70s Rock Stars in their parents' homes
November 29, 2008 6:05 PM Subscribe
70s Rock Stars in their parents' homes (via BuzzFeed)
what a great idea! most of the parents have more design sense than i expected (or maybe they hired someone to do up their houses when their kids got rich and bought them news ones?).
70's houses rarely looked like that in my experience...cool to see though and the contrast between the kids and the parents is neat.
posted by Maias at 6:18 PM on November 29, 2008
70's houses rarely looked like that in my experience...cool to see though and the contrast between the kids and the parents is neat.
posted by Maias at 6:18 PM on November 29, 2008
No doubt the Jackson 5 in their original, tiny house in Gary would have made for an even more interesting photo.
posted by paisley henosis at 6:23 PM on November 29, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by paisley henosis at 6:23 PM on November 29, 2008 [1 favorite]
That is so fascinating, it strains the mind's capacity for judging causality to look at the generations like that. A real time capsule.
posted by kaspen at 6:27 PM on November 29, 2008
posted by kaspen at 6:27 PM on November 29, 2008
Saw this first at MetaChat!
Zappa's parent's purple wall is all kinds of win.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:29 PM on November 29, 2008
Zappa's parent's purple wall is all kinds of win.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:29 PM on November 29, 2008
Oh sweet baby jebus, David Crosby isn't the son of Bing? I no longer know what or whom to believe. Someone hold me.
posted by DU at 6:45 PM on November 29, 2008 [3 favorites]
posted by DU at 6:45 PM on November 29, 2008 [3 favorites]
Oh sweet baby jebus, David Crosby isn't the son of Bing? I no longer know what or whom to believe. Someone hold me.
No, but his father lived in a Usonian, apparently.
posted by nosila at 6:49 PM on November 29, 2008
No, but his father lived in a Usonian, apparently.
posted by nosila at 6:49 PM on November 29, 2008
Yah, I saw it at MetaChat as well. I mentioned there that I thought the photography was well done, but I had no idea who had done it. It's cool seeing the interview of the guy. That photo of Frank Zappa with his parents, wearing the colors he is, is awesome. The expression on his face is perfect even. Awesome.
posted by Eekacat at 6:51 PM on November 29, 2008
posted by Eekacat at 6:51 PM on November 29, 2008
David Crosby isn't the son of Bing?
I always assumed he was the son of Yosemite Sam.
posted by jonmc at 7:03 PM on November 29, 2008 [7 favorites]
I always assumed he was the son of Yosemite Sam.
posted by jonmc at 7:03 PM on November 29, 2008 [7 favorites]
his father lived in a Usonian
And now people seem to be talking some whole other language! I'm in a spinning hall of mirrors with no escape!
posted by DU at 7:05 PM on November 29, 2008 [1 favorite]
And now people seem to be talking some whole other language! I'm in a spinning hall of mirrors with no escape!
posted by DU at 7:05 PM on November 29, 2008 [1 favorite]
Do Elton's mother's boots have the same pattern as her top? Hello legs!
posted by furtive at 7:21 PM on November 29, 2008
posted by furtive at 7:21 PM on November 29, 2008
Oh sweet baby jebus, David Crosby isn't the son of Bing?
No, he is not. But it is not too surprising that you didn't realize that Floyd was his father. That photo is actually the last known photo ever taken of David Crosby's father. Note how David struggles to suppress his salivations as he looks hungrily at Floyd.
It was shortly after that photo was taken that David Crosby is believed to have eaten his father.
posted by flarbuse at 7:33 PM on November 29, 2008 [2 favorites]
No, he is not. But it is not too surprising that you didn't realize that Floyd was his father. That photo is actually the last known photo ever taken of David Crosby's father. Note how David struggles to suppress his salivations as he looks hungrily at Floyd.
It was shortly after that photo was taken that David Crosby is believed to have eaten his father.
posted by flarbuse at 7:33 PM on November 29, 2008 [2 favorites]
I have in my possession a copy of Wavy Gravy's dad's self-published memoir, "An Old Man Who Feels Good." And it's just fantastic. I hadn't thought about it for a while, but now I'm thinking that I should get permission to scan it.
posted by freshwater_pr0n at 7:36 PM on November 29, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by freshwater_pr0n at 7:36 PM on November 29, 2008 [1 favorite]
Wow freshwater_pr0n. Back when I was living in Davis, I remember seeing old Wavy Gravy announce at the Whole Earth Festival there. Of course dressed in a clown suit because, in his words, "you never hear a bunch of rednecks say 'let's go kick ass on some clowns.'"
posted by Eekacat at 7:47 PM on November 29, 2008
posted by Eekacat at 7:47 PM on November 29, 2008
Here is a placard that memorializes one of David Crosby's later residences.
posted by Tube at 7:52 PM on November 29, 2008
posted by Tube at 7:52 PM on November 29, 2008
wow. Those images are marvelous in so many ways. The contrast between the generations is mind-boggling and mostly painful. The older folks for the most part look so deeply square. It's amazing to see Grace Slick and her mother, Crosby and his dad. ouch.
Then there is that shared snakeskin boots thing going on with Elton John and his mother which seems like they were siblings rather than parent and child.
Zappa and his parents seem at ease somehow, convey a loving unity. Donovan and his parents too. Clapton and his gran is a touching image. She looks grateful, full of love.
Really enjoyed that. Thanks mattholomew.
posted by nickyskye at 8:45 PM on November 29, 2008
Then there is that shared snakeskin boots thing going on with Elton John and his mother which seems like they were siblings rather than parent and child.
Zappa and his parents seem at ease somehow, convey a loving unity. Donovan and his parents too. Clapton and his gran is a touching image. She looks grateful, full of love.
Really enjoyed that. Thanks mattholomew.
posted by nickyskye at 8:45 PM on November 29, 2008
Crosby's dad was anything but square. All this joking aside, Floyd Crosby was the brilliant, innovative cinematographer of classics like High Noon and Tabu, as well as a gazillion campy films like Attack of the Crab Monsters.
posted by digaman at 9:03 PM on November 29, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by digaman at 9:03 PM on November 29, 2008 [1 favorite]
(And for what it's worth, after helping to put together Crosby's box set Voyage and knowing the man, I thought I'd seen almost every "major" photograph of him, until the Life magazine archive containing these pictures came online at Google Images the other day. I immediately sent this image to Crosby, and his wife Jan hadn't seen it either.)
posted by digaman at 9:07 PM on November 29, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by digaman at 9:07 PM on November 29, 2008 [1 favorite]
Teach your children well,
Their father's hell did slowly go by,
And feed them on your dreams
The one they picked, the one you'll know by.
Don't you ever ask them why, if they told you, you would cry,
So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.
posted by Sailormom at 10:33 PM on November 29, 2008
Their father's hell did slowly go by,
And feed them on your dreams
The one they picked, the one you'll know by.
Don't you ever ask them why, if they told you, you would cry,
So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.
posted by Sailormom at 10:33 PM on November 29, 2008
Crosby's dad was anything but square. All this joking aside, Floyd Crosby was the brilliant, innovative cinematographer of classics like High Noon and Tabu, as well as a gazillion campy films like Attack of the Crab Monsters.
You can kinda tell he's a cool old cat by the way he's totally not freaking out at all in the presence of his son, who kinda looks like he just stepped out of a western. That's easily my favorite picture out of the bunch.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 10:44 PM on November 29, 2008
You can kinda tell he's a cool old cat by the way he's totally not freaking out at all in the presence of his son, who kinda looks like he just stepped out of a western. That's easily my favorite picture out of the bunch.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 10:44 PM on November 29, 2008
Eekacatremembers Wavy Gravy addressing a crowd in a clown suit because you never hear a bunch of rednecks say "let's go kick ass on some clowns."
This post, and Eekacat's comment, reminded me of Jeremy Taylor, an old friend of the family. Jeremy was a rock star intellectual, the most profoundly well-read, enlightened anarchist I've ever had the pleasure to meet.
He also happens to be an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister.
Jeremy walked to the front of the U.U. congregation one morning. I couldn't have been older than ten at the time, but I'll never forget it. He placed himself primly behind the pulpit, smartly attired in a sober, conventional, three-piece gray wool suit.
The first words out of his mouth were: "the more extreme the message, the more conservative one should appear." Naturally, things progressed from there, but that moment resurfaces for me every time the human side of "rock & roll" comes up.
posted by Graygorey at 10:57 PM on November 29, 2008 [3 favorites]
This post, and Eekacat's comment, reminded me of Jeremy Taylor, an old friend of the family. Jeremy was a rock star intellectual, the most profoundly well-read, enlightened anarchist I've ever had the pleasure to meet.
He also happens to be an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister.
Jeremy walked to the front of the U.U. congregation one morning. I couldn't have been older than ten at the time, but I'll never forget it. He placed himself primly behind the pulpit, smartly attired in a sober, conventional, three-piece gray wool suit.
The first words out of his mouth were: "the more extreme the message, the more conservative one should appear." Naturally, things progressed from there, but that moment resurfaces for me every time the human side of "rock & roll" comes up.
posted by Graygorey at 10:57 PM on November 29, 2008 [3 favorites]
Not, however, the homes they actually GREW UP in. Jackson 5 in Encino? The hell?
posted by ethnomethodologist at 11:03 PM on November 29, 2008
posted by ethnomethodologist at 11:03 PM on November 29, 2008
Nice song, sailormom. It's Graham's, though, not David's.
posted by digaman at 11:26 PM on November 29, 2008
posted by digaman at 11:26 PM on November 29, 2008
Aw, Clapton's mom got out the best silver for the shoot, bless her.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 11:37 PM on November 29, 2008
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 11:37 PM on November 29, 2008
Whoops, grandmother, that is.
Seconding how completely different Clapton looks. Even after I drew a beard and glass on him with a Sharpie over my monitor.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 11:40 PM on November 29, 2008
Seconding how completely different Clapton looks. Even after I drew a beard and glass on him with a Sharpie over my monitor.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 11:40 PM on November 29, 2008
I couldn't help but think of Alex and his mom and step dad either. Tthat lighthouse keeper song in the background. Creepy .
posted by joelf at 12:02 AM on November 30, 2008
posted by joelf at 12:02 AM on November 30, 2008
It was shortly after that photo was taken that David Crosby is believed to have eaten his father.
It was self-defense and inspired the song Almost Cut My Heir.
posted by hal9k at 3:11 AM on November 30, 2008 [1 favorite]
It was self-defense and inspired the song Almost Cut My Heir.
posted by hal9k at 3:11 AM on November 30, 2008 [1 favorite]
The Donovan household, the Crosby household (and I seem to remember my parents) have the same rug.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:57 AM on November 30, 2008
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:57 AM on November 30, 2008
Slight aside: someone in the comments section points out that none of the living rooms have television sets in them. That's what make these photos period pieces.
posted by spoobnooble at 6:26 AM on November 30, 2008
posted by spoobnooble at 6:26 AM on November 30, 2008
spoobnoobie, as someone who very much lived through the 70s and is astounded to this day that i actually made it through, i can tell you without reservation that televisions were very much a part of that period. my suspicion is that these were the 'formal' living rooms, not the areas where they spent a lot of time.
posted by msconduct at 8:02 AM on November 30, 2008
posted by msconduct at 8:02 AM on November 30, 2008
It's funny how a super-high-achieving child can turn a fully functioning older person into a prop or a curiosity. Knowing what I do about Crosby's dad, I wish Life would have spent more time humanizing the parents and telling a little more about who they were. (We just see photos here, but I remember the piece from seeing it in a junk store a couple years ago. It's pretty much just a photo essay.)
Also, Grace Slick is pregnant in that photo. Here's a great follow up photo from Life of Grammy, Grace, and baby China in the backyard.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 9:07 AM on November 30, 2008
Also, Grace Slick is pregnant in that photo. Here's a great follow up photo from Life of Grammy, Grace, and baby China in the backyard.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 9:07 AM on November 30, 2008
The Zappa one just made me happy. His parents look so normal, but as was said above, there's a love in that picture. Gives me hope.
posted by Hactar at 9:14 AM on November 30, 2008
posted by Hactar at 9:14 AM on November 30, 2008
On the Zappa wall - the painting that became the cover art for Alice Cooper's first album, "Pretties for You".
posted by davebush at 9:26 AM on November 30, 2008
posted by davebush at 9:26 AM on November 30, 2008
From this link you can see the higher resolution images and additional ones that weren't included in the post.
posted by o0o0o at 10:23 AM on November 30, 2008 [3 favorites]
posted by o0o0o at 10:23 AM on November 30, 2008 [3 favorites]
"I am Frank Zappa. I take care of the place while the master is away."
posted by The Whelk at 12:47 PM on November 30, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by The Whelk at 12:47 PM on November 30, 2008 [1 favorite]
I wanted to post nearly everything on Blort the day this was up there. Love it.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 2:46 PM on November 30, 2008
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 2:46 PM on November 30, 2008
Fuck, Clapton looks different.
That was my reaction, too. Until I looked at Clapton. Then I realied that my mental version of Clapton's face looks little like the real man. I have no idea why.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 2:51 PM on November 30, 2008
That was my reaction, too. Until I looked at Clapton. Then I realied that my mental version of Clapton's face looks little like the real man. I have no idea why.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 2:51 PM on November 30, 2008
I know these aren't necessarily the homes they grew up in, but I am still struck by the air of respectability in both the homes and the parents. There was a girl in my high school who had transferred in because she had been kicked out of her previous school. She wore a brown leather vest and beaded moccasins and cultivated a rebellious stoner image. My group of friends, all children of divorced/alcoholic/abusive/etc. parents, immediately took her in, and one day she invited me over to her house after school. I thought it would be the usual scene and was absolutely gobsmacked to find myself being served lemonade and cookies by her stay-at-home mom at a table next to their in-ground pool. That's what these pictures remind me of.
posted by HotToddy at 6:03 PM on November 30, 2008
posted by HotToddy at 6:03 PM on November 30, 2008
Me: So, I thought David Crosby was the son of Bing. Because of the right ages, same...last...name... Why are you looking like that?
Mrs U: Black vs white?
Me: What
Mrs U: Isn't Bing Crosby black?
Me: Not that I know of....
Mrs U: Oh, I think I'm thinking of whatshisname. Natalie Cole's father.
Me: Nat King Cole?
Mrs U: King, Bing. Whatever.
posted by DU at 6:41 PM on November 30, 2008
Mrs U: Black vs white?
Me: What
Mrs U: Isn't Bing Crosby black?
Me: Not that I know of....
Mrs U: Oh, I think I'm thinking of whatshisname. Natalie Cole's father.
Me: Nat King Cole?
Mrs U: King, Bing. Whatever.
posted by DU at 6:41 PM on November 30, 2008
I remember these from the original article, particularly the one of Clapton and his Gran.
posted by timeistight at 10:24 AM on December 1, 2008
posted by timeistight at 10:24 AM on December 1, 2008
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posted by gman at 6:09 PM on November 29, 2008