Examples
One of the earliest known example of a guerrilla gig was in November 1968 when Jefferson Airplane, by the suggestion of Swiss-French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard, began work on a political semi-documentary he called One A.M. (One American Movie). Godard, who felt that Jefferson Airplane best represented the youth revolution of the day, wanted the band in his film while keeping to a somewhat militant spirit. Godard had the musicians set up their equipment, sans permit, on a hotel rooftop in midtown Manhattan at the peak of the working day. Harried New Yorkers below scanned the sky above the hotel and were able to hear Jefferson Airplane complete one song, an incendiary version of "House At Pooneil Corners". The performance culminated with the New York City Police shutting down the unexpected performance with threats of arrest due to the noise disturbance. The Godard film was never released, but documentarian D. A. Pennebaker finished it up and renamed it One P.M. (for One Pennebaker Movie). A recount of this performance can be seen on the "Fly Jefferson Airplane" documentary DVD released in 2004.
This Jefferson Airplane performance predates the similar although more well-known performance when The Beatles, on January 30, 1969, played a gig entirely unannounced on the roof of Apple Studios at Savile Row, London. They performed several takes of their newest songs (which would appear on the album Let It Be) as the passers-by on the street looked up in confusion. After the third take of "Get Back", they too were kicked off by the police due to noise complaints.
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Famous quotes containing the word examples:
“There are many examples of women that have excelled in learning, and even in war, but this is no reason we should bring ‘em all up to Latin and Greek or else military discipline, instead of needle-work and housewifry.”
—Bernard Mandeville (1670–1733)
“No rules exist, and examples are simply life-savers answering the appeals of rules making vain attempts to exist.”
—André Breton (1896–1966)
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—G.C. (Georg Christoph)