Bohardy
Tatterdemalion
Posts: 8
Likes: 7
|
Post by Bohardy on Dec 19, 2020 9:49:29 GMT
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2020 5:52:08 GMT
I'd written that on my website but I had no evidence. I knew there was a Bose at one of the Town House studios (the other two both had Steinway instead) and I simply assumed. Awful research methodology on my part. Not that it should be any excuse, but I was sixteen and it was the first time I did some sort of pseudo-academic exploration, so to speak. Someone may have repeated that and put it on other websites and that little piece of information (which could easily be correct and could just as easily be mistaken) was passed around, eventually making it to Wikipedia and to the forum.
|
|
|
|
Post by deathtoming on Dec 31, 2020 3:52:34 GMT
Wessex changed the Bechstein for a large Bosendorfer at some point. There's a story about The Clash pouring wine on the Bosendorfer which is supposed to have taken place in 1979 (earlier Clash albums weren't done there). In other words, we know the piano was a Bechstein between 1972 ( Billboard inventory) and 1976 ('Somebody to Love' video and Sex Pistols photo) and a Bosendorfer in 1979. What about 1977 - 1978? No idea! Hey Sebastian, the Bosendorfer at Wessex was sold at an auction in 2016, and the item description states that the piano was bought by Wessex in 1977. Also, Bill Price, the chief engineer at Wessex, recalled that "Jonny Rotten decided to make a surprise appearance to meet Freddie Mercury while Freddie was actually playing the Bösendorfer." So, it looks like it was around for the News of the World sessions. Obviously, it's not proof until we see an invoice and pictures, but it's something. Auction page here: www.bonhams.com/auctions/23527/lot/151/Great information in this thread, by the way! |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2020 11:32:12 GMT
Ta! I'd be suspicious of the Rotten story, though: William may have remembered the incident taking place and may have assumed it was the Bose, and it jolly well may have been, but not necessarily. Memories fade or get mixed up after all those years!
Edit: Serial No 31609, just so we've got another copy of that titbit should the auction site ever take it down.
|
|
jlf
Satyr
Posts: 82
Likes: 109
|
Post by jlf on Jan 5, 2021 0:35:25 GMT
I'd be suspicious about the Rotten story taking place with this Bösendorfer as well because in the video that surfaced 10 years ago on These are the Days of our Lives documentary (yes, that's now ten years ago.... can you believe it?), Freddie is playing on a Steinway while recording We Are The Champions. I'm not suggesting the Bösendorfer wasn't used on NOTW, but I am suggesting it was a Steinway on WATC, unless they re-recorded the backing track later.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2021 13:00:33 GMT
'Champions' was recorded at Basing Street rather than Wessex (where the Rotten story took place), and I'm 99% sure that video's staged anyway.
|
|
jo
Satyr
Posts: 75
Likes: 82
|
Post by jo on Feb 14, 2021 2:15:34 GMT
It's possible that Freddie had a grand before ANATO was recorded. John Reid was in the mix by that time and it's possible he rented one for him or advanced Freddie the money to get the grand as it was so important to him. Do we know that the one Freddie is shown with in reply #24 is the Yamaha that he was his personal piano that eventually lived at Garden Lodge?
Thank you for all that information you put together. I've long had in interest in his unusual playing style and the pianos he used.
|
|
pg
Queen Mab
Posts: 2,304
Likes: 1,618
|
Post by pg on Feb 14, 2021 9:14:21 GMT
It's possible that Freddie had a grand before ANATO was recorded. John Reid was in the mix by that time and it's possible he rented one for him or advanced Freddie the money to get the grand as it was so important to him. Do we know that the one Freddie is shown with in reply #24 is the Yamaha that he was his personal piano that eventually lived at Garden Lodge? Thank you for all that information you put together. I've long had in interest in his unusual playing style and the pianos he used. At least the majority of ANATO, if not all, was recorded on Trident's money. Managers don't advance money usually, they persuade others to do so, and in the case of JR he got EMI publishing to advance the band enough to pay Trident the initial severance fee. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2021 23:36:52 GMT
Nice that the Podcast people mentioned the Bechstein legend!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2021 8:46:15 GMT
Update: the piano at the Power Station was a Yamaha. It wasn't used, though...
|
|
oreno
Ploughman
Posts: 269 
Likes: 364
|
Post by oreno on May 13, 2021 12:32:01 GMT
|
|
