Nils Lofgren on Beatles, the Who, Keith Richards and backing Chuck Berry

[@keithharrison3678]

He must be one of the most talented , articulate & humble guitarists of all time

[@DexterHaven]

Chuck wasn't humble.

[@buddyhek]

Saw Nils four times here in the UK back in the 70s, brilliant guitar style, and loved his trampoline back flips while playing, truly great.

[@ursafan40]

Nils is the only person I have ever seen do the trampoline back flips. And he never missed a note.

[@davylaffs179]

Blessed by Nils in Manchester 77 !! never forget his Greatness !! and Awesome playing !!!! out on His Own !!!!

[@PatrickLigocki]

Nils, you make us rock out like crazy, then the next moment cry like babies. And Keith Never Went...thank you for decades of great music.

[@sb1806]

Rockin Nils Lofgren. That's how he signed his autograph to me.

[@davidwebster6491]

I had a similar experience backing up Chuck Berry in 1971 at Worcester state College in Worcester MA. Bill Haley and the Comets were the opener...Chuck shows up 2 minutes before the curtain opens, takes out his guitar and doesn't bother tuning it...the curtain goes up and we're off. there was no direction, he starts playing with this really Bassey tone...it took us about 30 seconds to find the key center. But I was 20 years old and we were playing with CHUCK BERRY! He kept changing keys and even turned around (I was also on guitar) and asked me what song are we playing! He gave me one solo and I did my best Chuck/Keith mash up. The crowd went nuts and he even said goodbye to us when it was over. I'll always remember it as a high point in my young life, but man, he was a strange one.

[@WorkmanJohn]

David sounds about right..I was in a band that opened for Chuck, and was dismayed to see him pull his guitar out, and begin to play without tuning it up..and I caught him backstage where he was waiting for more money in US cash natch..this was in Ottawa, Canada at 11 at night !! somehow the promoters got them the money and he went on. The local band who backed him up never got paid, and neither did we. Sometimes it isn't a good idea to meet your heroes.

[@fortunatoofamontillado1059]

Great story!

[@brahmburgers]

I was in a band with a guitarist who was in a throw-together back-up band for Little Richard. When Richard saw my friend's flashy shirt, he said, "what the hell are you wearing, man? I'm the star here. Hey, somebody find this guy a regular shirt." I love old R&R stories.

[@Berniewahlbrinck]

"A strange one"? Seems to me "arrogant" would also fit nicely

[@ericfraser1247]

Very authentic. Great artist. I love it when he sings ...so emotional...even poignant.

[@gerrydooley951]

what I really like about this guy is that not only is he a great musician but he's also a fan and has great insight into what he and others have done.

[@GVernon]

Gerry Dooley Yep. Springsteen is like that in interviews too. He is a music fan as much as a musician.

[@johngosselinbhr5526]

I just saw Nils last night in Scottsdale AZ (where he also lives now). Like many, he gets better with age. Superb!

[@brahmburgers]

Well if he gets better with age, he must be stratopheric, because when I saw his first gig with Grin trio in late 60's, he blew me away. And I had already been a gigging guitarist at that time.

[@brobertson7220]

One of the best stories I've heard. Has me in stitches every time.

[@platter1000]

nils is awesome..very talanted

[@canadianroot]

What an affable guy and great storyteller.

[@russbrinn]

yup.....and boy can he talk.

[@paulinebazela6912]

We met Nils years ago in Sheffield at one of his solo gigs. He so friendly and patient when meeting his fans. If you ever get the chance to go see his solo gigs, go you will love it.👍👍👍👍

[@chriswalford4072]

Very Lucky to see this guy around 1978 in Portsmouth uk. Blown away by his talent on guitar and trampet. Very unique sound that stays with you. And if you close your eyes you can replay in your mind and transport yourself back in time!

[@shanehnorman]

It must have been during that same tour that I saw him in London. In Portsmouth, did he do his famous back-flip on a trampoline while bending a hot break on his white Strat? Couldn't forget that!

[@FrankieParadiso4evah]

Long Live Nils Lofgren!

[@thefilmandmusic]

He’s a player.. unique talent, great voice..

[@davidgartner356]

This one kind of wanders all over my teen years. Grew up near Nils and knew him tangentially. He used to play our junior high teen club with his band "Crystal Mesh" (not a name you would choose in the 21st century, but...). His band Grin really should have been much more successful and the old albums still stand up today. Too bad they couldn't find a producer or label to make it work. At any rate, I was also at the Chuck Berry gig that Nils mentions briefly where Springsteen backed him up. If my hazy memory serves, Bruce and his band were kind of stuck out on stage waiting for Chuck to show up. You could see how lost they were throughout the show but it really didn't matter. We were all so thrilled just to see Chuck Berry. At any rate, great story about the HOF gig and seeing Nils always brings back great memories of the old neighborhood and how lucky we were to have such great music there and around the DC area. There really was a thriving rock scene there back in the late 60s, early 70s and Nils was a huge part of it.

[@frankgilligan3555]

Hazy memory indeed, but I too remember Crystal Mesh. Beginning of an era for me! Bethesda boy done good.

[@paulcadogan7033]

Chuck was a bit of a jerk that way: a lot of a jerk really. There's an interesting interview with Dave Edmunds about working with Chuck. I can't post it here but look it up.

[@brahmburgers]

Hi David, we probably went to many of the same Grin gigs. My name was Kim back then, from Walt Whitman hs. I had a band called: Saints Jam Band concurrently to Grin, but not as popular. They were great. I loved every minute of the many times I saw them, including Nils showcasing Roy Buchanan.

[@daisypodd]

great N.L.....love him, the chuck story was hilarious, nils is so natural genuinely nice bloke..no BS

[@kevinherd3437]

I gamble here in Las Vegas at the locals hot spot, one of the station casinos and they sent me a couple comp tickets to see Nils and his band. It was in a small room with a few hundred seats and I debated whether or not to go myself but I couldn't waste the tickets,gave 1 ticket away and went in, needless to say he was a great storyteller and of course a talented musician and whenever those traits are on display its always exceptional.

[@kpwlipp]

His guitar solo on Springsteen's "Tunnel of Love" is one of my favorites. Love his tunes, especially "Two by Two" and "Across the Tracks."

[@Peter-rb2pf]

Love it😅. I could listen to this guy all day (and all night).

[@taraqueen58]

Love his voice one of the best in the business.

[@lwoodt1]

Nils is as good a story teller as he is a guitar player.

[@sjoldtimer]

People can make all the negative comments they want about Chuck Berry, but when it comes to the history of rock and rock, he did what he did. I didn't do it, nor did you and that isn't going to change.

[@da324]

So fuckin' what. So, because he wrote some great songs 60 years ago he gets a pass for being a horrible human being? I love Chuck's music, but wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire.

[@CBrolley]

I heard the day he died he did the duck walk without any pants on and then just keeled over. That’s how I wanna go out.

[@francispoivre8903]

Chuck was not a horrible human being just because he played tricks on musicians. They have something to tell now ! Seen him live and loved the wrong notes even more than the right ones. He was fun.

[@sjoldtimer]

@@francispoivre8903 I saw Chuck Berry in person about 20 times over my adult life. A good friend of mine was the drummer in the back up band the first time I saw Chuck, back in 1969. My friend has told me a couple of stories about that experience that are pretty funny. However, Berry was not always congenial with his back ups...he could be demanding and not take it lightly when a band was not familiar with his music....his assumption was always that the promoter (back when the promoters had to provide the back up) would give him at least an adequate band and decent performance equipment. The rumor always was that he would kick back $1000 of his fee (usually around $10,000) if he liked the band.

[@machia-mw1lm]

Saw Nils in NJ in 1976 , great concert .

[@Slammo]

This man is a great story teller.

[@craigthurlow9308]

Also a MASSIVE BULL💩 artist 🤪🖕🏻

[@michelle88960]

If you watch the Hail Hail Rock and Roll film about Chuck Berry which Keith Richards organised, there's a bit in the concert where Chuck goes up to Keith and tells him to change key; Keith shakes his head and says 'no.' He's known for it.

[@da324]

If you watch the making of the rehearsals, Chuck was a big stickler for getting it right by wanting to continually go over the songs. That's why Keith was like no fucking way after the fucking fuss you made to work on these and now you want to change keys. Fuck off!

[@trickydick6152]

But he changed it anyway, didn't he? In facts, as Richards explains in the movie, he said to the band "Do your best and play anyway". Still, professional musicians who can't shift keys I wonder how pro they are, especially on harmonically basic songs like Berry's.

[@SupernalOne]

I saw Lofgren and Grin in August 1975 at Constitution Hall in DC the night my first child was born - leaving GW hospital after my wife baby were sleeping, I heard music coming from the open doors of the hall a block away, and slipped in to see the last three songs of the set - so I have a personal appreciation for Nils :)

[@gilkenson53]

Hometown brother! Great free shows at the Wheaton Youth Center in 70-71 with Grin,,.

[@billyament4774]

I saw he and Grin at Wison High in DC with some guy named Billy Joel as the warm up act. He was a local guitar hero.

[@leonlobos9718]

GRIN was a GREAT band - it was major league. I don't listen to a lot of rock, but I pull out your GRIN albums from time to time and just enjoy so much. Thanks

[@johnrowan7288]

Chuck Berry is the seminal rock musician. Everyone from the Beatles to the stones to elo to anyone you talk to. A genius lyricist. unbelievable stage presence and the locks that will forever be imitated. The king of rock and roll.

[@llamaman2126]

Lucky for him the flux capacitor was invented, coz he he sounds a *anker ;-)

[@da324]

You forgot, he's was also a huge prick!

[@CBrolley]

How huge was it?

[@francispoivre8903]

@@da324 It takes a prick to call people pricks on the internet.

[@philmckenna5709]

@llamaman2126 Innit. A consummate bellend.

[@marcbuehre7660]

That has got to be the BEST Story I have ever heard ! So Funny! I bought the first Grin Album as well. Always Knew Nils Would be Destined For Greatness.....Wish I Could Meet The Man .......All of his Stories are really Wonderful & Heartfelt .....Especially Meeting Neil . Wow. Thanks Nils !

[@Hemulen40]

Lookin great , Nils ! Happy to see ya !

[@Michael-nf1ej]

Ran into Nils once, very kool man. This video is great!

[@nollattacykel]

I love Nils and his music!

[@thelakeman5207]

Saw Nils when he played with Grin in Waterbury, CT. in the 70's. I still remember him doing somersaults on a small exercise trampoline while playing.

[@michaelwertzy9808]

That's the great stuff he did with "Grin"! He didn't even unplug! Just rocked it out!

[@urchill1]

Copied by Sting!

[@rogerioviv79]

What chuck did was definitely rock n roll

[@RubnerFamily]

If Bruce says he's one of the great rock guitarists of all time, that's good enough for me. Listen to his acoustic stuff - spectacular voicings.

[@MrDeterioration]

Marc Rubner his first solo album stands with anything Springsteen has done IMO.

[@canndo1]

Flike what was the title of it? I’m just now discovering Nils and can’t get enough

[@clivewatson8641]

@@canndo1 Should look for Nils early stuff with the band called GRIN which disbanded in 1974....

[@c.j.rogers2422]

Mr. Lofgren, always so cool!

[@mtadams2009]

Seen NL in 77 at the beach in RI and he had this little trampoline he would jump on. Good time and it was a great show.

[@sharonburnett3560]

Could you imagine seeing the Who and the Hendrix in the same night? Wow!

[@penguinista]

Best be careful, might end up possessed by the spirit of rock and roll

[@SIRONEDRAGON]

great story about Chuck !!!

[@stevel6943]

Absolutely underrated guitarist and musician.

[@daveyvane]

I never saw his rating, what is it?

[@Tvuvtctoj46fck]

Underrated by who?

[@philwood1020]

Pete Townshend sat down on the floor of the Ambassador Theatre the Sunday night Nils referenced on August 13, 1967, and sat down right next to me. I, too, had gone to hear the Who at Constitution Hall, who were opening for Herman's Hermits. I had a brief exchange with him about the guitar he had smashed that night - a Duo-Sonic - and he asked if I had seen Hendrix before. I had, the previous Thursday, and he asked what my thoughts were. The whole conversation was maybe 90 seconds long. Entwistle was there as well, but didn't sit on the floor.. Jimi finished with "Wild Thing," burned a Strat and smashed it to pieces, and I got one of the broken strings. Incredible, unforgettable evening, 57 years ago. Admission at the Ambassador was $1.50 Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday, and $2.50 Friday & Saturday.

[@donaldfaulkner9360]

I saw Nils with Grin in VA. Opened for Edgar Winter and Alice Cooper. I am 70 yrs old and still recall it.

[@notintohandles]

A very intelligent and articulate man.

[@john-zw9rw]

This fantastic man has been delivering great music since the mid sixties.. In the 80's, the toured the West coast a bunch.. There used to be a Live performance from Saualito by KSAN.. Tom Donahue was the cat producing some great gigs on KSAN...

[@frankgilligan3555]

Brilliant and supremely talented!

[@jeffrey3498]

yeah juan, Grin was great. one of my favorite groups as a kid.

[@john-zw9rw]

At 64...this Cat is one of my 3major music influences.....How do ya Thank somebody for making life a better place... Notes for Nils..thats it

[@johngraydon506]

john i kept reading he moved in as a lad with Neil, that was my dream !

[@chuckandjenbridges721]

I've listened to many albums. One of my favourite, Into The Purple Valley.

[@ziblot1235]

One very good album that I used to have. It was called. GRIN. It had a pair of Chucks tennis shoes on the cover. "We all sang Together", one of the good ones.

[@kentconklin7294]

I like when he hops around n a circle on one foot , and then staggers around while doing his big solo

[@starshiptrooper7670]

Nils plays on a great Neil Young album, Tonight's the Night.

[@aquamarine99911]

Piano, it should be added.

[@stache1059]

Nils played piano AND guitar on Tonight's the Night & After the Goldrush!!!Do not pretend to know everything!!Learn history.

[@da324]

@@stache1059 Are you related to Chuck Berry, cause you sure sound like a dick too!

[@CBrolley]

Before that Nils played piano on Neil’s After the Gold Rush álbum in 1970.

[@jackmomma7481]

I still laugh my ass off to this very day every time I watch Live Trans in Berlin '82 and see Nils's stage antics like a LSD trippin Keith Richard's. Nils and Bruce Palmer are straight up characters! Great stuff

[@jc6594]

Happy 65th Birthday Nils Lofgren

[@buckcubmandingo6772]

Anyone else here remember the Karate commercial " Nobody bother me"(in the DC area?) It's a classic that Nils performed

[@frankfurter63]

That was June Rei Karate .

[@concertboppermc3521]

NiLS! I was a little kid on the South Side of Chicago listening to pop music on the radio too!

[@mc76]

"Cry Tough" is in my top ten of best rock tunes of all time.

[@stevedrums1675]

Playing diverse styles convincingly with either Neil Young or Springsteen says enough about his abilities not just as a musician but to fit in to where the style requires. I’m not his biggest fan, but simply admire the road he traveled and those who he traveled with.

[@limomangeno]

Nils is a great talent .The guy has been around since 1971 . He has great stories .I mean you forget he was in Crazy Horse dam.I remember seeing in Ringos all star band at Jones Beach NY .The guy was fantastic .I like Springsteen even more when hes in it .Love his solo work .Hes playing to night in Westbury ..Yeah Nils my knees are shot to lol..Keep rockin my man...

[@juieandersonJHLA]

Great addition to Rock and Roll. Nils Lofgren was part of Crazy Horse and was inducted into Hall of Fame last year back up for Bruce Springstein. The E Street Band!

[@greglapointe1311]

+juie anderson On that first Crazy Horse solo album with Nils, there's a picture of the band and because Lofgrin was signed to another record company his picture wasn't allowed to be on the album. They cleverly got around that by taking the picture in front of a store or restaurant window, I don't remember exactly. The band is on the sidewalk getting their picture taken and Nils is inside the building, looking out the window, thus getting into the picture. I always thought that was kinda cool.

[@whispjohn]

I saw Nils and his band in 1982 at the Hammersmith Odeon in London and he absolutely killed it. Amazing musician, amazing band, when he did Shine Silently and played that solo and finished it by jumping on the trampoline and doing a back flip and ended the song as he landed, legend. In 1985 I saw him play a monster gig with Bruce Springsteen at Wembley Stadium, I sang Hungry Heart with 72,000 other people at that gig, Steve Van zant joined them for a couple of numbers too. A fabulous, unforgetable experience. WOW!

[@PoppysGuitar]

Great guitarist and song writer

[@volkwino]

Such a great guitar player!

[@donaldfaulkner9360]

also saw him at Crossroads Inn with Roy Buchanan.

[@Mjollnir1234]

What a fucking fantastic interview.

[@pretorious700]

My band was a Chuck Berry backup at Elon College in North Carolina in 1973. Everything Bruce said is true.

[@svbarr]

I knew a guy who was a WORLD CLASS Accordian/Cordovox player. Brilliant Musician who happened (in the 70's) to be an expert on an instrument that was NOT hip slick and cool. Kind of broke the guys heart. He played electric piano and Hammond Organ and was very good -- but his blazing real talent was on the Cordovox. Before he passed away he got to see the Cajun Zydeco thing and it did his heart good to see audiences loving his chops on the accordian again.There was nothing hotter than accordian from about 1947-1957...lol

[@sammyvh11]

His Baltimore gigs in the early 70s are memorable. He was a huge start on the rise. Then he joins Bruce. I have to tell you I was sad about that.

[@charlesbduke7947]

Nils do you remember the Bluesete in Baltimore ? It was right after your tour with Neil Young , the Rust Never Sleeps tour.

[@albertomartinez2479]

Nils played banjo on Neil Young's "Old Man" Yeah he has been around awhile. Great Musician.

[@Jobotubular]

that was James Taylor, and it was a "guitarjo" -- tuned liked a guitar, sounds like a banjo. Nils played piano on the album before that, and either guitar or piano on several other albums/tours throughout Neil's career

[@davidkopec9442]

He is all over “Tonight’s the Night”...James Taylor played the banjo / guitar.

[@gparsons8]

Sorry no that was James Taylor.

[@davidbentley145]

Love you brother...

[@cigarboxguitar9519]

Love Nils!

[@thefilmandmusic]

Nils so underrated

[@defaultusername5929]

Pay attention children, This guy's the best there is.

[@homegrownpa]

Nils talks about how fortunate he was to get where he is, but that charisma he has, was surely a springboard!

[@rhallnapa]

I made 2 copies of his legendary bootleg show from the record plant in Sausalito, but wore both out.

[@franciscogallego9206]

VALLA MUSICA DE LUJO GRACIAS😁😉😅🤗

[@davylaffs179]

Nils Is a True Great Player , Springsteen should have been in His BAND !!!!!!!, CRY TOUGH one the GREATEST ALBUMS EVER !!

[@tonyvincent9753]

100% agreement. I was a huge Nils fan and was hugely disappointed when he wound up as a sideman for Springsteen.

[@chuckhurlocker2180]

Great story, story teller

[@JamesWalshBristolKids]

Chuck Berry told Keith Richards" We're changing the key" during the filming of a song for the Chuck Berry movie "Hail Hail Rock and Roll." Keith said flat out: "No!" The only one to ever say no to Chuck and get away with it. Keith said later it was a "potential skrew it up" moment and he felt justified in saying no.

[@waldosgrade]

He’s lucky Chuck didn’t slug Keith in the mouth like he did 20 years before.

[@CBrolley]

Someone told me that in the late 60s Chuck crept up behind Jagger at a Stones show and smacked Mick in the back of the head as hard as he could with his guitar. Berry later told reporters that over the years Jagger had stolen a lot of his dance moves and he really didn’t appreciate it. Sounds like the old dude was messed up!

[@francispoivre8903]

@@CBrolley I guess no one stole your dance moves. You'll see when that happen to you if you'll stay calm and articulate.

[@henrygvidonas9573]

@@francispoivre8903 Too bad T-Bone Walker isn't around to discuss who stole what from whom, ey? Also Jagger learned his early moves almost exclusively from James Brown - until he discovered Tina Turner and became his 1969-and-onward self on stage by adapting her stuff. Jagger on stage up until 1967 -before the break from touring - and from 1969 onward was almost a completely different type of performer. He learned from the best and made it his own thing - that was just as good.

[@dennismason3740]

I saw Nils at the Whiskey Au' Go Go on Sunset in '74 or '75 and he was just a kid and he blew the house down. I don't even remember what band he was playing with that night. Maybe it was Crazy Horse without Neil. Maybe it was Grin, who knows. I'd rather hear him play than talk.

[@darkglobe111]

Would LOVE to see YES nominated!!!

[@francispoivre8903]

NO

[@brahmburgers]

great story, Nils. I could'a been a part of some of that R&R history, but I opted out at age 22 to join a yogi community. Before that, I'd been gigging since age 15 in clubs, fronted bands with horn sections, written, sang and arranged songs. ....but I dropped out. So why am I making this about me? Ego, I guess.

[@bcoal8772]

Funny, a number of years ago I met a guy who played bass in a band that backed Chuck Berry on a tour. He basically had the same story about Chuck.

[@PoppysGuitar]

Where is a clip of this damn it Nils

[@peteryoungpeteryoung965]

Chuck Berry had form for showing up other musicians at live gigs by changing key mid song. I saw him in Cardiff Wales back in the 80's, he had Dave Edmond's, Mickey Gee, Albert Lee on stage with him and did exactly the same to them. I was talking to them in the bar after the show, they said he turned up in a cab 15 mins before curtain up, with a guitar case, did a 45 min show then left the stage, demanded payment in cash, got in a cab and gone, never even said goodbye. What's more Rock n Roll than that?

[@Berniewahlbrinck]

That's not rock n roll, that's arrogant.

[@mcgurkryans]

Dude... the Who and Hendrix on the same night??! To have lived through the 60s...

[@brahmburgers]

I saw Led Zep when they were opening for the Who in Columbia MD. I think it was the Zep's first gig of their 1st US tour. 2nd row middle seats. An hour before the show, I didn't know I was going. Then a chick called me and asked if I had a car. I did. She said she had 2 tickets because her dad owned a radio station. Did I want to go? Ummmm.........

[@MrDeadsurfer]

I came to dance! It's a rhythm romance.

[@MD-lf3gt]

I once heard a story about Lou van Rees, who was in the old days a famous impresario in the Netherlands who once brought the Four Tops to Holland. He had to put up with their bad moods and impossible demands and occasional nastiness. At the end of the day they told him: “Lou we guess we were the worst people you ever had”. Lou said: No, that was Chuck Berry”. And the Four Tops said:”O no, that doesn’t count ‘cause he ain’t human”.

[@johnrowan7288]

Chuck walked off cause someone fucked up. Guaranteed. RIP Johnnybgood we're still listening.

[@peetyw8851]

Chuck didn’t go to jail for nothing. Bless him.

[@BeatlesCentricUniverse]

GREAT Chuck Berry story!!!!

[@paulsimmons5726]

Nil's Chuck Berry story was funny as could be.

[@CBrolley]

Nils’ Chuck Berry story is a graphic explanation as to why you really SHOULDN’T pay a performer before he finishes the gig.

[@dennisdownes9319]

With Chuck?? Maybe the best advice is to "respect the art; not the artist!" I will say the earlier RR Hall of Fame Johnny B Goode performance with the E Street Band is a flat-out classic!! DD

[@markkelly3859]

I think Chuck was saying to them "You THINK you are real pros, then follow me by ear." I'm sure any jazz player worth his salt could have done it. (My aunt, who no one knows, could follow singers' key changes on piano.) Chuck told Keith Richards he was wrong when he copied Chuck Berry licks. Yea, a little vindictive, but they made so much more money than him, who was one who started it all.

[@lawsonj39]

I heard that Chuck liked to play in weird horn keys like Eb and Bb. A friend of mine played behind Chuck once--Chuck would just pick up bands wherever he went, wouldn't take a band on the road with him--and my friend told me that they were playing along, got into an extended instrumental, and suddenly Chuck was yelling at my friend, "Hey, man, what song is this?" Just completely lost track.

[@PoppysGuitar]

where is a tape of this HOF Chuck debacle