Guitar Crusher

Sidney Selby (July 28, 1931[2] – September 23, 2020),[1] known as "Guitar Crusher" and formerly as "Bone Crusher", was an American blues singer and guitarist, for many years based in Berlin, Germany. Primarily a singer, billed as "The Big Voice from New York", he also played guitar and blues harmonica.

Guitar Crusher
Background information
Birth nameSidney Selby
Also known asGuitar Crusher
Bone Crusher
Born(1931-07-28)July 28, 1931
Hyde County, North Carolina, United States
DiedSeptember 23, 2020(2020-09-23) (aged 89)[1]
GenresBlues, soul, rhythm and blues
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, musician
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, blues harp
Years active1950 – 2020
LabelsKing Records, T&S Records, In-Akustik, Hotsak,
WebsiteOfficial website
RelativesDesiigner

Life and career

Selby was born at Lake Landing, in Hyde County, North Carolina.[3] He sang gospel in the Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church and on the radio as a schoolboy. At the age of 15 he went to live with his mother in New York. He started a band The Midnight Rockers and performed in colleges and clubs in the NY area.[4] In the 1960s he recorded a number of singles on King[5] and other labels.[6][7] He also toured with artists such as Ben E. King, The Drifters and The Isley Brothers.[8][9]

In 1982, he went to Berlin, Germany with New York guitarist Nick Katzman, and began to attract an audience. With the new Midnight Rockers they soon performed in clubs and on major festivals all over Europe. Their repertoire included Selby's originals, R&B standards, ballads and soul classics. On his recordings and live gigs he was backed by artists such as Katie Webster, Eb Davis, "Detroit" Gary Wiggins, Christian Rannenberg,[10][2] Tyree Glenn Jr., Alvin Lee, Charles 'Honeyboy' Otis, Wild Jimmy Spruill, Benny Bailey, Calvin Owens, Marcos Coll, Thomm Jutz and Hans McMinamin and many others.[11]

Originally known as "Bone Crusher", Selby's name changed to "Guitar Crusher" after he smashed his guitar over the head of an unruly customer in a club during his show.[3] He was called a "living legend" by the press in Germany several times.[12][13][14][15]

Selby was married to Mara von Hartz-Selby.[10] His grandson is rapper Desiigner.[16][17][18]

Discography

Singles
  • Guitar Crusher & the Houserocking Mellotones: I've Got to Know / Cuddle Up (USA 1962)
  • Guitar Crusher & the Houserocking Mellotones: I Feel the Pain / I Once Loved You Baby (USA 1962)
  • Guitar Crusher & the Houserocking Mellotones: Itch With Me / the Monkey (USA 1962)
  • Guitar Crusher: Better Days Ahead / Weak for Your Love (USA 1963)
  • Guitar Crusher: I Can't Help It / Why Oh Why (USA 1963)
  • Guitar Crusher With Jimmy Spruill: Since My Baby Hit the Numbers / Hambone Blues (USA 1968)
  • Guitar Crusher: I'll Catch Your Tears / Goin' Down Slow (USA 1969)

Albums
  • Live at Quasimodo Berlin (CD) Sidney Selby and Orchestra Feat. Benny Bailey trumpet (Ger 1989)
  • I Can Do Bad by Myself (Lp) Jack McDuff, Bruce "Bud" Revels Jr., Melvin Sparks Hassan (USA 1990)
  • Blues From the Heart (CD) Originals Live + Studio Recordings (Ger 1990)
  • Googa Mooga (CD) New York "Wild" Jimmy Spruill, Charles "Honeyboy" Otis, W.Bridges a.o. (Bel 1993)
  • Message to Man (CD) Black Cat Bone, Feat. Alvin Lee, C.Owens ( Ger 1995)
  • How I Feel (CD) Rolling Dollar, Feat. Tyree Glenn Jr. Ten.sax, T.Harris Dr. a.o. (Ger 1999)
  • Sidney "Guitar Crusher" Selby (CD): Live at Yorkschlösschen - Soul Session With the Rudy Stevenson Band (Ger 1999)
  • Blues With a Feeling (CD) Guitar Crusher & the Kloeber Bros. (Ger 2004)
  • Blast From the Past (CD) (Ger 2009) - a Stereophonic 45 Compilation
  • Cooking Live! (CD) Guitar Crusher Meets Blossbluez (Ger 2018)

Compilations
  • In Our Own Way... Oldies But Goodies (Lp) (UK 1970)
  • Boogie on Broadway (Lp) (198? Hol )
  • Lookey Dookey (Lp) (19?? )
  • Savage Kick Vol.2 - Black Rock'n'Roll (Lp) (UK 1992)
  • Talking Trash! Lookey Dookey (CD) (UK 1997)
  • The Blue Horizon Story 1965–1970, Vol.1 (3-cd) (1997)
  • Fresh Blues, Vol.2 - The Inak Blues Connection (CD) (1998)
  • Shout Bamalama (CD) (UK 1999)
  • Old Town City Blues (CD) (Us 2000)
  • Stompin' 4 (CD) (UK 2001)
  • Rhythm & Blues Goes Rock & Roll, Vol.2 (CD) (Ger 2002)

References
  1. "Er war eine Urgewalt – Sidney "Guitar Crusher" Selby ist tot". Badische Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 25 September 2020. "der am Mittwoch" died Wednesday
  2. Edward Komara (2006). Encyclopedia Of The Blues. New York: Routledge. p. 190. ISBN 978-0-415-92699-7 – via Archive.org.
  3. Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues - A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 332. ISBN 978-0313344237.
  4. Evans, David (2010-10-01). Ramblin' on My Mind: New Perspectives on the Blues. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 9780252091124.
  5. Inc, Nielsen Business Media (1969-03-15). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  6. Inc, Nielsen Business Media (1967-05-06). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  7. Thompson, Dave (2002-09-01). The Music Lover's Guide to Record Collecting. Backbeat Books. ISBN 9781617132025.
  8. Biography, Allmusic.com. Retrieved 8 November 2016
  9. Ford, Robert (2008-03-31). A Blues Bibliography. Routledge. ISBN 9781135865085.
  10. Rauhut, Michael (2008-01-01). Ich hab den Blues schon etwas länger: Spuren einer Musik in Deutschland (in German). Ch. Links Verlag. ISBN 9783861534952.
  11. Blues: Geschichte, Stile, Musiker, Songs & Aufnahmen (in German). Dorling Kindersley. 2008-01-01. ISBN 9783884728536.
  12. "Gereifter Blues einer Legende - MOZ.de". MOZ.de. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
  13. Zeitung, Badische. "Eine Legende kommt am 24. Oktober: Guitar Crusher". Retrieved 2016-10-23.
  14. KG, elbe Wochenblatt Verlag Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. "Westsideblues präsentiert die Blues-Legende Guitar Crusher". www.elbe-wochenblatt.de. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
  15. "Kurzmeldungen". hallolinden-db.de. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
  16. "Desiigner's Grandfather Is Famed Blues Musician, Sidney Selby – Local Savage". localsavage.com. Retrieved 2016-10-21.
  17. "Meet Desiigner's Biggest Influence: His Legendary "Guitar Crusher" Grandpa". PigeonsandPlanes. Retrieved 2016-10-21.
  18. "Desiigner goes big after Kanye signs him on to his label". Gulf-Times. 2016-05-02. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
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