Chasing down autographs and collecting every single piece of band paraphernalia are activities usually associated with obsessed fans collectors. But Mick Jones has been building his archive of memorabilia for years, and now he wants to show it off.
Yes, that Mick Jones, an original member of The Clash, founder of Big Audio Dynamite and cofounder of Carbon/Silicon. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine our punk pioneers doing anything during their childhood years other than dyeing their hair green, learning three guitar chords and spouting anarchy.
Mick Jones spent his boyhood chasing down his favorite rugby teams for autographs. Then, as he grew older and his tastes veered to music, he stalked his favorite bands and artists for autographs. Plus whatever else he could grab.
Now you can see what’s been in Jones’ attic, basement, or storage locker all these years at London’s Chesea Space Gallery’s exhibit, “The Rock and Roll Public Library.”
“I started collecting things when I was very young and I did not really know why,” Jones told Reuters. “Then at the Millennium, the change of the century, it started to become clear. I realized I wanted to share it.”
What’s in Jones’ collection? Along with photographs, there’s custom stage clothes, instruments, flight cases, amps, posters, recording equipment and just about everything you might imagine a musician with Jones’ cred might preserve for the ages.
According to the Chesea Space Gallery:
For Mick Jones, this will represent a first attempt to unpack, look at, and think about a small proportion of the mass of material he has accumulated and decide what to do next. He envisages this collection one day becoming a freely available resource – a “Rock & Roll Public Library”.
Sure, an early Brit band like The Beatles is included, but Jones also had a thing for Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, all of who occupy spots in his collection.
As a teen, Jones used to follow his favorite bands, including Faces and Mott The Hoople all around London. At one point a teenage Jones even spent time staking out Mick Jagger’s house in hopes of catching a glimpse of the Rolling Stone, according to Reuters.
“We used to stand outside like urchins,” Jones said. “I was a stalker then. I never knew I would have my own stalkers one day.”
The “Rock & Roll Public Library” exhibit starts today at the Chelsea Space Gallery and is scheduled to run through April 18.
Wanna see some photos of Mick’s stuff? Sure you do. Just click here for a photo page from the Cheslea Space Gallery’s Web site.
Click here if you want to skip the photos and go straight to the Gallery’s home page.
To read the Reuters article, click here.