Friday, February 22, 2008
HE WAS WHO AND WHO WAS HE.
The answer to one of the greatest rock trivia questions died a few days ago from a brain tumor.
Scot Halpin.
Ever heard of him?
That's okay, I didn't know his name either until I read his obit.
Scot Halpin was "The Guy."
The guy who lived everybody's rock and roll dream by being in the right place at the right time.
1973. San Francisco. Halpin, then 19, and a buddy are standing at the front of the stage at a Who concert when Keith Moon, who had prepared for the show by downing a handful of pills and washing it down with booze, flat-out passed out with about three songs left to the Who's set. A frustrated Pete Townshend sort of half-kidding, says, "Can anybody out there play drums? I mean, GOOD."
Halpin's buddy immediately starts yelling, "HE can play! HE plays the drums!"
The Who does not hear this, but Bill Graham, the promoter, does. He comes over.
"Can you really play?"
"YES!" says Halpin's buddy. Halpin was too dumbstruck to say anything. Fact was, he hadn't sat down behind a kit in over a year, but he wasn't about to say that.
Graham ushers him backstage, hands him a shot of brandy to calm his nerves, and next thing you know, he's sitting in with the WHO. For three whole songs.
I bet he never had to buy a beer for himself ever again.
There's even visual proof! Go to Youtube and search "Scot Halpin" and you can see it!
TT
The answer to one of the greatest rock trivia questions died a few days ago from a brain tumor.
Scot Halpin.
Ever heard of him?
That's okay, I didn't know his name either until I read his obit.
Scot Halpin was "The Guy."
The guy who lived everybody's rock and roll dream by being in the right place at the right time.
1973. San Francisco. Halpin, then 19, and a buddy are standing at the front of the stage at a Who concert when Keith Moon, who had prepared for the show by downing a handful of pills and washing it down with booze, flat-out passed out with about three songs left to the Who's set. A frustrated Pete Townshend sort of half-kidding, says, "Can anybody out there play drums? I mean, GOOD."
Halpin's buddy immediately starts yelling, "HE can play! HE plays the drums!"
The Who does not hear this, but Bill Graham, the promoter, does. He comes over.
"Can you really play?"
"YES!" says Halpin's buddy. Halpin was too dumbstruck to say anything. Fact was, he hadn't sat down behind a kit in over a year, but he wasn't about to say that.
Graham ushers him backstage, hands him a shot of brandy to calm his nerves, and next thing you know, he's sitting in with the WHO. For three whole songs.
I bet he never had to buy a beer for himself ever again.
There's even visual proof! Go to Youtube and search "Scot Halpin" and you can see it!
TT
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