All the equipment you see in this picture of my band, The Malibus, from Stamford Connecticut, was purchased before 1963 at Manny's; the Slingerland drums, the two Ampeg amps, one for the guitars and one for the vocals, the Fender Jaguar, Guild Starfire, and the Gretch guitars.
Henry, Stuart, and all the Manny's family were as legendary as the celebrated musicians we'd come to see and talk to. One of the regrets of my life is that I didn't spend more time visiting, observing, listening to the customers, and reliving the excitement I felt every time I approached the doors.
In 1963, I rode the train from Stamford to buy a 12-string guitar to match the 6-stringed Guild I had bought months before. Henry caught my glance and asked if I needed any help. I told him about the 12-string Guild. He said, "I gotta walk all the way upstairs to get the case; are you gonna buy it or not?" At first, being the little innocent red-haired white lad from Connecticut, I was taken aback by his directness. Later I realized how much he had seen in the years and years of watching guitars, horns, and keyboards shuttle in and out of those doors. Henry knew I liked the guitar; he wanted to make sure I wanted it badly enough.
You need to be a member of THE VIRTUAL WALL OF FAME to add comments!
Join THE VIRTUAL WALL OF FAME