Play it Loud...

On our trip to NYC last weekend we went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There are many ongoing exhibits there and the displays of art and history are staggering to see. Don't think you will make a quick run through. One exhibit there that was of particular interest was Play it Loud, the Instruments of Rock and Roll. Organized with assistance of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame it's the first examination by a major museum of the instruments of rock and roll that so inspire the every day player that he will often try to get one just like his idol played. 

The piano is from the home of Jerry Lee Lewis. I never saw Lynyrd Skynyrd or Molly Hatchet but I have sure seen Jerry Lee. Twice. 

Currently Jerry Lee is in a Memphis nursing home rehabbing after a stroke. My day job is to rehab old wild guys after a stroke. I'm good at it but I'm glad someone else has got this one. 

Buddy Holly's guitar. Supposedly there is a Fender Stratocaster floating around out there that was stolen out of Buddy's car. Those in the know say they can identify it from some kind of mark under the pickguard.  Hey GW, remember when we used to jam on Heartbeat?

The Beatles set up. That's Ringo's drums, George's guitar from the old Cavern days and the Rickenbacker John played on Ticket To Ride

Cathy likes guys that named Jack that play guitar. Following her down front at a Jack Black or Jack White gig and it might get loud and rough. Here she is with one of the Montgomery Wards 1964 Resoglass Jetson plastic guitars made famous by Jack White. These things were worth about $70 before Jack appeared with them. Now they go for $1500-$3000.  

Eric Clapton's Blackie Stratocaster. Clapton played this guitar from 1974-85. Here it here. In 2004 it was sold at auction for $850,000 to benefit Clapton's drug and alcohol rehab center.  

Jeff Beck's Yardbird Telecaster. One of my favorites tunes of his with Rod on vocal.

Cathy with George Harrison's Rickenbacker. She likes George also.  You saw it in the Beatle clip linked above. 

Jimi Hendrix's Gibson Flying V. He painted it himself. 

On the left the Gibson SG belonging to Derek Trucks. On the right is Duane Allman's SG. 

Me and Stevie Ray Vaughan's Number 1 Stratocaster. I saw SRV many times at small Texas road houses in the early mid 1980s before his national fame. Once at the old Crossroads Club in Nacogdoches a roadie sat at a table in the bar next to mine and cut the strings off this guitar right across the pickups with a pair of needle nose plyers. He strung it up, SRV walked by, grabbed it, mounted the low stage, plugged in and began to wail the heck out of it. All that took about as long as it will take you to read this paragraph. Note to self, spend more time playing that futzing with your stuff. 

Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead used this custom made guitar he called Tiger. The maker reportedly took 8 years and 6000 man hours. Things in the Dead world move at a different pace. Also on display was Jerry's Wolf guitar. Hear Tiger to great effect here. 

Ravi Shankar sitar. I saw Ravi live in 1974. He opened for George Harrison. 

Jimmy Page's Led Zeppelin Concert set up. Lot's of Jimmy page gear on display.  

More of Page's stuff. In the museum gift shop you could buy the Fender made reproduction, I did not see a bow, for $1400.  

Gibson SG and Fender seven string bass used by Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce of Cream. Guitars painted by the Dutch Art Collective the Fool. 

Guitars and drums belonging to the Who. I noted that most of Townsend's Gibson guitars had headstock repairs. The white guitar is and Epi Wilshire, originally owned by Roger Daltry and sold to Pete. come on guys, your have been in a band together for 60 years, just let him borrow it. 

The Hendrix Woodstock Strat. 50 years ago this summer he played this on that guitar

This exhibit gave me mixed feelings. I enjoy seeing history and have seen quite a few of these instruments played by their owners in person. At the same time I am sad that they are hung on a wall to be heard no more. almost seems like some kind of idol worship. After all there were just tools that guys or gals started out making music on and then the music and everything about it became very closely examined and set up as a high ideal for all to admire. 

I've got a few pretty nice guitars, some offbeat instruments and some beat up stuff. I hope, after I'm gone some one keeps letting those voices ring.