Unruly, angry, drunk and incredibly obnoxious fans welcome The Rolling Stones to Boston. Gotta love that dirty water.

Maybe it was because the Bruins were in the playoffs.

Maybe it was because we’ve had a couple of very, very difficult and painful months here.

Maybe we all needed to blow off a little steam.

Whatever it was, it was nothing short of disgraceful.

I’ve been to my share of Stones shows. Both the old Boston Garden, and TD Garden as it is now known. Fenway Paaaaahk for the Bigger Bang kickoff tour. And of course Foxboro. I have never seen or experienced a crowd like I did on June 12th 2013, the first show of the Stones “5o and Counting” Tour that hit Beantown. Frankly, I was beyond excited to be there. Which quickly turned into embarrassed to be there.

Drunk.

Disorderly.

Angry.

Did I mention drunk?

And from what I’ve been told, this behavior was widespread throughout the Garden that night. There was no security to speak of attempting to manage these Massholes either. Crazy…TD Garden needs a lesson in making sure these drop-dead drunks don’t even get into the venue, let alone continuing to serve these freakin’ losers.

Whew…. Ok enough venting.

On with the show….

I had incredible seats. Loge 13, Row 10.

A perfect view of the left side of the stage.

They started off rocky in the first three numbers, finding their groove.

“It’s Only Rock and Roll” was a bit rough…but by the time they hit “Gimme Shelter” all hell broke loose, yup they found it.

Lisa killed it as usual on “Gimme Shelter.” Here she is doing her thang.

Their special guest was Gary Clark Jr. The song was “Goin Down.”

Ronnie was on fire. As was Gary Clark.

“Honky Tonk Women” brought the crowd to it’s feet singing with a great animated pieces projected on stage.

Keith did his acoustic thing for “You Got The Silver” while Mick rested a bit, and had a wardrobe change.

Then back to his Micawber for “Before They Make Me Run.”

The highlight for me was seeing Mick Taylor on stage with the boys.

If I could hear the Stones play only one song, it would be “Midnight Rambler.” I did and they didn’t disappoint.

Unfortunately I got hit in the face and missed the next two songs, ironically it was “Miss You” and “Start Me Up.”

I spent them crawling around on the beer soaked floor looking for my eyeglasses that were knocked of my face by the drunk next to me.

Awesome right!?

Aaaah not really.

Mick was in fine form throughout the night. As was the rest of the band. Charlie holding the backbeat as Keith and Ronnie ripped off riffs and solos.

All in all a great show despite the crowd. Which as you know can kill a show as well as make one.

Encore was great. Choir and all for You Can’t Always….

But given my night I would have renamed this show, “No Security- Part Two.”

Peace.

Gary Rocks.

The Rolling Stones “50 Years of Satisfaction” Exhibit. Day Two, Rounding third…..

Day Two…..I spare the chatter and just show the pics. I’m kicking myself now for not shooting enough.

This is stupid cool. The original artwork for the cover of the greatest Stones album ever recorded, “Exile on Main Street.” From the collection of Jeff Gold of Recordmecca.

Original artwork by Charlie Watts.

I can’t say enough about the displays. So well done. Even the font they used for all the signage was created by hand. It’s the “Exile On Main Street” typeface. Which of course was done in Mick’s hand, so it doesn’t exist.

That was until the designers at the RNR HOF decided they wanted it. They just re-created the entire alphabet. Pretty cool I must say. Pretty cool.

Peace,

Gary Rocks

Rolling Stones “50 Years of Satisfaction.” I have two days to take it all in. Day One.

Rolling Stones: 50 Years of Satisfaction will be the Museum’s first ever major exhibition capturing the band’s legendary career spanning more than 50 years.  It will include personal items and extraordinary collections that have never been seen before by the public. The exhibit will be open till March 2014.

“The Rolling Stones are the epitome of rock and roll,” said Greg Harris, president and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “This first-ever exhibit gives us an opportunity to tell the story of one of the definitive rock and roll bands. The experience should be on every music fan’s destination list this summer.”

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum presents Rolling Stones: 50 Years of Satisfaction will be a comprehensive retrospective exhibit that chronicles the band from the mid-1960s until today.  The exhibit, which takes up two-and-a-half floors of the Museum, will celebrate the Rolling Stones’ incredible contribution to popular music from their earliest days playing small clubs, to their era-defining recordings such as “Gimme Shelter,” “Paint It Black,” “Jumping Jack Flash,” “Tumbling Dice,” “It’s Only Rock And Roll” and sold-out global tours. Through the use of artifacts, film, text and interactive technology, generations of music fans will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with rare items from nearly every aspect of the Stones’ astonishing five decades at the top.

Throughout the exhibition’s run, the Museum will host a range of free public programs that explore the significance and legacy of the Rolling Stones, including interviews, films, and special lectures.

For the first time, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum will launch a fan-generated interactive exhibition, inviting people from all over the world to share their photos of memorabilia, artwork, Rolling Stones concerts and more that will populate a multimedia display in the Museum’s Rolling Stones exhibit as well as online.

Fans are encouraged to upload their original images to Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #rockhallsatisfaction to contribute to the submission feed. Images uploaded will be available to be viewed in the exhibit as well as online through the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum’s Facebook page throughout the duration of the exhibit!

……..I had no idea of what to expect when I showed up to see the new Stones exhibit.

I had never been to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

I had never even been to Cleveland.

For a rock and roll memorabilia junkie like me, it was the “Stairway To Heaven.” I must admit it was a bit overwhelming. You need a solid two days. Maybe three to take it all in. I was able to do the Stones exhibit in about 3 hours and I feel like I saw it all.

You enter the exhibit by walking up a staircase, where you enter the exhibit through a giant lips and tongue.

It was kind of a shock to see my name on the exhibition display thanking the supporters. Wait is that Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts on there?

The bottom floor was dedicated to the early years. And I mean early….The collection was mind blowing. The artifacts were grouped by era. Large plexiglass displays with early posters and handbills that serve as the backdrop to the rarities, that held several and sometimes dozens of pieces of memorabilia. Here’s a few photos.

Everybody knows this baby, Brian’s Teardrop….

Keith’s “High Tide and Green Grass” leather jacket.

What’s crazy is that some of this stuff exists. You wonder first, who the hell does it belong to, (which of course is labeled for all to see,) but then, how the hell did it survive?

I can’t say enough about the displays. They were beautifully designed and conceived. Bravo Howard and Company!

One of the highlights for me was seeing Mick’s Jumpsuit from the 1972 tour, designed by Ossie Clark. Donated by guess who, yup, Mick himself.

Let’s head upstairs….

Upstairs has displays on the years 1973-2006, The Bigger Bang Tour.

This is the floor where all my items were displayed. The above item is killer. The original art for the “It’s Only Rock And Roll” album cover by Guy Peelaert, 1974.

My Keith Richards Bobby Lee guitar strap from the Tour of the Americas, 1975 was in a display with the famous Charlie Watts mariachi shirt from the same tour.

Next, I found my Keith Richards leather jacket, “Tattoo You” marketing notes, and single picks for “Tattoo You,” all written by Mick…1981.

Here’s my Keith linen pirate shirt in the 1978 “Some Girls” era display.

And a few more. My Mick handwritten rehearsal set list for the secret Sir Morgan’s Cove show in 1981, and Cockroaches ticket for the show on Blue Sunday.

The Hall of Fame knows how to do it right.

They ask for only scans and copies of all rare handwritten items and labeled them on the displays as reproductions. The originals safely in the hands of the owners.

I will post a Day Two with more photos soon….

Peace,

Gary Rocks

Okay Rolling Stones collectors, grab your tongues….Wait till you see this!

Doesn’t get much more rare than this. The Rolling Stones Big 6 Guitar with the original packaging. The HOLY GRAIL of all Stones guitar toys.

Made by Selcol in the 60′s and is about ten times more rare than any of the Beatles Selcol guitars and toys.

If only they had made a Charlie Watts drum…

This beauty is owned by Ira Korman, Stones collector extraordinaire. This piece is in near-mint condition and comes with the original cord and pic. Amazing.

Congrats Ira for finding and sharing this rarity with us.

Okay, put your tongues back in your mouth….

You can see more of Ira’s rarities by visiting www.therollingstonesmuseum.com

“Welcome To My Jungle.” Some rare Guns N’ Roses memorabilia.

I’ve been fortunate in my years in advertising to have met some pretty cool people.

Like say, Slash for instance.
I’ve always been a HUGE Guns N’ Roses and Slash fan.
Their critically acclaimed debut album “Appetite for Destruction” is still one of my top five favorite rock albums.
Most if not all critics agree it set the bar for heavy metal rock in the 80′s.

I just finished up a TV campaign for the L.A. Zoo promoting a new exhibit called The Lair in which Slash and the venerable wise cracking octogenarian, Betty White starred.
We shot 5 different TV spots over the course of a day at the zoo.
They were both a joy to work with.

And Slash is the real deal.
The rock icon you would expect him to be.
But down to earth and soft spoken.
A true gentleman.

I was completely beside myself.

I happened to have a few rare GNR items in my collection, one I brought along to the TV shoot to have Slash sign for me.
An original ticket and flyer, circa 80′s, from one of their gigs at the famed Troubadour in West Hollywood.
The band’s stomping ground and where they played several of their most memorable performances.

Here are a few pictures from the shoot, as well as some other rare items from my collection.

 

Okay…you’ve seen what I have, here’s some stuff I want.

Figured it might be time after roughly three years to maybe post some pictures and descriptions of some things I’m looking to add to my collection.
Most of what I’m looking for can be best described as what I don’t know about. It’s always more fun and exciting to stumble upon something you’ve never seen or heard of before.
But, there are some items I would love to add to my collection.
If you have any of these items or know where they are, I’m always interested in talking.

The selling of Mick, Keith, Brian, Bill and Charlie. 1964-1965.

Selling merchandise has long been associated with any kind of music/artist marketing effort.
Make something with their image on it, someone will buy it.
Simple right?
Even back when they were marketing the first “Rock and Roll Icon” of all time, Elvis Presley, you could buy
Teddy Bear perfume, hankies, guitars, record players, hound dog stuffed animals, you name it.

The Colonel made it, and made sure it sold.

It was then a precedent was set that has carried through till today.

No shortage of Hannah Montana dolls, guitars, wigs, or games on the shelves these days heh?

The selling of the Rolling Stones, “The Not So Lovable Mop Tops,” presented its own set of problems and challenges for Andrew Loog Oldham and his team.
What do we create and manufacture that fits their image?
And more importantly, will anybody buy it?
The primary audience for this kind of merchandise was usually young girls, the majority of the fan base.
And although the Stones had their fair share of female fans, The Beatles were probably easier to sell anyone and everyone.

The Rolling Stones were the first band of their time where you
could actually find boys screaming at their shows.

Though The Fab Four had it all.
Dolls, wigs, hairspray, combs, notebooks, pencils, ice cream bars, gum cards, record players, guitars, drums, candy, games, you name it.
Literally thousands of items.

The Rolling Stones ended up with but a handful.
I guess Andrew found that their “bad boy” image in the end wasn’t all that marketable.

Hell, I would bought the stuff.
And fans and collectors are still buying it now.

Only it’s a tad more expensive these days.

Here’s a few of the items from the 60′s.
These are the rarest of all Stones collectibles.
And believe it or not, would command in the thousands if sold today.

Mick's Maraccas. WTF?!!!!

This guitar has and will sell for $2500 in auction is very good condition.

Way before Guitar Hero, real plastic guitars.

Manufactured by a company called Selcol back in 64-65, The Rolling Stones entree to merchandising.

Years before the Guitar Hero craze kids actually played sort of real guitars to emulate their Guitar Heroes like Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison.

Manufacturers like Selcol Industries of England made plastic guitars in all shapes and sizes for fans emblazoned with facsimile autographs and pictures of The Stones and The Beatles on them.

Back in the 60′s these would sell for under $10.

Today the Stones guitar is worth in the area of $2000-2500 depending on condition.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.