Rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Bo Diddley was honored last week, alongside Chuck Berry and Little Richard, with BMI’s Icon Award for his “unique and indelible influence on generations of music.” Diddley also received an honor earlier this year when former Clash frontman Joe Strummer cited the legendary guitarist as his hero in Mojo magazine’s 100th issue.
In the Mojo article Strummer recalled riding in a bus with Diddley, who was sitting up late at night in a chair. “So I said, ‘You know you’ve got a bunk, don’t you, Bo?’ He said, ‘Come and look at this.’ He pulled back the curtains and his square guitar was there in the bunk, all strapped up. He went, ‘Guitar rides in the bunk, I ride in the seat.'”
When LAUNCH asked Diddley about the story, he said the tale and the Clash are bunk.
“What bus? You ain’t read nothing about me being on no bus. Oh man you’re going back… I ain’t been on the tour with the Clash,” he said. “I never went on the tour with the Clash. I played a job in Vancouver, Canada with the Clash, never a tour, baby. I couldn’t take that more than one night. My ears are still ringing from that.”
