Don Bernstine rocks. In fact, he's handled some of rock music's rarest and most exclusive items.
Bernstine has held in his hands everything from Billy Joel's motorcycle to the late Pantera guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott's Crown Royal guitar to Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi's red Gibson — the guitar on which he wrote the band's trademark lick to "Paranoid."
AC/DC lead singer Brian Johnson also gave Bernstine the original, college-ruled paper that sported the first draft of "Hells Bells," and Eric "Slow Hand" Clapton gave him the acoustic guitar he used to record the MTV "Unplugged" album.
Bernstine is the man who acquires these priceless treasures for display in the 124 Hard Rock Cafes around the globe — including the one in Salt Lake City at Trolley Square.
In addition to befriending such music legends as Metallica's James Hetfield, Deep Purple drummer Ian Paice and Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, just to name a few, Bernstine attends auctions to find those extra-rare rock-music history items.
Sound cool? Well, according to Bernstine, it's "the coolest job in the world."
In fact, that little phrase has become his trademark. "I remember when I first got the job," Bernstine said by phone from New York City, where he was heading out to visit one of his music-item contacts. "I remember thinking to myself, 'They're going to pay me to do what? I'm all over this gig."'
That was four years ago, and Bernstine is still loving his livelihood. "In order for me to do this, I keep an eye on the music charts and the music trades. I mean, the music business is fickle. And what might be the hottest MP3 download today is nothing tomorrow.
"So there is a criteria when dealing with music items. The bands or musicians have to show some sort of staying power or prove their importance to the music world."
Among the more outrageous items he's collected for the Hard Rock Cafe are an electric chair from the band Disturbed and a '67 Camaro from Hetfield that was used for Metallica's "I Disappear" video. "The funny thing about the Camaro was the fact that it was given to me to basically pacify me. I had hounded Metallica for a guitar or two for the Hard Rock. And I guess they got tired of me calling.
"I got a call from James, and he said, 'I have something for you.' So I thought it was a cache of guitars, but it was the car."
The car donation is depicted in a DVD titled "Hard Rock Treasures," which was released late last year. This 1 1/2-hour documentary follows Bernstine on his many quests for those elusive musical items, even to a Christie's auction for some rare Beatles manuscripts. "I remember my first auction I went to. It was just like the movies. I scratched my head or something and found out that I had bid $1 million on a 24-karat gold Mickey Mouse. I thought I had lost my job right then and there. It was like a week after I was hired to do this stuff. Luckily, things were cleared up."
Still, the money aspect of his job brings Bernstine to address another issue — when does something cost too much? "You have to look at things in how things are presented on the walls of the Hard Rock Cafe. I mean you can spend $10,000 on a new guitar with some cool graphics on it, and you can spend $100,000 on a one-of-a-kind Eric Clapton acoustic guitar. But when they are displayed side by side, you will hear everyone gawking and making comments about the cool-looking guitar and not even give a second glance at Clapton's guitar.
"So there is some thought that goes into how much we'll pay and for what. We want to make sure the pieces we acquire will be given the recognition and treatment (they deserve)."
Still, there are those who don't want anything to do with the Hard Rock Cafe or Bernstine. "I called Scotty Moore — Elvis' guitarist. After I told him who I was, he said, 'How did you get this number?' I said, 'Somebody gave it to me.' He said, 'Don't call me again' and hung up.
"And then I called Burton Cummings, who used to be with the Guess Who. I told him who I was and he straight-out hung up.
"Some people aren't quite ready to part with some of their possessions. I mean, I have dinner with Jimmy Page whenever I'm in London, but he has never donated anything. And he still won't."
The requirements for attaining items for the Hard Rock Cafe are easy if the artist donates the item, said Bernstine. "We don't accept loans. And we don't usually go through third-party donations. It's easier that way. But when an artist gives us a guitar or drum set or something like that, we have them provide a photo with them playing the instrument or wearing the costume. If we get something from a musician's family or estate, we have to have two documents, including a letter of authenticity, and a photograph of the artist using the item."
Among the most prized possessions — which include Beatles lyric sheets and Elvis Presley's stage costumes — are two drum sets, said Bernstine. "They belonged to Vinnie Paul, 'Dimebag's' brother. Vinnie donated his very first drum set, and he donated the set he was playing the night Dime was killed on stage two years ago."
"Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, who was playing a gig in Ohio with his band Damageplan on Dec. 8, 2004, was killed by Nathan Gale. Gale was apparently distraught over the breakup of Abbott's previous band, Pantera. Gale was later shot and killed by James Niggemayer of the Columbus police.
"So we have the first and last set that Vinnie played when he was making music with Dime. It's so poignant and beautiful."
E-mail: scott@desnews.com