The Noel Monk Collection Auction

Van Halen 1978 Tulsa OK
Backstage Auctions, Inc. is proud to present their upcoming auction event which will feature the personal and private collection of Noel Monk, music industry veteran and most notably manager for Van Halen and tour manager for the Sex Pistols. The auction will go live on October 13, 2018 and feature hundreds of pieces of rare music memorabilia, including early day Van Halen, Sex Pistols and Fillmore East collectibles from the personal archives of Noel Monk. A special VIP All Access Preview of the entire online catalog will be available beginning September 26, 2018.
Van Halen 1978 Fully Band Signed Card
Van Halen 1978 Fully Band Signed Card

Noel Monk’s career reads like a storybook – and one that we all wish we could have been part of. His first and formative years took place under the wings of Bill Graham as the production/ stage manager at the Fillmore East in New York. From pouring Southern Comfort for Janis Joplin, fixing Chuck Berry’s broken amp to working the historic 1969 Woodstock Festival, Monk quickly learned the ropes of the music business. The early 1970s brought new experiences for Monk as he continued his career on the road with The Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash, Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, Tom Waits, David Sanborn, GO, Gasolin, Trapeze and Blue Cheer – to name just a few.


Sex Pistols 1977 - 1978 Crew Itineraries
Sex Pistols 1977-78 Crew Itineraries

Monk’s career took a pivotal turn in 1978 when he took The Sex Pistols on their first U.S. tour. His recollections and experiences were published in 1990 in the critically acclaimed book ‘12 Days on the Road: The Sex Pistols and America’, which is still in print.  Having barely recovered from his Sex Pistols gig, Monk was asked to go back on the road with another newly signed Warner Bros. Records act; Van Halen.


Van Halen 1978 First Tour Itineraries
Van Halen 1978 First Tour Itineraries
Monk took over as the manager for Van Halen in early 1979 and in the span of six years was instrumental in making the band one of the biggest rock acts in the world. Under Monk’s guidance, Van Halen ruled virtually every imaginable chart; from record and merchandise sales to concert attendance and good ol’ rock ‘n roll debauchery. Following brief stints as manager for David Lee Roth, Glenn Hughes and Prophet, Monk eventually retired from the music business in the ‘90s. In 2017 he published the best-selling ‘Runnin’ With The Devil’ memoir of Van Halen.

Backstage Auctions owner Jacques van Gool comments “we could not be more excited and honored to host this event, which is a true reflection of Noel’s impressive career. This once-in-a-lifetime auction offers predominately rare and one-of-a-kind items. Fans and collectors of Van Halen, Sex Pistols, Fillmore and vintage music memorabilia will not want to miss out on this opportunity”.

Van Halen 1978 Debut Album RIAA Record Award
Van Halen RIAA Award Debut Album 1978
Among the many highlights are gold and platinum Van Halen and Sex Pistols RIAA record awards, original artwork, never-before-seen photos, historic documents, personal correspondence and a deep selection of tour specific memorabilia. More than half of the nearly 800 auction lots are related to the Van Halen years and include anything from some of the oldest Van Halen tour t-shirts and backstage passes to signed Christmas cards and an array of prestigious RIAA record awards.  “I don’t believe there has ever been this much original and historic Van Halen memorabilia offered in a single auction”, comments van Gool. “There are itineraries for virtually every single Van Halen tour, molds for Van Halen jewelry, a Vox dressing room amp used by Eddie Van Halen, original photos from Helmut Newton…the list goes on and on and on”.

Glenn Hughes Owned and Used 1981 Bass Guitar
Glenn Hughes Owned/Used 1981 Bass Guitar
Sex Pistols collectors will find gems such as buttons worn by Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious, signed photos, original rooming lists and even Sid’s favorite Reggae cassette tape that he gave to Noel Monk. Fillmore aficionados will be thrilled to find a host of Bill Graham correspondence, BGP Presents posters and an amazing collection of over 100 hand-drawn stage diagrams from concerts the Fillmore East. Other stunning auction lots include a Glenn Hughes owned bass guitar, an one-hour interview cassette with Joe Strummer, vintage Hells Angels mementos, Johnny Cash soundboard tapes, rare Alice Cooper posters and a most impressive collection of Gasolin memorabilia; the biggest band to ever come out of Denmark.

Jeff Beck Owned and Used Guitar Slide Fillmore East 1960s
Jeff Beck Guitar Slide Fillmore East 1960s

The Noel Monk Collection Auction event starts October 13, 2018 and will run through October 21, 2018. A special VIP All Access Preview of the entire auction catalog will be available online beginning September 26, 2018 and is open to fans and collectors worldwide. 



For information and to register for a VIP Auction Pass visitBackstage Auctions

NOEL MONK began his career helping stage-manage Woodstock, served as Bill Graham’s right-hand man at the legendary Fillmore East, and worked with rock musicians including Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, The Rolling Stones, The Sex Pistols and Van Halen. He is also the author of ’12 Days on the Road: The Sex Pistols and America’ and ‘Runnin’ With The Devil’ both are available for purchase directly from Amazon.

BACKSTAGE AUCTIONS is a boutique online auction house specializing in authentic rock memorabilia and exclusively representing legendary musicians and entertainment professionals directly. Every auction event is unique, reflecting the artist's legacy and chronicles their legendary career. Backstage Auctions has represented dozens of notable and very talented musicians, producers and managers in the music industry.

August 29, 2018


The Headliners and Legends Auction 2018

The Headliners and Legends Auction
February 1, 2018

Backstage Auctions is proud to present an amazing collection of rock and pop memorabilia, including a highly impressive selection of artist signed guitars, RIAA-certified record awards, a large collection of autographed memorabilia, original Peter Max paintings, and a dazzling array of tour and promotional collectibles.

With over 50 signed guitars from - among others - Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac, Eric Clapton, Eagles, Pearl Jam and U2, as well as a host of other great autographed memorabilia such as a Beach Boys surfboard, a Miles Davis print, Elton John Record Award and Queen posters, this auction truly is all about "Headliners and Legends".


This impressive collection of memorabilia comes from the estate of a well-known music industry executive who spent decades working for music retailers, record labels, and festivals. In the course of his nearly 50-year-long career, he worked with just about every artist and band from the 1970s on. He was involved with the Grammy organization, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as well as various music-related charities. His broad collection reflects not only his true passion for music, but deep friendships forged over the years. A portion of the proceeds of the auction will be donated to the favorite charities of this well-loved industry icon.

The Headliners and Legends Auction will go LIVE with a preview of the entire catalog on February 9th, 2018 and bidding will begin on February 16th and close on February 25th, 2018.

For more about the auction, carve out some time to listen to Goldmine Magazine's interview with our very own Jacques van Gool. Pat Prince, Goldmine editor and Jacques talk about the auction highlights. Click here: Podcast Link


Sign up today for your All Access Auction Pass: Register Here



Willie Nelson Memorabilia Auction


August 2017

Throughout most of the 1980s, Evergreen, Colorado was home to the Nelsons. Willie, Connie and
their daughters embraced the breathtaking nature that surrounded their 44 acre estate. Time Magazine even did a full cover feature in 1983 on this beautiful hideaway. A divorce in 1988 and a well-documented row with the IRS eventually led to the sale of this majestic property in 1991.

At the time of sale, the home, guest houses, barn and recording studio were offered "as is", with inclusion of the remaining furniture and miscellaneous contents. The Evergreen home was eventually purchased by a real estate investor who placed all the original contents in storage, where it has remained for the last 26 years.

Upon inspection it was discovered that these stored items contained much more than what was initially believed to be there. In addition to a variety of antique furniture, a host of chandeliers and lamps and quite literally the bath tub and sink, the inventory also included a vast number of trunks that were filled with an incredible array of vintage Willie Nelson memorabilia. Concert t-shirts, tour itineraries, backstage passes, posters, event programs, photos, press folders, promotional material and much more made for an impressive treasure trove of anything "Willie".

Among the highlights are handwritten lyrics by Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash, as well as a substantial collection of correspondence with friends of the Nelsons such as June Carter-Cash, Jane Fonda, Robert Redford, Leon Russell, Waylon Jennings, Jerry Wexler, President Jimmy Carter and many others. There are personal mementos dating back to the 1960s and even some old gear from Willie Nelson's recording studio. And did we mention his fire engine red claw foot bath tub, complete with all the original hardware? He and Connie were photographed in this bath tub for the Time Magazine 1983 article.

Willie Nelson is a legend and a true American icon. He is as much loved for his amazing catalog of timeless music, as he is respected for activism and attitude towards life. This auction offers a unique opportunity to own an authentic memento of Willie Nelson and his Evergreen home. Each item comes with a certificate, signed by the original purchaser of the Evergreen Estate.

An online preview of the Willie Nelson Memorabilia Auction will run from August 11 - 18 and then the auction will go live on August 19th at Backstage Auctions.

Sign up today to get your All Access VIP Pass to the event, it only takes a minute and there is no sign up fee.

We look forward to seeing you at the auction block for this unique and historical event.

Def Leppard Hysteria Collectibles Auction - Let's Rock!


By the time Def Leppard had wrapped up their historic 1987 - 1988 'Hysteria World Tour' they had played 236 shows and raked in over 20 million dollars in merchandise sales - a feat never achieved by any other band or artist. Meanwhile, the 'Hysteria' album had sold over 25 million copies, with no less than 7 songs making it in the Billboard top-20 charts. Songs that are still played on a daily basis by radio stations across the globe and songs we all sing along with, from 'Love Bites', 'Women', 'Animal', 'Rocket' and 'Hysteria', to 'Love Bites' and 'Pour Some Sugar On Me'.

It was safe to say that the world was firmly in the spotted claw grips of "Leppard Mania". And even 30 years later, Def Leppard remains one of the biggest bands on the planet with more than 100 million albums sold worldwide and numerous award achievements.

The highs of 'Hysteria' were sadly followed by an all-time low with the death of guitarist Steve Clark, who was an amazing guitarist, a superb riff master and the main Def Leppard songwriter at the time. Vivian Campbell has proven to be a more than capable replacement and has been the steady rock that helped the band survive. For many fans - and collectors - however the early days of the 'classic' line-up remain sacred.

The Def Leppard Hysteria Collectibles Auction will feature nearly 100 auction lots with mementos and collectibles from those glory days. The collection is provided by Ed Bruder, a long-time personal friend of the band and tour assistant on the 1987 - 1988 Hysteria World Tour.

The undisputed highlight of the auction is a custom Gibson Les Paul guitar.
Def Leppard Steve Clark's Gibson Les Paul Guitar
This marks one of the very first times that a guitar from 'The Riffmaster' himself becomes publicly available.

Other stand-outs are numerous autographed pieces, a Steve Clark used amp, clothing worn by Rick Allen, Steve Clark and Rick Savage and a true one-of-a-kind white vinyl test pressing of 'Hysteria'.

Fans will further be able to elevate the prestige of their collections with a broad assortment of rare crew and official concert shirts and jackets, guitar picks, drum sticks, tour itineraries, unique photos, backstage passes and other great pieces, such as Def Leppard’s very first 7" single owned by Joe Elliot or a Rick Allen used Def Leppard travel bag.

We are super excited about this collection and is definitely an event that Def Leppard fans and collectors can't afford to miss.

The Def Leppard Hysteria Collectibles Auction PREVIEW starts on May 10, 2017. The AUCTION will go live on May 13 and end on May 21, 2017.

Register today for your VIP All Access Pass:  Grab Your VIP Pass

Paul Gray All Access Legacy Auction

Featuring founding Slipknot member Paul Gray's personal and private collection.

Backstage Auctions’ is honored to present a rare and one of kind online auction event in April 2017 -  featuring the personal collection of founding Slipknot member, Paul Gray. "It’s truly a privilege to be hosting this event especially knowing that it will benefit Paul’s daughter October," explains Backstage Auctions founder Jacques van Gool. The event, aptly titled “Paul Gray All Access Legacy Auction,” gives fans and collectors around the world an opportunity to own an authentic piece of memorabilia direct from the one of most highly regarded bass players in the metal world.

The auction will feature Paul’s personal tour used bass guitars, amps, cabinets, gear, stage worn apparel, set lists, tour itineraries, signed items, record awards, personal passes and a whole lot more. Among the many highlights is a selection of over a dozen tour, studio and album recording used bass guitars, as well as several early day signature Slipknot jumpsuits. “Each of the guitars and jumpsuits has their own story to tell and represent a significant element of Paul Gray’s touring and recording history,”, comments van Gool. “I have personally worked with Brenna Gray over the past 18 months and her final selection of items from Paul’s collection is amazing and truly honors Paul’s legacy. She has hand-picked items that will appeal to Paul Gray and Slipknot collectors all around the world”.

Auction Registration:  VIP ALL ACCESS PASS


Collection Highlights

Guitars

Paul Gray Guitars
Being able to offer just one guitar from an accomplished songwriter and multi-platinum award winning musician like Paul Gray of Slipknot is already reason for unrestrained excitement. Multiply that by 14 and you will understand that this impressive collection of instruments is truly unparalleled and one for the history books. Included are Paul Gray’s oldest Warwick bass guitars that date back to the recording of the first Slipknot album, all the way to a selection of Ibanez guitars used on his final tour with Slipknot in 2009. It is hard to pick a highlight but you can’t go wrong with his Warwick 4-string ‘Thumb’ bass guitar that became Paul’s undisputed guitar of choice for the first six years of touring and recording with Slipknot. 

Stage Worn Attire

Paul Gray's Jumpsuits
They started off with wearing identical single color jumpsuits, only distinguished by the number of each member. Eventually the jumpsuits were donned for a more casual pants and shirts combination which remained uniform in color and individual in number. Either way, Slipknot presented itself as a unity of nine individuals who dressed similarly but stood apart by the use of their uniquely designed masks. This legacy auction offers a wide range of apparel that was worn by Paul Gray over the years, including no less than three authentic jumpsuits, an impressive number of stage worn shirts and pants, an even more dazzling array of ties, as well as a multitude of privately worn shirts and hats. One of the highlight items is Paul’s gray Slipknot ‘barcode’ jumpsuit that was worn on the 2000 era ‘World Domination Tour’ and the ‘Tattoo The Earth Tour’. It can be seen in many concert videos and photos and is without question an absolute legitimate museum piece.

Personal Items

It’s always fun to have personal items in an auction as they often show a side of a musician that you
Paul Gray's Stage Makeup
may not expect or be familiar with. There are several of those unique items in this Paul Gray auction, from road used duffle bags and sweaty wristbands to toiletry items and even Paul’s ECG / Blood Pressure monitor that he traveled with on tour with Slipknot. One lot that stands out is a collection black facial make-up cream that Paul used to create a more dramatic contrast and effect in combination with his mask. There are three jars of make-up, all used by Paul on his final Slipknot tour in 2009, as well as a stick of heavy eye-liner. Not your everyday memento but something that is a true piece of Paul Gray’s larger than life stage persona.

Signed Items

Authentically signed items by all nine original Slipknot members are hard to find. And like with any other ‘A-list’ band, many of the so-called signed items do not necessarily contain the original signatures. Collectors will be excited to find two of those fully band-signed items in this auction; a vintage ‘Iowa’ 8 x 10 inch Roadrunner press photo, as well as a scarce ‘All Hope Is Gone’ tour program.  With both pieces directly coming from Paul Gray’s personal collection, there is no need to worry about the legitimacy of these signatures!

Record Awards

Record awards are more than shiny wall decorations. For a recording artist, these awards are a crowning testimony of their achievements and a speaking reminder of the effort it took to “be where you are”. For multi-platinum award recipient Paul Gray of Slipknot, these awards were priced possessions that were proudly displayed throughout his house. Having sold millions of records around the globe, his rooms featured plaques from the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, England and many other countries. With over a dozen of these beautiful awards in the auction – all personally issued to Paul Gray – we offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a true piece of Paul Gray and Slipknot history, highlighted by the platinum RIAA award for selling one million copies of the 1999 Slipknot debut album.


The online auction event starts April 1, 2017 and will run through April 9, 2017. A special VIP All Access Preview of the entire auction catalog will be available online beginning Saturday, March 25th and is open to fans and collectors worldwide. For more information and to register for a VIP All Access Pass for the Paul Gray All Access Legacy Auction visit:  www.backstageauctions.com

BACKSTAGE AUCTIONS is a boutique online auction house specializing in authentic rock memorabilia and exclusively representing legendary musicians and entertainment professionals directly. Every auction event is unique, reflecting the artist's legacy and chronicles their legendary career. Backstage Auctions has represented dozens of notable and very talented musicians, producers and managers in the music industry.


Rock Stars, Home Cooked Meals and Music Memorabilia

September 8, 2016

Think you have a cool job? Most likely not as cool as “The Steel City’s” Sharon Ringeisen, who for
over three decades has been at the helm of Pittsburgh’s premier music venues as catering director extraordinaire.

Throughout the years Sharon has been cooking local and favorite dishes for some of the world’s greatest musicians and their crew. Artists such as Aerosmith, Elton John, Beyonce, No Doubt and Waylon Jennings praise her amazing cooking and hospitality while on tour in Pittsburgh. Remember the old saying, “The way to someone’s heart is thru their stomach”? Well that rings true in this case. Sharon won over countless performers by serving them with kindness and delicious “home cooked” meals. In turn these headlining artists would reciprocate by presenting her with unique and often signed memorabilia.

Sharon’s vast assortment of concert memorabilia reflects not only her love of music, but also spotlights the love that these artists had for her as well. Through the years she was showered with gifts like a soccer ball signed by Rod Stewart, a 24-karat champagne bottle from Jay-Z’s private collection, a tri-fold laminated ‘Quaker Steak & Lube’ menu that has circled and autographed lunch choices by Korn, as well as a Rolling Stone magazine that features the dynamic duo Robert Plant and Jimmy Page on the cover with their signatures!

From Classic Rock, Heavy-Metal and Alternative Rock, to Pop, Country & Western, R&B and Folk; this auction event has it all! There are hundreds of desirable lots, filled with collectible concert mementos from one headliner after the next.

Fans of Classic-Rock music will be more than impressed seeing a host of great items from bands such as Aerosmith, Allman Brothers Band, Davie Bowie, Chicago, CSNY, The Doors, Bob Dylan, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Genesis, Journey, Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tom Petty, Rolling Stones, Rush, Santana and Bruce Springsteen.

If you like it a little edgier and heavier, there’s great stuff from Black Sabbath & Ozzy Osbourne, Def Leppard, Godsmack, Iron Maiden, KISS, Korn, Megadeth, Motley Crue, Pantera, Pearl Jam, Poison, Stone Temple Pilots and Van Halen – just to name a few.

There are many kickin’ Country & Western lots by artists such as Alabama, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban and Hank Williams Jr. And for those who are more into the Folk, Singer / Songwriter and Jam bands genre, they will be thrilled to see attractive lots by the Dave Matthews Band, John Mellencamp, Phish or James Taylor.

Last but not least, auction visitors on the hunt for prestigious Pop, R&B and Rap memorabilia can feast their eyes on lots by artists and bands such as Bryan Adams, Black Crowes, Beyonce, Jimmy Buffet, Sheryl Crow, Goo Goo Dolls, Green Day, Jay-Z, Billy Joel & Elton John, Kid Rock, Matchbox 20, John Mayer, No Doubt, The Police and many, many more!

Sharon’s entire collection of rock, rap, pop and country ephemera is showcased by Backstage
Auctions in their 2016 ‘Headliners Auction’, featuring three decades of historical music memorabilia gathered from the Steel City’s favorite music venues.

The auction is a wonderful reflection of the variety of artists who performed in the Pittsburgh area and illuminates the diverse culture that is Pittsburgh. All together this makes for a highly unique event for music lovers in Pittsburgh and around the world!

The auction preview starts on September 16th, 2016 and the bidding goes live on September 23rd, 2016 and ends on October 2, 2016

Click and Rock here for additional auction information and to register for your All Access VIP:
http://www.backstageauctions.com/catalog/auction.php







A collector's tale: Randy Haecker

Longtime record industry veteran talks about his collecting obsessions
By Peter Lindblad
A David Bowie photo
signed to Randy Haecker in 2008

When it comes to collecting entertainment memorabilia, Randy Haecker has many loves.

From records to buttons and concert posters, Haecker, a veteran of the music industry who worked his way up from hip indie labels to become part of Sony, is into all kinds of stuff. And it's not just music that he's passionate about. The Golden Age of Hollywood also offers various temptations.

Of all the ephemera he's gathered over the years, his many jobs at record labels affording him the kind of access to such material most of us can only dream of, it seems that autographed items hold the most sway. And Haecker has some fascinating tales to tell regarding how he came into possession of some of his most cherished possessions, as you'll see in this interview. It's the first of a series of talks with people about their collections.

First off, could you give me a little history about your time in the music business?
Randy Haecker: Music has been a lifelong passion. One of my earliest memories is defying my parents by staying up to watch “The Johnny Cash Show.” I was 5 years old. I laid low in my pajamas at the end of the hallway, where I could still see the TV but my parents couldn’t see me. Soon after, I discovered Casey Kasem’s weekly “American Top 40” radio countdown and would pay special attention to the artists’ names and their home countries. By high school, I had acquired a sizable record collection and spent countless hours reading the lyrics and the inner sleeve credits. Music magazines were also key to my development, especially Trouser Press and Creem, which I could find at my local small-town grocery store, as well as UK publications like NME, Melody Maker, The Face and Blitz, which I was only able to buy if an older friend drove me to Austin or San Antonio on a record shopping spree.   

Immersing myself in the music press led me to the idea that “I can do that.” By 1982, I was writing record reviews for my high school newspaper and interviewing local musicians like Joe “King” Carrasco & the Crowns and the Krayolas. My high school writing led to a nearby journalism scholarship and while in college I interviewed acts like Depeche Mode, the Cure, OMD, Run-DMC, and 10,000 Maniacs. I was savvy enough to send clippings of my articles to the record label addresses and management offices I would find on the LP sleeves, and soon I was on every label mailing list in the country. Jackpot! Packages of free LPs started arriving on a daily basis.

Ringo Starr
Soon, I had become friendly with numerous music publicists, and they all were asking what I intended to do after college. They told me if I wanted to be in the heart of the music business, I would have to move to either Los Angeles or New York City. So I took their advice. Shortly after finishing college, I packed what I could fit in my car and drove to Los Angeles. I chose L.A. because the weather was closer to what I was accustomed to in Texas. I got very lucky. Within two weeks, I was hired by Slash Records to be the label’s sole in-house publicist. I won the job based on my thick binder of music writing, and the fact that I had previously written about numerous Slash bands. One of my first projects was Faith No More’s The Real Thing, which became a platinum-seller in the U.S. That job eventually led to a move to New York City in 1994 where I became a publicist for Angel/Guardian/EMI Classics. The music industry was booming and during this period I worked with Ravi Shankar, George Harrison, the Kinks, Alice Cooper, Liza Minnelli, Itzhak Perlman and many others. In 1997, I moved a few blocks across town to Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment. I eventually became Sr. Director of Media Relations and worked for Sony until 2013. 

Forgive the predictability of this question, but what was it that got you into collecting music and other memorabilia and why do you continue with it?
RH: My gateway into the fanaticism of collecting was a bubblegum sticker series called Odd Rods.  Basically you’d get a slab of rock hard gum along with three stickers of monsters driving dragsters. This was 1971. My dad would buy me a package whenever we would pick up milk on the way home. In grade school, everybody was into another bubblegum series, Wacky Packages. All of these cards were brash and lurid, zany and colorful, aspects which continue to have a strong pull on my id. Around this time, I would carefully scan the TV guide each week, circling monster movies and sci-fi TV shows. I was voracious in my quest to see every Universal Monsters, Hammer Films, or American International Pictures b-movie. The first monster film I experienced was “Werewolf of London” (1935), which I watched with my brother on late-night TV in the 1960s. In 1974, age 10, I attended my first comic book and “Star Trek” convention is San Antonio.  

Aside from records, what was the first piece of memorabilia you acquired?
RH: Avengers #76. Marvel Comics, 1970. That was my first comic book. My introduction to Captain America, Thor, Iron Man and the rest of the colorful, heroic team. Cover price was .15 cents. And boy, did I get my money’s worth. It unlocked a whole universe for me. I’ve never counted them, but I would guess my current comic book collection numbers around 10,000 issues. A copy of Avengers #76 in great shape today would land you $60, which is a good return on the original investment.  

Tell me about your autograph collection. Was there a particular autograph that required some intrepid work on your part?
An alternate signed 8x10 photo
of Andy Warhol from his collection,
although it is not the one Haecker
discusses in the Q&A.
RH: While I had always collected autographs from musicians I interviewed, I didn’t become serious about autograph collecting until 1994. My interest coincided with my move to New York City. I was a young gent raised on Marvel Comics, CBGB punk bands and “Saturday Night Live,” so moving to NYC was a dream come true. I decided to celebrate by tracking down an authentic autograph from Andy Warhol, who was already deceased. I started my quest at Argosy Books on E. 59th, an autograph retailer I had located in the Manhattan Yellow Pages. The clerk’s first question was “How much are you willing to pay?,” which is a blunt, no-nonsense way to start any transaction. She admitted that she didn’t have any signed photos of Warhol on hand but she suggested I call an autograph dealer on the Upper West Side. I made the call and arranged a meeting at the dealer’s apartment. His opening question of “Who are you looking for?” was quickly followed by “How much are you willing to pay?” It was obvious that money talked in the NYC autograph market. He had an exquisite, pristine black & white 8x10 photo boldly signed “From Andy Warhol.” We agreed on a price of $180 and I still buy from that dealer today.

Which brings up the question of authenticity. On the road to becoming a serious autograph collector, one has to experience a lot of hard knocks. Just because someone says a signature is authentic, doesn’t mean it is.  The person selling the item may, indeed, truly believe that an item is authentic, but unless you were there to personally witness the signing, you will never know for certain. Which is why a smart collector is a cautious collector. I tend to buy the majority of my items from UACC-certified dealers. These are established dealers who maintain a strict code of ethics and typically offer a money-back guarantee for life on the items they sell. I’ve also learned to be cautious of businesses which offer authentication services. I frequently see items that pass authentication but still look bad to a trained eye. So the bottom line is do your research. If an item’s price seems too good to be true, you’ll likely get stung.

I tend to collect signatures from the Golden Age of Hollywood, back when celebrities had clean penmanship and took the time to personalize items. Signatures from that era are worlds away from the wavy lines and illegible squiggles that pass as legitimate signatures from today’s superstars.  

Is there a funny or maybe even harrowing story behind any of them?
RH: One collecting story that comes to mind involves legendary adult films actress Seka. While attending a Chiller Theatre autograph show at a Secaucus hotel in the mid-1990s, I came across Seka in a small, cramped, dealer’s table room. She cut quite a striking figure. Tanned and hard-bodied, with her patented shock of blonde hair, Seka came across like the adult film equivalent of shock rocker Wendy O. Williams. Definitely a "take no prisoners" type. The room she had been assigned was disgustingly hot. No air conditioning. Now if you’ve ever attended a horror movie convention, you know that a sizable portion of the crowd is going to be bearded, overweight men wearing Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees baseball caps and t-shirts. One such fellow was in the vicinity of Seka’s memorabilia-laden table. He was pale and audibly panting from the heat. Without warning, the fellow doubled over and fainted. But during his fall he managed to grasp the tablecloth of Seka’s table and pulled down all of her photos on top of him. Seka didn’t waste a precious second. She straddled his prostrate body and began performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. In between compressing his chest with her palms, Seka shouted loudly for help. By the time the hotel staff arrived, Seka had successfully brought the guy back to his senses. I hope he had the courtesy to buy a signed photo.  

Do you have a favorite kind of collectible, such as posters or buttons, that you like to seek out?
RH: Autographs are currently my foremost collecting passion. My collection is comprised of music, film, and TV personalities. Specific areas of interest are punk and new wave musicians, Golden Age of Hollywood celebrities and film directors, foreign and cult film stars. I am saddened by the fact that the audience for foreign films, like classical and jazz music, is becoming increasingly more niche. I grew up in arthouse and repertory movie theatres. When I lived in Los Angeles, I would catch classic double features at the New Beverly, the Nuart, and UCLA, and during my time in NYC, I frequented Film Forum, MOMA, BAMcinematek, Lincoln Plaza Cinema, and many others. Foreign film is crucial to increasing an individual’s worldview.

Additionally, I currently collect movie and music posters, Blu-rays and DVDs, compact discs and LPs, music buttons/badges, archival photography, and genre magazines. Previously, I’ve  collected comic books, stamps, bubblegum cards, vintage postcards, and VHS tapes.

What excites you the most about memorabilia collecting?
Haecker said he secured each signature
separately, so it took him a decade to get all five.
From left to right: Lita Ford, Joan Jett, Jackie Fox,
Sandy West and Cherie Currie.
RH: I can’t cite any one thing. It’s wide ranging. It seems fairly obvious that when you’re a child, everything is new and exciting, but you have no money to buy anything. So as you grow older, you seek out those emotionally-charged touchstones from yesteryear. For instance, I vividly recall encountering the sleeve for the Runaways’ 1977 LP Waiting for the Night at K-Mart when I was 13 years old. The cover photograph features four attractive young women in black leather, holding tight to a barbed-wire fence as blood runs down their hands. That LP’s graphic designer knew what he was doing. That’s an image that’s hard to shake, even decades later. And my passion for pop culture has been so fervent that at this point in my life I can say I’ve met three of the young women on that cover — Joan Jett, Lita Ford, and Sandy West. 

Recently, I noted a photo on Facebook of some of the buttons you've collected over the years. How many do you think you have and do you have your favorites? 
RH: My button collection is not over the top. I likely have around 300. Most of them I picked up at merch tables at concerts over the years. I don’t really have any favorites. Almost all of them are impossibly cool to me. 

How many records do you figure you own? Are there a few in your collection that mean the most to you or that stand out in any way?
RH: Taking in LPs and extended mixes, I have in the area of 5,000. Plus an additional 600 45 RPM singles. An album that I view as especially important in my collection is simply titled New Wave. It was issued in 1977 on the UK label Vertigo. The sleeve is almost completely crimson except for a vertical color photo of a young punk spewing beer from his mouth at the camera. I bought it at North Star Mall in San Antonio in the late 1970s. This LP introduced me to the short, sharp, shock of the Ramones, Patti Smith, Talking Heads, New York Dolls, the Damned, the Dead Boys, and Richard Hell & the Voidoids. So, yes, that’s a crucial slab of wax.  

Where do you go mostly to find the things you're looking for?
RH: For autographs, I reach out to dealers I trust. They typically have websites on which new items are posted each week. I shop on eBay for just about every facet of my collection. emovieposter.com holds three weekly auctions for all types of posters and movie memorabilia. For archival products to store my collectibles, I buy from BagsUnlimited.com. Regarding LPs, my crate digging days are over. I no longer feel the need to seek out record stores in every city I visit, subjecting my knees to concrete floors and my sinuses to sundry dust and allergy particles.

What's still out there that remains your "white whale" in a sense? Is there a Holy Grail piece that has eluded your grasp?
An autographed 5x7
photo of Charlie Chaplin
from the early 19-teens.
RH: I have an ever-diminishing list of key items for which I am still searching. Of course, most of these items come with high price tags attached, so I can only cross my fingers and say a little prayer in hopes that they find their way into my hands. Right now I’m in the market for autographed items from Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Steve McQueen, Elvis Presley, Laurel & Hardy, directors Jean Luc Godard and Erich von Stroheim, Marvin Gaye, Freddie Mercury, guitarist Mick Ronson, and Sex Pistols designer Jamie Reid.  
One “Holy Grail,” a signature that I never thought I would be able to afford actually made it into my collection this year. A 1964 bank check signed by Greta Garbo.  

You collect a lot of different items. How do you store them or showcase them?
I barely have room to store everything, much less showcase anything. Two full room are dedicated to my collection. Air conditioned and humidity controlled. Most items are stored in either Mylar or polypropylene sleeves, inside acid-free, buffered boxes. Almost all of my posters are rolled in extra-thick tubes, so they are unfortunately difficult to access. Framing can quickly become prohibitively expensive. Like most collectors, I’m holding out to win the lottery so I can buy a museum to house everything. The items that are most readily accessible and easy to display are my autographs. I keep them in individual protective sleeves inside Itoya binders.  

What would be the most shocking or surprising story you could tell from your years of collecting?
RH: Turn back the clock to when I was hired at Slash Records in 1988. My first day on the job, label president Bob Biggs called me in his office to give me an assignment. He informed me that due to Slash’s busy upcoming release schedule, we needed to make room for incoming promo LPs. He brought me downstairs to the promo room and pointed out several shelves of boxes. He instructed me to carry everything to the trash dumpster out back. Once he left, I couldn’t help but satisfy my curiosity by looking inside the boxes. Each box was brimming with leftover mementos from legendary Los Angeles fanzine, Slash Magazine. I looked in disbelief. There were archival 8x10 photos of all the bands on the scene, there were hundreds of original page layouts, there were items that had been given away free with the magazine, there were letters to the magazine from punk fans all over the world, there were the original typed manuscripts by the magazine’s writers. I thought to myself, “Is this a test? Does he want to see if I’ll take all this stuff?” My options were limited. If I drove my car near the dumpster and loaded everything in my car, I would likely be fired. And I had only been in L.A. for two weeks and I simply could not lose this cool new job. I also didn’t know anybody in L.A. to call to say, “You’ve got to get over here pronto and get all these boxes out of the dumpster!” In the end, I managed to score a nearly complete run of the original magazine, as well as a dozen or so photos of Buzzcocks, the Jam, and John Foxx-era Ultravox. As for what happened to all those boxes once I had put them in the dumpster, I have my suspicions. My guess is that my fellow Slash employees (none of whom I knew at this point) quickly scooped up those priceless boxes and headed for the hills.  

CD Review: Ace Frehley – Origins Vol. 1

CD Review: Ace Frehley – Origins Vol. 1
eOne Music
All Access Rating: A-

Ace Frehley - Origins Vol. 1 2016
Seeing the Who and Cream open up for Mitch Ryder at the RKO theater at his first-ever rock concert was a life-changing experience for a young and impressionable Ace Frehley. That, perhaps more than anything else, convinced him that his calling was to conjure rock 'n' roll hellfire for the masses, who would worship him like a god.

On Origins Vol. 1, with its big, beefed-up production and pristine, powerful crunch, the revered former KISS guitarist pays tribute to the artists who influenced his career, performing a clutch of cover songs and old KISS tracks with immaculate precision, blazing energy and a whole lot of muscle.

In fact, the old Rolling Stones classic "Street Fighting Man" has never sounded so polished and heavy, becoming an arena-rock dynamo in Frehley's capable hands. Trading searing guitar licks with Slash on Thin Lizzy's "Emerald," Frehley seems born again, clearly enjoying the competition and beautifully sculpted twin leads.

While the world doesn't need another version of "Wild Thing," this savory remake by Frehley and Lita Ford captures the raw vitality and untamed spirit of the original, and the furious, groove-mongering locomotion and stop-on-a-dime direction changes of Led Zeppelin's "Bring It On Home" bursts forth with bluesy urges, proving that Frehley has lost none of his chops. Packing an even greater wallop is a rugged, gutsy version of Free's "Fire and Water," which finds Frehley and Paul Stanley – putting forth a commanding vocal performance here – of KISS mending fences.

Working alongside acolytes John 5 and Pearl Jam's Mike McCready, Frehley injects some modern sonic testosterone into KISS favorites "Cold Gin" and "Parasite," reveling in their darker qualities and punching them around some. Origins Vol. 1 isn't essential, and sometimes, Frehley is too faithful to the source material. Nevertheless, Origins Vol. 1 is a fun, nostalgic trip with an array of stinging riffs and piercing solos that attempts to explain how Ace became Ace. And because of all that, it's not a bad placeholder for the next Frehley solo record.
– Peter Lindblad

Kings of Concert Posters: Uncle Charlie

Clowns, spaceships and Pop Art collide in artist's colorful creations
By Peter Lindblad

Pantera White Zombie
1996 Original Silkscreen
Concert Poster Uncle
Charlie S/N
Flying machines have always fascinated Houston artist Charlie Hardwick, better known by his pseudonym Uncle Charlie.

The son of a Navy man who, for a time, was said to have piloted blimps and dabbled in oil painting, Uncle Charlie has always pushed the boundaries of Pop Art. Dreaming up explosively colorful scenes of insane absurdity, with bright, psychedelic scenes that harken back to the '60s, Uncle Charlie is fond of incorporating spaceships and other types of aircraft, along with his beloved cartoon images, in incredibly vivid and vibrant works.

Renowned for a style featuring striking outlines and surreal fractal landscapes, Uncle Charlie has gained a reputation as a uniquely talented concert poster artist. Major music acts such as U2, The Who, Metallica and Radiohead, to name just a few, have sought him out to produce artwork promoting gigs in venues around Houston and Austin.

Today, some of his handbills can go for as low as $5 to $13, while prices for many of his gig posters may range from $40 to $80, although some will fetch around $130 to $150 and others might push beyond $200 or more. Here's a gallery of some of his finest work for purchase: http://stores.ebay.com/Rock-On-Collectibles/Uncle-Charlie-Posters-/_i.html?_fsub=3340828&_sid=70220124&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

Known for being humble and soft-spoken, Uncle Charlie, has persevered despite serious vision problems. Legally blind since 2003, Uncle Charlie continued to produce mind-blowing artwork long after, building off his acclaimed work in concert posters and commercial packaging designs.

Love & Rockets 1996 Original
Silkscreen Concert Poster
Uncle Charlie Art S/N
Born and bred in Houston, Hardwick started out playing in bands such as Blunt and local hardcore heroes Dresden 45 in the mid-1980s. While attending the University of Houston, he made a crucial decision not to waste his time with introductory design classes, instead switching to the Art Institute of Houston.

With the help of a musician friend, he found work at a design firm, where he stayed for 15 years as a senior designer. His commercial art graced products by Coke Food, Imperial Sugar and Minute Maid, but corporate downsizing in 2008 left him without a job. That led him to do more work with bands, although today Hardwick has immersed himself in doing more fine art.

On the side, for years, Hardwick had been moonlighting doing art for bands. In the late 1980s, he met the legendary concert poster artist Frank Kozik. Serving as Hardwick's mentor, it was Kozik who taught him a few tricks and encouraged the man who gained fame as Uncle Charlie to follow in his footsteps.

A few years later, in the early '90s, Hardwick was hired through a Cleveland gig poster broker to do a Smashing Pumpkins piece for a Houston-area concert promoter, Pace Concerts, that has long been one of his favorites. There's also a beautiful abstract piece he did for The Cure that so impressed the band that they asked for additional copies. Before that, he did fliers for all kinds of acts, but eventually, he settled on doing poster art, and the results speak for themselves. Below are works representative of Uncle Charlie's art.



The Who 1997 Original
Silkscreen Concert Poster
Uncle Charlie Art S/N


Weird Al Yankovic
2000 Original Concert
Promo Handbill Houston
Uncle Charlie Art


Foo Fighters 1995 Original
Silkscreen Concert Promo
Poster Uncle Charlie Art S/N


U2 PJ Harvey 2001 Original
Promo Concert Poster
Uncle Charlie Art Var 2





CD Review: Lita Ford – Time Capsule

CD Review: Lita Ford – Time Capsule
Steamhammer/SPV
All Access Rating: A-

Lita Ford - Time Capsule 2016
Gathering dust for some time in Lita Ford's house in the Caribbean, the previously unreleased material comprising Time Capsule practically begged to be released. She's finally given in to its demands.

Here are Ford's "lost" treasures, made on the fly with some of the biggest names in '80s rock and metal. With her new book "Living Like a Runaway: Lita Ford, A Memoir" already out, Time Capsule, due out via Steamhammer/SPV, arrives carrying a lot of baggage. Open this suitcase of a record and songs reminiscent of Ford's stiletto-heeled, spandex-clad heyday come spilling out, as sleazy grooves and tough riffs snarl at aching ballads that are pretty on the outside but hurt down deep, all of it in keeping with the glorious pop-metal sound that propelled her to solo stardom decades ago.

Along with making the Jimi Hendrix instrumental "Little Wing" smolder with searing, bluesy intensity, Ford and company bump-and-grind through a nasty "Black Leather Heart" and roll around in the gutter with a defiant, rough-and-tumble "Rotten to the Core" – co-written by KISS bassist Gene Simmons, who also plays on the track. Tenacious and biting, her solos scratch any itch until it bleeds, especially on the growling, savage "Mr. Corruption," and her vocals go from wounded to sweet and coy and then angry in no time at all.

These and other tracks are laced with bittersweet, melodramatic melodies that taste of alkaline and sugar, as the crestfallen, yearning "Where Will I Find My Heart Tonight" – with guest vocals by Jeff Scott Soto, his slight rasp pairing well with Ford's pure passion – puts on a brave face and marches forth dressed in thorny hooks that also poke through the rising epic "War of the Angels" and a beautifully rendered "Killing Kind," with its sublime chorus and surprisingly tasteful mandolin provided by Jane's Addiction's Dave Navarro.

All sides of Ford's complicated and compelling personality fight for attention on Time Capsule, which is no mere odds-and-sods collection thrown together haphazardly just to fulfill contractual obligations with a record label. These are good, solid rock songs – some of the best she's ever written in fact – that have no expiration date. And yet, while the songwriting is tight and assured, and the production is vivid and lively, the vibe emanating from Time Capsule is one of a series of enjoyable, intimate jam sessions between old friends. Bassist extraordinaire Billy Sheehan appears here and there, and Cheap Trick's Robin Zander and Rick Nielsen providing complementary backing vocals on "Killing Kind." The stuff in this Time Capsule hasn't aged badly at all.
– Peter Lindblad

High five ... plus five: Top selling music memorabilia for March

New blog feature lists highest auction prices realized for vinyl records, concert posters
By Peter Lindblad

David Bowie - Low U.K. 1977 Original
Factory Sample
The fallout from David Bowie's death continues to impact the record-collecting market. That story and more are highlighted in the first installment of a new feature here at the All Access blog, which takes a monthly look at the best-selling vinyl records (classical records have been omitted) and other musical memorabilia on eBay.

Not found among the most expensive items sold in March is this U.K. 1977 original factory sample version – considered one of the first ever printed – of Bowie's Low photographed at right. Considered one of the first ever printed, this piece, described by the seller as "impossibly rare," went for $1,234. And yet, it did not even come close to sniffing the prices realized by three other Bowie lots that lead March's top-selling listings for records. A listing of top-selling concert posters for March is also included below:

Records

David Bowie - Deram Japanese Stock
with "Both Obi's" 
1. David Bowie – David Bowie ($12,911.54): It doesn't get much better for collectors of David Bowie records than this. According to the seller, this Japanese version of David Bowie's self-titled album is in mint condition, having never been played, and is said to be the "the rarest David Bowie Deram LP on earth." Going further, the seller writes, that it is an unprecedented Deram stock copy DL-44 "in it's absolute complete day of release form" with the original strip OBI DL-44 – "the unfathomably rare mini OBI." It comes with the original lyric sheet and advert sheet. "I have owned five of these stock copies along the road, none with an OBI," continues the seller. "And nobody has even heard of this secondary mini OBI before." To read the complete backstory to this item, check it out on eBay.


David Bowie - Hunky Dory Preview
Pressing Only Four Copies Exist
2. David Bowie – Hunky Dory ($10,783.26): More from the Thin White Duke, there are only four known copies of this preview pressing. What makes this one special, according to the seller, is that it comes with the very first Hunky Dory sleeve ever printed. Previously used, the seller includes a detailed description of its flaws in the eBay write-up; however, the lot also comes with a handpicked stack of paperwork, a 12 1/2 x 12 1/2-inch promotional gatefold wraparound sleeve with pouches to house all the promo photos and paperwork that goes with the record.

The Beatles - LP Please Please Me -
Stereo First Pressing - Black And Gold
3. The Beatles – Please Please Me LP ($6,526.71): The 1963 release, catalog No. PCS 3042, is a stereo version of the Please Please Me LP. According to the seller's description, "The first copies of this record, like this one, were pressed with the elusive black and gold labels. This was due to Parlophone changing the label design to the more well-known black-and-yellow version. It is estimated that only 600 copies were ever pressed, making them extremely difficult to find." Adding to the unique character of these versions is a mistake, namely the publishing credit given to Dick James Music for the songs "I Saw Her Standing There," "Misery," "Do You Want to Know a Secret" and "There's a Place." Later pressings corrected the error, crediting Northern Songs. Furthermore, there is other evidence of this being housed in an original first pressing sleeve. It has an Ernest J. Day cover, with STEREO writ large on the front top right corner. A photo credit for Angus McBean is located on the front right bottom corner.

The Parliaments - This is My Rainy Day/
Getting Ready for the Summer
Cabell 115
4. The Parliaments – This is My Rainy Day ($5,324.55): An original Northern Soul rarity, this 7-inch single is in very good condition. Issued by the Cabell Records label in 1966, it is an original 1960s pressing, a first edition now out of print. Considered "the rarest of all records by The Parliaments," one of the groups featuring Archie Himon, aka Little Archie of Huntington, West Virginia, there are very few known copies of the single. Some say the reason is that the owner of Cabell Records wasn't happy with it. At least two known copies were out there, before this one was unearthed, according to the seller. They sold for between $4,400 and $6,400.

David Bowie - The Bowpromo
5. David Bowie – The Bowpromo ($5,188.73): In mint condition, this piece is thought to be among the most collectible David Bowie records around. Bowie sings all the songs on Side 1, while Dana Gillespie provides the vocals for Side 2. It contains different versions of songs on Hunky Dory that never made it on to the album. Descriptions of the songs here are said by the seller to be included on a number of web sites and of great interest to Bowie collectors due to their rarity. The seller claims to have purchased the record from Gillespie.

Concert posters:

Sam Cooke Five Royales Original
1958 Pre-Fillmore Boxing Style
Concert Poster
1. Sam Cooke – Five Royales Original 1958 Pre-Fillmore Boxing Style Concert Poster ($2,550): Soul/R&B legend Sam Cooke headlined this show at Chattanooga City's Auditorium in Tennessee on Sept. 29, 1958. Future Rock & Roll Hall of Fames the Five Royales opened for him, along with other acts. Measuring 21 5/8 x 28 1/4 inches, the original poster is on thick cardboard, similar to boxing-style posters. While it does show some damage, the poster is still highly prized by soul collectors, considering the profiles of these iconic soul and R&B artists.

Pink Floyd - Concert Poster 1970
Boston Tea Party
2. Pink Floyd – Concert Poster 1970 Boston Tea Party ($2,200): Extremely rare concert poster for Pink Floyd's show at the Boston Tea Party April 12, 1970. In very good condition, with sharp corners and no folds, the piece measures 17 x 17 inches. The Boston Tea Party was a concert venue at 53 Berkeley Street in Boston's South End neighborhood and played a role in the psychedelic movement. 


Grateful Dead - VTG 1970
Grateful Dead Tour Concert
Poster Psychedelic Art
MIT Armory Event
3. Grateful Dead  VTG 1970 Grateful Dead Tour Concert Poster Psychedelic Art MIT Armory Event ($2,100): An authentic Grateful Dead poster for the band's May 7, 1970 show at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Armory, this piece is printed on thick card stock and measures 11 x 14 inches. A pin hole, corner creases, smudges, stains and scuffs mar this poster, but the seller said the artwork "appears to have been hand-painted onto the poster since the art almost has a felt-like feel rather than what a screen print would feel on paper, and the opposite side shows a 'blueprint' of the finished poster." Additionally, two artists signed their names in the two bottom corners.

Tom Wilkes 1960s Rock
Concert Psychedelic Poster
4. Tom Wilkes 1960s Rock Concert Psychedelic Poster ($1,800): Here's a Tom Wilkes 1960s rock concert psychedelic poster from the Monterey International Pop Festival, one of the biggest events in rock history. Wilkes served as the art director for the festival, and between 1967 and 1969, he was the art director A&M Records. Responsible for many award-winning designs, Wilkes won a Grammy award for best recording packaging for Tommy performed by the London Symphony Orchestra & Choir. He also designed covers for legendary records, such as George Harrison's All Things Must Pass, Neil Young's Harvest and the Rolling Stones' Beggars' Banquet.The poster's framed dimensions are 26.75 x 41.5 inches.


KISS - Original KISS Blue
Oyster Cult New Year's Eve
Nassau Coliseum NY
Concert Poster
5. KISS – Original KISS Blue Oyster Cult New Year's Eve Nassau Coliseum NY Concert Poster ($1,336): Legendary rock acts KISS and Blue Oyster Cult were on the bill, with special guest the Leslie West Band. The poster was promoting a Dec. 31, 1975 show for KISS. It was the first New York area concert for the "ALIVE" North American Tour, the initial stop at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island. The seller claims to have received the poster from promoter Phil Basile, a Long Island promoter who worked with another legendary promoter, Ron Delsener. Not a copy or reproduction, this is a rare, original concert poster that has some creases and edge wear.


CD Review: Zakk Wylde – Book of Shadows II

CD Review: Zakk Wylde – Book of Shadows II
eOne Music
All Access Rating: A

Zakk Wylde - Book Of
Shadows II 2016
A sequel two decades in the making, Zakk Wylde's Book Of Shadows II seems at odds with the gregarious personality – not to mention the increasingly muscular physique – of its bearded viking of a creator.

Foregoing the mighty roar of a typical Black Label Society or Ozzy Osbourne release, Wylde crafts a dog-eared, toned-down hymnal of introspective, bittersweet ballads with a soulful Southern-rock drawl reminiscent of the Allman Brothers on this, his beautifully rendered second solo album.

The assured work of a man once broken and lost and cautiously hoping beyond hope that he's completely healed, Book of Shadows II, due out on eOne Music, is deeply moving, with the lush, pastoral "Autumn Changes" and "Lay Me Down" and a bluesy "Tears of December" serving notice immediately that Wylde, for all his fortitude, is acutely aware of his all-too-human vulnerability. "Darkest Hour" and "Forgotten Memory" – with its echoes of Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing" – quietly and gracefully swan dive all the way to rock bottom and yearn for salvation, while "Lost Prayer" has a hopeful, sunny glow ensconced in blues tradition.

Here, warm organ sounds coat a rich, organic blend of tasteful electric and acoustic guitar meditations, all backing resonant vocals soaked in too much melancholy. Melodies slowly evolve and take shape, in no hurry to articulate the inner turmoil of the artist. Tracks such as "Sorrowed Regret" and "The Levee" start out spare and haunting, before Wylde adds instrumental flesh to these creaking bones, in a sense gradually bringing them back to life in some sort of folk-rock resurrection. Spiritual and cathartic, Book of Shadows II is full of woe, evocative of a life of hard-earned lessons and turning inward to confront whatever demons are still in there.
– Peter Lindblad