Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Preps Satellite Museum in New York : Rolling Stone

In the basement of a former warehouse in New York's Soho, there are few signs that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will be opening a museum in less than a week. As dozens of construction workers frantically paint the walls and unload stools into a high-def movie theater, a giant reproduction of Debbie Harry's "Rapture" lyrics is being hung on the wall. Dusty blankets in the corner cover Bruce Springsteen's white 1957 Chevy Bel Air convertible. And under some Styrofoam panels are the signatures of Buffalo Springfield — with a green Post-it note temporarily subbing for Neil Young's.

On December 2nd, the Annex — a 25,000-squarefoot satellite of the parent museum in Cleveland — is scheduled to open to the public. "The idea comes from wanting to draw more awareness to the Cleveland museum," says Joel Peresman, CEO of the Hall of Fame Foundation. "In Cleveland we tell the whole history of rock & roll. Here we are showing a snapshot."

In addition to imported items from Cleveland — David Byrne's giant white jacket from Stop Making Sense, Jimi Hendrix's handwritten lyrics to "Purple Haze" and Madonna's Blond Ambition Tour bustier — the Annex will display newly acquired artifacts, including James Brown's cape and Elvis Presley's King James Bible. "He's got all kinds of notations written in the margins," says Hall of Fame curator Jim Henke. "In one section he wrote, 'Everything in life can wait, but our search for God cannot.' "

The museum will open with a temporary exhibit on the Clash — including the lyrics to "London Calling" and Joe Strummer's Telecaster — which originally showed in the Cleveland museum in 2006. "We wanted to have space where we send our traveling exhibits," says Henke, who adds that there will be two such rotating exhibits in the space of a year.

Visitors will be given a headset that will play music related to the collection, much of which will be devoted to artifacts from New York's rock history. CBGB's original awning and sound system, pieces of a wall and even a urinal will be placed near items from the Bottom Line and other defunct clubs. Says Peresman, "Not only can you see this stuff, but if you get close enough you can smell it."

[From Issue 1067 — December 11, 2008]