Peter Asher sits with James Taylor in-between taking photos for the album cover for "Sweet Baby James" at The Farm in December 1969. (Photo courtesy of Henry Diltz)Concerning instruments, there exists a double bass so massive that playing it requires a platform and a lever system. It dwarfs even the 10-foot-tall man. There are some mechanical instruments that play themselves, with automated programs coordinating snappy drumbeats and fluid keyboard strokes. There are instruments with prestige, such as John Lennon’s Steinway piano that he used to compose his masterpiece “Imagine.” Then, of course, there are the thousands of diverse instruments found in different world regions.
All these significant items — and overwhelmingly more — have united together at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. The MIM has been righteously praised by musician and critic alike: its massive collection of musical tradition from over 200 countries showcases human expression in all its differences and similarities across the globe.
Guitarist Carlos Santana mirrored the thoughts of many when he told the MIM, “I am supremely inspired and overwhelmed by MIM.”
Santana isn’t the only famous artist currently commending the MIM. This Friday and Saturday night, there is a legendary figure performing a show called “Peter Asher: a Musical Memoir of the Sixties and Beyond” at the museum. Although the label “legendary” should be used sparingly and reserved to describe only those artists who first endure the test of time, Peter Asher is indisputably a contemporary legend.
Jon Bream told the Minneapolis Star Tribune, “If Peter Asher were trying to condense his remarkable résumé, he could simply write the Forrest Gump of rock. Since the 1960s, he’s been nearly everywhere.”
To recount all of his many achievements would indeed be a daunting undertaking. His duo, Peter and Gordon, was a leading musical force during the British Invasion in the 1960s. He’s toured with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. He worked his way up to manager at Apple Records, where he not only worked closely with the Beatles, but he discovered and supported future superstar James Taylor. Since then, Asher has managed the careers of iconic figures such as Courtney Love, Pamela Anderson and Morrissey through his own personal management company.
He founded the bookstore in which John Lennon and Yoko Ono first met. Asher became a producer, not only producing a dozen Grammy Award-winning pieces but also winning a Grammy Award for “Producer of the Year.” He then became the Senior Vice President of Sony Music Entertainment.
The State Press spoke to Asher about his upcoming events at the MIM this weekend.
State Press: Will this be your first time at the Musical Instrument Museum?
Peter Asher: No, I’ve been there twice, actually. They invited us to come and look at it — Donovan and Eric Burdon and a couple other British Invasion people. (We) were invited to get a tour, which we did. And I was there again. It’s an amazing place. I’m a big fan of the museum. I keep telling everyone about it; musicians and a lot of people don’t know about it. It’s well worth seeing.
SP: What can people expect at the concert? What will it be like?
PA: It’s more than just a concert — telling stories and a lot of media stuff, a lot of video. It’s a general mixture that covers my perspective on musical history in a way from the ‘50s onwards and then touches on a lot of sociological stuff as well. The ‘50s and ‘60s were so interesting and captivating with the different eras in Britain and in America. It’s kind of fun because it’s a little different every night: I add things in, I take things out, change around the songs a bit and stuff, but it covers a lot of facets of all different eras.
When asked about where the music industry is headed, Mr. Asher emphasized that music is in good shape.
“The fact that [music]’s become divided to a certain extent creates a number of different niches,” he said.
“There’s tons of amazingly great music now. People are making very creative uses of the new tools, the new electronic stuff and the new software that is available. They are finding a way to make highly original music with it.”
Asher’s performances at the MIM will not only reveal his stunning personal stories, they will reveal his expert knowledge on the music industry. There is no better place for the concerts than in the MIM, with its colorful exhibits and outstanding tributes, to the uniting qualities of music. It goes without saying that the event will be nothing short of legendary.
The concerts begin at 7 p.m. on both Friday, October 5 and Saturday, October 6. Tickets can be purchased on the MIM’s official website. The MIM is located at 4725 East Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, AZ 85050.
Reach the reporter at jconigli@asu.edu
