If you had the ability to travel back in time, where would you go and what would you do to alter Rock history?

Question

hookerln - I see you point to some extent, as it's quite obvious. But I've often wondered what kind of music Jimi Hendrix would have recorded/produced had he lived, or whether or not Led Zeppelin would have released another dull album, or...you get my point.
And by the way, funk was around long before disco.

Answer 1

Hmmm... I think I've come to this question a bit late, but...

I'd certainly leave Buddy Holly alone.
No death of Buddy, no Don McLean writing 'American Pie'!

Death Prevention :~

I'd have sat Nick Drake down with a cup of tea and got him to talk about all the things that were on his mind. We'd have worked through his stage-fright and delt with the depression.

I'd have also got Sandy Denny to join us ~ she was another performer with on-stage nerves. I'd have taken her pills away and made her stay in a bungalow.

And I'd have made Robert Palmer go for an ECG ~ maybe they'd have caught that heart-attack in time.

Oh, and I'd try to save Keith Moon, because The Who could have carried on to greater things with him {Kenny Jones was ok, but he's no Keith!}.


Other Stuff :~

I'd have got Nick and Sandy writing and singing together ~ their styles would have matched perfectly.
And I'd have persuaded Nick to cover a little song called 'When the Levee Breaks'!

I'd have stopped off at Woodstock and the Isle of Wight ~ purely for selfish reasons!

I'd have popped into the Record Plant while Fleetwood Mac were recording 'Rumours' and told them "John, make that bass solo in 'The Chain' l-o-n-g-e-r! Stevie, the end on 'Gold Dust Woman' needs to be darker than it is. And when you do find a place to put 'Silver Springs', go with the 6+ min outtake, not the 4:30 version".
I'd then catch-up with them recording 'Tusk', and say "You need to make 'Sisters of the Moon' a bit longer and darker, and please perform it live ~ the audience will love it"

Answer 2

Ah, this one used to plague me more than it seems to now. My answer: obviously, I'd have to save some of our more gifted artists that aren't with us anymore. Jimi comes to mind initially. I have the feeling that he would be more of a straight-ahead blues player now; he seemed to be heading more in that direction recording-wise, and most personal accounts back that up. I would just be happy to still be hearing his arrangements and lyric phrasings.
John Lennon passed my mind briefly, but I really wonder if we would be hearing more music or politics from him.
There would be others, obviously, but how would things be now if a lot of these people were still with us? We always assume that life would be better if we saved someone in history. Having anything in history change might ultimately be for the worse.

*Edit* Thought Just In: I would go back and stop the insanity occurring at Altamont Speedway. As far as I'm concerned, that was the death knell for The Summer of Love.

Answer 3

I would go back a few years and do away with all these new bands and "self proclaimed artists" coming out. For example; My Chemical Romance, Yellow Card, Chris Brown, Kanye West, J.Lo, Britney Spears, Daughtry, Black Eye Peas. Then, kidnap all the major record label presidents and brainwash them not to ever EVER sign some of this crap that has plagued my radio for the past ten to fifteen years. And after all that has been accomplished, castrate the dude that said "Hey, let's put some kind of show on MTV, and call it reality".

Edit- And these guys that say they wouldn't do anything are full of it. If it was possible they, would be one of the one's in line just like the rest of us.

Answer 4

I wouldn't as the tragedies that occurred though which weren't many, managed to a certain extent mould and enrich the course of rock history itself.
Read some answers already and I disagree on Hendrix as he was a non conformist. All that he wanted to do is music but couldn't and wouldn't compromise with the recording labels, contracts etc.. Had to do it his own way except he would not end up with that stupid German girlfriend that he had on the night of his death. Monika Engelman (did I get her name right?) gave him some wine which resulted into his choking. She though that it was a right remedy. She should have called in an ambulance but she dillied and dallied. But if it wasn't she somebody else would have taken her place. Maybe he would have lived longer but I'm sure that he would have burnt out himself quickly on a concotion of music & drugs sooner or later.
Re John Lennon. The only possible mistake that he ever did was to end up in America but as he was determined to live over there, probably manipulated by Yoko as she was never taken in by the British so America was her favourite ground. And also having to fight for the green card -a hidden anti John Lennon stance blessed by President Nixon, he had to carry fighting it until President Jimmy Carter gave the damned card to him.
There are events that with some good logic could have been avoided such as Buddy Holly, Elvis (poor sod!), Brian Epstein, Janis Joplin, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the rest.
But all in all I wouldn't change a one single event as rock history is good enough on how it turned out to be.

Answer 5

I'd stop Brian Wilson's dad from slapping him in the head. Think what he might have done with two ears.

I'd get Eddie Cochran & Gene Vincent to take the next cab.

Put a contract out on Colonel Tom.

Take the gun away from Johnny Ace

Have Dylan record another album with Kooper, Bloomfield, et al.

Keep Tom Fogerty from marrying his label owners daughter

And keep Cobain alive because
a) it was senseless
b)his daughter
c) I wouldn't have too hear what a genius/how "revolutionary" he & Nirvana were anymore.

Answer 6

Since somebody above me is gonna take care of SRV, I would go back in time and save Dimebag, then I would get the members of Pantera together for a little talk, try to convince them to do another album. Definitely, Dime should have been saved, such a senseless death.

Answer 7

I would go back and Buyout the Fender Guitar company, then I would have all types of musicians come into my shop and design guitars and basses that fit both them and their music style. I guess that seems quite selfish on the surface but, if you think about all the musicians we've lost, you would be able to this day buy a guitar or bass that they designed. One more way ALL the legends can continue

Answer 8

That's easy, I would go back to stop Mark David Chapman from killing John Lennon.
I would love to listen to what Lennon would have done musically the last 27 years.
I'd also like to stop SRV from getting on that helicopter for the same reasons.

Answer 9

hmm....i would convince Freddie Mercury to check for HIV before he has sex w/ them (or at least use protection).
I would smack Roger Waters in the head and tell him to share creativity within Pink Floyd, especially w/ David Gilmour.
I would save John Bonham AND Bon Scott. And Jimi Hendrix (if it wouldnt change history in a bad way)

"Let there be rock"-AC/DC

Answer 10

Save Bonzo.
Because I would really really like to know what Zeppelin would have sounded like in the 1980's & 90's
Spectacular I'm going to say.