BTMN Posted October 15, 2012 Posted October 15, 2012 The trip begins!!!!! Arrival a lil delayed. Had to have the AC checked delaying departure 35 minutes. No problem. I get to Chicago about 11:30am and catch up with my gracious host/chauffer/tour guide/good listener for the weekend, HFC member, and current newbie here, BKW. His wife came along for the ride was most cool to finally meet. We cruised back to their place to catch lunch before Brian and I split for Rockford. The wife likes Cheap Trick, some(The Flame), and other good tunes but had no interest it seemed in hanging with guys geeking on guitars on a Friday afternoon. Drive up from a lil west of Chicago was cool with good conversation and building excitement. I have been a Cheap Trick fan since the japanese import of Budakon hit. I still have my original copy. I was a frequent flyer at a really cool record store with import stuff called HeadQuarters in Rochester, Minnesota at the time. Once I saw the band live, about a year later, I was SOLD beyond liking them. The guitars, the excitement of the songs sonically, the loudness, the chicks screaming for Robin and Tom and needing a "hug" after not getting that guy but maybe this guy, and on top of that I had missed being able to see 3 shows between getting Budakon spring of '78 and my first show in Minneapolis July 21st, 1979. The Romantics opened. Cheap Trick wailed!!! So I was pumped by the time we got there. We parked and went in the Burpee Museum. The place seemed to have a few things going on including a pack of li school kids checking out what must be the Burpee's cornerstone exhibit, Jane the dinosaur. Didn't catch what kind it was as it was time to turn Right and walk in the entry to Rick's Picks. Over on the left was a wall panel with a life timeline for Rick that I only got a little ways through. On the Right were modes of transport. I had walked passed them quickly at first and went in to the main exhibit doorway for a one minute peek and a quick scan of who from HFC might be there already. I turned back around to look at the entryway timeline. Across from the timeline wall was a Tour De France type bike in Cheap Trick motif, a '56 or '57 Black with White hardtop Thunderbird, and a John Deere tractor that was NOT John Deere Green and Yellow at all. As I read the timeline wall I hear voices approaching and two guys talking. OOOH OOH!! I know that one!!! Turn to my left, wait for a pause, eye contact, 'Hello Rick." I let him pass and try to continue to read the wall but it is time to go in. I see he has went over to talk to Paul Hamer, who is here with HectorP and a couple other from the HFC. I begin to sense the overload of Cool I am about to endure for the next 2 and 1/2 hours or so. It still wont be enough to see and read it all. This is a sick mind I know too well. Rick has everything from over the years. I sometimes feel I could do an exhibit such as he has with all the little rock and roll related things I just have not let go either. SOOOOOO many cool pieces of paper with SOOOOO many things on them that were awesome to read. The drawers!!!!! OMG the drawers of things and the wall of sweaters are so fun!!! Nice video presentation from influenced rawkers and fans. I am going to let the pics wet your appetite to make a trek to Rockford before April of next year. I would prattle on way to much about each shot so I think I will let that " every picture says a thousand word" thing happen for you. Pics will take a couple posts As it says on the above neck, You Know You Like It........
BTMN Posted October 15, 2012 Author Posted October 15, 2012 My All Time Favorite Hamer Standard besides my own .... Couple more of Rick's Picks....
BTMN Posted October 15, 2012 Author Posted October 15, 2012 Later that night..... Brian, his wife, one of his daughters and I hit a Japanese Steak House for dinner. Edible. B-/C+ on most accounts. kinda wierd having a Latino chef fixing Japanese style food. Getting his flash down but food and it's interaction on the grill were not as needed. At least the food was not overcooked or undercooked. Flavors not strong enough or "quite right". the place I go near me kicks that food's ass so bad. After that we met up with another newbie here at the HFC, JDWon at Brian's to get through a few runs of songs we were gonna do Saturday night at Excaliber. Life Is Good with Good Friends!!! Pardon my scowl I wasn't mad at a thing.
specialk Posted October 15, 2012 Posted October 15, 2012 Gene FTW!Thank you so much for posting these!
bubs_42 Posted October 15, 2012 Posted October 15, 2012 The Zandard was not there on opening day. Damn from the looks of it Rick pulled is Burst and put the Zandard in its place? Now I have to go back, damn.
MCChris Posted October 15, 2012 Posted October 15, 2012 kinda wierd having a Latino chef fixing Japanese style food.Totally agree. I experienced that at a sushi place once. I asked the guy for some Tako and he asked me "soft shell or crispy?"i'm here all week. Try the veal.
BTMN Posted October 15, 2012 Author Posted October 15, 2012 Saturday morning arrived with a homecooked meal of pancakes and bacon. MUCHOs Gracias to Brian and his wife AGAIN for the hospitality. Not long after that we set out for Cliffdwellers in a drizzily rain and slight chill to the air. While that was happening it was STILL a great view of downtwn Chicago and the Lake michigan waterfront to this tourist. We arrived a lil late as we got a late start. late night of telling lies and having a round of drinks does that. Holy Smokes MORE Cool folks and the handshakes and hugs began anew from old and new friends. Ate some good salmon, potatoes, and peach cobbler while I talked to so many folks including many who have already expressed kind words here. Thank you for the cool factor of yourselves and making the journey there like me. I realised I did not take any shots with anyone there BUT.... There were the guitars at Cliffdwellers on Saturday...
Hamerica Posted October 15, 2012 Posted October 15, 2012 Holy Hamer BTMN! Great post about a great event with a bunch of great people.Rick as a tour guide must be priceless. Oh, the guitars are not so bad either.Hamerica
BTMN Posted October 15, 2012 Author Posted October 15, 2012 Missed you being there! Thank you for your kind comments. More to come. I'm hungry!
mathman Posted October 15, 2012 Posted October 15, 2012 Looks like a awesome trip. I would love to go there but it probably isn't happening. I've seen Cheap Trick maybe 10 times, 1978 in San Diego, in Mobile Ala, Bolixi Mississippi, and Pensacola, more than once, Gainesville I think, in St. Pete a few years back. thanks for the Pictures.
BTMN Posted October 16, 2012 Author Posted October 16, 2012 Thank Kirk . Save up for next year as best you can. More? Oh yes there was..... After the lunchtime to midafternoon hang at Cliffdwellers Brian and I headed to Rock and Roll Vintage, www.rocknrollvintage.com on the advice of hHFCer BadgerDave, owner of a few of the above Hamers. At R/R/V we stumbled on a Hamer Fan Heith Jensen owner of the place. After a few minutes of sharing some of the trip so far with him and the photos I had shot, he showed me these.... Up first, #0281, Bid on this last month myself, Heith got it obviously. Encouraged him to join up. I plan to send him a link here. Dez Dickersen's/Scubamarket's Knute Koppee of Minneapolis grad....... #0192 An 8 String Bass of Goodness.
crunchee Posted October 16, 2012 Posted October 16, 2012 Cool road trip photos and story! It'd make one helluva GEICO commercial: "...happier than BTMN and the HFC meeting Rick Nielsen and Paul Hamer at RN's Rockford guitar exhibit."So, any word about the future of Hamer (yeah, I know they're not directly connected), or their take on current events? Or any word of another CT album and/or the return of Bun E.?
BTMN Posted October 16, 2012 Author Posted October 16, 2012 Thank you. Here are a few more of Heith's Gold Metalflake Hamer that I am not sure the model, Chapparal maybe? Followed by a couple of his Deans with Brian holding a really Cool Z from '83. LOVE the Patina lines on this one.... Heith's SWEET Quilty Mockingbird...
BTMN Posted October 16, 2012 Author Posted October 16, 2012 Sometimes the guitars are as much a star of the board as the characters that post on it. Case in point was this Sweetheart in a Red Dress.. It's owner and Jam host extraordinare HectorP Young Chris, the main drummer of the Jam! Hell Yeah!!!! SVL, Off Broadway's Lil Angus!! Last shot I took at the party was this one above as I was up onstage, watching the groove being put down, or raising a toast with some great folks. Can not wait to see more photos of the night. Man, I'm tired from just reading the thread back. After the jam and helping carry out and load gear, Brian and I went around the corner to eat at Portillo's. Man, that Bacon Cheseburger was one of the best I have had in so long!!! Ride home and reminising about the evening was like a glass of cognac on the night before some much need rest that night.
veatch Posted October 16, 2012 Posted October 16, 2012 Heith's SWEET Quilty Mockingbird... Scha-wing! Interesting electronics - just simple taps, or was it a VVTT that had a couple of switches added? Either way - killer top!
veatch Posted October 16, 2012 Posted October 16, 2012 Young Chris, the main drummer of the Jam! Hell Yeah!!!! Chris was AWESOME! Nailed everything.
Steve Haynie Posted October 16, 2012 Posted October 16, 2012 Gene, thanks for the great write up and all the photos.
BTMN Posted October 16, 2012 Author Posted October 16, 2012 Thank you kind sir. The story would not be complete without a lil something thrown in from Sunday morning's trip home. BKW took me to the airport early enough he could get back home in time to make it to the morning services with the family. Nice! When i went in to the gate area of the TSA, the young guy working the gate asked about the guitar and told me he had made sure it didn't get pushed fromthe other end by anyone. Told him Frankie Ray wasn't my number 1 guitar but a strong contender for number 2. Good laugh was had. Went to my gate for departure and sat down with at least two hours to kill. After settling in a spot I looked around and with only three or four folks around in earshot, I got the T51 out, tuned it up, and went to strumming unplugged. Nice lil 10 minute practice thing for a Sunday morning while recalling visions of Saturday and Saturday night in my head. Then a young couple walked up with a lil 5 year old or so daughter. She looked at me a little suspect but mom and dad reassured her and sat her two seats over to my left. I strummed a short bit and then began to talk to them. I pulled out a pack of the picks I got Saturday night and after asking if it was Cool, I offered the girl her choice. She took the Green pearloid one. Mom said she has an interest in the mandolin due to a family member or friend and that the pick will be used to make music. Maybe she was eyeballing the T51 and trying to figure out how to take it with her when she walked up. Flight home was effortless with Spiderman on the overhead. Life IS Good!
BTMN Posted October 17, 2012 Author Posted October 17, 2012 Jorge!!! It was great to meet a fellow Floridian up that way! I have to get back down your way soon. Maybe i will talk myself into Cheap Trick and Aerosmith December 9th in Ft. Lauderdale and we can catch the show. You guys are Right JD had a great night jumping up and getting in on the fun. Stevie putting Knocking On Heavan's Door together with him was Cool. JD does his best Halford scream earlier...
Jorge Posted October 17, 2012 Posted October 17, 2012 Jorge!!! It was great to meet a fellow Floridian up that way! Same here, Sir. It was great meeting and sharing laughs from your great stories. It was also great to meet so many amazing members of the board I have interacted with, and enjoyed their many posts from in the HFC for years. Meeting HCF Chris, Kiz, some of the Daves, Matt, Stevie, watching Joe/earachemyeye and Shredmeister (Murkat too?) and probably others I am sadly missing now made this a great day. I had a blast. I am sorry I missed other long standing members like theMatthes, Greg, JGale, ChrisB/Turdus, Feynman, and the legendary Haynie (I've lost hopes of meeting Rechts and Jol, LOL) but I really hope to have the opportunity. Being on the same table at lunch with none other than Paul Hamer and his lovely wife was icing on the cake.
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