EDGAR WINTER and his brother JOHNNY WINTER
The Winter brothers! not to be confused with British comedy/light-entertainment legends – the “WinterS” brothers (see pic below).
You know there was a time when the tune “Free Ride” by The EDGAR WINTER BAND was quite regularly requested here at The Social/Bodega. Back in the old Guilty Pleasures days before THE POP CONFESSIONAL.
Edgar also apparently (according to his Wikipedia entry) invented strapping a keyboard around yer’ neck, in order to rock-out with it more like a guitar.
…anyhow folks, I’ve recently got back into this tune and just the other day I googled it to see what footage might be out there on the interweb.
Check this out. What A band!
Not only is it keyboard rockin’ albino EDGAR, but also included in his band are Dan ‘Instant Replay’ Hartman and Rick ‘Hang On Sloopy’ Derringer. A man who I personally last saw play here in Nottingham 25 years ago, as part of Cyndi Lauper’s band at the then recently built Royal Concert Hall.
Edgar’s biggest hit (I think) here in the UK was “Frankenstein”, but this I think is the better tune…
As for his older brother (also albino) JOHNNY, the first time I ever came across him was as a 15/16 year old watching the Old Grey Whistle Test. How mad is this!? Getting on for nearly forty years later and I can actually refer you to the original footage up on You Tube.
The important thing to remember here is context – this was back when there was practically no live music on TV, and this*** was more likely to be the bollox that passed for musical entertainment.
***…yeah I know that this is actually from about ten years later in the 80’s, but can you imagine how bad it must have been a further ten years earlier.
With love… The Rev X