He does? Can you give an example or two?
My wife and I went to see Barenaked Ladies once, and at one point they took questions from the audience. This one guy said, “I saw you guys play once and you let this dude come up and play the drums with you. I don’t know how to play the drums, but would you let me come up and pretend to play them?”
BnL thought that was hilarious and said, “Sure!”
He got up there and sat down at the drum kit and they started to play a song while he waved the sticks around like he was playing. After a second, the drummer got behind him and stuck his arms through underneath the audience member’s arms and played. It was a moment of inspired lunacy and just the sort of thing you can expect at a BnL concert.
I am a HUGE fan of Paul Simon’s music (I have seen him play live in NYC, San Francisco, New Orleans, Portland, Seattle, and even a couple of times right here in Salt Lake City over the years) but he does indeed have a reputation as somewhat of a egotistical character, and he also has an infamous (at least in music industry circles) decades-long feud going with Los Lobos, (another band I absolutely love) over stolen songs and uncredited songwriting credits.
Keith Moon was unable to continue one night for god know whatever reason. Daltry asked if there was someone who could fill in and some kid from the audience volunteered. Guy did a pretty good job from what I’ve read.
At a Fugazi show Ian asked if someone wanted to sing Reclamation. Some girl volunteered and promptly forgot - or maybe never knew - half the words.
I remember reading a blog written by a guy who got to play piano at a Ben Folds Five concert. I believe it was “Best Imitation of Myself”, fittingly enough. It’s very cool when artists do that… it definitely takes a certain kind of humility.
Watching that just made my day! She did such a good job and looked so happy on stage. Paul looked like he was just too happy to have her up there.
Thanks for that comment, I’m glad I waited.
That was really sweet, I’m voting for him in the next election.
I saw John Mellencamp years ago and he got an audience member up to sing a song. As soon as he worked out the guy could carry a tune he signaled the guy mixing who cranked up the guest vocalist and let him have at it. Someone from work saw his other Sydney concert and he did the same thing but the guy said he couldn’t sing without a guitar so Mellencamp gave him his. Apparently he too was pretty good.
I guess it’s only on reality shows that people who are crap volunteer to sing in front of thousands of people.
Michelle Shocked often gets an audience member up on stage to play along with a song. Not seen any get to do lead vocals though, iirc.
In 2000 the members of Daniel Amos left the stage for one song and were replaced by what was essentially a pickup band of audience members.
My friend was at a Green Day concert in San Francisco. They brought up three audience members to perform a song, something they apparently do routinely. My friend said the volunteer drummer was doing “too well” so Tre Cool started whacking him to mess him up.
Boy i would love to get up and do a Terry Kath but they might not appreciate that..
Well, it would be messy and you wouldn’t even get to see the reaction.
Los Lobos (Steve Berlin) on Paul Simon.
I don’t give a shit about Paul Simon, but that’s the first time a YouTube video made me smile in years.
Late In The Evening has always been one of my favorite songs. But when Simon did the ‘96 allbum Graceland, I was absolutely in love the son of a bitch. (I am hetero guy, we ain’t talkin’ sex here.)
This clip is inspiring, hard not to get a little extra eye moisture going.
Thanks Mr. Mustard! You’re not so Mean after all! And I have taken it upon myself to therefore remove the Mean from your name!
At least for this one single post. 
Seriously though… thanks for posting this!
On David Gilmour’s (relatively) recent On An Island tour he saw some street performer playing wine glasses and invited him to play the opening chords of Shine On You Crazy Diamond at that night’s concert. That would’ve been pretty cool.
I was at an Evermore concert recently and the drummer broke his finger halfway through a song. He tried to carry on using one arm but eventually they asked for an audience member who could play, the guy who got up was pretty good from what I could tell.
Cashew - I’ve always loved Paul Simon’s music, but when Graceland came out, that took it too another level altogether. I could not play that sucker enough. I have a 30-minute drive to work, and I remember listening to Graceland there and back, every day for a good month.
Mr. Mustard
That’s cool, thanks for sharing.
Here’s a clip of Brandi Carlile inviting a young fan to sing with her. This always makes me cry.
Paul Simon: I saw him live once. A fan yelled out a request. He angrily responded, “You’ll hear what I came here to play. I’m not doing an impression of me at 18”. Kinda ruined the rest of it for me.