 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Blackie Goes To Hollywood - 05/23/2005 By Cheryl Brewster
The Burst Brothers, as they are known in the Vintage world, were the lucky guys that not only walked out with the 1966 Martin 00-21 that George Harrison gave to Clapton, the Stevie Ray Vaughn Strat known as Lenny (donated to the auction by the Vaughn family), and the 1964 Gibson ES-335 (that's right, the Cream guitar) but also took home the gold, or should I say, the Blackie. "It was the longest minute of my life before that hammer came down" said Belzer, referring to the time after he nodded on his bid of $850,000.00, waiting to see if anyone would raise it. When that hammer came down with a "Sold" all chaos broke loose, with a standing ovation that lasted several minutes. It took awhile for Belzer and Berlin to actually grasp that it was over. "It was overwhelming," said Berlin, "but we got the guitars that we came to get. It's still sinking in." Obviously the historical value of these guitars played big in Guitar Center's decision to bid on them. "Let's face it," said Belzer, "if Blackie was walked into a guitar show, it wouldn't be getting the kind of money it got at the auction. It's made from three different guitars, refinished, has changed pick-ups, you know, all the things that decrease the value of any vintage piece. We would buy it as any other refinished parts guitar." But the fact that Blackie and the ES-335 have toured more than most musicians, been played on some of rocks most famous songs, and been held in the hands of a guitar player whose longevity in the music business is as impressive as his talent, make them serious landmarks in the vast landscape of rock music. Guitar Center has always had an interest in preserving rock history, as seen in the Hollywood Rockwalk where handprints of some of music's most influential names are on display. On June 24th, Guitar Center stepped up and made a great investment in the history of Rock and Roll. When asked who his main competition in the bidding was, Belzer replied, "I really don't know. We were sitting in the second row, and I wasn't looking behind me. I was staying focused on what was in front of me." The first guitar that they intended to bid on was the 1966 Martin acoustic. "This guitar has a double significance, since it was originally owned by George Harrison and given to Clapton later as a gift. It has the history of two great musicians and their relationship to each other all in one guitar," said Belzer. "Drew and I were walking around the guitars on Thursday before the auction, and they weren't even out of the cases, and I remember when we found the one that was the Harrison guitar, we both felt there was something really special about it. It was played by a Beatle and played by Clapton and there was something very special in that case. It really hit us." "I felt a really strong connection to that guitar when I first saw it at the Crossroads Festival. I was overwhelmed with Harrison's vibe," adds Berlin. "Dave and I just looked at each other. We couldn't believe we just got the Harrison/Clapton guitar. The auction could have ended right there, and I would've been extremely happy and felt fortunate that we could get that guitar." Next up on the Burst Brothers wish list was the 1964 Gibson ES-335. "The bidding got up to $700,000, and I almost hesitated, but I went up to $750,000 and got it," said Dave. Drew adds, "All I remember thinking at that point was that I was mentally relating to the guy to bang that hammer down now!" Dave marveled at the case as well. "The ES-335 case just gives you chills to see that "Cream" stenciled on it and the history of it and the fact that it's actually survived in that case and is in such exceptional condition, considering all it's been through." When the Stevie Ray Vaugh Strat came up, the price shot up like a bullet on a Billboard chart. "The bidding on Lenny is kind of a blur," said Dave. Drew laughs. "We were so in shock from getting the other guitars that we had entered into a euphoric state. "I think this guitar is even more significant not just because Stevie Ray was one of the greatest guitar players to surface in the last twenty years but also because he was in recovery." Dave added. "And due to sad circumstances he unfortunately didn't survive life. I had seen him a number of times and he was at his best when I saw him right after his recovery." When Blackie made its appearance, there was a roar in the room. "Dave and I just sat back and took it all in as the excitement and tension rose," said Drew, "and by the time the price hit $800,000, it was completely silent. Then Dave just nodded his head and bid $850,000. We were holding our breath. Then the auctioneer banged the hammer down after what seemed like an eternity and it was over." Dave shakes his head, "I'm still in shock that there was not another bid to follow me. That no one challenged me." Why these guitars specifically? Blackie is the guitar that's most strongly associated with Clapton. It was his sole stage and studio guitar for 15 years, and even when he would wander off with a new guitar, he described coming back to Blackie like "jumping into a warm pool of water". The ES-335 is the guitar that he's had the longest, since the Yardbirds days, bought it new in 1964 and was the guitar that the famous Crossroads solo was played on. It's been with him for the whole ride. The Stevie Ray Strat, Lenny, (named after his first wife) and is the only personal guitar that has been released from the SRV estate. The 1966 Martin 00-21 given to Clapton by George Harrison is another one of a kind. A Beatle gives Eric Clapton a guitar. That pretty much says it all. They had also wanted to get the Martin from MTV Unplugged "but it was obvious that somebody really wanted it bad," according to Dave. "There was no hesitation in the bid jumping and I decided to let them have it". Belzer had attended the first auction in 1999. "It's hard to believe that five years have gone by already. It doesn't seem like that long ago." At that auction, he got to raise his paddle one time with a bid of $300,000 for Brownie, and that was it. He went home empty-handed. He hadn't anticipated the aggressive bidding that surprised everyone. This time he was ready for the bidding to skyrocket, which it did, as Blackie broke the record and became the highest priced guitar ever sold at auction, with the 1964 Gibson ES-335 setting the record for the highest price at auction for any Gibson guitar. "The auction exploded out of the gate with prices going up fast, but we weren't really surprised by this," said Berlin. Rumors of potential buyers being willing to bid as high as 1.5 million had the Burst Brothers on their toes. They knew it would be a battle to come out with Blackie. But when the final hammer dropped, they were both stunned that the bidding was over. "It was Eric Clapton and his 335 that made me want to get an electric guitar. I remember seeing him playing it on the "Farewell Cream" documentary. I had to have a guitar like his. Mine was an imported copy, a Kent, and way too big for me at the time, but I had to have it. So to be able to hold the real guitar in my hands and play a few Crossroads riffs, it really took me back to where it all started for me," said Belzer. Dave and Drew both attended the Crossroads Guitar Festival in Dallas this past June, an event which was co-sponsored by Guitar Center. It was at this event that they were able to view all of the guitars that would be available at the auction. "It really hit me when the guitars were on display at the Crossroads Guitar Festival," said Belzer. "People could stand a few feet away from these guitars and you'd think they were standing by Clapton himself, they were so excited. I saw one guy shaking. I took a few moments to stand to the side and watch people's reactions as they viewed Blackie and the 335. It really hit me how important these guitars are and how much they mean to people. He spanned so many decades and affected so many generations of people. You tend to think they're important to you, but you don't think about everybody else out there. But to watch people come up to them, the sheer awe in their faces and the fact that they could be that close to them and they weren't behind glass. It was at that point that I said we need to try to buy these guitars and make them accessible to the public." It's obvious that Eric Clapton could write a check and donate money to Crossroads Centre Antigua, but by making a personal sacrifice of his own guitars, he brought public awareness to his Antigua recovery center and to his own personal dedication to the project. "I am truly honored to be a part of this event, and even better to know that the money is going to such a great cause," said Berlin. When asked how he felt about the auction, Dave replied, "I feel like the luckiest guitar buyer in the world. I got the chance not only to be a part of Rock and Roll history, but I actually got to participate in acquiring guitars from an artist that has probably had more influence on me, not only from a musical standpoint, I think that Clapton had a big impact on me and how I ended up doing what I do. It had a lot to do with Eric Clapton and his music, his guitar playing in the early days and getting me involved in guitars. To be involved in this auction and be the one that walked away with those guitars is really hard to put into words. I still don't think it's sunk in yet. And to find out later that Clapton was actually at the auction, witnessing me buying them just made it even more special." It couldn't have been easy for Eric to let these guitars go. Anyone who has had a guitar that they've played for a long time knows that. It's like having an old friend. Longtime guitar tech for Clapton, Lee Dixon, was there at the auction, and it was clear that he was emotional about parting ways with the ES-335. "Talking to Lee earlier in the day, you could sense his passion for the instruments and how attached he's become to them. It wasn't until later in the day when we were getting pictures done that he told us how hard this was for him, and how this was the guitar that he would miss the most," said Dave. "He wanted to know if when he was in L.A. if he could come to visit and I assured him that would not be a problem. Eric can come too. Dinner's on us." Both Dave and Drew feel honored to have been a part of this event, and even more honored to be involved in the future of these guitars. "We want to see these guitars out there in the world for people to enjoy as much as they've enjoyed music that these guitars have made. The proceeds from this auction will benefit Crossroads Centre Antigua in many ways, including the completion of the Bevon House, a 16-bed half-way house, as well as the continuation of financial assistance programs to help more people receive free or assisted payment for their recovery. Eric Clapton had a vision of helping people get into recovery and he made it a reality. He has given it a celebrity that recovery has never had before and he has made it accessible. And he sacrificed something very personal to do it. "Standing in the Crossroads, trying to read the signs, to tell me which way I should go to find the answer." I think he found it. For more information on Crossroads Centre Antigua, visit www.crossroadsantigua.org. For more information on The Clapton Guitar Auction and the Crossroads Music Festival, Blackie, ES-335, Lenny and the Harrison/Clapton Martin, visit www.guitarcenter.com. |
