NAMM Doesn't Want Fingerwatchers.

Last year at the California NAMM™ show Eddie Van Halen played his new Frankenstrat™ live... problem was, I had turned down an invite to the show. My good friend who used to work at Guitar Center Hollywood, and now works for a well known drumstore in London, had a pass for me at the time. This was last year... when apparently NAMM™ was more lax about who they let in. They only want music retailers, dealers and wholesalers there (officially). Anyone else who gets in is considered 'superflous'... and they are. If I had gone last year...I might have bought a new Eastwood guitar when I got home..or not... but otherwise would have been edging closer and closer to Eddie, to check out the ageing rocker's licks and see how Fender did the pickups on his new Strat. I found out recently that the front row of Beck concerts is full of people like me... watching fingers and noting how the artist is hitting a note, or how he has opted to do a bend... I think we are called 'finger watchers'. I also found out that watching Beck play, it is very hard to figure out exactly what he is doing with his fingers. In any case, NAMM doesn't want fingerwatchers. This year they are getting security as tight as a Britney Spears concert. Nice guys that sound like ex-Jerry Garcia fans are lamenting the inavailability of NAMM™ tickets this year for those not in the industry. ID's will now be checked, to actual names on the passes...security will be tight. There will be no 'riding on the coattails' of a friend who works in the Vintage room in Hollywood Guitar Center. But all of this makes me wonder what turned a Trade Show into a Britney Spears concert... I think it had something to do with Eddie Turning up last year, and giving that private performance...