If You Could Have a Beer with Anyone in History Who Would It Be?

[c.d.]

Richard III - wouldn't be beer, more likely a stoup of sack, but I'd dearly love to know if he really did bump off his nephews in The Tower.

Robert Johnson - again, it wouldn't be beer, but probably a bottle of bourbon. I'd just like to watch him play guitar.....I know what he sounded like, but I would just like to watch him do it.

Graham

Hello Graham,

I am sure you know the stories surrounding Johnson and how he sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his guitar prowess as well as his alleged poisoning by a jealous lover.

c.d.

[c.d.]

Author Jack Kerouac. Damn, I bet he could tell some stories. And of course there would be the drinking as well. Although I would probably have to say "you know, Jack you might want to take it easy on the alcohol."

c.d.

[Robert]

I would invite Isaac Newton and Robert Hooke so that they could have a fight outside 'on the cobbles.' I would also have Einstein who would tie the policeman in knots when he came round to enforce closing time.

[Graham]

Hello Graham,

I am sure you know the stories surrounding Johnson and how he sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his guitar prowess as well as his alleged poisoning by a jealous lover.

c.d.

Hi c.d.,

Of course! It's simply that as a guitarist myself I'm a great fan of his music (and blues in general) but there is no filmed record of his technique, nor did he talk much about it. In fact, he was very secretive about his guitar-style, and I've heard it said that he very often performed with his back to the audience. Maybe. He based his early style on that of Son House, but moved on. And he wasn't the only blues guitar-player said to have 'gone down to the crossroads'.

Regarding his poisoning, the story goes that he was one night in a juke-joint owned by the husband or, more likely, lover of his current piece of fluff; he called for a bottle of Bourbon, un-corked, and at some point a drop or two of strychnine was added, which did him in. Eye-witnesses said he crawled around the floor howling like a dog before he expired.

There are literally dozens of I would think mostly legendary stories about him.

Did you also know he has two graves???

Graham

[Harry D]

I would have guessed more along the lines of say Erwin Rommel.

Oh come now, CD, flattery will get you nowhere.

It might shock you to learn that I have leftist leanings. I believe in equal opportunities (but not equal outcomes), social capitalism, positive liberty, market regulation, and all of that good stuff. However, I suppose I'm also a traditionalist insomuch that I prefer my genders binary and abhor politically correct culture. Modern "liberals" are irrationalists who are driven by emotion "muh feelings" and believe that everyone to their right is a cross-burning Klansman. I'd rather not be associated with people of that ilk if I can help it.

By the way, I am also a big Alan Watts fan. You probably know this but a number of his lectures are available on YouTube.

Preachin' to the choir. I have most of them on my ipod.

[Svensson]

Donald Sutherland Swanson. And get him really drunk...

[Sam Flynn]

Donald Sutherland Swanson. And get him really drunk...

"I say, I say, I say! What is Donald Swanson's favourite drink"?

"I don't know, what is Donald Swanson's favourite drink?"

"Margin Ale!"

[Abby Normal]

"I say, I say, I say! What is Donald Swanson's favourite drink"?

"I don't know, what is Donald Swanson's favourite drink?"

"Margin Ale!"

now that's witty

[c.d.]

How could I possibly have forgotten Christopher Hitchens? To me, Hitch was absolutely brilliant.

c.d.

[Sam Flynn]

How could I possibly have forgotten Christopher Hitchens? To me, Hitch was absolutely brilliant.

Agreed, but the question was "If you could have a beer...?" Somehow, I doubt that The Hitch would have stopped at "a" beer (It would have to be Johnny Walker Black Label, in any case, and many of them!)

[Mayerling]

Only after he and Stan had to drag it up a long flight of steps. Might be time for a beer instead of tea then. At least Mozart would be less likely to smash the thing up.

I'd like the image of Stan and Babe first dragging the "music box" up the stairs, but only if Billy Gilbert is coming down the stairs and starts kicking up a fuss about his dignity and them getting out of his way.

My own choice for having a drink of beer or stout or bourbon or whisky would probably be Mark Twain. I would love to hear his stories and his use of words.

Jeff

[c.d.]

And of course Hunter Thompson. There is a story of one of Thompson's fans who begged him to let him spend a weekend together so he could experience Thompson's lifestyle and do everything that Thompson did. The story goes that Thompson drove him to the airport Sunday evening after a typical Thompson weekend together. The poor guy was covered in sweat, filth and vomit and mumbling incoherently. Thompson opened the car door and kicked him to the curb. As he drove off, Thomson was heard to yell "lightweight."

c.d.

[c.d.]

Agreed, but the question was "If you could have a beer...?" Somehow, I doubt that The Hitch would have stopped at "a" beer (It would have to be Johnny Walker Black Label, in any case, and many of them!)

Agreed. But for Hitchens it would have to be a few kegs of beer. His book "Mortality" is probably next up on my reading list.

c.d.

[c.d.]

Hello Sam,

If you go to Google there is a magazine called "Modern Drunkard" which you can peruse online. Each issue has an article on one of history's most famous drinkers detailing not only what they drank but the amounts. Truly amazing accounts.

c.d.

[Abby Normal]

Hello Graham,

I am sure you know the stories surrounding Johnson and how he sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his guitar prowess as well as his alleged poisoning by a jealous lover.

c.d.

Son house said he was mediocre at best, disappeared for a couple of weeks and when he came back was the best guitarist in the world.