Metal Sludge Gossip Board

Van Zant was said to go barefoot as was Belinda Carlyle. This could/would be shocking

Ronnie Van Zant?
Donnie Van Zant?
Johnny Van Zant?
Townes Van Zan(d)t?

Ronnie Van Zant used to be barefoot on stage so he could "feel" the music through the stage, or he said something to that effect.

I think Ozzy did for awhile too in the 80s, at least in some videos.

I've seen videos of Samantha Fish and some other random women country artists on my FB reels performing with no shoes on which gets pervy comments from all the foot fetish weirdos.

Rick Allen drums barefoot, or he used to. I think Chuck Biscuits did too, when he was with Danzig.

Idk why playing without shoes is a thing for some people, but, it is apparently.

HueyRamone wrote: ↑Fri Aug 29, 2025 8:14 am Ronnie Van Zant?
Donnie Van Zant?
Johnny Van Zant?
Townes Van Zan(d)t?

Joe Van Zant

Davey Vain

I've seen The Glorious Sons a bunch and I don't think the singer owns any kind of footwear

TREVERLAST wrote: ↑Fri Aug 29, 2025 8:28 am Davey Vain

Davy Vain.

On a few occasions Davy got up and jammed with TUFF (1990) and me in Germany too with Shameless (2010 ish)...

And Vain was not on the bill. he was just there hanging out... and I asked if he wanted to do a song or two... he said sure!

Both times he pulled off his shoes and socks before walking out!

$tEvil

Phil Anselmo seems to play all the recent shows barefoot for some reason as well...

Freddie Van Mercury used to do this.

The guy from Dire Straits was always barefoot as well.

The singer from Kick Axe went barefoot from time to time. Here he is , in what be the most ‘80’s looking video ever ! The perms, pointy guitars and over the top drum set are amazing .

https://youtu.be/geWbnze6Bwg?si=7yhPudaZNt3I7DIB

Chris Robinson

Henry Rollins, at least in Black Flag days.

Goo Goo Dolls in their early club days. Apparently they opened up for the ‘Mats and on the last day of them opening they took all the band laminates, peeled the backing and papered the stage sticky side up.

(Yeah, dumb story but the only “plays barefoot” story I know)

George Criston, the singer from Kick Axe, was always barefoot on stage.

edit - just saw the other post mentioning this.

Steve Augieri of Journey

Ian Gillan of Deep Purple

Earl Skakel wrote: ↑Fri Aug 29, 2025 10:50 am The guy from Dire Straits was always barefoot as well.

I thought that Mark Knopfler wore cowboy boots. That's what he was wearing on the last Dire Straits tour in 1992.

CrankerBait wrote: ↑Fri Aug 29, 2025 5:29 pm

Earl Skakel wrote: ↑Fri Aug 29, 2025 10:50 am The guy from Dire Straits was always barefoot as well.

I thought that Mark Knopfler wore cowboy boots. That's what he was wearing on the last Dire Straits tour in 1992.

I think he means this guy

When I saw the Dead Daisies open for Kiss Corabi was barefoot.

LurkingAtWork wrote: ↑Sat Aug 30, 2025 3:45 am When I saw the Dead Daisies open for Kiss Corabi was barefoot.

My Lord. How smelly was it?

TheDeadBastard wrote: ↑Fri Aug 29, 2025 5:55 pm

CrankerBait wrote: ↑Fri Aug 29, 2025 5:29 pm

Earl Skakel wrote: ↑Fri Aug 29, 2025 10:50 am The guy from Dire Straits was always barefoot as well.

I thought that Mark Knopfler wore cowboy boots. That's what he was wearing on the last Dire Straits tour in 1992.

I think he means this guy

Yes!!! I think he was only with them for The Brothers In Arms Tour but that was probably their biggest tour so I saw that guy's feet alot.

Glen Phillips, the lead singer of Toad the Wet Sprocket, has been barefoot often when I have seen them.

Earl Skakel wrote: ↑Sat Aug 30, 2025 9:22 am

TheDeadBastard wrote: ↑Fri Aug 29, 2025 5:55 pm

CrankerBait wrote: ↑Fri Aug 29, 2025 5:29 pm

I thought that Mark Knopfler wore cowboy boots. That's what he was wearing on the last Dire Straits tour in 1992.

I think he means this guy

Yes!!! I think he was only with them for The Brothers In Arms Tour but that was probably their biggest tour so I saw that guy's feet alot.

He died a couple of years ago unfortunately, of a foot fungus that got into his bloodstream.




Ok, I made that up. But since no cause of death was announced, that's what I'm going with.

Earl Skakel wrote: ↑Sat Aug 30, 2025 9:22 am

TheDeadBastard wrote: ↑Fri Aug 29, 2025 5:55 pm

CrankerBait wrote: ↑Fri Aug 29, 2025 5:29 pm

I thought that Mark Knopfler wore cowboy boots. That's what he was wearing on the last Dire Straits tour in 1992.

I think he means this guy

Yes!!! I think he was only with them for The Brothers In Arms Tour but that was probably their biggest tour so I saw that guy's feet alot.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Sonni

He became a music marketing guy after.

Robbie from the Goo Goo Dolls to the stay still doesn’t wear shoes on stage but sometimes his socks!

Gary from extreme used to go barefoot all the time & bragged about how he had pieces of metal stuck in it. How street “cred” Gary!

GoodJudge wrote: ↑Fri Aug 29, 2025 11:28 am Henry Rollins, at least in Black Flag days.

Yes. Also, the whole "Rollins Band" played barefoot.

gtrjay wrote: ↑Sat Aug 30, 2025 3:18 pm Robbie from the Goo Goo Dolls to the stay still doesn’t wear shoes on stage but sometimes his socks!

Gary from extreme used to go barefoot all the time & bragged about how he had pieces of metal stuck in it. How street “cred” Gary!

I can see him being *ahem* into pain...

Bono Nettencourt wrote: ↑Sat Aug 30, 2025 2:14 pm

Earl Skakel wrote: ↑Sat Aug 30, 2025 9:22 am

TheDeadBastard wrote: ↑Fri Aug 29, 2025 5:55 pm

I think he means this guy

Yes!!! I think he was only with them for The Brothers In Arms Tour but that was probably their biggest tour so I saw that guy's feet alot.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Sonni

He became a music marketing guy after.

I'd managed to forget about that over the past four decades. (That's almost as bad as that Billy Squier video!) Fortunately, Phil Palmer was playing rhythm guitar with Dire Straits when I saw them on their last tour. He's the nephew of Ray and Dave Davies, he toured with Clapton for a bit, and I just learned a few weeks ago that he played guitar on Iggy Pop's "Nightclubbing."

Yes he's a great player. Took up for Albert Lee as Clapton's 2nd guitarist. Slowhand knows how to pick'em.

And yes that clip is in the top 10 of the Worst of the 80s. Was he even playing?

Henry Rollins has said that the reason he does it is because his shoes would get destroyed with all of his sweat, so he stopped wearing shoes.