybody stop you? everybody did it and some still do, let me know will you please? Regards, Danny "as long as you give proper credit", Plant got nailed for 'not' giving proper lyrical credit on a number of tunes, hence, the lawsuits that resulted. I personally don't care and wouldn't change a thing, but thats just me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGDAN Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 "as long as you give proper credit", Plant got nailed for 'not' giving proper lyrical credit on a number of tunes, hence, the lawsuits that resulted. I personally don't care and wouldn't change a thing, but thats just me. You're not wrong there Snapper and its never been properly answered by the Band to any satisfaction as far as i know, still all the Blues Artists "Stole" from each other but in those days you couldnt get blood from a stone, Led Zeppelins problem is that they made a hell of a lot of money and the blood sucking record companies who owned the original rights to the songs could smell it and make an easy dollar me thinks. Regards, Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 You're not wrong there Snapper and its never been properly answered by the Band to any satisfaction as far as i know, still all the Blues Artists "Stole" from each other but in those days you couldnt get blood from a stone, Led Zeppelins problem is that they made a hell of a lot of money and the blood sucking record companies who owned the original rights to the songs could smell it and make an easy dollar me thinks. Regards, Danny EXACTLY! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicey Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Mick Wall mentioned something about Robert stealing Mr. Williamson's harmonica in When Giants Walked the Earth. I didn't get very far into the book, though, because I didn't like it. Lemme see if I can search through the Kindle document real quick.... "When it came out after the show that Sonny Boy's bass harmonica had gone missing, everybody knew it was probably Planty that had 'had away with it.'" Grain of salt, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperDave Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 You're not wrong there Snapper and its never been properly answered by the Band to any satisfaction as far as i know, still all the Blues Artists "Stole" from each other but in those days you couldnt get blood from a stone, Led Zeppelins problem is that they made a hell of a lot of money and the blood sucking record companies who owned the original rights to the songs could smell it and make an easy dollar me thinks. Regards, Danny I think it's the responsibility of the record companies to check these things out and make sure proper credit is due and that the sources are correct. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bayougal65 Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Hi All, I was asked by a friend a few months ago if i knew if it was Robert Plant who stole Sonnyboy Williamson Harmonica, he even asked me if anyone on this site would know. Well i wasnt about to accuse anyone of theft without any evidence so i dug around a bit a found this today. "Plant played in the original Band of Joy with Bonham in 1967 and 1968. The group never caught on, and Bonham and Plant both found new gigs. Back then, Plant's influences were primarily Mississippi Delta blues. He grew up going to blues festivals, introducing himself at 14 to legendary harmonica player Sonny Boy Williamson at a urinal. Williamson responded with a curt "f*** off." Plant's answer? He snuck backstage and stole Williamson's harmonica." http://www.rollingst...w=article&id=58 Well i know Sonny could be a cantankerous old sod and Robert wasnt gonna be talked to like that so i take my hat off to him, any thoughts people? Regards, Danny PS, I can now go to my friends and confirm his accusations, and have a good laugh at the same time. http://press.manicnirvana.com/?p=73 I found this old Uncut Magazine Nigel Williamson Interview with Robert a few days ago that mentions the Sonny Boy Williamson harmonica incident... Which he confirms as true! And he relates a funny encounter with Rosetta Tharpe. Nice interview! Peace! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGDAN Posted July 26, 2011 Author Share Posted July 26, 2011 http://press.manicnirvana.com/?p=73 I found this old Uncut Magazine Nigel Williamson Interview with Robert a few days ago that mentions the Sonny Boy Williamson harmonica incident... Which he confirms as true! And he relates a funny encounter with Rosetta Tharpe. Nice interview! Peace! Thanks for that 'Bayougal65' and what a fleeting comment about lifting Sonnyboys harp hey? just as flippant as lifting his lyrics i suppose. I can also understand his restless soul wanting to keep moving on with his relentless pursuit of new music rather than living on his past achievments, but i'm like Jimmy, stuck in a Led Zeppelin vaccum, 40 years later and i go to sleep with my iPod playing Zepp tunes, i still dont know all the lyrics but i sure as hell know all the guitar parts. Regards, Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah J Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 This was posted a while back but thought it would be fitting on this thread as well. Robert Plant meets Sonny Boy Williamson (Audio) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGDAN Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share Posted July 27, 2011 This was posted a while back but thought it would be fitting on this thread as well. Robert Plant meets Sonny Boy Williamson (Audio) Hi Debs, Do you think Sonny ever thought Robert lifted hid harp as well as his lyrics? Kind Regards, Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 This was posted a while back but thought it would be fitting on this thread as well. Robert Plant meets Sonny Boy Williamson (Audio) Lesson #1 - Never ask for an autograph while "takin' a leak"! Bad move there, Robert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGDAN Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share Posted July 27, 2011 Lesson #1 - Never ask for an autograph while "takin' a leak"! Bad move there, Robert. Hi Snapper, And especially from a Grumpy Old Blues Man, Robert is lucky Sonny didnt ask him to "hold his pecker" while he signed to avoid splashing his shoes. Regards, Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah J Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Danny, I would have no idea^^ Just goes to show our musical heroes don't always get an autograph from their musical heroes!! Funny story though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Hi Snapper, And especially from a Grumpy Old Blues Man, Robert is lucky Sonny didnt ask him to "hold his pecker" while he signed to avoid splashing his shoes. Regards, Danny Right? Not to mention, it is a bit creepy. Having a conversation much less 'hero worship' with someone while "takin a leak" is always, at the very least....rather disturbing. Imagine the amount of times that has happened to Plant since his fuckup with Sonny Boy. Payback is a bitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGDAN Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share Posted July 27, 2011 Right? Not to mention, it is a bit creepy. Having a conversation much less 'hero worship' with someone while "takin a leak" is always, at the very least....rather disturbing. Imagine the amount of times that has happened to Plant since his fuckup with Sonny Boy. Payback is a bitch. I have urinal conversations all the time Snapper, its a good way to get to know someone really. Regards, Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 I have urinal conversations all the time Snapper, its a good way to get to know someone really. Regards, Danny "Urinal Conversations", I like that! Somebody please start working on this book, it could be huge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperDave Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Funny bit with Robert. Great idea Dan. It's certainly original! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheZeppyWanderer Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 All I'll say is .........." Don't start me talking ", (I'll tell everything I know !) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazedcat Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Sonny Boy stole from the original Sonny Boy, the name that is. So if Plant stole Sonny Boy II harmonica then ain't karma a bitch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.