Invoice Guardino stands amid the just about unfathomably massive number of track memorabilia that overwhelms the home he stocks together with his spouse Janet and his canine Zappa in Gilroy.
“I don’t know the place to start out,” the 69-year-old fan says as he’s about to steer me on a personal excursion of his artifacts, curiosities and undeniably cool stuff.
So, I make the verdict for him and in an instant zoom previous the Beatles, Thankful Useless, and many others. and apply my very own musical interest proper to a ravishing framed show of Black Sabbath’s debut file, signed by means of all 4 of the band contributors.
“That’s the album that began all of it,” Guardino says of the 1970 epic that is regarded as to be flooring 0 for heavy steel.
From there, Guardino continues to offer statement as we take in such treasures as a signed Doorways image (“That’s an extraordinary piece — to have all 4 signatures on {a photograph} like that”) and a duplicate of Purple Floyd’s “A Saucerful of Secrets and techniques” album this is signed by means of all 4 unique band contributors — together with the overdue Syd Barrett (“I simply can’t imagine that I’ve Syd’s signature on that”).
We pause a second to savor the sight of a bass guitar this is signed by means of none rather then the mythical Paul McCartney.
“It may well be one in all my favorites,” Guardino says. “However there are too many to selected.”
Paul McCartney’s signed bass is displayed within Invoice Guardino’s area in Gilroy. (Dai Sugano/Bay Space Information Workforce)
That’s made abundantly transparent as we transfer directly to a framed Touring Wilburys show that includes signatures from all 5 contributors of without equal rock supergroup — Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty. And, oh, wow, that’s a guitar signed by means of the nice bluesman Muddy Waters.
“What I’m appearing you is solely the top of the iceberg,” says Guardino, who operates a a hit drywalling industry, Guardino Drywall, Inc, within the South Bay. “What I’m appearing you as of late is almost certainly 1 p.c.”
In truth — doing the fast math — it’s some distance much less. I’ll best see a couple of hundred items (a minimum of up shut) throughout this excursion. But, Guardino estimates he has 250,000 pieces, constituting what he believes to be the biggest number of track memorabilia in Northern California.
“It is a six bed room area and each and every room is complete — and the partitions,” feedback Janet Guardino, who in brief joins our casual excursion prior to disappearing off to her place of work.
A signed {photograph} of The Doorways is displayed within Invoice Guardino’s area in Gilroy. (Dai Sugano/Bay Space Information Workforce)
Complete is just a little of an irony. A few of these rooms are so full of candies — together with some non-music, popular culture memorabilia — that it’s onerous to even stroll via them. All the pieces discussed to this point on this tale have been framed and prominently displayed at the partitions on this two-story area.
But, the Guardinos would wish dozens (if now not loads) of alternative properties as a way to have the wall house essential to show the entire profitable memorabilia on this assortment. Many of the treasures are simply stocked up in piles, looking ahead to for his or her likelihood to provoke.
That reality is underscored as Guardino thumbs via some extra pieces, ultimately touchdown upon a framed reproduction of “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan” album that’s not best signed by means of the mythical singer-songwriter himself but in addition his then-girlfriend Suze Rotolo (who seems at the album quilt with Dylan).
“This must be displayed,” Guardino feedback of the traditionally important piece. “It’s wonderful it’s now not putting at the wall.”
Invoice and Janet Guardino speak about accumulating track memorabilia throughout an interview on March 29 at their Gilroy house. (Dai Sugano/Bay Space Information Workforce)
It’s actually the vintage rock pieces — from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s — that leap out at you whilst walking via his assortment. But, Guardino has stuff from different many years and musical genres as smartly.
“I attempt to gather from each and every generation,” he says. “And I’ve.”
As though let’s say the purpose, we quickly come pieces from Nirvana, Foo Warring parties and — wait — is that Justin Bieber?
“That’s a backyard sale in finding,” Guardino clarifies.
But, that’s how he’s put in combination a lot of his assortment, garnering one piece at a time from quite a few assets over the process many years. His interest for accumulating may also be traced again to basic college, when he began purchasing up Beatles 45s. It went to the following stage, alternatively, as soon as he actually started to note the entire cool artwork that decorated rock posters and album covers of the generation.
“The paintings is solely actually inspiring to me,” he says. “That’s actually what were given me into accumulating.”
And one of the crucial bonuses of this pursuit is that Guardino is undoubtedly by no means at an absence for one thing music-related to put on.
“I’ve possibly 3,000 live performance T-shirts,” he reckons.
But, he’s now not only a collector. He’s additionally a supplier, having reworked his outsized pastime into an aspect activity. He sells track memorabilia at Ashford’s Heirlooms on Monterey Boulevard in Gilroy in addition to on-line via his personal Head Go back and forth Track site, headtripmusic.com.
“Obsession? Perhaps,” Guardino says of his assortment. “Interest? Surely?
“Funding? Surely.”
Sure, he’s undoubtedly loved some excellent returns on his investments through the years. For instance, he displays off some uncommon Thankful Useless handbills, with Rick Griffin artwork, for a gig that was once scheduled to happen in Hawaii, however didn’t finally end up taking place.
“I were given these items for $10, $15 a pop and I’ve bought them for $3,000,” he says.
He turns to his vinyl assortment — which he reckons numbers round 100,000 — and showcases a sealed, early quantity, first urgent of the Beatles’ “White Album.”
“I’d need to get $12,000 for that,” he feedback.
But, this isn’t actually a cash factor for Guardino. That a lot is made abundantly transparent as you witness the enjoyment on his face and listen to the eagerness in his voice as he walks during the wonderful assortment that he’s put in combination during the many years. It’s concerning the love track and the enjoyment of the search — of discovering that subsequent cool new piece so as to add to the combo — that helps to keep him accumulating.
“I don’t wish to forestall,” he says.
See extra footage at fb.com/headtripmusicgilroy.
A signed piece of Kiss memorabilia is displayed within Invoice Guardino’s area in Gilroy. (Dai Sugano/Bay Space Information Workforce)
A a large number of number of The Beatles memorabilia are displayed within Invoice Guardino’s area in Gilroy. (Dai Sugano/Bay Space Information Workforce)
Invoice Guardino displays a signed piece of Nirvana memorabilia. (Dai Sugano/Bay Space Information Workforce)
Invoice Guardino displays a 1971 live performance poster for Miles Davis and Elvin Bishop at Fillmore West in San Francisco. (Dai Sugano/Bay Space Information Workforce)
Invoice Guardino displays a 1980 live performance poster for the Thankful Useless and different vintage track posters at his area in Gilroy. (Dai Sugano/Bay Space Information Workforce)
