Bye, Bo …
Bo Diddley … rock legend; R&R Hall of Famer; creator of the Bo Diddley Beat; writer and performer of Bo Diddley, Mona, Who Do You Love? and lots of other unforgettable hits; bigger-than-life dude with the square guitar; inspiration for the Stones, the Who, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Them, Animals, Springsteen, and countless other bands and performers … is gone.
I remember seeing him at a little club (The Green Parrot) in Fort Worth, TX. I went early to get a good seat and perhaps snag an autograph (I now have a couple of his). There was Bo cruisin’ around in the almost-empty bar, setting up his equipment, jibber-jabbering with folks, being a guy. This was when the video for George Thorogood’s “Bad to the Bone” was getting heavy rotation play on MTV. In that vid, George shoots serious pool with Bo … very cool. Well, at the bar in Fort Worth, Bo … alone … walked into the game room where the pool tables were. There was nobody else around. I thought, “Hey, I shoot pool. Not bad either. I can shoot pool with Bo. Just like that video. Cool!”
So, I screwed up my nerve, and strolled into the game room to ask Bo if he wanted to shoot some stick. Much to my surprise, he was already playing … heavily engrossed in an animated game of Space Invaders. He was weaving, bobbing, shooting, zapping, wasting aliens … I couldn’t interfere. I probably should have.
I saw Bo three or four times. Always a good time. Funny, engaged with the crowd, dirty dancing, lifting his leg and “farting” with his guitar. His hat. His big glasses. His square guitar. His jump suit and shiny shoes. His smile. His beat: bumpity, bump, bump … ba-bump bump.
Now he’s frying aliens in rock & roll heaven. Bye, Bo.
Insert Name said:
I was waiting for this piece to hit the CW. Unforunately, I think we will hear alot more of icons hit the stage upstairs in the next decade. Despite the fact that you didn’t get to shoot pool, watching Bo Did play space invaders is a pretty cool story.
June 2nd, 2008 at 1:24 pm #