Many many years ago in the mid70s I was at full moon studios and they played me Harry's new recording of little rock getaway,and I was impressed. About eight years later I was playing stride piano at Santa Monica college pianoRoom s and harry liked what he heard and banged on the door. We had a two hour. Piano session.he told me that him and me were about the last to really play the stride stuff harry was a really great player,he used a lot of tenths in the left hand ,I remember he played liberstrum in stride. Later I told my friend Johnny Guarneri about harry,hehad a lot of respect for him to .the guy was just a great musician.
My dad was a jazz pianist in Boston in the 40's, and he used to talk about this guy. Harry was a progenitor of early rock and even rap. You can hear lots of Fats Waller in his playing and singing. And those facial expressions! Cool, Man!
Not exactly what I'd describe as "mellow kicks." The opposite, really. Maybe the lyrics just refer to "jive" in this song, but he's clearly on speed here.
I never heard of this guy until about 20 years ago, when I saw the documentary on him. And I only saw that because it was on a double screening with the Screamin' Jay Hawkins documentary "I Put a Spell On Me".
Very true. The original hipsters created trends when there was a certain inherent danger in their lifestyle rather than following safely behind pretending to cool.
"Harry was Rock 'N' Roll ten years BEFORE it existed" The rock and roll sound came in in about 1947 (Chris Powell's "Rock The Joint" from 1949 and Wild Bill Moore's "Rock And Roll" from 1948 are examples) and consisted of performing jump blues as if it were gospel as a joke. This is jive music like other people were doing in 1944.
If I didnt see this vid I would swear it was Dusty(Open Th Door Richard)Fletcher singing! Just discovering Harry The Hipster....a NUT!! Why I got a new Old Fave now!!! :)
I wrote most of the Wiki article on Harry. The fact that he shot himself in the head was told to me via email by his granddaughter Flavin Feller. She and her mother (Harry's daughter) did the video biography on him right around the time he died. Flavin told me Harry was suffering from heart failure before he killed himself.
I emailed with his granddaughter flavin feller and asked why he killed himself. She said, he had chronic heart failure for many years, and decided from an early age that if he ever got chronically ill from old age, that he didn't want to go out by getting sicker, and decided to end it his own way and not die attached to wires and tubes. He shot himself in the head with a pistol. That's what she told me by email.
@jdb1769 Sometimes, The End can be a bit vague. While a few countries and doctors call for terminal patients in pain (with no hope of a "cure") to be ALLOWED to pass - MANY doctors do so "unofficially". The Hippocratic Oath is vague too - and many doctors have their own interpretation. "If you have pain, press that button. But only once - or you could pass. I'll be back in ten minutes..." Then they give the COD as (true) heart failure. So maybe something like THAT resulted in the bit in Wiki?
Fact: This great old boogie woogie piano player lost his virginity to Mae West. She caught him as a teenager peeping on her in her dressing room and thought she'd teach him a thing or two. His name was Harry the Hipster Gibson. Cool Cat indeed!
@hyzercreek My Mum and Dad's ends were sweet and gentle - I only hope mine is (in about twenty years, statistically speaking - unless science intervenes). I recently saw the Al Pacino movie, "You Don't Know Jack", where he played Dr Kevorkian - makes you think...
with all due respect to the posts regarding how Mr. Gibson, I would like to see more posts and info on how he lived. Think for a moment, of this song, with all its drug and jazz references, being played on the radio back in 1944, when it was all apple pie and flag waving what not. And did the young kids pop bennies and amyl nitrates before the concerts? The more things change.. :) Thanks again for the post.
@jdb1769 Hmm - interesting. I obtained the info of him checking out early from WIKI - a source I have found to USUALLY (despite reports to the contrary) be ACCURATE. However, after reading your FIRST HAND account, I checked other sources and could find NO confirmation that he HAD gone out thusly. I am therefore prepared to take your word - and have REMOVED the para from my info panel. I must say I would be HAPPIER knowing it wasn't true. (And even Encyclopedia Brittanica get SOME things wrong!)
Many many years ago in the mid70s I was at full moon studios and they played me Harry's new recording of little rock getaway,and I was impressed. About eight years later I was playing stride piano at Santa Monica college pianoRoom s and harry liked what he heard and banged on the door. We had a two hour. Piano session.he told me that him and me were about the last to really play the stride stuff harry was a really great player,he used a lot of tenths in the left hand ,I remember he played liberstrum in stride. Later I told my friend Johnny Guarneri about harry,hehad a lot of respect for him to .the guy was just a great musician.
My dad was a jazz pianist in Boston in the 40's, and he used to talk about this guy. Harry was a progenitor of early rock and even rap. You can hear lots of Fats Waller in his playing and singing. And those facial expressions! Cool, Man!
Louis Jordan...Louis Prima ....with a side of Danny Kaye. What's NOT to Dig, SOLID , Jack!! Rave over.. :)
I knew Harry in the late 70's. He was a master keyboard man and every bit as wild in old age as he was back in the day.
Awesome!
I knew him in the 70's too, and yeah he was.
It's a crime that he's not in the rock and roll hall of fame.
Well, let’s get HARRY in the rock ‘n’ roll Hall of Fame. Let’s start a petition. How is this done!
Methedrine and Benzedrine should be legalized because look how much fun it is.
Not exactly what I'd describe as "mellow kicks." The opposite, really. Maybe the lyrics just refer to "jive" in this song, but he's clearly on speed here.
Bath tub meth kills
@@jefffeudner408 so does living
Goddamn. Who put the benzedrine in Harry the Hipster's ovaltine?
This is awesome. He's a wild man.
Love those Pimp hats on the men.
Harry has redefined my definition of "cool" for all time!
Yeah those zoot suits are cool man
The Hipster was definitely a Proto Rock n Roll pianist/singer.
This guy is like a cartoon come to life!
I never heard of this guy until about 20 years ago, when I saw the documentary on him. And I only saw that because it was on a double screening with the Screamin' Jay Hawkins documentary "I Put a Spell On Me".
Obviously the coolest guy on the planet in 1944
I love these old soundies from the 40s. The fore-runners of the modern video.
If a time machine is ever invented, I suspect Billy Berg's nite club with Harry, Slim Gaillard, and CharlieParker & Diz with be a very popular spot
need a wing man?
This is great! Harry ya funny man....glad someone was having a ball back in the '40's and singing about it shamelessly!
when a Hpster was actually a Hipster and not just someone following the latest trends :D
Very true. The original hipsters created trends when there was a certain inherent danger in their lifestyle rather than following safely behind pretending to cool.
Them is zoot suits!
Holy mackerel! This cat's crazy! LOL
10 years later and he would have been as famous as Jerry Lee Lewis
El auténtico HIPSTER!!!!! SO GOOD
"Harry was Rock 'N' Roll ten years BEFORE it existed" The rock and roll sound came in in about 1947 (Chris Powell's "Rock The Joint" from 1949 and Wild Bill Moore's "Rock And Roll" from 1948 are examples) and consisted of performing jump blues as if it were gospel as a joke. This is jive music like other people were doing in 1944.
Great, thanks for your input.
If I didnt see this vid I would swear it was Dusty(Open Th Door Richard)Fletcher singing! Just discovering Harry The Hipster....a NUT!! Why I got a new Old Fave now!!! :)
"Howie The Hopster". Genius!
I wrote most of the Wiki article on Harry. The fact that he shot himself in the head was told to me via email by his granddaughter Flavin Feller. She and her mother (Harry's daughter) did the video biography on him right around the time he died. Flavin told me Harry was suffering from heart failure before he killed himself.
This guy HAD to have influenced Jerry Lee.
I emailed with his granddaughter flavin feller and asked why he killed himself. She said, he had chronic heart failure for many years, and decided from an early age that if he ever got chronically ill from old age, that he didn't want to go out by getting sicker, and decided to end it his own way and not die attached to wires and tubes. He shot himself in the head with a pistol. That's what she told me by email.
Eighty years later and the verdict is still out on cultural appropriation.
thank you
Harry was a flyer
that Pimp-hat that the dancer wears..
@jdb1769 Sometimes, The End can be a bit vague. While a few countries and doctors call for terminal patients in pain (with no hope of a "cure") to be ALLOWED to pass - MANY doctors do so "unofficially".
The Hippocratic Oath is vague too - and many doctors have their own interpretation. "If you have pain, press that button. But only once - or you could pass. I'll be back in ten minutes..."
Then they give the COD as (true) heart failure.
So maybe something like THAT resulted in the bit in Wiki?
Love it. Thanks for sharing!
If you go for this, check out Slim and Slam
If there's ever a biopic about him, I can see Martin Short or maybe Dana Carvyt in the lead role.
Marc Rebillet.
Fact:
This great old boogie woogie piano player lost his virginity to Mae West. She caught him as a teenager peeping on her in her dressing room and thought she'd teach him a thing or two. His name was Harry the Hipster Gibson.
Cool Cat indeed!
Great story.
Michael Parrish That’s so interesting! Nowadays if you did that, women’s rights activists will be all over you!
What the hell is that guy doing wearing a zoot suit in 1944 ?! Doesn't he know that there is a war on ?
@hyzercreek My Mum and Dad's ends were sweet and gentle - I only hope mine is (in about twenty years, statistically speaking - unless science intervenes).
I recently saw the Al Pacino movie, "You Don't Know Jack", where he played Dr Kevorkian - makes you think...
A little more about Harry and his trademark tune, "Stop That Dancin' Up There."
waynepowers.com/wpwp/when-it-was-hip-to-be-hep/#more-13658
A little bit rubbed off on Little Richard too
with all due respect to the posts regarding how Mr. Gibson, I would like to see more posts and info on how he lived.
Think for a moment, of this song, with all its drug and jazz references, being played on the radio back in 1944, when it was all apple pie and flag waving what not.
And did the young kids pop bennies and amyl nitrates before the concerts?
The more things change.. :)
Thanks again for the post.
I'll guarantee you this didn't get much radio play except maybe on WNEW in NY . Proper music society didn't think too kindly of him ...
Yup! Zippy was right!
Yep. Zippy is a real education!
This was before PCP. Interesting haha. Good stuff.
Clearly an escaped 'toon.
@jdb1769 Hmm - interesting. I obtained the info of him checking out early from WIKI - a source I have found to USUALLY (despite reports to the contrary) be ACCURATE. However, after reading your FIRST HAND account, I checked other sources and could find NO confirmation that he HAD gone out thusly.
I am therefore prepared to take your word - and have REMOVED the para from my info panel. I must say I would be HAPPIER knowing it wasn't true. (And even Encyclopedia Brittanica get SOME things wrong!)
who puts the bennies in the piano player?
@hyzercreek So Wiki was RIGHT.
Who put the Benzedrine in the Ovaltine he's been drinking ?🙃
This AIN't R&R. It's swing and HH here is channeling Fats Waller.