Ed With Zakk's Original Gibson
Photo Approximately 1985
Zakk is surprised to see Ed with a Gibson in his hands !!!!
Frankly so is Ed!!!
By the way Folks, I am not a Runt !!!
Zakk is Standing on a Riser
Zakk Wylde is a fabulous guitar player, He
plays with a lot of feeling and raw grit. I thoroughly enjoy
listening to him whether he is playing with Ozzy or doing an
Outlaws Tune.
when I first met Zakk way back in the 80's we
were surprised to learn that he is a huge fan of Southern Rock.
That's probably why he uses the Les Paul's more than his Dean's
or Jacksons.
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 I
want to give a shout out here to a couple of long time Vegas
performers who's Show you should make a point to definitely see when
you are in town.
Most comedians are pretty crazy people, I enjoy being around them
because they are usually tuned into things that are current and
topical.
Lately I have been reading a lot about laughter being the best
medicine etc etc. Supposedly it's a scientific fact that
laughter causes the body to create more white blood cells. I have
heard stories of people who say that laughter helped them cure their
cancer. I am not agreeing with that theory, but I am not disagreeing
with it either. It seems to me that anything entertaining that makes
me laugh usually makes me feel better.
 Vegas
is all about making people feel good, It's a great place to live
because the entertainment here is the best in the world. Anybody who
is anybody plays here whether it be theatrical, music or comedy.
Vegas get's the creme de la creme of the performers.
People like Carrot top & Johnathan don't play this town steady
for 10 years without having anything to offer. Their shows are
stellar.
I have seen Johnathan's show at least 6 times in 2009, My
daughter saw him several years ago and told me I would enjoy his
show. The show I have seen is the same but different. It seems like
the same jokes get even funnier. I especially love Johnathan's
facial expressions!! He says a lot with just a look.
We both have a deep love affair with old cars except that I have
been selling off my 18 car collection over the past 4 or 5 years,
Johnathan just acquired an awesome Pierce Arrow Limousine which I
can't wait to see.
At my age I am now content to simply buy the hood ornaments, I don't
have the desire to get involved in any more projects. Introducing
one or two new guitar models a month keeps me really busy. Plus the
hood ornament takes up no room and I don't have to feed my
mechanic's family to keep it running.
Johnathan has a 67 Pontiac GTO convertible that was making my juices
flow. We went for a little drive in it and I was feeling like a
teenager!!!!
Carrot top I have been going to see for 7 years ever since I have
been in Vegas. He works with props he has a tractor trailer full of
them. He's one of those comedians that hits you with joke after joke
so fast you don't have time to finish laughing at the last one.
Carrot Top in my opinion got some bad reviews when he was doing
those silly AT&T commercials. Other comedians sometimes diss
him a little because he uses props. I think It's probably simple
jealousy.
When you are way out in front, Everybody is right behind you smiling
to your face. As soon as you aren't looking they pull out their
knife and stick it in your back. Being an innovator & being out on
the cutting edge in both the Motorcycle Industry and The Guitar
Industry, I am no stranger to that scenario.
The first show I saw was totally unexpected for me. I laughed so
hard it hurt, He also does this musical parody thing at the end of
the show that is downright awesome. |
Here we are heading out to the
desert hunting gophers with machine guns
Brent, Bob, Paul & Mike
In Las Vegas we take our firearms very
seriously!!!!
Actually these guys are a bunch of creampuffs.
Not a one
of them would or could kill a fly!!!
Paul Crook (Meatloaf - Anthrax) posing with the
gun is one of those people who will open the door and shoo a fly out
before he will kill it. He won't eat meat or any animal by products.
The other 3 Jibroney's all work in the custom shop as guitar
builders. I'm taking the photo.
Protect our right to bear arms
!! Protect the second amendment !!!
It protects our constitution and the rest of the amendments.
No One Can Or Will Ever Conquer or
Invade Us From Without Or Within As Long As We Are Armed !!!!
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 Godfrey Townsend, Steve Luongo & Ed Roman
The China Club 2001
Only minutes after this picture was taken,
I handed the bass off to John Entwistle, Who made me
look like a hack. Oh Well!!
Godfrey is currently playing with Alan Parson's,
Denny Laine & Eric Burdon.
Steve Luongo is playing with everyone who is anyone on the East Coast
Ed Roman is sitting in his office trying to sell yet one more guitar before he
goes home!!! |
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Eddie & Ed's Ex "Chrystal Ball" 1983
All My Ex's Live In Texas
That's why I hang my hat in Tennessee
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Wayne Newton (Mr. Las Vegas) & Ed Roman (Guitar King)
Wayne is incredibly multi-talented
A true Las Vegas legend
and owns over 100 guitars.
If you get to Vegas make sure you catch his show at the
Flamingo Hilton.
Believe me I'm not going soft in my old age,
I still love 60's & 80's Hard Rock but Wayne will surprise you.
You don't play Vegas for 30 or 40 years unless you've got something!! |
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Kerry King, Ed Roman & Michael Angelo Batio 2004
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Doc McGee 2006 |
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Eric & Me & Jim
1996 (Upstairs at Stephen's Talkhouse) |
Me & Hilton Valentine The original lead guitarist with "The Animals" 2008
Hilton is responsible for the amazing chord arpeggios on "House Of The Rising
Sun"
He also named Jimi Hendrix's Band "The Experience"
One of my first guitar heroes even before I heard of Clapton, Beck or Page
House of the Rising Sun was the first song I ever learned on guitar
along with 70 million other people
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A young Hip Eric Burdon
1968, An older even Hipper Eric
Burdon with Richie Scarlet
Richie Scarlet is Known by his close friends as
"The Emperor of
Rock & Roll"
He used to call me "The Fuhrer of Rock N' Roll."
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I had met Richie Scarlet several times, In fact Richie
did a TV Commercial for my store in 1980 or so. I first became very
close with Richie at an Animals Reunion Tour Concert in 1983. We
discovered we had a common musical bond, Eric Burdon & The Animals. We
would discuss his music for hours & hours. We used to actually watch old
reruns of Shindig & Ed Sullivan. Not for the Beatles though. We watched
Eric Burdon The Dave Clark 5, The Searchers, The Zombies, The
Electric Prunes, The Standells, Paul Revere, The Kinks and last but
definitely not least the Yardbirds & Sean Bonniwell's Music Machine.
We would argue about what a song was about or what the correct words
were. We would pick them apart piece by piece until we knew every single
nuance of every single track.
Richie worked with me in my shop for 6 years, then he went on to play with Ace Frehley, Sebastian Bach & Leslie
West. He helped me develop my vocalizations & I learned a lot of
guitar licks from him, once we Jammed with Ace Frehley in his garage
Richie on drums, Ace on Guitar and I was playing Bass. He also produced
my first CD "World Class Rock N' Roll" between 1992 & 2002 it took us 10
years to finish it. We were not in any hurry & Richie was on the road a
lot.
One evening in the studio we were
recording "It's My Life" or "When I was Young," I can't remember which one,
and as usual we were talking about Eric Burdon. Richie was telling
me that he had been in some club in upstate New York, where he wangled
his way backstage somehow. He actually got to meet Eric. Luck was with
him because, I remember him telling me all about the conversation, that
he was alone with Eric in the dressing room for almost an hour.
He was giving me some of the
highlights of the conversation and I remember Richie looking up from the
board,
he had a very serious look on his face and saying something to the
effect that "Eric Burdon
Was Definitely The Coolest Fu*k#ng Person In The World".
Of course I immediately blindly agreed with him. That conversation
with Richie & the highlights of his conversation with Eric, stuck with
me for many many years.
In November of 2004 Eric & The Boys
were playing here in Vegas, I was backstage delivering a guitar to Dean Restum (Eric's Guitarist for 15 years or so). I had been backstage with
Eric at least 35 times but there were always lots of people around
taking pictures, geekin' and a gawkin'. This time I got lucky. We were
there just the two of us with my daughter Lindsey Star.
Eric got a little talkative, Both
Lindsey & myself are huge Morrison fans. Eric started telling us all
these amazing Morrison stories, and then he started in with the Hendrix
stories. I have been an Eric Burdon fan for 41 years. I am definitely in
awe of him. I commented to Eric about how once 40 years ago I remember
seeing Ed Sullivan playfully tousle Eric's hair on TV. Well that
really got him going, it seems that he had embarrassed Eric a little.
Eric was not very fond of Mr. Sullivan to say the least. He told us what
really transpired with Jim Morrison & Ed Sullivan & the real reasons
that Ed Sullivan tried to blackball Jim Morrison & The Doors. He told us
all about Morrison's father & his role in the Vietnam war & why Jim
disowned his family etc. (Not The Book or Movie Version) I am usually not star struck but with
Eric it's hard for me not to be. I finally had gotten to meet the real
legend. That night while I was driving home, I was thinking about Richie. His words that night 15 years earlier. Richie was 100%
right when he said that
"Eric Burdon Was Definitely The Coolest Fu*k#ng Person In The World".
Ed Roman Dec 2005 |
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Alan Price, Eric Burdon,
Chas Chandler
(Back Row)
Hilton
Valentine,
John Steele
"The Animals"
BTW This was considered long hair back in 1964
Chas Chandler discovered Jimi Hendrix,
Chas managed him his whole career.
Eric & Jimi Jammed Together the night Jimi died. |
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Eric Burdon is the best
white blues vocalist in the world!!!!
So Sayeth Ed Roman
Don't argue this fact with me!!!!
Or I'll come over to your house & play old Animals records till you lose
your mind. |
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Crazed Eric &
Joanne |
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Eric On the Ed Sullivan Show 1964 |
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Eric & Joanne 1996
Lucky I'm not the jealous type....
I can tell Eric is enjoying this a little too much.
Joanne is also a big fan of Eric's |
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Jimi Eric & Noel 1968
Eric played with Jimi the night Jimi died !!! |
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Eric Burdon
English King Of The Blues
I would guess this picture to be about 1973
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Brad Gillis & Me sometime in the Early 80's
It may even have been the 70's look at those shirts were wearing,
Look at that faggy 70's gold chain with a Hologram in it I'm wearing.
look it's that lame 70's thumb's up pose...
I built Brad a Pearlcaster Guitar
in early 2005 |
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Brad & Ozzie when Brad replaced Randy Rhoads |
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Eddie Ojeda & myself in 1988.
Is there no end to the stupid
hats I wear to cover my bald spot?
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Eddie trying out a Quicksilver 2005 in my shop in Vegas
Eddie has a new album out with a lot of cool guest stars,
So far what I have heard is great !!!
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Eddie with my buddy Darren
Lee "Elvis" in American Superstars
Darren won the Memphis Elvis contest several years ago,
there are 500 or
more contestants.
Darren may perform as Elvis but at heart he is a
"Head Banging Metal Freak". He's also a huge KISS Fan !!!
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