TALKING PICTURES
Hollywood has its fair share of iconic destinations, from the world-famous Grauman’s Chinese Theater to the starstudded Walk Of Fame – and just about everywhere you turn, there’s a familiar filming location conjuring memories of cinematic thrills from days gone by. Musicians in particular will note Amoeba Records, the Rainbow Bar & Grill where Lemmy himself was a fixture, and the Hollywood Bowl, where this author witnessed Tom Petty’s second-to-last-ever performance prior to his shocking death just one week later.
Guitar fanatics on the prowl for memorable locations would be wise to add Guitar Center Hollywood to the list. Built into a former movie theater on Sunset Boulevard (where, rumour has it, the first ‘talkie’ picture was shown), GC Hollywood is more than just a big-box store, it’s a love letter to the heyday of rock ’n’ roll.
Before you’ve even reached the entrance, you’re accosted by a larger-than-life mural of a mid-solo Jimi Hendrix and to make it through the front door, you’ll first have to navigate the Rock Walk where a host of rock ’n’ roll idols have left behind handprints and index-finger signatures in the concrete beneath your feet. Glass cases line the entryway containing an ever-rotating cadre of gear from such luminaries as Slash, St Vincent, Zakk Wylde and Eric Clapton, to name a few.
Inside, GC
