Twitter
Advertisement

Notes of nostalgia: Music memorabilia to die for

Parikrama's Subir Malik moonlights as collector of all things music. Amrita Madhukalya treads into his house to find guitars signed by John Lennon and Pink Floyd, an AC/DC-signed LP and handwritten lyrics by Jim Morrison

Latest News
article-main
On Subir Malik’s wishlist is memorabilia by Janis Joplin, The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Lynyrd Skynyrd
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

Had it not been for the September 11 attacks, Parikrama keyboardist and artiste manager Subir Malik would have perhaps turned collector almost a decade earlier. "I think my name was a huge deterrent in the post 9/11 days. I kept emailing sellers for over 7-8 years without receiving any replies," says the 45-year-old, who started collecting seriously about 4-5 years ago.

Malik did not give up. Eventually, he asked a friend in Houston to chat up prospective sellers and see through the first few purchases. The strategy paid off. Today, his collection will make any music-lover green with envy. As you walk into the living room of his sprawling bungalow tucked in a corner of Delhi's Sainik Farms, the first collectible to fall in sight is a guitar signed by John Lennon. The seller told him that the guitar is one of only two signed by The Beatles legend. The other one is reportedly with a Silicon Valley tech giant.

Apart from other signed guitars, his collection boasts of original handwritten lyrics sheets, autographed LPs (Long Play vinyl records) and more. There's a Pink Floyd bass guitar signed by the band and a guitar signed by the members of Rush. Among his collection of more than 6,000 LPs are Pink Floyd's signed records of Atom Heart Mother, Obscured By Clouds and The Wall. There's also an LP of AC/DC's Back in Black signed by the Youngs, Brian Johnson, Cliff Williams and Phil Rudd.

That's not all. Malik also owns Jim Morrison's handwritten lyrics of Light My Fire from 1966. The sheets have plenty of corrections marked. And there's a 1965 Paris-made Hammond XB-2 organ with an accompanying Leslie speaker. Joining this musical paraphernalia is a piece from motorsport history – a helmet signed by the late F1 legend, Ayrton Senna.

In the US, the collectors circuit operates in Las Vegas, Houston, San Francisco and Nevada. Earlier, Malik's friend would take pictures and email them to him. "I have had to send my friend far and wide to help me acquire some of these treasures," he says. Malik adds that his sellers love his zeal. "I waited 11 years for the Jim Morrison lyrics. The previous owner did not want to sell, but eventually made up his mind," says Malik. "I reply to emails within seconds, and over time, the sellers have become fascinated by India. I send them collectibles like kurtas, LPs, etc."
He collects LPs from online shops and stores in old Delhi and Kolkata. "Kolkata's famed Sunday auction market is a trove. You get rare LPs for Rs30!" he says. "I also source LPs from soundstagedirect.com."

Most of Malik's prized collectibles have been verified by reputed authentication houses like PSA/DNA, run by Steve Grad of History Channel's Pawn Stars. "A verified product's value goes up manifold," he explains. "Because Phil Rudd was in the news recently, the value of my signed LP must have gone up significantly."

A music and F1 fanatic, possessing these bits and chunks of history give Malik a "high". The collection is very personal for him. Although his friends regularly urge him to open a museum for his collection, he is determined not to. "I collect these for myself," he says. But he does intend to dedicate a room to his LPs at his vacation house in Sattal, in Uttarakhand's Nainital district. "I plan to keep a record player and my LPs there."

Malik's collectibles wishlist includes handwritten lyrics by Janis Joplin, a signed guitar or LP by the original line-up of Pink Floyd, including Syd Barrett, and one by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. "I also want a signed LP or guitar by Lynyrd Skynyrd. It's so difficult to find something signed by all of them," he says. "But I'm not one to give up easily."

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement