Brian's customised pink kit

[drakula63]

Yesterday I sent an email to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London asking if it was possible to view Brian's legendary customised pink drum kit.

Here's the reply...


Dear Chris, 

Ref: 003

Thanks for your email and for your interest in our collections.

We do indeed have the drum kit, as donated by Brian Bennett of The Shadows in 1977.  The drums are currently located in our deep store in Wiltshire and so are inaccessible at this time. 

Apologies of this was not the outcome you were hoping for.




So there we have it. I suppose if enough people showed interest in seeing the kit then it might make its way back to the museum...?

Just a thought.

[bazmusicman]

Whats a deep store?................is it underground?
I've heard of a big store/small store/ warehouse/lockup etc. but not a deep store.

Regards,
Baz.

[drakula63]

...Well, two things are for sure:

1) They ain't planning on getting it out of there any time soon.

2) The likes of you and I ain't allowed in.

Oh well. I tried.


Dear Chris, 

Ref: 003

There are no plans for the drums to come out of deep storage at this time.  Unfortunately there is no admittance to visitors at our deep store.

Thanks for your continued interest in our collections.


Yours sincerely,
 
V&A Theatre & Performance Enquiry Service.
http://www.vam.ac.uk/page/t/theatre-and-performance/

[Moderne]

It's a bit depressing how "Unfortunately," "There are no plans," and "Thank you for your interest" are all polite code nowadays for "Go away"! Well done for inquiring, Chris. Why don't they sell it, or give it back to Brian...if they can get it out of 'deep store' in Wiltshire!

[drakula63]

Yeah, I agree. I hate the 'we have no plans...' line that is so often trotted out in situations such as this. Well of course you've got no plans! But why not make some! The only good thing about this is that by donating the kit to the V&A, Brian has in all probability saved it from the sad fate that befell his other vintage and much loved kits which were destroyed in a fire a couple of years ago. Although it was only used briefly in 1975, the pink custom Premier kit was one of the most distinctive and instantly recognisable that Brian ever used. I believe that he kept hold of the 'tree of life' painted bass drum head and so I am hoping that this still survives. It would indeed be great to see them all reunited. I guess if it was a kit that had been played by Keith Moon or Ringo Starr it would be prominently displayed at the museum.

Oh well, mustn't sound bitter. At least the kit still exists (one assumes) somewhere beneath the Wiltshire countryside. Perhaps they'll unearth it when they build the new road tunnel under Stonehenge? So there is some small hope that one day it'll resurface and be seen by us all.

[anniv 63]

The V&A are opening a new museum on the Dundee Waterfront in 2018.
Surely they will have space to fill up and stores to empty?!!!!!!
Brian's Kit would look good next to the Oor Willie statue they have just received!!

Mike

[Uncle Fiesta]

Do you mind ... it's Oor WULLIE.

[anniv 63]

My mistake sorry, and unforgiveable as a lifelong Sunday Post reader!!!!
Maybe some other Scottish Willies deserve a statue too
Willie Miller (former captain of Aberdeen FC Team that won the European Cup Winners Cup 1983
Willie Ross one time Scottish Secretary in Wilson Government I think
Any other nominees!!!

Mike

[Iain Purdon]

He was. On BBC Scotland News we had to describe him as "The Secretary of State for Scotland, Mr William Ross..." None o' yer Wullies back then!

[eventrygve]

The drum kit should be handed over to Hard Rock Cafe!