We recently had an email from a guy, Jim Foster who wanted to let us know about a recent auction of guitars and who was interested in a couple of guitars that we have for sale. In the discussions via email that we had over the following few weeks, Jim sent us some great emails which resulted in the following amusing story...

Jim:  While I've got you on the line, can I bother you a little longer with a question? In the '62 Epiphone Crestwood Custom video, Phil X mentioned the Vigilante Carlstroem, guitarist for The Hives, had bought a couple of vintage Epiphones from FA. I've seen him play a '59 Coronet and an early 60s Crestwood Custom. Did he get those from FA. I always wondered where he found them.

FA:  Yes, we sold a '62 Epi Crestwood Custom SB-0332 to Pelle Almqvist back in 2004 - such a nice guy...

Jim:  Me again. You mentioned that Pelle Almqvist of The Hives bought at least one guitar from FA, but what about Mikael Karlsson, aka Vigilante Carlstroem. He plays a '59 Coronet and an early '60s Crestwood Deluxe. Did he get either of these from FA?

FA:  Mikael Karlsson did get a couple of guitars from us - an early Epi Crestwood Custom and an early ES-295.

Jim:  He got the guitars, and I wound up with his tie. They played a show at First Avenue in Minneapolis in 2008, and I was there in the mosh pit. Late in the show, he took off his tie and tossed it into the crowd. My 6-foot-6 height advantage came in handy that night.

After I caught it, and fended off offers from the other sweaty denizens of the mosh pit for it, I thought it would be easiest to tie it around my neck. To this day, I believe that's the first and only time I tied a tie correctly the first time.

The show in question on Feb. 28, 2008. The Hives two photos should be credited to Daniel Corrigan, a professional photographer who regularly shoots shows at First Avenue and other Twin Cities venues. The other one is mine, taken the day after the show. The first photo shows Mikael Karlsson (aka Vigilante Carlstroem) wearing the tie and playing a '59 Epiphone Coronet. In the second photo, I am clearly visible wearing a purple shirt, towering above the crowd and looking up at Pelle Almqvist who, at one point during the show stepped off the stage and onto the railing separating the crowd from the stage, using my upraised right fist to steady himself.

The thing about catching the tie was, I was irritated that they didn't have any souvenir t-shirts in my size (XXL), so I bought the patch you see in the Hivestie photo figuring that would be my only souvenir from this most memorable show. I was never so happy to be wrong.

What a great story...

Many thanks to Jim J)

If you have any amusing and interesting MUSICAL MEMORIES to share, email us at info@frettedameriana.com