Miles on Miller

Becky and I were recently listening to a Steve Miller song that was on one of my mixes. It reminded us of a famous Miles Davis quote which I had read about in his autobiography. Here is the quote:

 “I remember one time - it might have been a couple times - at the Fillmore East in 1970, I was opening for this sorry-ass cat named Steve Miller. Steve Miller didn't have his shit going for him, so I'm pissed because I got to open for this non-playing motherfucker just because he had one or two sorry-ass records out."

Miles never minced words. The funny thing about this situation and quote is that I was saw these guys together on that tour back in 1970. I was actually going to that particular show to see the headliner that both Miles Davis and Steve Miller were opening for and that was Neil Young and Crazy Horse. I saw the show at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago when I was stationed at Great Lakes and taking the train regularly into town to see music. I wrote about that time here.

That was a very good show. Miles Davis began the night playing his recently released Bitches Brew album. On stage with him was Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, and many other famous jazz musicians. Then Steve Miller Band came up and played lots of songs from their 1968 and 1969 albums. It was very entertaining. This was also several years before Steve Miller would become a massive hit maker later on in the 1970's.

Then of course came the headliner Neil Young backed up by Crazy Horse. Miles certainly didn't have anything to say bad about Neil. He put on a great show as I recall. That same summer I would see him again with Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Coincidently I would see him solo again in 1974 followed a few months later again with CSN&Y. That would be the last time I saw Neil Young.