Rock & Roll Archaeologist: How I Chased Down Kurt's Stratocaster, the "Layla" Guitar, and Janis's Boa

A Seattle native, Blecha tells of how his love of music led to collecting records from local bands. He became so intent on collecting, he dropped out of college to feed his music memorabilia addiction. Imparting what he learned by collecting, Blecha gives an informative discourse on the Pacific Northwest's unique and vibrant musical past, covering the seminal hit "Louie, Louie" (recorded by the Tacoma band the Wailers in 1960), Seattle-born Jimi Hendrix's early days and the grunge explosion of the 1990s. The author eventually became involved with the Experience Music Project, Seattle's interactive museum/tribute to Jimi Hendrix and the area's music scene. Although he sold his precious collection to the museum and, as the museum's archivist, collected someone else's stash, Blecha continued to thirst for knowledge, and his writing conveys the excitement that accompanies each new acquisition. In addition to sharing his recollections of tracking down Hendrix's personal record collection and some of the world's most famous and obscure guitars, Blecha expresses unoriginal thoughts on the collecting phenomenon. But Blecha isn't trying to make history, he's trying to save it, and diehard music fans will applaud his efforts. Photos. (Nov.)