Claude Nobs (Funky Claude) dead at 76

[That 70s Guy]

ultimateclassicrock.com

Claude Nobs, the founder and general manager of the Montreux Jazz Festival, has died. “Funky” Claude Nobs passed away yesterday (Jan. 10) after sustaining injuries during a cross-country skiiing accident on Christmas Eve.

A letter on the festival’s website introduced the news, reading, “For all of us, who were fortunate enough to cross your path, you will always remain the one who questioned certainties. ‘And why not?’ … Reality was never challenged only your wildest dreams. The Montreux Jazz Festival is the ultimate proof of that.”

Nobs founded the festival in 1967 and ushered in an era of rock and pop stars with the help of Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegun of Atlantic Records. The 1973 Deep Purple song ‘Smoke on the Water’ would forever immortalize Nobs in rock music as the band described his efforts to save young concert fans from a fire that broke out during Frank Zappa‘s concert at the Montreux Casino in December 1971.

“Funky Claude was running in and out / Pulling kids out the ground.”

Deep Purple wouldn’t actually play the festival until 1996 (according to Classic Rock Magazine). By that time, Billboard reports, producer Quincy Jones was helping Nobs direct the festival. Nobs was always enthusiastic about the music, often appearing on stage to play his harmonica, and frequently inviting artists back to his home.

 

[Big Ears]

I came across this on Classic Rock magazine's site:


"Montreux icon Funky Claude dies

‘Funky’ Claude Nobs, founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival, has died at the age of 76.

He’d been in a coma since a skiing accident during his Christmas holiday in Switzerland.

A statement on the festival website says: “On January 10 you left us, only a few days after your accident in your beloved mountains, overlooking the lake you were so fond of.

“You will always remain the one who questioned certainties. ‘And why not?’ You would repeatedly ask the same question when we tried to explain why a project would not be feasible. Reality was never challenged over your wildest dreams – the Montreux Jazz Festival is the ultimate proof of that.

“We carry on, and will continue to carry on in your spirit everything you taught us. Thank you, Claude.”

Nobs launched the festival in 1967 along with Geo Voumard and Rene Langel. Atlantic Records brothers Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegun helped turn the trio’s ambitions into reality. Their first headline acts were Charles Lloyd and Keith Jarrett. By the 1970s the event’s repertoire had expanded to include Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Rory Gallagher and many others. By the 1990s over 200,000 fans attended the festival, which is now the world’s second-largest after Montreal.

Nobs is named in Deep Purple classic track Smoke On The Water, which recounts the story of a fire at the the event in 1971, during which ‘Funky’ Claude helped Frank Zappa fans escape from the flames. Purple themselves finally played at Montreux in 1996 and have been back five times since.

by Martin Kielty at 11:06am January 11 2013"


This is anther sad story among the current rock music pantheon, where one thinks, "Oh, no." 'Iconic' is an over-used term these days, but Claude really is iconic after being immortalised in Ian Gillan's lyric for Smoke On the Water (Machine Head). At the time, I wondered who he was, as he also appeared among the black and white photographs in the gatefold. Of course the story is now famous and he was a hero who literally rescued fans during a fire at the Montreux Casino. Claude is indellibly stamped on my mind with, "Funky Claude was running in and out, pulling kids out the ground." In this respect, I am sure he will never die.

 

[LG]

One of the legendary stories from the early 70's and everyone who listened to Smoke on the Water asked the same question. Who is Funky Claude??

Not all the greats are performers in the music business, people like Claude Nobs are as important as the artists themselves when it comes to keeping music alive for people to enjoy.

Funky Claude, I'll cue up Machine Head later tonight in his honour.

 

[METALPRIEST]

Awwwwww.....This is sad

R. I. P.

 

[E-Z]

Ian Gillian appeared in a brief 3 minutes interview on BBC radio 4s 'Last word' programme today Friday 18th January 2013.

Ian briefly told how Claude came to be mentioned in the Deep Purple song 'Smoke on the water' and how Claude had become ''a life long friend''.

 

[gcczep]

Name change...

On February 28, 1970...Led-Zeppelin billed themselves as The Nobs in homage to the promoter while trying to avoid a lawsuit from Countess Eva Von Zeppelin.

 

[Sox]

I believe Claude was also a mean Harmonica player and would get up and jam with Rory Gallagher. R.I.P. Claude.