On YouTube, you’ll find dozens of people playing guitar with their teeth – yet only one of them is famous for it: Jimi Hendrix. The very best rock star moves will inspire millions of imitators to make fools of themselves. So before you try Roger Daltrey’s swinging microphone bit, we suggest you place all your breakables in a secure place. Then we strongly advise that you to do something else instead, like enjoy this collection of classic rock moves as animated GIFs.
The Moonwalk Michael Jackson was a star at an age when most of us weren’t done with our doll phase. But after Motown’s 25th anniversary special aired on NBC in 1983, he became a mega-star. That’s when Jackson performed “Billie Jean” for a live audience and unveiled his now-famous Moonwalk dance, creating the illusion of moving forward while moving backward. He wasn’t the first to do it – tap dancer Bill Bailey performed the famous move as early as 1943 in the film Cabin in the Sky – but it became MJ’s signature move, prompting middle-schoolers everywhere to prove it wasn’t as easy as it looked.
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The Duck Walk Chuck Berry’s place in history might be a little less memorable had he worn a different pair of pants – or had an iron. During one of DJ Alan Freed’s shows in 1956, Berry was embarrassed by the wrinkles and pleats in his silk trousers, so he attempted to hide them behind a guitar. To do so, he performed a trick he’d done as a child, squatting and moving forward with one leg swinging back and forth as he continued to play guitar. Fans went nuts, and Berry duck-walked for the rest of his career.
The Cape Flourish At the Grammy Awards in 2007, Danny Ray draped James Brown’s glittering red cape across a microphone, in honor of the Godfather of Soul’s passing and a nod to his most memorable move. For more than 40 years, Ray played a key part in the move, which occurred during the song “Please, Please, Please.” During the song, Brown would drop to his knees, prompting Ray, his emcee, to walk onstage and place a cape – inspired by cape-wearing wrestler Gorgeous George – around Brown’s shoulders. As he was escorted off the stage, Brown – seemingly exhausted – would shake off the cape and continue, solidifying his reputation as the hardest-working man in show business.
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The Windmill During an appearance on The Late Show With David Letterman, the Who’s guitarist said he got his signature move – repeatedly stroking his guitar in a windmill fashion – from Keith Richards. One night, when the Who were opening for the Rolling Stones, Pete Townshend said he saw Richards do the windmill as he walked onstage. When Richards later told him he had no plans to continue doing the windmill, Townshend adopted it. The move often leaves Townshend with bloody fingers – and he once wound up in a hospital after puncturing his hand on a whammy bar – but images of his windmill are among the most iconic in rock & roll.
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SEE MORE: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/20-iconic-rock-star-move-gifs-20130710
Source: Rolling Stone / MJ-Upbeat.com
Michael Jackson is without a doubt the king. Every time i listen to his songs i feel as he is still alive. Definitely one of the best music superstars ever been born!