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From http://observer.guardian.co.uk/omm/the10/story/0,11109,1280949,00.html
The 10
Campbell Stevenson on stage disasters
Sunday August 15, 2004
The Observer
1. David Bowie, Norwegian Wood festival, Oslo, 18 June 2004. Crime: Assault with deadly confectionery
Bowie has some previous in stage crimes (the excessively silly Glass Spider tour and the hydraulic problems on the 1974 US 'David Live' tour that forced him to sing a few songs suspended in a chair above the audience while roadies frantically tried to haul him in) but this was a new low. Of course there's a serious side: he ran the risk of being blinded in his bad eye after a fan's candy missile ended up lodged under his eyelid. But what of the ignominy? There you are, a rock'n'roll icon, survivor of those hugely addled years in the Seventies, and you're forced to cut your set short because of a sweet. And when you recall that David's big buddy Iggy Pop (see No 6) came through a hail of bottles, fruit and weapons, this incident seems all the more bizarre. Not least because he got through a 1997 event in neighbouring Sweden without serious harm. Its name? The Lollipop Festival.
2. Kevin Rowland, Reading, 28 June 1992. Crime: Lascivious Behaviour
The former Dexys Midnight Runners man wore a sarong which came off to reveal a white mini-dress. This was spattered in orange liquid from hurled bottles before two barely-clothed 'friends' joined him for some unpleasant tongue action. Rowland thought he was being punk: the bemused teenagers thought he sucked.
3. The Fatima Mansions, Milan, 22 May 1992. Crime: Blasphemy
Singer Cathal Coughlan, angry at being heckled the night before, donned the shirt of Barcelona, who had just beaten Sampdoria in the European Cup Final, ranted about useless Italian football and then stuck a shampoo bottle shaped like the Virgin Mary up his arse while shouting 'f*** your traitor Pope'. Quality blasphemy.
4. The Rolling Stones, Altamont, 4 December 1969. Sins: Too many to mention
Where do you begin? 200,000 fans trekked out to a speedway track with drugged-up Hell's Angels as security. By the time the Stones came on, it was freezing, violence was endemic and, three songs in, they thought 'Sympathy for the Devil' was a good idea. It wasn't. Meredith Hunter, 19, was stabbed to death by Angels soon after.
5. Neil Young, Bristol, 4 November 1973. Sin: Musical gluttony
The audience wanted Harvest. Instead, they got the bleak Tonight's the Night. Those not too suicidal to clap tried to get the band back for an encore. 'Here's one you know,' Young drawled. And played the title track of TTN again. He returned for another encore - and played the song for a third time.
6. Iggy and The Stooges, Michigan Palace, 9 February 1974. Crime: Incitement to riot
The last Stooges show, captured on the album Metallic KO. In a radio interview, Iggy had challenged a local biker gang to attend. They did - and hurled eggs and bottles of piss at him. 'You pricks can throw every goddamn thing in the world ... and your girlfriend will still love me,' Iggy taunted.
7. Fairport Convention, Krumlin Festival, 15 August 1970. Crime: Drunk and disorderly
Fairport came on at 5pm, after a long time in the beer tent. Dave Pegg was wearing white trousers, which soon had a bad brown stain on the rear. Dave Swarbrick found a hole in a Cellophane tarpaulin at the side of the stage and peed into it. Sadly, the press reviewers were under the tarpaulin.
8. Queen, Live Aid, 13 July 1985. Sin: Intellectual Sloth
The laziest, stupidest performance ever. This was a day to raise funds for the starving, to show compassion and give music a purpose beyond entertainment. So what does Freddie do? Get a whole stadium whooping along to 'We are the Champions', that's what. Didn't anyone else think this song was just a little inappropriate?
9. The Velvet Underground, Cafe Bizarre, NYC, 25 December 1965. Sin: Anger
The Velvets were at the Greenwich Village club, cranking out Chuck Berry songs. They were also seething at having to work over Christmas. So they did the tuneless racket called 'The Black Angel's Death Song'. 'Play that one more time and you're fired,' said the owner. So they did. And they were.
10. Morrissey, Finsbury Park, 8 August 1992. Crime: Wilful stupidity
Supporting Madness at their reunion, Moz alienated everyone when he wrapped himself in the Union flag. Right-wing skinheads hated the appropriation of 'their' symbol. Others found the mix of this and songs such as 'National Front Disco' offensive. Result? The usual hail of missiles.
The 10
Campbell Stevenson on stage disasters
Sunday August 15, 2004
The Observer
1. David Bowie, Norwegian Wood festival, Oslo, 18 June 2004. Crime: Assault with deadly confectionery
Bowie has some previous in stage crimes (the excessively silly Glass Spider tour and the hydraulic problems on the 1974 US 'David Live' tour that forced him to sing a few songs suspended in a chair above the audience while roadies frantically tried to haul him in) but this was a new low. Of course there's a serious side: he ran the risk of being blinded in his bad eye after a fan's candy missile ended up lodged under his eyelid. But what of the ignominy? There you are, a rock'n'roll icon, survivor of those hugely addled years in the Seventies, and you're forced to cut your set short because of a sweet. And when you recall that David's big buddy Iggy Pop (see No 6) came through a hail of bottles, fruit and weapons, this incident seems all the more bizarre. Not least because he got through a 1997 event in neighbouring Sweden without serious harm. Its name? The Lollipop Festival.
2. Kevin Rowland, Reading, 28 June 1992. Crime: Lascivious Behaviour
The former Dexys Midnight Runners man wore a sarong which came off to reveal a white mini-dress. This was spattered in orange liquid from hurled bottles before two barely-clothed 'friends' joined him for some unpleasant tongue action. Rowland thought he was being punk: the bemused teenagers thought he sucked.
3. The Fatima Mansions, Milan, 22 May 1992. Crime: Blasphemy
Singer Cathal Coughlan, angry at being heckled the night before, donned the shirt of Barcelona, who had just beaten Sampdoria in the European Cup Final, ranted about useless Italian football and then stuck a shampoo bottle shaped like the Virgin Mary up his arse while shouting 'f*** your traitor Pope'. Quality blasphemy.
4. The Rolling Stones, Altamont, 4 December 1969. Sins: Too many to mention
Where do you begin? 200,000 fans trekked out to a speedway track with drugged-up Hell's Angels as security. By the time the Stones came on, it was freezing, violence was endemic and, three songs in, they thought 'Sympathy for the Devil' was a good idea. It wasn't. Meredith Hunter, 19, was stabbed to death by Angels soon after.
5. Neil Young, Bristol, 4 November 1973. Sin: Musical gluttony
The audience wanted Harvest. Instead, they got the bleak Tonight's the Night. Those not too suicidal to clap tried to get the band back for an encore. 'Here's one you know,' Young drawled. And played the title track of TTN again. He returned for another encore - and played the song for a third time.
6. Iggy and The Stooges, Michigan Palace, 9 February 1974. Crime: Incitement to riot
The last Stooges show, captured on the album Metallic KO. In a radio interview, Iggy had challenged a local biker gang to attend. They did - and hurled eggs and bottles of piss at him. 'You pricks can throw every goddamn thing in the world ... and your girlfriend will still love me,' Iggy taunted.
7. Fairport Convention, Krumlin Festival, 15 August 1970. Crime: Drunk and disorderly
Fairport came on at 5pm, after a long time in the beer tent. Dave Pegg was wearing white trousers, which soon had a bad brown stain on the rear. Dave Swarbrick found a hole in a Cellophane tarpaulin at the side of the stage and peed into it. Sadly, the press reviewers were under the tarpaulin.
8. Queen, Live Aid, 13 July 1985. Sin: Intellectual Sloth
The laziest, stupidest performance ever. This was a day to raise funds for the starving, to show compassion and give music a purpose beyond entertainment. So what does Freddie do? Get a whole stadium whooping along to 'We are the Champions', that's what. Didn't anyone else think this song was just a little inappropriate?
9. The Velvet Underground, Cafe Bizarre, NYC, 25 December 1965. Sin: Anger
The Velvets were at the Greenwich Village club, cranking out Chuck Berry songs. They were also seething at having to work over Christmas. So they did the tuneless racket called 'The Black Angel's Death Song'. 'Play that one more time and you're fired,' said the owner. So they did. And they were.
10. Morrissey, Finsbury Park, 8 August 1992. Crime: Wilful stupidity
Supporting Madness at their reunion, Moz alienated everyone when he wrapped himself in the Union flag. Right-wing skinheads hated the appropriation of 'their' symbol. Others found the mix of this and songs such as 'National Front Disco' offensive. Result? The usual hail of missiles.
