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Thread: Eddie Cochran (Summertime Blues)

  1. #1
    radio_free_bg Guest

    Eddie Cochran (Summertime Blues)

    Hello everyone,

    I just registered today and am very happy Scott set up this message board for all us Death Hags. FAD is part of my morning routine along w/ Cnn.com and a nip of Scotch .

    The reason I decided to post is because I am the Librarian at Bell Gardens Intermediate School (formerly Bell Gardens Junior High), the school that Eddie Cochran attended as a young man in the early 50's. The school has remained pretty much unchanged since he attended here (a new bungalow here and there). The school was built by the WPA way back in 1939, and was also the place that John Force (NHRA race driver) attended as a child.

    What gets to me is that virtually nobody here knows this fact or for that matter who Eddie Cochran was (save for a random "Rockabilly" kid whose done his homework).

    Eddie Cochran was a contemporary of Elvis, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry and other musicians who were pioneers of the early Rock and Roll movement. His most famous songs include, "Summertime Blues" and "C'mon Everybody" (the latter being covered by Sid Vicious in the "Great Rock and Roll Swindle"). He probably would have been as big as Elvis had he not been killed in a car accident while on tour in Europe in 1960. Not surprisingly, he is known (and appreciated) more in Europe than in the United States.

    Eddie and his family lived in Bell Gardens up until the time of his death. His home stood until the early 1980's when the city of Bell Gardens razed in favor of building the Bicycle Club Casino. An even sadder fact is that the land where his house once stood has yet to be developed and is instead used as an overflow parking lot for the casino. The act of destroying historically significant building is nothing new here as the Lugo House was also razed in the early nineties (the home of the last Mexican governor of California) in favor of an apartment complex.

    I would love for Dave to do a story on Eddie since he really influenced many future Rock and Roll artists and is truly a Los Angeles Rock and Roll legend who was taken away way too soon. I can provide pictures of the BGI campus (including the auditorium in which Eddie performed as part of the Glee club) and have copies of the 1953 and 1954 yearbooks, both of which contain pictures of Eddie as a student.
    Dave, if you read this, then let me know if you interested.

    If any of you would like additional information on Eddie Cochran, then check this site out:

    http://www.eddiecochran.info/Index.html

    Thanks and I look forward to mingling with you all.
    Last edited by radio_free_bg; 10-10-2007 at 08:57 AM.

  2. #2
    .
    Last edited by Dan33185; 12-21-2010 at 01:52 AM.

  3. #3
    blair Guest
    Eddie was great. Here are a couple of videos I uploaded to YouTube of Eddie live in Compton just a few days after the Buddy Holly plane crash:

    C'mon Everybody
    Summertime Blues

  4. #4
    radio_free_bg Guest
    I agree. He is quite underrated. He managed to release a lot of material despite his short life. Here is something I recently discovered about Eddie via Wikipedia:

    "The Casio MT-40 home keyboard had a built-in pattern based on "Something Else". Because of this, a synthesizer version of the song's bassline ended up as the basis of one of the most popular Dancehall riddims of Jamaican music - the Sleng Teng riddim which started the "Digital Reggae" revolution in 1985."

    And yet the City of Bell Gardens destroys his home and seldom mentions him in city history.

    A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee.

    This is truly sad.

  5. #5
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    in one of the hendrix bios,jimi predicts they will play a lot of eddie cochran at his funeral,and the velvet underground should tip their hats....

  6. #6
    SuburbanDeathHag Guest
    Eddie Cochran was so good looking too! From what I've read, he seemed to be more famous in the U.K. Brian Setzer has that Eddie Cochran style, so cool. Eddie deserves a lot more recognition, he was an American origional.

  7. #7
    TNpuck Guest

    Eddie Cochran

    This guy was awesome. My first exposure to him was an album my father bought in France in the early '60's titled "Eddie Cochran: Remember Me" The back of the album was in French, but I could make enough out to know that he had died. My dad was a huge fan and always thought that had he lived he would have rivaled Elvis.

    I played that album so many times it should be worn out, but it's not and I still listen to it to this day. He was innovative much the same way Buddy Holly was, and if those two had lived, who knows where rock could have gone, but I have a feeling that they would have followed the artistic route of the Beatles, making rock music more of an art form.

  8. #8
    firegilnotguns Guest
    There's already a thread about Eddie Cochran here: http://www.findadeath.com/forum/showthread.php?t=77

  9. #9
    TNpuck Guest
    So? That just shows his greatness...two threads!

  10. #10
    firegilnotguns Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by TNpuck View Post
    So? That just shows his greatness...two threads!
    Just trying to cut down on duplicate threads.

    As posted on the "Duplicate Posts" thread by Nick, the administrator:

    Quote Originally Posted by Nick View Post
    You are certainly welcome to PM me with duplicate threads, but you don't need to go to that trouble. I recommend that one user just posts a link to the older thread (inside the new thread) with a polite "There is already a thread about this." That way, people will go to the old one.

    Right now, the community is still going through growing pains and will need some time to really figure everything out. Duplicate threads do get on some user's nerves and split up the conversation in a very counterproductive way, so I do go through and merge threads. Eventually, this won't happen as much, and someone that wants to read about a celebrity can find it all in one or two deep topics instead of spread out over seven or eight shallow/repetitive threads.

    Imagine if Scott posted a new bio every time he had something to add about a celebrity!

  11. #11
    lisalouver Guest
    Love Eddie! He is from Albert Lea, MN which is on the Iowa border. They do have "Eddie Cochran Days" every summer. I have never gone although it is a 2 hour dive or something similar.

    More usless trivia, but speaking of Brian Setzer, he lives here in Minneapolis with his wife now and is seen about town quite a bit!

  12. #12
    radio_free_bg Guest
    Just wanted to mention that I recently ran into a Bell Gardens old timer. He told me that Eddie used to get harassed a great deal around town due to him playing "the devil's music" and hanging with the black and Hispanic musicians. I never realized how strong Jim Crow was in So Cal. Needless to say, he hated being around town which is why he toured so much.

  13. #13
    Guest Guest

  14. #14
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    He's buried at the cemetery where I worked. His family wanted his burial location to be top secret. I remember having to take phone calls (and this was within the last 5 years) from people like us wanting to confirm his location. I couldn't though...but now that I'm now bound by the bonds of secrecy

    I'll get out there and take a pic of his headstone to post.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsvGs...feature=colike

    My own, personal, Dexter...

  15. #15
    Guest Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Morty View Post
    He's buried at the cemetery where I worked. His family wanted his burial location to be top secret. I remember having to take phone calls (and this was within the last 5 years) from people like us wanting to confirm his location. I couldn't though...but now that I'm now bound by the bonds of secrecy

    I'll get out there and take a pic of his headstone to post.
    Sounds mysterious, thanks Morty - looking forward to it

  16. #16
    BigBootyJudy Guest
    He was an awesome musician and his music is timeless Summetime Blues is still one of my favorites. I had an opportunity to get to know his Fiance, Sharon Sheeley who was a wonderful woman and also a talented songwriter in her own right. Her most notable song was "Poor Little Fool " which was recorded by Ricky Nelson. Sharon was in the fateful car accident which took Eddie's life and when he died she immediately puchased the plot next to Eddie at Forest Lawn. Sadly Sharon passed away on May 2002 from a cerebral hemorrage. She ultimately was not buried next to Eddie but a cenotaph is now in its place right next to the love of her life. Here are some pics


  17. #17
    BigBootyJudy Guest

    Talking

    Quote Originally Posted by Morty View Post
    He's buried at the cemetery where I worked. His family wanted his burial location to be top secret. I remember having to take phone calls (and this was within the last 5 years) from people like us wanting to confirm his location. I couldn't though...but now that I'm now bound by the bonds of secrecy

    I'll get out there and take a pic of his headstone to post.
    Hey Morty if possible could you get a pic of his and Sharon Sheeley's headstone (cenotaph) together? I would love you forever!

  18. #18
    GoTtheGigGLeS Guest
    Weren't Eddie and his girlfriend portrayed in "La Bamba"?

  19. #19
    BigBootyJudy Guest
    Yes, they were! Brian Setzer portrayed Eddie and Rosanna Locke portrayed Sharon

  20. #20
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    As promised...

    A church lady from my parents' congregation passed last week, and her viewing was at none other than FL CYP, so I paid my respects and snuck out to he cemetery and snapped this...


    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsvGs...feature=colike

    My own, personal, Dexter...

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by BigBootyJudy View Post
    Hey Morty if possible could you get a pic of his and Sharon Sheeley's headstone (cenotaph) together? I would love you forever!
    Dang, didn't see this til after I went. Actually, one of my major calls I got was someone trying to confirm whether or not she was buried next to him. "Sorry sir, I can neither confirm nor deny that..."

    I'll just have to go back, gotta have your love, forever
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsvGs...feature=colike

    My own, personal, Dexter...

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by lisalouver View Post
    Love Eddie! He is from Albert Lea, MN which is on the Iowa border. They do have "Eddie Cochran Days" every summer. I have never gone although it is a 2 hour dive or something similar.

    More usless trivia, but speaking of Brian Setzer, he lives here in Minneapolis with his wife now and is seen about town quite a bit!

    Yeppers! My grandparents were married in Albert Lea back in 1949, and that grandfather is buried in the same cemetery as Eddie...Forest Lawn in Cypress Ca...the same cemetery that Karen Carpenter used to be buried at...I think my grandfather was stalking poor Eddie!!! LOL!!!!
    It's hard to ride at night...on your bicycle with no lights to guide...just take a chance and ride. Olson and Louris

  23. #23
    Guest Guest
    Thanks for the picture of the grave Morty

  24. #24
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    But why wasn't she buried then?
    Some people just need a high five.... in the face.... with a chair...


  25. #25
    Hez Guest
    Eddie Cochran was in the Jayne Mansfield film The Girl Can't Help It. It's one of Paul McCartney's favourite films and he said he and John Lennon got a lot of their inspiration from Eddie's song in the film, Twenty Flight Rock.
    Last edited by Hez; 12-07-2009 at 11:29 AM. Reason: knackered keyboard!

  26. #26
    Nelliebean Guest

  27. #27
    Nelliebean Guest

  28. #28
    Nelliebean Guest

  29. #29
    Nelliebean Guest

  30. #30
    Nelliebean Guest


  31. #31
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    Dayum, he was a hottie!!! H-O-T!!!
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsvGs...feature=colike

    My own, personal, Dexter...

  32. #32
    .
    Last edited by Dan33185; 12-21-2010 at 01:10 AM.

  33. #33
    Rudy's Girl Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Nelliebean View Post



    Could someone tell me more details about the accident? How did it happen? Who was in the car with him and was he the only one who died? Such a nice looking guy....

  34. #34
    steve6 Guest

    accident

    some good info about the crash here. there was another good link, but I couldn't readily find it. You can tell from the photos above that the vehicle was a typical ford, albeit the british/canadian version (called a consul as opposed to a fairlane or whatever.)

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Cochran




    Quote Originally Posted by EthelMertz View Post
    Could someone tell me more details about the accident? How did it happen? Who was in the car with him and was he the only one who died? Such a nice looking guy....

  35. #35
    1karenhb Guest
    Thanks for the great pics Dan!

  36. #36
    zamboni Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by lisalouver View Post
    Love Eddie! He is from Albert Lea, MN which is on the Iowa border. They do have "Eddie Cochran Days" every summer. I have never gone although it is a 2 hour dive or something similar.

    More usless trivia, but speaking of Brian Setzer, he lives here in Minneapolis with his wife now and is seen about town quite a bit!


    Yeah Albert Lea is fairly close to where I am at. The Austin/Albert Lea area is hometowns of many celebrities- John Madden, Eddie Cochran and Marion Ross from Happy Days to name a few. Don't forget SPAM!

  37. #37
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    What a sexy man! I always loved his music. How sad that he died so young. RIP.

  38. #38
    Rudy's Girl Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by steve6 View Post
    some good info about the crash here. there was another good link, but I couldn't readily find it. You can tell from the photos above that the vehicle was a typical ford, albeit the british/canadian version (called a consul as opposed to a fairlane or whatever.)

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Cochran



    Thank you!

  39. #39
    GuiltyLittleDeathHag Guest
    Incredibly eerie that he recored the song "Three Stars" for Buddy Holly, Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens because he was so upset over their deaths in a plane crash and then not so long after (Was it a year?) he dies in a car crash...Seems Hollywood is full of these eerie tragedies.

  40. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vlad View Post
    A fine looking lad! I love his music and I wish he never died so young. Last weekend I sung (well I use that word loosely) She's Something Else on Karaoke and it was rather fun!

  41. #41
    orionova Guest
    Last Saturday (18 April) was the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Eddie Cochran. BBC Radio 2 did a special Sounds of the Sixties episode to mark the occasion, and it is available here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006wqlv until Saturday morning.

  42. #42
    slw Guest
    Originally Posted by Nelliebean


    Why do the pictures of the accident show what looks to be the same car but with different colour roof on each?

  43. #43
    Nelliebean Guest
    Lighting.

  44. #44
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    Just wanted to add (my usual nonsensical) two bits. I didn't realize Cochran had that Setzer thing going on until I looked more closely.
    Also, I think Setzer did an AMAZING job doing him on LaBamba.

    /doing him? Did I say that?
    //Would've hit that like the fist of an angry god
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    I am the master of my fate:
    I am the captain of my soul! (Invictus)
    (And Timothy McVeigh's last words...)

  45. #45
    Forever-27 Guest
    I never liked his stuff a lot. But the who did a cover of his song summertime blues.. it took me a long time to really appricate his music. But it sure says something if the who liked him enough to Cover one of his songs.

  46. #46
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    The Sex Pistols (with Sid Vicious singing) did pretty decent versions of Eddie's "C'mon Everbody" and "Something Else" on the - at times - underated "Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle" album. In fact Sidney would have made a not too bad rock singer if he hadn't been so F'd up, then died!

  47. #47
    deanfan Guest
    R.I.P. Eddie.

  48. #48
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    And as I opened this thread, "Summertime Blues" instantly started playing in my head.

    RIP Eddie Cochran
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Didn't know that was a thing...

  49. #49
    deanfan Guest
    Supposedly, this is next to Eddie's cenotaph.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

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  50. #50
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    Click image for larger version. 

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    Eddie was always one of my faves when I was small.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    "Uh, Ah don't wanna be rude 'n' interrupt the shoot but could one a y'all c'mere n tie this hammock up? My backside is hittin' the floor."

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