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Where was the fire? A different perspective

Frank Zappa bassist Jim Pons was onstage performing with Zappa when someone in the audience fired a flare gun into the ceiling of the casino in Montreux and burned down the building in December 1971 – the inspiration for Deep Purple’s “Smoke On the Water.” Hear him tell his version of the story here.

With thanks to Chris.

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Posted by Rasmus Heide on Wednesday, July 3rd, 2024, filed under News. You can follow comment on this post through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a comment. Pinging is currently not allowed.

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5 Comments to “Where was the fire? A different perspective”:

  1. 1
    James Steven Gemmell says:

    (I’m no longer at the below email address – JG)

    From: James Gemmell [mailto:j.gemmell@comcast.net]
    Sent: 29 May 2013 13:45
    To: Ian Gillan
    Subject: Flare Gun Shooter
    Ian: This chick claims her father shot the infamous “flare gun”. I don’t know if this
    —————-
    Gillan:

    Well he should shut up about it; if he did do it he’s a total asshole and belongs in jail.
    It’s only because of Claude that many people weren’t killed; as it is many were lacerated and badly hurt.
    Maybe he should come to Montreux on the 19th July this year and see what the police have to say about it.

    I’d be happy to put him up on stage to make his ‘confession’.

    Sorry James, just arrived in Rabat and have a press conference any minute so haven’t seen the youtube yet.
    Got to run, ig

    July 3rd, 2024 at 23:28
  2. 2
    Gregster says:

    Yo,

    So that’s what really happened……

    Peace !

    July 4th, 2024 at 00:16
  3. 3
    Wormdp says:

    Great insight to Frank’s life around Smoke

    July 4th, 2024 at 00:25
  4. 4
    CN says:

    Jim Pons is an amazing guy. He was there to record Happy Together with the Turtles. While touring with the Turtles in the UK he met the Beatles and had a long chat with Paul M – Jim talks about it in the interview; played with Zappa and was on stage for the inspiration of Smoke on the Water – he saw it go down! And even more serendipitous winds up working for the New York Jets and designs their helmet logo that they wore from 1977 to 1997 and our now wearing again in 2024!!! What a life!!

    https://www.newyorkjets.com/video/the-story-behind-the-jets-sack-exchange-era-logo

    July 4th, 2024 at 01:52
  5. 5
    Uwe Hornung says:

    Help me, what is new in this account? That the fire first developed at a balcony and not at the ceiling and that burning debris then fell to the (I presume wooden) floor and ignited another fire source?

    That seems all very much in the usual range of how people remember these things.

    July 4th, 2024 at 02:04

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