Backstage Auctions’ Rock Gods and Metal Monsters 2015

By: Pat Prince, Editor of Goldmine Magazine

On June 20, Houston-based auction house Backstage Auctions will begin its annual Rock Gods and Metal Monsters Auction. Consisting of memorabilia from iconic rock ‘n’ roll artists and the heaviest bands on the planet, the Rock Gods and Metal Monsters Auction is as interesting and rock solid as any annual music auction there is.

Gene Simmons body armor from the KISS Psycho Circus tour.

Goldmine asked Backstage Auctions owner Jacques van Gool a few questions about the upcoming Rock Gods and Metal Monsters Auction, which runs June 20-28 (special VIP preview June 13-19) and will feature over 1,000 hard rock and heavy metal auction lots. 

GOLDMINE: Why and when did you decide to make the Rock Gods and Metal Monsters Auction an annual event?

JACQUES VAN GOOL: Well, let’s see, this is our fourth one in four years, so 2011 was the first time. The reason why is multiple; it’s a lot of fun, we’re very comfortable handling “all things” Hard-Rock and Heavy-Metal and most importantly, there is a growing number of collectors who wants Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer over Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead and the Beach Boys.

GM: In your opinion, what artist is a perfect example of a ‘Rock God,’ and then a ‘Metal Monster’?

VAN GOOL: Ha, that’s a interesting question. When I think of a Rock God, I’m visualizing a music icon with universal reach and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame level accomplishments. Actually, that might not be such a good answer because the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is hardly the yardstick for what’s relevant, but figure of speech…think KISS, Ted Nugent, Steven Tyler, Angus Young, Eddie Van Halen, Rob Halford, Lemmy etc.

Metal Monsters are the guys and girls who are the gorilla glue that keep this metal community together. They all are and have been carrying the metal torches and flags for decades and they are the ones who have written and performed the metal anthems that so many of us grew up with; Scott Ian, Dave Mustaine, Gary Holt, Alex Skolnick, Lita Ford, Mike Portnoy and so on. Not surprisingly, we have many Metal Monster consigners!

GM: How is heavy metal becoming the new genre to collect?

VAN GOOL: For starters, I think it’s an age thing. Right now the most active demographic that collects are people, mostly male, between the ages of 35 and 55, who grew up on music from the 1980s and 1990s. Setting aside a few big pop stars, those were the years of heavy metal, hair metal,

Paul Bostaph (Slayer) gloves, sticks and drum head.

thrash metal, industrial metal, grunge rock, as well as the early days of nu-metal. The other reason is that ‘anything’ rock and metal has always created a more fanatical crowd due to the whole counterculture element. The metal genre has created – and continues to create – a high level of loyalty. Once a metalhead, always a metalhead. Combine that with the graphic element of metal – something that is exceptionally strong and important, and you will find a community that expresses their love for ‘their kind of music’ through t-shirts, patches, buttons, fashion, posters, vinyl, etc. Even if you don’t care for metal, you simply can’t deny the cool factor. Do you want to hang a poster of a weepy dude with an acoustic guitar on your wall or would you like to see Manowar getting ready for battle? Next…!!!

GM: Are other ‘80s genres coming to the forefront of collectibility?

VAN GOOL: Not as strong but I certainly see potential for (British) New Wave and Synth-Pop (New Order, The Smiths, The Residents, Kraftwerk) and Post-Punk. Clearly 1980s Pop – or at least the A-list – has already been collectible for quite some time now, such as U2, Madonna and Prince. It would be nice to see those genres grow in collectibility, albeit that I don’t believe that it will happen in the same way and format as selling 1960s and 1970s collectibles.

Lita Ford (second from left) wearing her famous black cat suit from the early Runaways days (see on display below, left).

GM: Talk about some of the highlights of this year’s Rock Gods and Metal Monsters Auction, and why.

VAN GOOL: This is such a hard question, simply because I think that most of everything that we

Lita Ford's black cat suit.

have in the auction is special, no matter how large or small. There is Lita Ford’s famous black cat suit from the early Runaways days, or a fully-signed bass drumhead from the first ever American show of Venom in New York. Mike Portnoy and Charlie Benante both are offering a complete drum kit – which is a first for both of them, but then we also have a multitude of impressive guitars from various rock stars. You can bid on Marilyn Manson’s tour-used army hat, Tommy Lee’s drum sticks, Stephen Pearcy’s microphone grip or Gene Simmons body armor from the Psycho Circus tour. And speaking of KISS, we have the ‘oldest known to exist’ fully-signed promo photo which is a museum piece all by itself. There are hundreds of backstage passes, guitar picks, autographed items, record awards, tour shirts and jackets…the catalog is not for the faint of heart.

GM: There seems to be a growing amount of ‘gear’ at music memorabilia auctions nowadays. Do you find that collectors are usually musicians themselves when collecting musical gear?

VAN GOOL: No, not really. I mean, sure, a good number will buy amps, cabinets, road cases, microphone stands etc. to actually use and enjoy, but I know that there is an equally large number of people who simply buy gear for display purposes. I have seen people turn road cases into coffee tables, storage bins and even cabinets and book cases. These days an amp or cabinet makes for an equally attractive piece of decorative furniture than for example a birdcage or a fake bamboo plant. And it’s a better conversation piece too!

Lita Ford case, featured in the auction.

GM: You just had a distinct metal auction with Rex Brown of Pantera. Will there be more Pantera memorabilia available from this auction?

VAN GOOL: Yes, there will be a few more pieces. There are about 10 lots from Rex in this auction and another equal number of items coming from other consigners, such as some passes, picks, itineraries, record awards, etc.

GM:  Are the artists usually easy to work with? Do they ever go through separation anxiety after the commitment to auction off personal possessions?

VAN GOOL: I don’t know if ‘easy’ is the right word but I personally have been able to build very good relationship with all our metal consigners. Two things you have to know; metal artists are known to have to do a lot on their own and most had to build their band (and brand) from the ground

Rare Scott Ian (Anthrax) guitars, set to be auctioned. 

up. In other words, for the most part they are self-sufficient and generally knowledgeable about the business side of things. The other element is that metal artists generally have a very strong bond with their fans. They are very comfortable with exposure and don’t hide behind a bodyguard who will whisk them to a blacked-out limo. So, if you can speak their language, understand their drive and history and most importantly, be honest, you’ll end up doing just fine.

GM: What is next for Backstage Auctions after the Rock Gods and Metal Monsters Auction is over?

VAN GOOL: Vacation, R&R, trips to the reflexologist, kicking in a dent in the 100 or so saved shows on my DVR and maybe even a nap or two. After that we are getting ready for a ‘one-of-a-kind’ auction on behalf of a former British photo agency with tens of thousands of negatives from the 1960s and 1970s U.K. Rock & Pop scene, as well as a Classic Rock & Pop auction later in the year. Meanwhile, we’re also looking at a few ‘stand-alone’ auctions for some A-list clients…METAL clients that is!

The Rock Gods & Metal Monsters Auction is set to go live on June 20th. A special VIP preview will start on June 13th. To get your All Access VIP Auction pass visit the registration section here: VIP Access

#RGMM2015

It’s only rock and roll, but Backstage Auctions likes it

By Susan Sliwicki ~ Goldmine Magazine

Jacques and Kelli van Gool of Backstage Auctions

Although we’ve never met Jacques van Gool’s mom, we suspect that she’s pretty cool. When the future rock and roll auction house owner opened his birthday gift in 1973, he found the turntable he’d been hoping for — but no records to play on it. So, his mom walked with him to a nearby record shop. “I’m standing there with my mother, and I’m looking in the window, and the first album that caught my eye was Black Sabbath,” van Gool recalls. “So we went in and bought Black Sabbath’s second album.”

Of course, it didn’t take long for his parents to tell him to turn his record player down. “Pretty much the same day,” he admits. “I remember my mother coming home one day with a fairly big box, and she said, ‘Here, please use this.’”

Inside was a set of huge, funky headphones.

“With the headphones, I could literally crank it up to the point that by the time I was done playing the record, my ears would literally ring,” he recalled.

Admittedly, that move may not have been the best thing for van Gool’s hearing. But it built his appreciation for the music and the artists who produced it, particularly heavy metal. So in all, it makes sense that he eventually chose to open an auction house that specializes in selling music and related memorabilia. van Gool and his wife, Kelli, operate Backstage Auctions, which marks its 10th anniversary this year. Kelli van Gool shared her perspectives on the music collecting industry with Goldmine.

GOLDMINE: What’s the history of Backstage Auctions? What prompted you to start the business, what led to your choice to pursue the niche of consigning large items directly from artists and industry professionals, vs. simply offering collectibles at large?

BACKSTAGE AUCTIONS: It’s was really Jacques’ passion for music and his personal hobby of collecting music memorabilia that was the driving force behind the idea. Having nearly three decades of collecting, trading and brokering memorabilia, he recognized that significant changes were occurring in the collectors market when eBay started to become a widely popular platform for selling memorabilia in the late ’90s and early 2000. Suddenly people from all over the world had access to buying and selling memorabilia through the Internet, which was awesome. However, with the good also came the bad, and the market was flooded with fakes and forgeries, and at the time, there really wasn’t a good (system of) checks and balances in place to weed out the non-authentic pieces.

We started conceptually thinking about it in early 2000 and after doing quite a bit of research, talking to friends who were big time collectors and a whole host of musician friends, we finally took the idea from concept to reality in 2003. Our business model was simple; we would work exclusively with musicians and industry professionals directly, which in turn gave collectors access to authentic pieces of music memorabilia without questioning the provenance or authenticity of any piece we would offer up for auction or for sale. For collectors, it offers a unique opportunity to purchase items that have a direct link back to the artist, and for our clients, it provides them with a professional and highly reputable selling platform to empty out their storage facilities filled with music history. Our goal when we started was stimulate and revitalize the collectors market, restore buyers’ confidence and put some much-needed integrity back into the collectibles market. Fast-forward 10 years later, and I believe that we accomplished those goals and continue to keep the thrill and excitement in collecting rock and roll memorabilia alive. After all, nothing beats owning an authentic piece of music history.

GM: Before you launched Backstage Auctions, what were your careers?
BA: Well, we both had nearly 20 years of corporate business experience before launching Backstage Auctions, and interestingly, we both started our careers in human resources. I progressed through my career in more of a strategic human resources role, with a focus in development and communications, and Jacques’ skills were focused more on the merger and acquisition side of things. Our previous careers did prove to be very beneficial when you peel down our experience and apply it to core business functions.

GM: What do you find is the hardest or most challenging part of your business? And what is your favorite part?
BA: Like with any business, developing business and securing collections is always a challenge. Our clients have very demanding schedules, especially the ones who are actively touring and recording. It’s getting the stars to align at the precise moment when we get a “yes,” and getting a “yes” can sometimes takes months on end, even years.  Probably for both me and Jacques, our favorite part is when the collections actually get delivered to our studio. It’s quite a thrill to open of a box that contains original recordings, handwritten lyrics that are decades old, or even stage-worn attire and concert-used gear. It’s history, and it’s not only our client’s history, but it’s a part of our personal history, because we grew up listening to these artists.

We also get a tremendous satisfaction when our clients actively participate in promoting their auctions. Ted Nugent played a very active role in his auction, as did Herbie Herbert, Page Hamilton, Kip Winger, Scott Ian and Charlie Benante. Social media is a very powerful tool, especially when an artist has a tremendous following. It’s a lot of fun following the interaction between the artists and their fans when the auction is live. The fans and collectors eat it up, which always have a direct impact on the auction results.

Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian adds a personal touch to one of the guitars he consigned to Backstage Auctions. The auction house, which just celebrated its 10th anniversary, focuses on acquiring lots directly from artists and music-industry insiders to ensure buyers are getting high-quality items with a direct link to artists. Photo courtesy Backstage Auctions.

GM: What’s the significance of the Backstage Auctions red star logo?
BA: Well the cliché answer would be that it represents being a star … you know, a “rock star,” and that certainly applies. We have changed our logo a bit over the years, but the constant that has never changed is the recognizable red star. Setting the business answer aside, it also has a personal meaning for Jacques and me, dating back to when we first met. So there is a little bit of us in our logo, which I personally think is cool.

GM: What are a couple of memorable experiences you’ve had through they years with Backstage Auctions? (i.e interesting consignments, fun stories about nervous consignors, etc.?)
BA: Oh, gosh, there are so many amazing stories and experiences. We are really fortunate to have worked with so many artists, producers and managers that each one has a great story I could tell. Every client is different when it comes to how involved he or she would like to be during the auction. Some track their own items and watch their personal VIP auction dashboard on the last day, while others call for updates. But a favorite story of mine is one of our clients was so excited about all the bidding on the last day, that he eventually had to leave his house and go to the movies — which, by the way, he later confessed that he didn’t even remember which movie he saw, because he was too nervous and preoccupied with the auction.

We have had so many different type of rock an roll rarities pass through our studio it’s hard to name just a few that are memorable or interesting – because they all are in their own way. But I can say that when you open a box and pick up a collection of original Jimi Hendrix acetates, KISS original recordings, amazing Led Zeppelin memorabilia or a even a concert used guitar – it’s hard to not feel humbled, nervous and excited all at the same time.

In the early days, admittedly we were probably a lot more nervous than our clients when we would go live with our auctions. We had the opportunity to work with the legendary Eddie Kramer (yes, this was truly an OMG moment). His collection was the very first “online” auction and in retrospect we were probably not as mentally prepared as we could have been because we simply underestimated the market response. Don’t get me wrong we knew it was going to “huge”, what we didn’t anticipate was it being “ginormous”. The lesson learned from that auction was we always need to be prepared for the absolutely “best” case scenario moment – you know the one that usually begins with, “I can’t even imagine – but what if….”.

We have worked with so many amazing people over the years, and quite a few of our clients have become great friends post auction activities. But I must say that for me personally Eddie Kramer is still “one” of my favorite clients, but really everyone we have worked with has been awesome.

GM: How much has changed in the business (both collecting-wise and auction-wise) since you held your first auction? What are the trends you’ve seen?
BA: Ten years seems like a long time, and it is, but there are things that simply don’t change, like the passion for collecting. That said, we do see the primary collectors group for classic rock memorabilia starting to shrink a bit, but that makes sense to us, because of the age of that group. What has been growing in popularity and is definitely a force to be reckoned with is heavy metal memorabilia. This year we will be hosting our fourth heavy-metal focused auction, and every year it gets bigger and bigger. It’s the natural progression of collecting, markets and emerging interests that drive the mayhem behind metal memorabilia collecting. Let’s be honest here. When Scott Ian of Anthrax has one of his guitars prominently featured in the annual “Warman’s Antiques & Collectibles” guide book, you know heavy-metal memorabilia is a real player in the world of music memorabilia collecting. And we love it!

Herbie Herbert's 1974  personal agenda from the Journey days.

GM: What’s it like to work with your spouse? Do you think that being married makes it easier or harder to work together, and why?
BA: Well, for us, it’s easy. But we do have separate offices in our studio. Rarely do we have to actually work together side by side. Jacques mainly focuses on client service and manages the production side of things. My focus is more keeping all the balls in the air. Sure, we have our moments but there is definitely more of an upside than a downside.

GM: Have your collecting habits changed as a result of running an auction house? If so, how? (It’s got to be hard to work with all that cool stuff and not want to take at least a few goodies home with you!)
BA: It’s interesting that you ask that, because one would easily assume that we (actually, Jacques) would still be actively collecting, but he doesn’t so much anymore. From time to time, he will purchase something, but usually because it has a personal history attached to it. As so many collectors do, they reach their summit, and Jacques reached his and was OK with it.

GM: If you could go back and do one thing differently in regards to your business, what would you choose to change, and why?
BA: Oh, there are probably things that we could have done different, but we like to look at those as teachable moments. One thing that we learned early was this is a fluid business, and over-managing the process doesn’t necessarily deliver the results you were hoping for. In 2005, we were out in San Francisco, packing up a warehouse filled with decades of memorabilia belonging to Herbie Herbert, who was the man behind Journey’s success. He gave us a piece of advice that he learned early on from his mentor Bill Graham, which was, “When you have a yes, you stop selling.” For us, that translated into when you have a “yes,” keep it simple, go with the flow and try to not over- manage the artists — they have enough of that already.

GM: In 10 years’ time, you have built Backstage Auctions from the ground up. Would you ever consider selling now that you are established and reputable music memorabilia auction house?
BA: That’s a very good question. We have organically grown and built Backstage Auctions in such a way that if the right buyer (individual or company) came along and expressed interest, it would definitely be an easy business transaction — especially since Jacques and I are the sole owners. That said, it would probably be emotionally difficult to hand the keys over to someone else, but at the same time it could be equally exciting. But for now, we are rockin’ in the here and now and having fun … one auction at a time.

###

Over 200 Sealed NWOBHM Records Head to Auction

The Rock Gods 'n Metal Monsters auction is offering more than 200 sealed records from illustrious record labels such as Neat Records and Heavy Metal Records in its Rock Gods and Metal Monsters Auction, which ends Nov. 7, 2010.

“At the 11th hour, we received an incredible collection of sealed — early 1980s — heavy metal albums that is so impressive, it is sure to spin some heads,” said Backstage Auctions founder and president Jacques van Gool. “We’ve got sealed albums from some of the most notable metal lables of the past few decades, including Neat Records, Roadrunner, Metal Blade, Shrapnel, Heavy Metal Records and Enigma, among others — which are a goldmine for the true metal music collector.”

Good- condition vinyl is selling for record prices, and the growing demand easily outranks the supply. As such, Backstage Auctions was elated when it received this truly “last-minute” consignment from a now-defunct import record distributor in Asia, which consigned more than 200 of these elusive gems, highlighted by the fact that each and every copy is still sealed. Once metal icons such as Motorhead, Iron Maiden, Saxon, Judas Priest and Def Leppard had kicked the doors wide open to the glorious days of New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, small and independent record companies mushroomed across Europe and America, giving birth to legendary labels such as Neat Records, Heavy Metal Records, Killerwatt, Roadrunner, Metal Blade, Megaforce and Shrapnel. The legions of metal fans around the globe were so vast and hungry that — weekly — literally dozens of new releases were pressed and distributed to thousands of records stores.

Few things back in the early 1980s were as exciting as rushing home with the newest Neat Records release, just to hear what the next New Wave Of British Heavy Metal band had to offer.

“Even for the most seasoned metal collector, this treasure chest of records contains an unmatched depth of obscure titles,” van Gool said. “Truth to be told, I would have the hardest time to decide what to do with any of these records — keep them sealed or set ‘em free and soak up the sounds that defined the ’80s. And yes, those sounds royally ticked off our suffering neighbors downstairs. I vividly remember how much my parents resented my Friday afternoon return from my local record shop, armed with a bag full of fresh metal, ready for another weekend of headbanging and air-guitar. I suppose I learned early on that the more your parents hated it, the better the album probably was.”

In addition to precious discs by Iron Maiden, Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Ozzy Osbourne, KISS, Judas Priest and Saxon, the collection is loaded with exceptionally rare releases from historic labels such as Neat Records (18 titles), Roadrunner (28 titles), Heavy Metal Records (12 titles) and Metal Blade (15 titles), featuring illustrious names such as Venom, Jaguar, Tygers of Pan Tang, Angel Witch, Cirith Ungol, Bitch, The Rods, Raven, Pandemonium, Armored Saint, Tysondog, Anvil, Trouble, Blitzkrieg, Battleaxe, Tokyo Blade, Chastain, Mad Max, Fates Warning, Avenger and War Machine.

The complete auction catalog showcases amazing pieces direct from the private collections of Al Jourgensen (Ministry); Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Ozzy, Whitesnake, Dio); Graham Bonnet (Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group, Alcatrazz, Impellitteri); Scott Rockenfeld (Queensryche); Kip Winger (Winger); Bobby Rondinelli (Black Sabbath, Aerosmith); Andy Laroque (King Diamond); John 5 (Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson); and Walter O’Brien (Concrete Management).

Whether you’re in the market for a smashed John 5 guitar, vintage concert photos of KISS, Black Sabbath or AC/DC, original art by Marilyn Manson, RIAA record awards or Ministry master recording reels, this auction has just about everything to get a metal fan or collector excited.

 Lots include rare artist-signed collectibles, recordings, concert photos and negatives, original artwork, promotional and concert posters, record awards, backstage passes, promotional merchandise, stage gear, artist-worn apparel, drumsticks, exclusive ephemera, tour books and some really cool road cases.

For more details on the more than 500 lots featured in this auction simply click on the AUCTION tab at the top or click here: Rock Gods 'n Metal Monsters Auction.

This article was written and originally posted by Goldmine Magazine. 

More than 200 still sealed NWOBHM Records Head to Auction 

METAL IS ALIVE AND WELL (AND LOUD!!!)

The American Carnage Tour - Anthrax, Megadeth and Slayer

September 26, 2010 - Houston, Texas

All Access Concert Review: A

Each generation has their festivals and some eventually morph into the stuff of legends. The sixties provided the Trips Festival, the 14-hour Technicolor Dream, Monterey and Woodstock. The seventies offered the Isle of Wight, Glastonbury, Knebworth and the Texxas Jam. Live Aid was arguably the biggest festival of the eighties and the next decade saw memorable events such as Lollapalooza and (a muddy version of) Woodstock.

And then there are the genre specific festivals. Jazz has been thriving for decades in Newport, Montreux and The Hague. Punk festivals have been challenged the establishments in England since 1976 and Texas’ own Austin has become an annual global Mecca for alternative and unsigned bands. Whatever your fancy, your crumbled stub to one of these events is a true badge of honor and includes subsequent bragging right.

Such holds just as true in the leather and studded world of Heavy-Metal. The early days of N.W.O.B.H.M. and trash-metal gave birth to the legendary “Aardschok” festivals in the Netherlands (attended by yours truly), Castle Donnington and the annual ‘Monsters of Rock”. Better yet, if there is a genre that has kept the phenomena of day (or weekend) long music events alive; than it is without question the vast legions of headbangers. Thumb through an issue of Metal Hammer, Classic Rock or the before mentioned Aardschok and you’ll find a dazzling array of mostly summer festivals in just about every European country. South-America, Japan, Australia and yes, even the US with its “Rocklahoma” and “Rock at the Bayou” has continued the trend of these marathon eardrum onslaughts.

1990/ 1991 became significant in the history of metal by means of the legendary ‘Clash of the Titans’ tour. The first leg (September/ October 1990) consisted of 17 shows in Europe, featuring Slayer, Megadeth, Testament and Suicidal Tendencies. The second leg (May through July of 1991) featured three of the four biggest trash-metal bands – Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. This all-American event contained an impressive 50 shows and after all was said and done, the “Clash of the Titans” tour went down as one of the most memorable metal events in history. Original tour memorabilia such as posters and shirts demand top-dollar among collectors and if your attendance to one of the original ‘Titan’ shows will draw instant respect from your fellow ‘bangers. Metallica, obviously the other ‘Big Four’ was already in a whole different league and was just months away from releasing the ‘Black’ album, which would eventually sell a staggering 15 million copies.

Anthrax

Now two decades later, Slayer, Megadeth, Testament and Anthrax still carry the trash-torch with the same pride, energy, piss and vinegar. And much like 20 years ago, a two-phased ‘Titans’ tour is tearing through the US. Dubbed the ‘American Carnage’ tour, there was initially only one leg planned, featuring Slayer, Megadeth and Testament. Chronic back problems of Slayer bassist/ vocalist of Tom Araya (caused by his decade’s long aggressive style of headbanging) prompted a last minute cancellation and Slayer was replaced by other Bay-Area legend Exodus. Six months later, a second leg was announced, this time with the exact same line-up as the 1991 formation and consisting of Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. Confident of drawing sell-out crowds and a new generation of metal heads, Kerry King (Slayer) correctly said prior to the start of this tour “If you’ve got into this kind of music after ’92, you never saw us play together”.

Megadeth

I already saw the first ‘Carnage’ event here in Houston on March 25 and was really happy with my safe seat in the balcony…..and my earplugs. Yeah, yeah, save me the “boos”. I did the mosh pit thing as far back as the 70s. Now, I just enjoy watching it from a distance. By the way, even though Exodus was the opening act, they stole the price for most incredible pit ever by separating the floor in two halves like the red sea during (what else?) “Toxic Waltz”, followed by a massive stampede of body blows by over a thousand crazy kids on the word “go”…..now that was a sight!

Going in my "box"

Scott Ian of Anthrax graciously invited me last Sunday for the ‘real’ titanic clash, which too became a most memorable event. Pulling exclusively from their “vintage” catalog, Anthrax dished out classics such as ‘Caught in a Mosh’, ‘Indians’, ‘Antisocial’ and ‘I am the Law’. With Joey Belladonna back, Anthrax remains one of the most entertaining, energetic and engaging metal acts around. Megadeth served up a ‘front-to-back’ of their 1990 epic ‘Rust in Peace’ album, with staple songs such as ‘Hanger 18’ and ‘Lucretia’.  Fittingly, they ended their set with their masterpieces ‘Peace Sells’ and ‘Symphony of Destruction’. Slayer is Slayer. Raucous, fast, intimidating. They too offered a full version of their 1990 ‘Seasons in the Abyss’ mixed up with cult classics such as ‘Angel of Death’, ‘South of Heaven’ and ‘Raining Blood’.

No Caption Needed

This time, I didn’t have the safety of a balcony seat and in my rush to get out the door, I forget my plugs. Admittedly, I had several scenes of “No Country for Old Men” flashing through my mind. The sell-out crowd was in a 4-hour frenzy, lead by a seemingly never-ending array of stage divers and mosh pit pushers and shovers. But truth to be told, a show like this has to be experienced from the floor. The highly addictive intensity made me stand my ground (for as much that’s possible) and you know what, it felt damn good! OK, I didn’t make an attempt to loose my front teeth on stage (although I did see plenty of “war veterans” who obviously have a lousy dental plan), but it was great to be in the middle of it all. The best part however was to see that next generation Kerry King talked about. At some point, the balcony seat will become my only option but as long as these fresh metal heads keep the pit alive and the floor unsafe, metal will be “Alive and Well”.

This second leg of the tour runs through October 21. If possible, go earn your metal badge of honor…….I can highly recommend a General Admission ticket!

-  Jacques van Gool

Backstage Auctions

Be sure and check out The Rock Gods 'n Metal Monsters Auction - Live on Halloween at Backstage Auctions! The auction will feature the private collections of Al Jourgensen, Rudy Sarzo, Graham Bonnet, John 5, Scott Rockenfield and more! 

Artist Links: 

Anthrax

Megadeth

Slayer

After 35 Years - A KISS is still a KISS

KISS - The Hottest Show On Earth

All Access Concert Review: A

KISS Concert: Houston  9-17-2010

To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t quite as ready to ‘Rock ‘n Roll All Night and Party Every Day’ as much as the overly excited "never seen KISS live before" fan in the seat next to me at last Friday’s KISS concert in Houston. Maybe it was because it was his first KISS show and while he was easily pushing 60, he had the stamina (and matching behavior) of a teenager. Or maybe it was because this was approximately the 30^th time I was going to see KISS and started to wonder (doubt even) if – after 35 years – the time was nearing where I no longer would enjoy seeing and hearing “The Hottest Show On Earth”, which is how their current tour is aptly labeled.

Don’t get me wrong, a KISS concert (or KISS experience is perhaps the better word) still beats the pants off, well, just about any other band. Few will give you as much bang for your buck as these guys do and you just can’t help but to get caught up in the madness of it all. You’ll get the blood and fire breathing theatrics, explosive fireworks, hit after hit, a smashed guitar and about a ton of confetti. Oh, and did I mention that these guys can flick a guitar pick with ease, precise aim and well past row ‘P’?

Tommy Thayer

So, here I find myself again watching Gene and Paul doing what they’ve been doing for 37 years now. Sure, Paul’s voice isn’t what it used to be and Gene has become a little bit more static on stage over the years. That however is largely compensated by the energy and quality delivered by Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer, who – like it or not – have made KISS a better band than their original predecessors.

Judging by the demographics of the audience, it’s easy to conclude that KISS has truly become an event for all ages, all walks of life and possibly a family affair. From toddlers to retirees, from rough rockers to soccer moms, it seems that everyone wants to be "puckered upon" tonight. Each song goes down like a smooth glass of "cold gin" and sitting is not an option. It’s bombastic, theatrical, somewhat predictable but – and this is the only thing that in the end matters – it sure is entertaining.

Paul Stanley

As I looked around and saw that the fan sitting next to me was having the time of his life just like the other 15,000+ in attendance, that’s when it hit me…..I was observing the audience as much as I was paying attention to those 4 guys on stage and realized that the sheer joy and pure pleasure I witnessed around me was no different then when I got bitten by the KISS bug at an early age. The KISS Army is still very much alive and signing up new recruits every night. With so many bands struggling to keep up and sell out shows, it is understandable why a band such as KISS could easily keep rockin another 10 or 20 years.

Me? I was getting my satisfaction from the little things. If I never hear a live rendition of “Beth” anymore I wouldn’t loose much sleep but to see them play their biggest (radio) hit as a band – with Paul and Tommy playing acoustic guitars – was a first for me….and I loved it. Another nice touch was bringing out 3 Marines and reciting the ‘Pledge of Allegiance’, after presenting a check worth well over $400,000.00 to the ‘Wounded Warrior Project’ (http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/). Also, I can’t remember seeing a band doing an encore that lasted nearly an hour, again - that whole “bang for your buck” thing.

Gene Simmons

Going to see KISS is very much like going to your favorite restaurant. You know what you’ll get, you know it’ll be great, you also know you’ll be coming back and after a while, you enjoy seeing new patrons come in and discover why this place is so special. I wasn’t sure how hungry I was last Friday night but I left with a full and happy tummy.

Nearly 70 years ago, Humphrey Bogart serenaded Ingrid Bergman in “Casablanca” with the words “a kiss is still a kiss”. He couldn’t have been more right. And if you have never seen a KISS concert, I’d recommend that you put it on your bucket list and prepare to be "puckered upon". After 37 years KISS is still KISS. 

By Jacques van Gool, 

Backstage Auctions, Inc.

Jacques van Gool (Backstage Auctions) & Gene Simmons (KISS)
Brussels (Vorst Nationaal) 1983 Tour

Collectors still feel plenty of love for Elvis memorabilia

It’s good to be The King — or at the very least, to collect him.

The prices that Elvis’ fans are happy to pay for his albums, posters and memorabilia show he’s still alive and well in the collectors’ market.

“There’s sort of an expiration date on artists, and I think artists that, let’s say, have their peaks back in the ’50s and ’60s, for them to still be collectible and highly collectible to date is really unusual,” said Jacques van Gool of Backstage Auctions.

Elvis collectibles stacks up extremely well with the likes of The Beatles, The Stones, The Who, The Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd and others, which is impressive when you consider that his roots go back a solid 10 to 15 years before those other artists made it on the scene, van Gool said.

The Beatles probably do outrank Elvis in overall collectibility, largely because The Beatles are a global phenomenon among collectors, while most Elvis collectors are here in the U.S., he said. That said, Elvis is no shrinking violet, particularly when it comes to personally owned pieces, such as one of Elvis’ cars, jumpsuits or autographed pieces.

“You’ll see some mind-blowing numbers when it comes to Elvis, the same types of numbers you’d see for the The Beatles,” van Gool said.

There hasn’t been a lot of change in the Elvis market in the last 10 to 20 years, he said, and the market for Elvis-related collectibles remains strong and steady.

“The fact that they’re still, every year, coming out with new merchandise is a very healthy sign that the market is there,” van Gool said. Toys, calendars, T-shirts, vinyl records, movie posters, books, commemorative plates, DVDs … the list of Elvis-related collectibles is almost endless.

“I know that Graceland draws a lot of people every year, and just about everyone will walk out of there buying something,” van Gool said. “I truly believe that collectors are born in the gift shop. Graceland is very important.”

If you’re wondering where to get the most bang for your Elvis buck, look toward the elite items, where demand far outstrips supply, such as Elvis’ autograph, a piece of his jewelry or clothing, or any of the first five Sun Records singles, van Gool said. Items from the 1950s command the best prices, followed by those from the 1960s and 1970s, he added. Just be careful to choose authenticated items, as everything from Elvis’ jumpsuits his signature have been replicated.

If you’re just getting started collecting Elvis memorabilia, the options for collecting can be overwhelming, as Elvis had so many different eras in his career. The rule of thumb is that items from the 1950s are the most expensive, followed by those from the 1960s and 1970s.

“With Elvis, if you want to start working your ways backwards, start with everything from 1977. When he passed away, there must’ve been 50 different magazine specials and 100 newspapers that wrote about him, and commemorative coins and commemorative everything. That can be a great point to start,” he said. From there, you might want to look at old tour programs or Vegas pieces.

Whatever route, van Gool recommends following a basic rule of thumb.

“I would rather spend $10 on something that’s 30 years old than spend $10 on something that was released yesterday,” van Gool said. “Everything that was released today comes out at a premium, and for the next 10 years, the price will drop.”

By Susan Sliwicki

http://www.goldminemag.com/collector-resources/collectors-still-feel-plenty-of-love-for-elvis-memorabilia

Backstage Auctions Elvis Memorabilia: New Store Items

Memorabilia market makes room for Punk collectibles

When staunchly classic auction houses like Christie’s and Sotheby’s host sales related to a popular culture era, you know the market is on to something.

Of course, when that something is punk rock, more than a few traditionalists were scratching their heads. But with a handsome sale result of $747,300, the Christie’s Punk/Rock sale in late 2008 confirmed what rock and roll memorabilia collectors and auction houses like Backstage Auctions already knew: Punk is hot.

“Punk, at the time, was not a musical genre that was meant to be collected,” said Jacques van Gool of Backstage Auctions. “Punk was an expression, and punk was a statement, and punk was something you lived. Punk wasn’t something you put in a plastic sleeve and put in a display case.”
Collectors today want to do just that, and they are willing to pay handsomely for the privilege. But finding a mint-condition punk collectible is a bit like finding a needle-toting unicorn in a haystack.

“Punk collectibles were not necessarily handled with care, so to find anything for that matter that is still in pristine condition is an exception, rather than the rule,” van Gool said. “If you had a punk T-shirt, the first thing you would do is rip holes in it. If you had a punk poster, the first thing you’d do is tape it on your wall and put stickers on it and write on it.”

But the other reason it’s tough to find top-shelf, mint-condition punk collectibles comes back the golden law of economics: supply and demand.

“I think what makes a mint punk collectible so rare is it wasn’t meant to be kept, and because there was a very small quantity, the survival rate is low,” van Gool said. “We can all ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ about the first Beatles album on Capitol Records from 1964, which is still worth a lot of money in mint condition, but what people forget is there were hundreds of thousands of copies. When you’re looking for a punk single, you’re lucky if they pressed 200 or 1,000 copies.”

Our Market Watch feature has hosted a variety of hot-selling punk records in recent months.

As for punk memorabilia, there’s one thing that van Gool will always associate with the punk movement.

“When I think of punk, I think of buttons,” van Gool said. “You couldn’t walk the street and see a punk rocker without 20 or 30 buttons.”

In the eBay collectible world, punk buttons are an easy buy — not to mention a great choice for collectors who may be strapped for storage space, or even funds.

A single Clash pinback recently sold for $52, but that kind of premium tends to be the exception rather than the rule in online auctions.

By comparison: A collection of 100 metal, punk, hardcore and ska buttons and badges sold for $16.99; a group of The Cramps’ pins sold for $11; and a group of Iggy Pop and The Stooges pins sold for $8. Collections featuring Screeching Weasel plus Sloppy Seconds, The Ramones, Sex Pistols, Joe Strummer and NOFX each sold for about $6.

Another hot collectible these days? Vintage T-shirts. “That entirely has to do with the fact that 5, 6 years ago, vintage concert T-shirts became fashionable, so they were all of a sudden in style, and it was cool to be seen with a 1976 Peter Frampton T-shirt or a 1974 Blue Oyster Cult T-shirt,” van Gool said.

A collection of vintage T-shirts that featured a 1984 The Clash “Out of Control” shirt, as well as shirts from Scorpions, Billy Squier, ZZ Top and Quiet Riot, recently sold for $225 online.

-Susan Sliwicki - Goldmine Magazine

http://www.goldminemag.com/collector-resources/memorabilia-market-makes-room-for-punk-collectibles

The ’80s poised to be the next ‘big thing’ in Music Memorabilia

Every collector dreams of owning a top-shelf, holy grail item. But how do you ensure you’ll have spot at the head of the collecting class someday? Well, it’s kind of like a 401(K) plan. There’s a lot of saving and planning, some discipline, and quite a wait for payoff.

“If you buy to collect, then the golden rule still is to keep whatever you have sealed, whether you buy an album or a CD or toy or anything,” said Jacques van Gool of Backstage Auctions. “Don’t be tempted to open it or listen to it. The moment you do, the item will lose value.”

Oh, sure, the item may still be in pristine condition. But breaking that protective seal is a lot like driving a brand-new car off the dealer’s lot: The depreciation starts the minute you do.

If you have any open or unsealed items, be sure to invest in good storage materials and bag them up now, because at the end of the day, the value of the collectible is driven by its condition. If you have vinyl, be sure to store it with a backing board, so the corners won’t bend.

For those of us who have limited impulse control, consider buying today’s “limited-edition” collectibles in duplicates — one to enjoy, and one to save for the future as a true collectible.

Just don’t expect to see a massive return on your investment overnight, van Gool warns. You need to be patient enough to keep the piece long enough so it can grow in value.

“Everything in music collectibles are like wine. There’s an incubation period, and they need to ripen and they need to season,” van Gool said. “If you buy something now and try to sell it or trade it in the first 10 years, the chances are the piece you bought is at the same value, or it might have lost a little bit of value,” he said. “That’s not different than the bundles of money we pay today for items from the 1960s and the 1970s. Back in the ’60s and ’70s, they were worth nothing.”

So, what are the items you should be saving today for your collecting investment tomorrow? Keep in mind that there is no such thing as a “foolproof” investment. That said, for the most part, everything that was collectible — records, posters, signed memorabilia —is still collectible, van Gool says. But a few specific areas have enjoyed a bit of a growth spurt in recent years.

“One type of item that has become increasingly popular over the past five years are vintage T-shirts, and that entirely has to do with the fact that five, six years ago, vintage concert T-shirts became fashionable, so they were, all of a sudden, in style, and it was cool to be seen in style with a 1976 Peter Frampton T-shirt or a 1974 Blue Oyster Cult T-shirt,” van Gool said.

Vinyl is also enjoying a bit of a rebirth. “There’s more new vinyl that’s being sold,” van Gool said. “When you see large retailers such as Best Buy jump on the bandwagon to start selling vinyl again, that’s a good sign.”

And it’s not just Baby Boomers buying back their old albums.“It’s people in their 20s and 30s, who did not grow up with a record player who are now discovering the wonderful world of vinyl,” he said.

When it comes to a certain “genres” that are on the rise, new wave, post punk and metal all land on van Gool’s list.

“If there’s a category lately that is really jumping and more and more demanding high prices, it is the ’80s hard-rock, heavy metal, whether it’s Iron Maiden or Judas Priest or Metallica or Def Leppard or Saxon,” van Gool said.

When Backstage Auctions conducted a Motley Crue auction a few years ago, it was kind of a gamble for the auction house, van Gool said. “It ended up being our first completely, 100-percent-sold-out auction. It was an over-the-top auction.” The event was such a success that Backstage is planning another auction around hard-rock/heavy-metal items.

“I think this current decade, meaning 2010 through 2020, is probably the decade where you might start to see the popularity decline of a lot of 1970s bands,” van Gool said. “I think that is going to be replaced by the Madonnas and the U2s and the Princes of the world. They are already collectible. But I think they will become serious collectibles to the tune of where you see auction houses really honing in on what I call the late ’70s and 1980s pop and rock artists,” van Gool said.

Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Boy George … they’re all heading for their day in the collectible sun, he predicted,

“Whatever you fell in love with as a teenager and as a high school student and college student … once you’re in a job and made a career and bought a house and have a couple of cars, you’re at a point where you start looking back and becoming sentimental, and you start to associate a lot of happy moments of those years with the music you listened to,” van Gool said. “You want to reconnect with that time in your life; you want to own something, whether it’s as simple as a poster or T-shirt or album, or something really big.”

-Susan Sliwicki, Goldmine Magazine
http://www.goldminemag.com/collector-resources/80s-poised-to-be-next-big-thing-in-music-memorabilia

-Backstage Auctions Rock Gods 'n Metal Monsters Auction - coming this fall. For more information visit our website for auction details.