FEB 3, 2013 – The man who helped inspire the Deep Purple classic "Smoke on the Water" and was enshrined in one of the verses, Claude Nobs, or "Funky Claude" who was "running in and out, pulling kids out the ground", has died. The song sings about Funky Claude saving many concert goers after "some stupid with a flare gun" fired it into the ceiling of a casino during a Frank Zappa concert in 1971. The song went on to become a Rock and Roll Classic, and for many a budding guitarist (including myself) this was the first ever riff I ever played on the guitar.
Read more about Claude on his Wikipedia Bio here. Check out the studio version of "Smoke on the Water" below, play some air guitar, and crank it up! This is for you Funky Claude! (photo credit: CC/BrianMcMillen)
