autographs

[hieronymous]

Just got back from seeing Stanley Clarke live for the second time in my life - the first time was about a year ago in Seattle, playing upright bass with Jack DeJohnette for his 70th birthday or something. It was great but it was all acoustic. This weekend Stan the Man is playing all weekend at Yoshi's in Oakland, so not only did I catch the first show, I took my 5-string custom Alembic Stanley Clarke Signature Standard bass, on the off chance that maybe he would sign it between shows or after. Fetched the bass right after the show ended, but no Stanley. However, someone I know who knows Stanley's daughter happened to be there, so I ended up backstage! The band was eating dinner, so Stanley asked me to wait til he finished, so I just stood in this historic dressing room soaking up the atmosphere. He finally beckoned - I had specially bought a gold sharpie to match the gold hardware. The significance of the event didn't really hit me til I was driving home - I had on "School Days" and partway through the solo I just cranked my stereo up all the way and started screaming!

Here's a pic my wife took once I got home and calmed down:



So what stuff have y'all had signed by famous people, especially musicians?

[gweimer]

I had an autograph from Ted Nugent from the time he came to my band's practice at my house when I was 16.  I had it framed, along with a tour poster of his.  I decided to leave it behind in my condo when I got divorced.  I didn't have any real attachment or value placed on it.

[Denis]

Cool! Clarke seems to be very willing to meet fans and sign instruments. A kid I met at Harry's Guitar shop went to see SMV and Clarke, Wooten and Miller all signed his Marcus Miller J bass.

After a Yes show in 1983 some of us were standing by a fence near the underground garage where the band's limos were. One of them swung wide and pulled up to us and Alan White got out and said he'd be glad to sign some things. I rolled up my tourbook and shoved it through the fence. To this day I've always liked Alan White.

4 or 5 years ago on a Monsters of Rock tour, Roger Dean was hanging out with his music pals and gave some presentations of his life's work at a local community center. Afterwards he signed anything anyone brought. I brought only a poster of the cover of Gravy Train's album "Staircase To The Day" (link below). Called "Blue Demon" it's the only work Dean did for that band and was their last album. He was impressed because it's a rare one in comparison to much of his other work. I also bought a couple of prints he signed for me (Gentle Giant's
Octopus" and Bird Songs of the Mesozoic's "The Iridium Controvery". Pretty interesting and friendly guy and we had a nice conversation about the cove of "Tales From Topographic Oceans".

http://www.discogs.com/Gravy-Train-Staircase-To-The-Day/master/31000

[ramone57]

Les Paul signed my copy of 'Chester & Lester' when he came to Veneman's in Rockville, MD to demo his little black box.  I guess I was 17 or so.

[Dave W]

Cool, it's always nice to hear stories like this.

[ack1961]

It wasn't autographed, but Bruce Springsteen once shared half of his Twinkie with me.

[Highlander]

Chatting with SRV, Tommy Shannon and "Whipper" backstage at Reading and having a personally signed program with my backstage pass for the show is one set...
The '82 Trans tour for Neil Young - a foul up on the third night at Wembley resulted in Elliot Roberts having to run around arranging to find any ticket to get me in the door until the mislaid stage pass had been found, then the BIGGEST security guard rushing me through to the pit and then clearing the way for me to get the best position... after the show I got the chance to chat to Bruce Palmer and his partner... that is another treasured and personalised item...
An odd one is a set of autographs for the Rain Parade... just comments I liked...

Books I have signed are Arthur C Clarke (2010), Frank Herbert (4th Dune book) and a Robert Sheckley short called "Watchbird".

[gweimer]

I had a copy of Spawn signed by Todd McFarlane

[Denis]

I wrote Albert Speer in high school and he sent back an autographed photo and he signed his typed letter.

Once I saw Blue Öyster Cult in Winston-Salem and got four of them to sign my ticket. Eric Bloom even put a BOC symbol on it.

[Hörnisse]

Chuck Rainey did an appearance at Bass Emporium many years ago.  I talked with him aferwards and had him autograph my Aretha Franklin LP "Let Me Into Your Life."  This 1974 LP features one of my favorite Chuck Rainey moments on "Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)."  I remember he looked at a young Aretha on the cover and kissed his hand and touched her face.  He said something about the "stories he could tell" from those sessions.

[Chris P.]

Albert Speer perfectly fits in this forum 

I do have some autograpghs. Ian McLagan of Small Faces/Faces/Stones in his autobiograpy. I have Weller somewhere. I do meet quite interesting bass players because of my work, but I almost never ask for an autograph.

[godofthunder]

 Lets see what I have. Lemmy, Lonnie Mack, Jack Cassidy, Pete Way, Roy Bucannan, Lou Gram, Geddy Lee, Tommy Evans, Michael Gibbins, Dick Dale. That's all I can think of at the moment.

[nofi]

not one for autographs. they usually ugly up whatever they are put on. besides, any signature i may want is long dead.

[Pilgrim]

I have a guitar strap, CD cover and a few other things signed by Dick Dale.  I've taken full advantage when he comes through town.

[patman]

Bootsy signed my Dano Longhorn...very gracious man. Very humble and down to earth.