Ongoing History of New Music

Ongoing History Daily: Electrocuting Dave Grohl

Musical instruments and PA gear is much, much safer than they used to be.

George Harrison, Moby, and Keith Richards all report having received strong electrical shocks onstage.

In 1972, Les Harvey of a Scottish band called Stone the Crow died when he touched his mic with wet hands. Then in 2017, a French singer named Barbara Weldens was electrocuted by onstage gear that may have malfunctioned due to some storms in the area. She didn’t make it.

Even Dave Grohl had a very close call. He was playing a corporate gig with the Foo Fighters in Las Vegas next to a pool. At one point, he invited the whole audience to jump in with him. When he returned to the stage, a very wet Dave was handed his guitar. When he stepped on his distortion pedal that sent a signal through his guitar and ZZZZZAPPP! He was lucky nothing fatal happened.

The last post explored the odd relationship between the pandemic and noise.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 39691 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

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