Joan Baez

**bob_32_116** · 08-23-2015

Any fans? Anyone seen her in concert?

She is performing in Perth at the end of September. I have already bitten the bullet and booked, so I hope not too many PE members chime in saying her concerts are disappointing.

It's not very often in this town that you get the chance to see someone who can be called a musical icon. I've always wanted to see/hear Joni Mitchell in concert but that looks unlikely to happen now... seen Brian Wilson... really feel I should take the opportunity to see the other Joanie.

**progeezer** · 08-23-2015

I've seen her twice. Once last year here in Madison, where she was surprisingly good. I haven't bought any of her music in over 40 odd years, but she was, as you say, an icon of a generation, and not just in the US, and like you, that's what compelled me to go. I'll wager you'll enjoy it.

The other time I saw her was in 1962, a mere 52 years ago, at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium in Queens, NY. She brought out a scruffy kid who at the time nobody knew much about. He sang 3 of his songs, "Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall", "Masters Of War" & "Blowin' In The Wind" (which she sang harmony on).

Didn't take long before everyone knew who he was.

**Vic2012** · 08-23-2015

Not a fan but my folkie brother had some her records. I sorta had a crush on her.

**JKL2000** · 08-23-2015

LOL. My father in law had a crush on her too. I sort of don't want to like her but she's good. My wife loves the album Diamonds & Rust. I used to hate it and finally came to like it.

**Vic2012** · 08-23-2015

I think Judas Priest covered one of her songs.

**AncientChord** · 08-23-2015

Saw her in the lobby of Burbank Airport here in California a few years ago. Tried to talk to her nicely, but she was stand-offish and as cold as ice. So I turned around and left her alone. I think much less of her now from that experience. She has her place for sure in American folk history, just too bad she has her head up her ass!

**ronmac** · 08-23-2015

Originally Posted by Vic2012

I think Judas Priest covered one of her songs.

The aforementioned "Diamonds & Rust."

I think she's great. A bit too much vibrato in her voice for some, though. I bet she still brings it, though.

**spellbound** · 08-23-2015

Great songs. Lovely voice. I'd go.

**bob_32_116** · 08-24-2015

Originally Posted by AncientChord

Saw her in the lobby of Burbank Airport here in California a few years ago. Tried to talk to her nicely, but she was stand-offish and as cold as ice. So I turned around and left her alone. I think much less of her now from that experience. She has her place for sure in American folk history, just too bad she has her head up her ass!

I'm not going to question your version of events, because you were there and I wasn't. I will say though that it must be quite hard for celebrities when they meet fans in public, who are strangers to them. She was probably on a tight schedule; it's probably the twentieth time that day that someone approached her and tried to make small talk; she was probably tired of signing autographs; you may have been the unlucky one that came along when she was just craving a few minutes to herself. And there are nutters out there, among the fans; they always have to be a little aloof and on their guard.

It's a bit like whan the queen goes on tour. Each person in the crowd only sees her for a few seconds, waves and wonders why she didn't give a personal smile and wave, directed straight back at him/her. To HRH it's just a sea of faces. I've long suspected that it's not actually her hand that you see waving from the carriage window - it's a mechanical prop.

**Oreb** · 08-24-2015

Originally Posted by AncientChord

Tried to talk to her nicely, but she was stand-offish and as cold as ice. So I turned around and left her alone. I think much less of her now from that experience. She has her place for sure in American folk history, just too bad she has her head up her ass!

She 'has her head up her ass' because she wasn't all gushy over a total stranger? Jesus.

Saw her in Brisbane last year - a fantastic concert (with some really fine stuff dedicated to asylum seekers). And we are going again this year. You are in for a treat.

**R_burke** · 08-24-2015

FWIW - I used to live in Palo Alto and Joan lived up in the hills and was in town often. She was always friendly and acknowledged people but we were always polite and simply said hello and didn't expect her to stop and talk or shake hands. As to her music I enjoy her voice and think she has done some good stuff, she's not my favorite folk singer, but seeing her live is worth it.

**JJ88** · 08-24-2015

progeezer should write a book!

Watching Woodstock again earlier in the year I was struck by how powerful (what we see of) her performance was.

**BigSixFan** · 08-24-2015

Originally Posted by Vic2012

I think Judas Priest covered one of her songs.

Yes. They took an absolutely haunting Diamonds and Rust, and turned it into heavy metal screaming. Halfway through the song, I took the needle off the album and vowed never to give judas Priest a moment of my time. Indeed, I was so traumatized by their bastardization of a beautiful song, it gave me a strong dislike of heavy metal. Unfair, I know...

Bob

**Dave (in MA)** · 08-24-2015

Originally Posted by AncientChord

Saw her in the lobby of Burbank Airport here in California a few years ago. Tried to talk to her nicely, but she was stand-offish and as cold as ice. So I turned around and left her alone. I think much less of her now from that experience. She has her place for sure in American folk history, just too bad she has her head up her ass!

If you ever see Fripp at the airport, run up and give him a big hug. He loves that!

**AncientChord** · 08-24-2015

Originally Posted by Dave (in MA)

If you ever see Fripp at the airport, run up and give him a big hug. He loves that!

Funny Dave! I did meet Quentin Tarantino at the Burbank Airport where I work prior to Django Unchained. He was very approachable and cool. When I told him of my love of Spaghetti Westerns and Ennio Morricone, his eyes lit up, and a conversation ensued. I asked him about the rumors of him making an homage to the SW genre, and as he got into his limo, he smiled, winked and said "You never know what you might get when you dream." Well look where he's been since then. Dreams can come true!

**bob_32_116** · 08-24-2015

^^ Quentin Tarantino is into Steven Wilson? That's a surprise.

**bob_32_116** · 08-24-2015

Originally Posted by BigSixFan

Yes. They took an absolutely haunting Diamonds and Rust, and turned it into heavy metal screaming. Halfway through the song, I took the needle off the album and vowed never to give judas Priest a moment of my time. Indeed, I was so traumatized by their bastardization of a beautiful song, it gave me a strong dislike of heavy metal. Unfair, I know...

Bob

It still mystifies me why, with so much other music available, anyone would choose to listen to heavy metal. There are only so many seconds in a lifetiime.

**ronmac** · 08-24-2015

Originally Posted by bob_32_116

It still mystifies me why, with so much other music available, anyone would choose to listen to heavy metal. There are only so many seconds in a lifetiime.

Seriously? There's some pretty damned good heavy metal out there. Not much, but some.

**Vic2012** · 08-24-2015

Originally Posted by bob_32_116

It still mystifies me why, with so much other music available, anyone would choose to listen to heavy metal. There are only so many seconds in a lifetiime.

It mystifies me too. Somehow I've become metal nut. I could list all the great hard/rock, metal bands I like, but I blame it on AC/DC and Metallica.

**JKL2000** · 08-24-2015

Originally Posted by bob_32_116

It still mystifies me why, with so much other music available, anyone would choose to listen to heavy metal. There are only so many seconds in a lifetiime.

Metal covers quite a wide range of music. Or at least Metal bands do.

**Progbear** · 08-24-2015

Check out Baptism. What a strange album that is (a collaboration with Peter “P. D. Q. Bach” Schickele, fact fans).

**bob_32_116** · 08-25-2015

Thank you to all those recommending me to check out this or that heavy metal track because it might change my mind. The bottom line is, though, that having heard lots of the genre one way or another over the years, and loating 99% of it, I think that tells me something. Sure I keep an open mind, in the sense that if I happen to hear a heavy metal song that really blows me away I will appreciate it, but investing the time looking for it would seem a little silly on my part.

Funny how when someone loves a certain kind of music they find it impossible to understand why others don't love it also.

**JJ88** · 08-25-2015

Originally Posted by bob_32_116

Funny how when someone loves a certain kind of music they find it impossible to understand why others don't love it also.

Because you yourself questioned why anybody else would love it:

Originally Posted by bob_32_116

It still mystifies me why, with so much other music available, anyone would choose to listen to heavy metal. There are only so many seconds in a lifetiime.

**ronmac** · 08-25-2015

Originally Posted by bob_32_116

Thank you to all those recommending me to check out this or that heavy metal track because it might change my mind. The bottom line is, though, that having heard lots of the genre one way or another over the years, and loating 99% of it, I think that tells me something. Sure I keep an open mind, in the sense that if I happen to hear a heavy metal song that really blows me away I will appreciate it, but investing the time looking for it would seem a little silly on my part.

Iron Maiden's second release is a good place to hang.