Photo that kinda looks like Robert Johnson, bidding starts at $795,000.00

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While at the swap meet digging through a photo album of old south delta type photos, I came upon this picture of what I believe to be Robert Johnson. It is not verified, but if you hold it side by side to one of the (2) other only known photos of him, you will see for yourself. All of the other photos in the album were indicitive of his time period and location. In that same album, I also found and purchased a photo of another man, holding an early 1900's acoustic guitar, in the setting of the delta south.
ihttp://i9.ebayimg.com/07/i/000/83/4d/8d97_3.JPG

― Mike Dixn (Mike Dixon), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 07:13 (eighteen years ago)

IMG SRC, people!

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 07:17 (eighteen years ago)

duh
http://i9.ebayimg.com/07/i/000/83/4d/8d97_3.JPG

― Mike Dixn (Mike Dixon), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 07:22 (eighteen years ago)

Apart from the obvious thing with the eyes, Johnson's nose was wider.

― Frogm@n Henry (Frogm@n Henry), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 07:23 (eighteen years ago)

Nope this is bollocks.

― Frogm@n Henry (Frogm@n Henry), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 07:26 (eighteen years ago)

Well it does KINDA look like him, but it's obv. just someone playing around on the eBay.

― Michael J McGonigal (mike mcgonigal), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 07:30 (eighteen years ago)

In both photos of Johnson, his right eyelid is a bit droopy...not so in the above picture. The bottom of his nose in the above photo is shaped differently as well...in the real photos of him, the tip extends a bit lower than the nostrils.

edit: xpost

Interesting that the seller placed such HQ scans in the listing.

― musically (musically), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 07:43 (eighteen years ago)

No way. Look:

http://www.myspace.com/robertjohnson

― StanM (StanM), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 07:53 (eighteen years ago)

"in the setting of the delta south"

Mighty curious about that other picture now.

― StanM (StanM), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 07:55 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.cascadeblues.org/Legends/RobertJohnson/RobertJohnson.jpg

― timmy tannin (pompous), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 08:10 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.guitarnotes.com/rmmga/legends/robert_johnson/robert_johnson.gif

― timmy tannin (pompous), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 08:11 (eighteen years ago)

my first reaction was "bullshit, 'they all look alike' hah ha"
more you look at it tho, maybe (but this always happens with this kind of "is it x famous person?" photo ids)

― timmy tannin (pompous), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 08:13 (eighteen years ago)

The nose is just too different for the ebay photo to be legit.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 08:22 (eighteen years ago)

This is not Johnson.

― Jim M (jmcgaw), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 13:44 (eighteen years ago)

The thing that's always distracted me from Robert Johnson's music is his vocal similarity to Oliver Hardy.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 13:51 (eighteen years ago)

Well, it looks kind of like him, might as well bid until it gets up to $1 million or so. Too big a risk after that.

― Mark (MarkR), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 14:19 (eighteen years ago)

From his wiki page:
Recording pitch question

Johnson's recorded work has become more widely heard since the Columbia double CD release. Some musicians have opined that the recordings run too fast. Johnson mainly used open tunings like open A and open E, and often used a capo to change the pitch of the song. This means that some passages would be played very high upon the neck of the guitar, which would make them very difficult to execute, or in some cases impossible to play at all (for example, the intro of "Walkin' Blues, which should be played on the 16th fret of a 12-fret-to-the-body-guitar). Some passages of Johnson's guitar playing sound constrained and not natural to the modern ear (as modern music would sound when it is sped up), and some of his vocals sound out of tune and robotic. When Johnson's music is slowed down (one article even suggests slowing it down as much as 20%), Johnson's music sounds more natural, his guitar sounds warmer and fuller and more in line with other recordings from the late 1930's. His voice becomes more expressive although it loses some of Johnson's trademark emotional "whine". Speeding up recorded music is common in popular music, as it makes music sound fresher and it adds punch and energy.

Is there a consensus on whether or not the recordings are speeded up? Has anyone ever heard them slowed down? This might remove the "Oliver Hardy" similarity Marcello mentions (but then it wouldn't sound like Robert Johnson :/ ).

― onimo (onimo), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 14:23 (eighteen years ago)

I have no idea why I put Ollie in quotes there.

― onimo (onimo), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 14:24 (eighteen years ago)

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/6158/laurelhardy3im.jpg

― NickB (NickB), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 14:28 (eighteen years ago)

I'm trying to decide which indie band that photo reminds me of.

― NickB (NickB), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 14:30 (eighteen years ago)

probably the as-yet unseen Boards of Canada

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 14:31 (eighteen years ago)

Mouldy Peaches?

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 14:32 (eighteen years ago)

But it does look a lot like him, wot with them both wearing hats.

― A-ron Hubbard (Hurting), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 14:34 (eighteen years ago)

DIFFERENT hats, dude.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 14:50 (eighteen years ago)

I thought Johnson couldn't read or write. That dude has a pen in his pocket.

― NickB (NickB), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 15:00 (eighteen years ago)

5-1

(TOP work!)

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 15:02 (eighteen years ago)

It is not known whether Johnson attended school in the Delta during this time. Some later accounts say that he could neither read nor write, while others tell of his beautiful handwriting.

― onimo (onimo), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 15:07 (eighteen years ago)

Sure he could write! "Sweet Home Chicago" for a kickoff!

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 15:09 (eighteen years ago)

Wait a minute, that's clearly not Robert Johnson. It's Jimi Hendrix.

― A-ron Hubbard (Hurting), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 15:11 (eighteen years ago)

Louis' really for it now.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 15:13 (eighteen years ago)

I'm trying to decide which indie band that photo reminds me of.

Oh fuck no, I've just twigged:

http://www.matadorrecords.com/images/matmos/matmosmedieval.jpg

(Drew, I am so so so so sorry)

― NickB (NickB), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 15:19 (eighteen years ago)

6-1

(I can expect to hear from the Lincoln University library within a week then?)

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 15:33 (eighteen years ago)

History: 0 bids

rofl

― stoked for the madness (nickalicious), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 15:50 (eighteen years ago)

I will strike when you're not expecting it, Louis.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 16:08 (eighteen years ago)

Wasn't there some film footage floating around a couple of years that some (dubiously) claimed showed RJ?

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 17:42 (eighteen years ago)

This is not Mel Torme.

The photo of Johnson smiling is so fucking scary. Like he's not human or something. He's tensed up to an unearthly degree, there's that manic grin but his eyes look as if they're trying to look inside himself. His physical positioning is odd, like there's several different actions competing to be performed.

― Frogm@n Henry (Frogm@n Henry), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:56 (eighteen years ago)

Wasn't there some film footage floating around a couple of years that some (dubiously) claimed showed RJ?

http://www.deltahaze.com/johnson/ :

http://www.deltahaze.com/johnson/johnson03.gif

Update- This photo is now debunked! The film rumored to feature Johnson is not him after all....

― StanM (StanM), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 18:59 (eighteen years ago)

And if this is "film" footage...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYXDi5YxfbA

it's just someone shaking a camera over that picture!

― StanM (StanM), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 19:02 (eighteen years ago)

hoaxalicious

― the table is the table (treesessplode), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 20:19 (eighteen years ago)

There was some supposed film footage, but I think the cinema behind him was showing "the Robt Johnson story", or some such 'after he died this movie was created' feature.

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 20:26 (eighteen years ago)

But didnt Johnson have allergies? Maybe the photo with his nose looking large was during an allergy flare up...

― ruby louise cunefare (maliciouslogic), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 22:54 (eighteen years ago)

It's called BEING POSSESSED BY SATAN.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 22:58 (eighteen years ago)

Or the fact that he probably had to hold that pose/rictus for quite a while. Potography was bit less efficient back then. It is a rather disturbing picture, though, yeah.

― Adam Beales (Pye Poudre), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 23:01 (eighteen years ago)

"Potography."

― Adam Beales (Pye Poudre), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 23:02 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.dea.gov/photos/marijuana/marijuana031904_fig1.jpg

― the table is the table (treesessplode), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 23:06 (eighteen years ago)

user192021 (1 month ago)

The shaky pic at 12 seconds is not Johnson. There are only 2 confirmed photos of Johnson and no video footage.

no video footage, oh well ; (

― ‘•’u (gear), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 23:10 (eighteen years ago)

History: 0 bids

― PappaWheelie MMCMXL (PappaWheelie 2), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 23:12 (eighteen years ago)

Or the fact that he probably had to hold that pose/rictus for quite a while. Potography was bit less efficient back then. It is a rather disturbing picture, though, yeah.

No, I don't think so. He was possessed by Satan. Besides, potography was just as efficient then as it is now. The reason there's so few potographs of Johnson is because his image didn't show up on the card most of the time, due to his possession.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 23:20 (eighteen years ago)

I stand corrected.

― Adam Beales (Pye Poudre), Wednesday, 10 January 2007 23:28 (eighteen years ago)

It's called BEING POSSESSED BY SATAN.

-- Pleasant Plains /// (pleasant.plain...), January 10th, 2007.

Uh, what the hell are you talking about? Are you RETARDED?

He was NOT "POSSESSED BY SATAN". You'd have to be a cretin to think that.

He SOLD HIS SOUL to SATAN. That's very different. This also explains all the features I was talking about. Satan, however would leave him alone until his time came, at which point he would dragged down into the feiry pit of brimstone for ETERNITY.

Srsly, don't make shit up.

― Frogm@n Henry (Frogm@n Henry), Thursday, 11 January 2007 07:46 (eighteen years ago)

Dude should get one of his buddies to start the bidding, so we can all see what this actually goes for.

― Jena (JenaP), Thursday, 11 January 2007 08:24 (eighteen years ago)

There's an evil skull face on the wall above the guitar in that smiley photo.

― onimo (onimo), Thursday, 11 January 2007 10:10 (eighteen years ago)

it's a bit triangular, isn't it?

OMG, it's Moses!

http://images.southparkstudios.com/media/images/309/309_big_mo.gif

― StanM (StanM), Thursday, 11 January 2007 10:19 (eighteen years ago)

ph34r my drawing skillz

http://i1.tinypic.com/2qc1kit.gif

― onimo (onimo), Thursday, 11 January 2007 10:33 (eighteen years ago)

^^ just to show where I mean ^^

That there is Death on his shoulder.

― onimo (onimo), Thursday, 11 January 2007 10:34 (eighteen years ago)

I see another one on his other shoulder. It has timmy mallet/elton john type glasses, and a big smile...

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 11 January 2007 10:37 (eighteen years ago)

http://i12.tinypic.com/2vni9mv.gif

― StanM (StanM), Thursday, 11 January 2007 10:38 (eighteen years ago)

Yours can also be the almond-eyes-type grey alien head, if you squint a bit (but I can't to almond and alien headshapes in Paint)

― StanM (StanM), Thursday, 11 January 2007 10:40 (eighteen years ago)

(you know, this one: http://galactic.to/azb9152a/grey_1.jpg)

― StanM (StanM), Thursday, 11 January 2007 10:41 (eighteen years ago)

No, the other shoulder. Right next to his hat!

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 11 January 2007 10:46 (eighteen years ago)

That must be the real Satan, because I can't see him at all :-/

― StanM (StanM), Thursday, 11 January 2007 10:49 (eighteen years ago)

You mean here?

http://i16.tinypic.com/309hshl.gif

― onimo (onimo), Thursday, 11 January 2007 11:01 (eighteen years ago)

The devil is in the details...

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Thursday, 11 January 2007 11:03 (eighteen years ago)

This reminds me of all the weird things we used to spot in the hide of the camel in the old Camel cigarette boxes.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Thursday, 11 January 2007 11:04 (eighteen years ago)

WTF? Robert Johnson had a hellhound on his trail, not a fucking moose.

― NickB (NickB), Thursday, 11 January 2007 11:07 (eighteen years ago)

That's an evil satanic goat!

― onimo (onimo), Thursday, 11 January 2007 11:10 (eighteen years ago)

I just spotted the Virgin Mary on the left of the goat!

― onimo (onimo), Thursday, 11 January 2007 11:11 (eighteen years ago)

http://i10.tinypic.com/40danw0.gif

― onimo (onimo), Thursday, 11 January 2007 11:12 (eighteen years ago)

he's one haunted motherfucker

― onimo (onimo), Thursday, 11 January 2007 11:12 (eighteen years ago)

SMILING WITH FEAR.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 11 January 2007 11:19 (eighteen years ago)

hang on a bit...

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 11 January 2007 11:24 (eighteen years ago)

Partial evil imp thing on left of Jesusmum

http://i14.tinypic.com/2gy4n5e.gif

― onimo (onimo), Thursday, 11 January 2007 11:31 (eighteen years ago)

poor bastard never had a chance

― onimo (onimo), Thursday, 11 January 2007 11:31 (eighteen years ago)

OH NO!!!

http://i18.tinypic.com/4dfmof7.jpg

― StanM (StanM), Thursday, 11 January 2007 11:36 (eighteen years ago)

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y161/MarkGrout/200701/robert_johnson.gif

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 11 January 2007 11:37 (eighteen years ago)

There's a big octopus/dr. zoidberg/tentacle mouth type thing with one big eye to the right, hanging off his guitar (headstock is in front of its forehead) but I'm too frightened to draw it :-(

― StanM (StanM), Thursday, 11 January 2007 11:46 (eighteen years ago)

Lots of evil little eyes on his guitar next to his right hand

― onimo (onimo), Thursday, 11 January 2007 11:49 (eighteen years ago)

Bad decor is responsible for so much demonic evil its not funny.

― Frogm@n Henry (Frogm@n Henry), Thursday, 11 January 2007 12:26 (eighteen years ago)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/133/353822848_c3c93ae9ab.jpg?v=0

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Thursday, 11 January 2007 14:23 (eighteen years ago)

I stand corrected.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Thursday, 11 January 2007 16:44 (eighteen years ago)

This is one of my favourite all-time threads now!

Oh, and 10-1.

WTF? Robert Johnson had a hellhound on his trail, not a fucking moose.

-- NickB (nic...), January 11th, 2007.

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Thursday, 11 January 2007 16:48 (eighteen years ago)

OK just cause I've got to hear it now I'm throwing a few tunes into Audacity. I'll put a few slow versions up here in a few if anyone's curious.

― Hoosteen (Hoosteen), Thursday, 11 January 2007 20:34 (eighteen years ago)

He'll probably sound like Muddy Waters...

― Alan Bean (Alan Bean), Friday, 12 January 2007 18:06 (eighteen years ago)

The grey alien:

http://i14.tinypic.com/4grb85y.gif

Chtulu:

http://i14.tinypic.com/3ymzfap.gif

― StanM (StanM), Friday, 12 January 2007 18:55 (eighteen years ago)

(ok, the alien is the one Onimo first saw - sorry)

― StanM (StanM), Friday, 12 January 2007 18:57 (eighteen years ago)

Can someone stick all of these on one picture? :-)

― StanM (StanM), Friday, 12 January 2007 18:59 (eighteen years ago)

six years pass...

http://www.thestoolpigeon.co.uk/admin/wp-content/uploads/robertjohnson.jpg
Third photo of Johnson surfaces — posing with Johnny Shines.
http://www.thestoolpigeon.co.uk/features/news-robert-johnson-third-photo-restored-by-getty-images.html

― Jazzbo, Friday, 1 February 2013 12:21 (twelve years ago)

I remember when that VF piece ran. This restoration - I mean it really doesn't matter if it's RJ in the picture or not (seems definitely to be him, though), this is an incredible photograph. Shines's suit is A+ fuckin awesome and the expression on RJ's face is so young and beautiful. There's just...there seems a lot of feeling is this picture, to me.

― available for sporting events (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Friday, 1 February 2013 13:36 (twelve years ago)

liquid fingers

― Ward Fowler, Friday, 1 February 2013 13:43 (twelve years ago)

seven years pass...

https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/05/exclusive-first-look-at-new-photograph-of-blues-legend-robert-johnson

― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Thursday, 21 May 2020 16:21 (five years ago)

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