Item: Genesis - 8x10 promo pic from The Way We Walk tour
Autographed by: Mike Rutherford, Phil Collins, Tony Banks
The story: To say I was a huge Genesis fan circa 1992/93 would be a gross understatement. I wrote to the band's management company seeking some promotional posters to hang on my dorm room wall. I was shocked when I received in the mail a promotional 8x10 with what appears to be genuine autographs from the studio version of Genesis (i.e. Mike, Tony and Phil). This item has become more special over the years, as Genesis has since broken up, and it's looking less and less likely that these three guys will ever be "Genesis" again.
Item: Tears For Fears ticket stub
Autographed by: Roland Orzabal
The story: Touring behind their Elemental album, this incarnation of Tears For Fears included Roland Orzabal but not former musical partner Curt Smith. Although I went to the show primarily because I had nothing better to do, it turned out to be a really great show, and I fell in love with the CD. After the show we waited by Roland's bus for an autograph opportunity, and before long he stumbled out of the bus and obliged us. He didn't seem completely with it, but that could probably be explained by the quantity of beer he consumed while on stage! Ah, the life of a rock star!
Item: Live - Throwing Copper (CD booklet)
Autographed by: Ed Kowalczyk, Chad Taylor
The story: Another incredible concert at Shippensburg University! By the time I found out Live would be playing on our campus, I was already a huge fan of this album (which would become Live's best-known and best-selling album). The night before their show I listened outside the doors as they rehearsed. The day of the show the opening band canceled at the last minute, and the crowd up front was getting ROUGH even before Live set foot on stage. Once they came out, though, all was well, as they performed a high-energy extended-length set. After the show the guys hung out at their tour bus and signed autographs, but I only got 2 of 'em. By the way, this was back when Ed Kowalczyk had shaved his head except for a long braided ponytail. Ed reportedly headed over to College Park for some partying afterwards, but I somehow managed to miss out on that part of the night. D'oh!
Item: Collective Soul - Collective Soul (CD booklet)
Autographed by: Ed Roland, Dean Roland, Ross Childress, Will Turpin, Shane Evans
The story: Collective Soul's self-titled CD was receiving a lot of playing time in my dorm room at Shippensburg University when I found out the band would be playing Ship's fall concert. I couldn't imagine a band I'd rather see! They did an incredible show and stuck around afterwards to sign autographs. This CD is now one of my top 10 of all time, and it's unbelievable that I was able to get it autographed on this tour!
Item: Wild Orchid promotional flat
Autographed by: Stefanie Ridel, Renee Sandstrom, Stacy Ferguson
The story: Let the record show that Wild Orchid did not perform "my" kind of music. The group consisted of 3 very attractive young ladies who performed some R&Bish pop music to pre-recorded backing tracks. I went to this show because I had nothing better to do, and frankly, the ladies were nice to look at. After their (brief) performance, they sat at a table and signed promotional flats. Wild Orchid has since broken up, but you may recognize the young lady on the right at Stacy Ferguson, a.k.a. Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas! That's right - I actually met Fergie. So how do you like that? :-)
Item: Fuel - Porcelain (CD booklet)
Autographed by: Brett Scallions, Carl Bell, Jeff Abercrombie, Jody Abbott
The story: Fuel had recently signed their record deal with Sony 500 Music when they performed at the Colonial Park Mall food court in Harrisburg (no, I am not joking!). The crowd was small, and mostly interested in eating their lunch. But after Fuel cranked out a rousing acoustic set, I got them to sign my copy of their indie release Porcelain. In the process, I secured the rare autograph of longtime drummer Jody Abbott, who was replaced by Kevin Miller during the Sunburn sessions.
Item: Big Wreck - In Loving Memory Of... (CD booklet)
Autographed by: Ian Thornley, Dave Henning, Forrest Williams, Brian Doherty
The story: After my first ever Big Wreck show (at the Courtyard in Harrisburg), the guys from the band stuck around and signed autographs. I don't remember much about this, apart from the thrill of meeting the guys who were responsible for this incredible CD.
Item: Fuel - Sunburn (CD booklet)
Autographed by: Brett Scallions, Carl Bell, Jeff Abercrombie, Kevin Miller
The story: Fuel was supposed to play an "unplugged" set inside Media Play in Harrisburg on the night of the relase of Sunburn, but they decided to plug in and do an full-volume electric set. After the show we formed a huge line all the way around the inside of the store and waited to buy our copy of the CD and pass by the autograph table. The memories are fading, but I think Carl Bell recognized me from the many Fuel shows I saw when they were still doing covers and gave me the appreciative handshake.
Item: Clove - The Fragrant Explosion (CD booklet)
Autographed by: Jen Cerreta, Dave Cerreta, Kevin Badolato, Rick Lienhard
The story: I got this autographed the night I saw Clove open for Fuel at Shakey's in Hershey (right around the time Fuel released their Hazleton EP). This was probably my 3rd or 4th time seeing Clove, and I was already hooked. My funniest memory of this signing was guitarist Kevin Badolato commenting on how he was having trouble spelling his own last name!
Item: D'arey October - D'arey October's Guide to Teenage Glamour (CD booklet)
Autographed by: D'arey October, Steve, Jared
The story: I can't quite recall how I found out about this Reading-based band or where I first saw them, but I'll never forget how incredible their CDs and live performances were. Talk about a power trio! I picked up this, their 2nd CD, at a show at Hiester's Lanes in Reading. I don't remember any of the details, but I'm sure I was gushing about how great they were. Unfortunately, the band did not stay together long enough to release a 3rd CD, but a recent reunion show has rekindled some hope!
Item: Muse - Showbiz (CD booklet)
Autographed by: Matthew Bellamy, Chris Wolstenhome, Dominic Howard
The story: I bought this CD because the first single reminded me of Radiohead, but it turned out to be so much more! Unfortunately, their first single didn't really get them into the mainstream, and their US tour dates were few and far between. So a few of us made the trek down to Fletcher's in Baltimore to see them perform, and what a show it was! Afterwards the band hung out for awhile to sign autographs. Two albums later, Muse seems to be gaining popularity rapidly (they actually played Live 8 in France!), making this intimate show and opportunity for autographs seem even cooler!
Item: Smashing Pumpkins - Machina (CD booklet)
Autographed by: Billy Corgan, James Iha, Jimmy Chamberlain, Melissa auf der Maur
The story: I was fortunate enough to see the Smashing Pumpkins twice on their Mellon Collie tour and once on their Adore tour. However, I was not able to make it to their Machina tour, which was a huge letdown since I love this band, and that turned out to be their last tour. There is a silver lining, though. The band made an in-store appearance (for autographs only) at Tower Records on South Street in Philly. I stood in line alone for about 2 hours and was worried the band would be gone by the time I got to the front, but they stayed past the advertised end time, and I got my 15 seconds with Melissa, James, Jimmy and Billy. It really was an assembly line, but I did get to tell Melissa I enjoyed her playing on Hole's Celebrity Skin tour (she said it was a lot of fun), and I told Jimmy he's the best rock drummer out there (he said thanks). OK, so maybe it was a little anticlimactic, but being that close to my musical heroes and getting their autographs was still pretty friggin cool!
Item: Clove - Go (CD booklet)
Autographed by: Jen Cerreta, Dave Cerreta, Kevin Badolato, Rick Lienhard
The story: By this point in time I was a Clove regular, and the autographs on this CD were a mere formality. I'm glad I got them, though, as this "classic lineup" would soon begin to change. This was the night I finally got my hands on Clove's 3rd CD, Go, after almost 2 years of waiting!
Item: Darcie Miner - Down To Earth (CD booklet)
Autographed by: Darcie Miner
The story: I first saw Darcie Miner open for Clove at Shakey's on March 4, 2000. Dave from Clove told me how good she was, but I still don't think I was fully prepared for this 16-year old girl to be belting out those songs (with her eyes closed, I might add!). A couple of months later, she opened for the Badlees at Gullifty's in Harrisburg, and was selling her debut EP afterwards. Knowing that Darcie would undoubtedly have a great future in music, it was an easy decision to buy this disc and get her to autograph it!
Item: Julian Fist - Pushing Audio Platinum (CD booklet)
Autographed by:
The story: The guitarist in this band was a friend of a friend, and that's what got me out to see them the first time. But it was their music that kept me coming back. One of my favorite local bands over the past 10 years, Julian Fist has unfortunately since disbanded (although some of the guys are now in equally great bands). The guys kindly autographed my CD booklet when I bought their CD at a show.
Item: Big Wreck - The Pleasure and the Greed (CD booklet)
Autographed by: Ian Thornley, Dave Henning, Forrest Williams, Brian Doherty
The story: After their performance at Fletcher's in Baltimore, Ian Thornley stumbled off of the stage and promptly exited through the fire exit, setting off an alarm. I won't speculate on why, but he didn't seem quite with it that night! The other guys from the band stood outside the bus and signed autographs, but I had to send one of them into the bus to get Ian's autograph.
Item: The Exies tour poster
Autographed by: Scott Stevens, David Walsh, Freddy Herrera, Dennis Wolfe
The story: I read about this band in Rolling Stone, checked out their tunes online, picked up their disc, and realized they were definitely a band worth seeing live. I caught them at the Chameleon in Lancaster, and the show definitely rocked. Afterwards, they sat at a table and gave out autographs. I remember the guys being really friendly and appreciative of the support - very down to earth. After The Exies, the band Trapt performed (and also did an autograph session). You may know Trapt from their smash single "Headstrong". At the time I only knew them as a band that sounded a little like Linkin Park, so I didn't pay much attention to them. Oops.
Item: Tonic - Head On Straight (CD booklet)
Autographed by: Emerson Hart, Jeff Russo, Dan Lavery
The story: I've loved this band since their first album, which featured the songs "Open Up Your Eyes" and "If You Could Only See". But somehow I had left almost 7 years go by since the first and only time I saw them live. On this particular tour they were supporting their Grammy-nominated CD, Head On Straight. They played an all-acoustic show at the Dragonfly in Harrisburg, and aside from the awesome show in general, my main memory is a toy drum kit they used for some of the songs. After the show we caught up with the band outside by their tour bus and got their autographs. I told Emerson it had been too many years since the last time I saw 'em, and he told me not to let it happen again! Shortly after that chat we spotted him peeking inside the Coyote bar next door (probably checking out their beer selection, not the women dancing on the bar, right?). I believe he was offered a free entrance into the club shortly thereafter. :-)
Item: Dakona - from the upcoming album Perfect Change (CD)
Autographed by: Shane Dueck, Brook Winstanley, Ryan McAllister, John Biondolillo
The story: Dakona opened for Tonic at their show at Dragonfly in Harrisburg. They did a really nice set, so I picked up their demo CD and got them to autograph it. I haven't heard much about them since, but maybe someday they'll break through and this will be a real collector's item!
Item: Gin Blossoms New Miserable Experience T-shirt
Autographed by: Robin Wilson
The story: A huge Gin Blossoms fan since I first saw them perform in 1994, I had somehow failed to ever cross paths with anyone in the band. On their reunion tour in 2003, they made a stop at the Hardware Bar (a.k.a. Coyote) in Harrisburg and ripped through a great high-energy set that featured, among other things, an extended guitar solo while lead singer Robin Wilson reclined in the on-the-bar barber's chair and took a shot of Jagermeister from a well-endowed bartender. After the show I navigated the packed room trying to locate each band member to sign my New Miserable Experience CD booklet. As I approached Robin, he saw my vintage NME t-shirt, gave me the thumbs up, and promptly reached out and signed it right across my chest!
Item: Gin Blossoms - New Miserable Experience (CD booklet)
Autographed by: Robin Wilson, Jesse Valenzuela, Bill Leen, Scott Johnson, Scott Kusmirek
The story: After lead singer Robin Wilson signed the very t-shirt I was wearing, he signed my CD booklet. I then located the rest of the band and got their autographs as well. This has always been one of my very favorite CDs, and it was awesome finally meeting the musicians behind it and getting their autographs.
Item: Gin Blossoms setlist
Autographed by: Robin Wilson, Jesse Valenzuela, Bill Leen, Scott Johnson, Scott Kusmirek
The story: After the Harrisburg show, my girlfriend (soon to be finance, now wife) thoughtfully asked for the setlist, followed me to each band member, and got the setlist autographed. A very nice souvenir from a great show!
Item: Gin Blossoms - Congratulations I'm Sorry (CD booklet)
Autographed by: Robin Wilson, Jesse Valenzuela, Bill Leen, Scott Kusmirek
The story: Mere days after the Harrisburg show, the Gin Blossoms played another show at the Crocodile Rock Cafe in Allentown. I wasn't successful in getting any of my friends out for this one, but I did spend a decent amount of the night hanging out with Chris from Negative Space, a fellow Gin Blossoms fanatic. After the show I was able to catch up with everyone but guitarist Scotty, leaving my Congratulations I'm Sorry CD booklet one autograph short of complete!
Item: Jesse Valenzuela - Tunes Young People Will Enjoy (CD booklet)
Autographed by: Jesse Valenzuela
The story: This is the solo disc from Jesse Valenzuela, one of the Gin Blossoms guitarsts. I picked up the disc at the Allentown GBs show and promptly asked Jesse to sign it. He was really friendly, and seemed pleased that I was checking out his solo work. This is definitely a good disc, so check it out sometime!
Item: Fuel - Natural Selection (CD booklet)
Autographed by: Brett Scallions, Carl Bell, Jeff Abercrombie, Kevin Miller
The story: Staying true to their roots, Fuel tends to hold release parties for their new CDs in Harrisburg. By the time of their 3rd release, Natural Selection, I was living over an hour away from Harrisburg, but decided the release party at the Harrisburg Best Buy was worth the drive. They did a short but rockin' set outside the store and then set up shop inside to sell and autograph the new disc. I got a look of vague recognition from guitarist Carl Bell, although I suspect the memories of the 1995-1998 local fan base are probably fading. Nonetheless, another great CD from Fuel, and it's really cool that they continue to give back to the people who supported them before they hit it big.
Item: Liz Phair - Liz Phair (CD booklet)
Autographed by: Liz Phair
The story: I picked up this pre-autographed disc at the Chicks With Attitude tour at the Electric Factory in Philly. Liz wasn't autographing in person, but disc was reasonably priced and came packaged with her Comeandgetit EP.
Item: Katy Rose promotional poster
Autographed by: Katy Rose
The story: You may not know who Katy Rose is, but you might recognize her power-pop hit "Overdrive". She falls somewhere between Avril Lavigne and Liz Phair, and her debut album Because I Can is quite good. After her set at the Chicks With Attitude concert, she sat behind a booth and signed autographs. I felt a little out of place among the teenyboppers in line, but Katy was polite enough and seemed to appreciate my praise of her CD and performance. Towards the end of her session she was hanging out with one of the other opening acts, Rachael Yamagata.
Item: Collective Soul - Blender (CD booklet)
Autographed by: Ed Roland
The story: Collective Soul was performing at the Crocodile Rock Cage in Allentown, several months before their Youth CD was released. They did a great show loaded with hits and peppered with some songs from the forthcoming CD. After the show I was greeted by a beer bottle under my tire, which I didn't spot until I backed over it. As my wife-to-be (in 9 days) was putting up with the rage that ensued, she spotted lead singer Ed Roland outside his tour bus, maybe 20 yards away from us. She pointed him out and suggested that I might want to get his autograph. She was right, and getting a chance to shake Ed's hand one more time and tell him how much I appreciate his music made the beer bottle incident seem much less important (for what it's worth, my tire was fine!).