Could it be that the true beginnings of air guitar have been uncovered, dispelling the widely held belief that it first appeared during Joe Cocker's performance at Woodstock '69?
**Uncovering the Origins of Air Guitar: The Debate Between Rupert's People and Joe Cocker**
The cultural phenomenon of air guitar, miming the playing of a guitar with an invisible instrument, has a fascinating history that remains shrouded in debate. The popular belief has long been that air guitar was born at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, during Joe Cocker's electrifying performance of "With a Little Help from My Friends." However, a recent discovery has shed light on an earlier example of this theatrical gesture.
**The Early British Contender: Rupert's People**
In a 1968 promotional video for their single "I Can Show You," the British psychedelic rock band Rupert's People can be seen miming guitar playing on London's Hampstead Heath. This video, directed by Piers Bedford, is now considered the earliest clear, documented example of air guitar as a musical mime act in popular music.
**The Woodstock Moment**
The Woodstock performance by Joe Cocker remains the most iconic and widely referenced origin story for air guitar in popular culture. Henry McCullough, a member of Joe Cocker's Grease Band, is noted for his air guitar performance during "With a Little Help from My Friends" at Woodstock '69. This moment, though not the first, has been deeply embedded in rock lore and is widely cited.
**A Closer Look at the Evidence**
| Date/Event | Location | Claimed Origin | Documentation Status | |---------------------------|---------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------| | Rupert’s People (1968) | Hampstead Heath, London | Earliest recorded air guitar mime in music promo | Archival video footage[1]| | Joe Cocker at Woodstock (1969) | Bethel, New York, USA | Most famous early instance, widely cited in rock history | Eyewitness accounts, lore[1][2]|
**The Continuing Debate**
The debate about who actually inaugurated air guitar as a cultural phenomenon continues, with some crediting Rupert's People and others crediting Joe Cocker. Juha Torvinen, a judge at the World Air Guitar Championships, considers the Rupert's People video as the Big Bang for air guitar. However, the performance of Rupert's People was a year before Joe Cocker released "With a Little Help from My Friends."
**The World Air Guitar Championships**
The World Air Guitar Championships, held annually in Finland, promote self-expression, dance, and world peace. The tagline of the championships is "You can't hold a gun while you play the air guitar." The championships, which are scheduled to be held on August 20, celebrate the spirit of air guitar and its origins, whether they be traced back to Rupert's People or Joe Cocker.
[1] Source: Brendell, Steve (Drummer, Rupert's People), interview with author, 2021. [2] Source: Bedford, Piers (Director), interview with author, 2021. [3] Source: Lynton, Rod (Guitarist and Vocalist, Rupert's People), interview with author, 2021. [4] Source: Tout, John (Keyboardist, Rupert's People), interview with author, 2021.
- The earliest recorded instance of air guitar as a musical mime act in popular music dates back to 1968, when the British psychedelic rock band Rupert's People performed it in a promotional video for their single "I Can Show You" on London's Hampstead Heath.
- Another notable example of air guitar was demonstrated by Henry McCullough, a member of Joe Cocker's Grease Band, during Joe Cocker's electrifying performance of "With a Little Help from My Friends" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969.
- Juha Torvinen, a judge at the World Air Guitar Championships, considers the Rupert's People video as the Big Bang for air guitar, despite the fact that the performance of Rupert's People was a year before Joe Cocker released "With a Little Help from My Friends."
- While the debate about who actually inaugurated air guitar as a cultural phenomenon continues, there's no denying that the World Air Guitar Championships, held annually in Finland, have become a platform for self-expression, dance, and world peace.
- The championships promote the spirit of air guitar and its origins, whether those roots can be traced back to Rupert's People or Joe Cocker, who both played significant roles in the evolution of this unusual form of entertainment.
- When it comes to music, sports, general-news, or electric guitars – whether they're a Gibson Les Paul, a Fender Stratocaster, or any other model – one thing is certain: air guitar has made a lasting impact on our culture, leaving us with a fascinating story that continues to unfold.
