One for all you electric guitar heads out there - the frying pan is coming to London for the first time ever. Which possibly doesn't sound so exciting to most of you, but the real electric guitar heads will know that the 'Frying Pan' was one of the first ever electric guitars to be manufactured, by Rickenbacker if my memory serves me correct (actually, if my memory does serve me correctly, I think they were known as Richenbacher at the time). The original 1931 Frying Pan guitar is one of over 100 electric guitars that will appear as part of an exhibition called Born To Rock which will be staged at Harrods next month (from 2 Feb to 3 Mar) and which will trace the history of the instrument and, by association, that wonderful thing that is rock n roll. All kinds of guitars, taking all kinds of shapes, and played by all kinds of rock legends are being promised, and given that the exhibition is currently breaking attendance records at the National Museum Of Ireland in Dublin, I think we can be assured that that is so (actually it's all being produced by our friends at BigTime, so I know we can... be assured that is).
Alongside the guitars of history (and not so recent history) is a collection of brand new guitars that have been specifically designed by a string of famous design, art, fashion and music types, including Joseph Arthur, Graham Coxon, Bryan Adams, Jennifer Lopez, Fred Deakin, Rankin, Johnny Rocket, Hedi Slimane, Anton Corbijn and Peter Blake. This is the RockCouture collection that has been put together by those BigTime people over the last eighteen months, and has previously been displayed in Paris and Dublin, although as an ever growing collection there will be more RockCouture guitars at the Harrods show than ever before. This collection is a big charity thing, with each designer nominating a charity of their choice, and each guitar getting auctioned off in aid of those charities. The first auction, in which ten guitars will go under the hammer, will take place at the end of the London exhibition. Future auctions will take place as the Born To Rock show, and RockCouture collection, continues to tour around the world in the coming year.
The Born To Rock exhibition will appear in Harrods as part of their upcoming Harrods Rocks season, which will include a stack of other rock related events and promotions, including the arrival of a new stage area on the second floor, in the heart of the exhibition, where a programme of live music will take place during the month of February. More on those events when we get it.
Confirming the plans for the Born To Rock programme at Harrods, BigTime CEO Ian Spero told CMU: "Judging by the reactions we've been getting from Dublin, Born To Rock really will appeal to anyone interested in music, fashion or design - and with the live events programme that will accompany the London version of the exhibition, this is really going to rock. People of Knightsbridge, watch out!"
For press info on all this you need to speak to the Noble PR people. To get involved in the Born To Rock project now or in the future, or for info on live and promotional opportunities for bands as part of the Harrods Rocks season, I'd email [email protected].