Spinner 'Taps' Into Rock's Most Embarrassing Moments
Inspired by the fictional band that gave us a miniature Stonehenge, pods that wouldn't open and mysteriously disappearing drummers, Spinner presents our list of rock 'n roll's Top 15 'Spinal Tap' moments. From U2 getting stuck in a huge lemon-shaped pod to Fergie peeing in her pants onstage, we count down the most embarrassing, hilarious moments in live rock history.
Yes, we know the Great White nightclub fire is perhaps the most awful live concert antics in history, but that's not funny. Like the 'Tap,' our list includes those onstage moments that tickle your funny bone. Like Ashlee Simpson doing a lip-syncing hoedown on 'Saturday Night Live' -- now that's funny! Additionally, we know Michael Jackson's hair catching fire was hysterical. But it was during the filming of a commercial -- not in front of a live audience. We're talking moments here without a director to yell, "Cut!" -- moments that were hopefully caught on some fan's camera-phone.
Who made our Spinal Tap Moments countdown? Click here to find out! Your favorite most embarrassing rock moment didn't make our countdown? Post your own kiss-off to us below.
Posted by Beville Darden on Jan 12th 2007 6:00PM
Filed under: Television, Photo, Concerts and Tours
Reader Comments(1 of 2)
Ryan Magnerat 1-18-2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn9KEbII7ks
This is a video of Tom Delonge form Blink 182 playing at the 2001 EMA's his guitar cuts off less than a minute. He changes the chorus of the song to "where the hell is, my guitar, i dont know where the hells my guitar".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaZZ9u90Rec
This video Mark hoppus from Plus 44 falls slips on the guitarists sweat during a song.
Kayat 1-19-2007
I was at the Street Scene Concert in San Diego when Fergie "peed her pants"... quite hilarious. However, it was a gradual process. It took about 15-20 minutes for the huge crowd to actually recognize the liquid on her pants. Being an athlete, I presumed it was sweat cause she was dancing like crazy. I still think that. ha! good times.
Rick Smithat 1-19-2007
Lots of this is not rock and roll.P.Diddy is not rock and roll. The Simpsons are not rock and roll.
Black eyed peas ? Not rock !! If it's not by a bunch of long haired white guys who write and play their own instruments it's not rock. Ok, Hendrix counts.
Gregat 1-19-2007
In September 2005, Paul McCartney started his "US" tour in Miami, Florida. In one part of his show, a piano rises from the stage and he goes back and plays it. However, on the 2nd night of the show, in Tampa, he forgot about the whole that the piano rises and he fell straight through it..hitting the piano as it came up. Gratefully, he wasn't hurt. However after that, the audiance would yell "Mind the whole"
Michelle McFallsat 1-19-2007
It was back in the late 60's or 7o's. I believe it was for the Jerry Lewis Telethon. Anyway, he was singing his signature, "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" live. Well half way through the song he started choking very loudly...the show must go on! His bak up singers. (two ladies) steped in front of him dancing, while you could hear him behind them coughing up what sounded like a lung. Hysterical!
The lateset and I think the most embarrasing. Toni Braxton was doing a concert, singing with very little on and what should appear in her crotch in front of everyone? That time of the month. To add insult to injury she was not aware and constantly kept opening her legs. Not that, that was enough. Leaving, her "boob" came completely out and completely exposed! Moral to this Toni? You have such a gifted voice. You don't need to sing w/o clothes and check your monthly calander. I was embarrassed for her. It was awful!
Willat 1-19-2007
I'm surprised nobody mentioned Scott Stapp of Creed, who passed out during a live show. Steven Tyler of Aerosmith did this regularly during their ill-fated "Rock in a Hard Place" tour. Or Stephen Pearcy, of the hair band Ratt, who broke his leg falling off stage during their 1998 reunion tour (or was it 1999)?
Kelly Sandersat 1-19-2007
I saw Judas Priest opening for Led Zepplin in 1977 in Oakland, California when their lead singer Rob Halford said "Hello San Fransisco" and was met with 60,000 Booing Led Zepplin fans who had never heard of Judas Priest. The band had flown into San Fransisco and been driven by limo across the bay into Oakland and had no idea where they were or what they had done wrong. I met their soundman and road manager John Blackburn and he had me explain to the band aferwards why they got booed so badly.
Max Siegelat 1-19-2007
Hey, folks - look again. I've watched the Nirvana video several times, and it sure looks to me like
Krist Novoselic's "falling and stumbling" were purely and simply a part of the act. In the video, it looks like the guitar came down horizontally, with the body of it off to the side, and all of it behind him. He even turned to catch it, then "fell down." Looks like theatrics to me, but I may be wrong as the saying goes.
P. A. Summersat 1-20-2007
What about Elvis forgetting the words to one of his hits on national TV...it seems obvious at that moment that the King had forgotten where his throne was...
shelly friedelat 1-20-2007
How about the time Leif Garret went to do a high kick and landed on his rear end at a live concert
belinda melloat 1-20-2007
michael jacksons pepsi comercial
Kat 1-20-2007
How about we stick to rock-n-roll mishaps. The Simpson sisters and "Diddy" are NOT rock-n-roll. That drives me nuts when they are classified as such. Other then that, the countdown was pretty good. Can't think of anything that needs added, looks like the above bloggers have some good stuff though.
Wayneat 1-22-2007
Didn't John Cale bite the head off a chicken around 30 years ago?
Ericat 1-22-2007
I personally love the band... but how about when The Mars Volta stormed off stage angrily because somebody threw a Urine filled Condom onto the stage at them... they basically yelled threats out at the guy and swore a bunch of times... here's one of the many videos of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohzLOKhuj88
Nicoleat 1-26-2007
please- give credit where credit's due- the Beastie Boys had a gigantic Phallic symbol first(even though I'm sure someone else did long before that)!
Christineat 1-26-2007
Joe Cocker-early seventies concert at the new Niagara Falls Convention Center (now the new Indian Casino). Obviously blitzed, drinking on stage but singing great, Cocker staggered all over the stage, frequently stumbling with his back to the audience and revealing his bare pink tush through a very large rip in the seat of his pants. Great concert, opened by a favorite local band whose name I can no longer remember but still remember lead singer Chris.
j robbinsat 1-30-2007
what about janet jacksons clothing malfunction at the super bowl?
J.R.at 2-04-2007
Let's not forget Jim Morrison in Miami. Exposing himself was the best thing he could have done to save the crowd from the worst concert ever
AL IIIat 2-10-2007
Not a live performance but funny as hell. Janet Jackson had this twerpy little Spike Lee lookin' dancer dude in most of her video's for the "Rhythm Nation" CD. In the video "Miss You Much" he and another dude are behind Janet and a group of dancers at the top of a flight of stairs. They dance down the steps. The coke bottle glasses 5'0" tall dude stumbles the last step and whacks his tailbone pretty hard. I swear you can see him say f*ck and wince. On video for life. It's great.
Emory Carroll Wyattat 2-24-2007
How about the late, great artist formerly known as Cat Stevens? His '70s fans, including me, were in love with him and his music. Then he turned Muslim, called his previous music as decadent, evil western music, and after basically spitting in the face of his former fans, turned his back on us and walked away. Then last year, "Mr Muhammed" had a change of heart and appealed to his long-lost fans by recording an album of what??? songs to Allah that kinda sorta maybe sounded like his 'old' music. His record is selling about as well as his concert tour, when he was thrown out of Israel, and promptly deported by USA because some of his donations to Muslim causes went to terrorist groups. Crying that he did not know, he forgot the saying, "Ignorance is no excuse." LOSER.