I often visit the Last.fm site, which mixes social networking with music. The site’s database doesn’t know what to do with classical and baroque composers, so it classes them as “artists.” Yesterday I discovered that, according to the site, Johann Sebastian Bach is “on tour.”
Dead for 259 years, but still touring: There’s no stopping this guy. I hear that Johnny’s wife, Anna Magdalena, covers the lead vocals for his backing band, the Inventions. Johnny tried to get other members of his talented family involved in the group, but this failed after every one of them insisted on playing keyboards.
Nowadays he and Anna give the continuo parts (the rhythm section) to their three- to ten-year-old kids, as there are always several of those on hand.
Johnny and his original band, the Meantones, split up over musical differences. Johnny’s always felt strongly about his art, and has been known to throw a well-tempered tantrum or two. Several years back he quietly checked himself into rehab to deal with his coffee addiction.
He has always been a professional about performing, though. He did once show up late for a gig at Sanssouci, and the concert producer later tried to accuse him of breaking one of the pianos. Johnny never got paid for that one.
