Image via Princeton Architectural Press
Immortal Axes: Guitars that Rock
In the preface, photographer Lisa S. Johnson is called “the Annie Leibowitz of the axe”—preposterous, given that Leibowitz captured something essential in the living people that were her subjects while Johnson photographs inert guitars.
That aside, music fans will find much to entertain them in Immortal Axes: Guitars that Rock. Despite the subtitle, her book goes well beyond rock properly defined to embrace guitars belonging to jazz artists (George Benson) bluesmen (Albert King), country players (Chet Atkins) and pop stars (Glen Campbell). Many legendary instruments are lovingly displayed in this coffee table book, including Jimmy Page’s 1968 Double Neck of “Stairway to Heaven” fame. Oddities include Jerry Garcia’s pretzel-shaped 1981 Alembic.
Some of the guitars shown here are in museums, private collections or Hard Rock Café. However, Johnson called on some of the artists in person and collected a few good stories. George Thorogood was a teenager when he came across his Gibson ES-125 in a music store. Although the owner wouldn’t let him touch it unless he bought it, Thorogood was so entranced that he laid his money down. It’s with him on tour today.
