Instrument smashing and abuse

The Who began this practice back in the 60`s. I loved to see Kieth Moon`s drum kit explode or Pete Townshend shove the neck of his valuable Gibson Les into a Marshal stack while the roadies were desparately trying to save as much equipment as possible. I remember Ritche Blackmore attacking a camera man with his strat at one of the Califirnia Jams. Jimi Hendrix putting a Strat out it`s misery either bu just smashing the crap out of it or burning it on stage. The cult destroyed more than 77,000 Australian Dollars worth of equipment at the conclusion of a tour back in the 80`s in Australia. Their manager commented to the press " The band was tired. " Kieth Emerson has wrecked more than a few Hammond Organs using various methods. I saw one in a Hard Rock Cafe beaten and battered. I asked the manager if I could touch it. It sent chills up my spine. One of the most famous rock photos comes from the cover of the Clash album London Calling.

Just wondering what members of the site think of this practice. I once smashed a drum kit and felt rather good about it although I cannot really describe why. It was a feeling of relief. So I want to know what all you psychologists out there think.

Yea, I seem to vaguely understand what's so cool to watch and to just smash your instruments. Personally I like treasure my instruments more than I would like to destroy them.

Though I guess the act of destroying your instruments is the ultimate expression of self-sacrifice and how you feel about your art form. It depends on how you look at things when you're doing the act. Perhaps it's giving out your frustrations with the instrument. Or perhaps it's an expression of superiority over something that we can only sit and admire at.

There's something almost mystical about Jimi Hendrix burning his guitar. And something almost irresistibly maniacal about Keith Emerson stabbing his organ.

I always believed it's stupid to waste valuable equipment.

Iván

I think it's silly, and just for show purposes.

I don't know if somebody noticed but in The Kids Are Alright DVD, you can see Pete Townsend quickly switches guitar before the closing track.

Did he broke a cheaper piece of equipment?

Iván

Rob The Plant wrote: ivan_2068 wrote: I don't know if somebody noticed but in The Kids Are Alright DVD, you can see Pete Townsend quickly switches guitar before the closing track. Did he broke a cheaper piece of equipment? Iván Scandal!

  

I dont really like the practice to be honest. Its a waste especially if the instruments are expensive and hand made.

In one band I was (playing drums) our guitarist decided he going to do a 'Pete Townsend' at the end of one gig. Totally unplanned! He turned around and drove his Strat (copy) into my drums. He f***ed his guitar up, but my drums lived. I was quite annoyed with him  The crowd barely reacted.

At another gig with the same band he hurled his real Strat into the crowd in rage at the end of the gig. We had been stitched up by the club manager, so I guess it was his silly rock 'n' roll protest. No one was hurt by the flying guitar...There was no one there Thats how we were stiched up. On the way out that night he almost put a brick through the promoters car windscreen too, but we talked him out of it. I left the band shortly afterwards, and his marriage fell apart after he trashed a San Fransisco hotel room following a row with his wife. We have not spoken for some years. Lunatic, but thats computer programmers for you..

The practice is just cliched cheap theatre and looks ridiculous these days.

The Who still playing "My Generation" is pretty ridiculous too!

I've fired my organ in a few fields Frenchie!

ivan_2068 wrote: <SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-ansi-: EN-US">I don't know if somebody noticed but in The Kids Are Alright DVD, you can see Pete Townsend quickly switches guitar before the closing track.<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN> <SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-ansi-: EN-US">Did he broke a cheaper piece of equipment?<o:p></o:p></SPAN> <SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-ansi-: ES; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-: ES; mso-bidi-: AR-SA">Iván</SPAN>

Quite possibly - back in about 1981 or 1982, I saw Blackmore's Rainbow, and at the climax he trashed the Strat into a Marshall stack - all very sad, you may say, but here's sadder.....

From my position, I could see a 'special' Marshall brought out on stage, and a quick guitar change....

The whole practice is mere "entertainment", no self respecting guitarist would do so for their 'art', no matter how far up their own jacksie they may be. I firmly believe those who cheer/encourage such dubious shenanigans are none but sheep, being led by the nose by a musician too bored/jaded to impress merely by playing.