"Classic Rock Art Show" Enters Final Week

Can a drawing by, say, Bob Dylan tell us something about him that "Tangled up in Blue" can't? Scott Segalbaum has spent the last two decades gently arguing "yes."

"I think art gives you a deeper understanding of, and a deeper connection to, your favorite classic rock artist," explained Segalbaum, the 102.9 WMGK Classic Rock Art Show curator, from the Suburban Square storefront that will house his argument through March 27.

"It's a whole different side of their creativity. People know and love Paul McCartney's music, but when you see how he paints --his artwork and his expression-- it's amazing. We have a piece by John Lennon, signed by John, and people will come in and just stare at that signature, because it's his signature. So it brings you closer and gives you a different understanding."

"I call it comfort food for baby boomers."

The show, in its present iteration, is what Segalbaum calls a "visual history of rock and roll." In addition to art produced by various musicians, the show features photographs by famous rock photographers, handwritten lyrics, concert posters, and gold records, amongst other rock artifacts.

Segalbaum has on hand original work by John Lennon, Jerry Garcia, and Jimmy Hendrix and photographs of everyone from Bruce Spingsteen to David Bowie.

"Every piece tells a story," added Segalbaum.

And every story is for sale.

"We have everything from originals to limited editions to open editions. Everything from five dollars to $10,000," explained the curator.

The idea for the show came to Segalbaum in the early '90s while he was working in marketing and promotions for now-defunct Los Angeles rock station KLSX.

"I happened to love John Lennon's art work, and [in 1991] Jerry Garcia had just started putting out art work, and so had Ronnie Wood. And I thought, 'that's interesting, so many rock stars seem to have gone to art school.' There [must be] some connection there. It's the right brain, the creative side. So I thought let's put together a rock and roll art show. There was no such thing as rock and roll artwork back then. This was a brand new thing."

Owing in part to the enterprise's newness, Segalbaum was surprised not only by the amount of original art being already produced by the rock community, but by the interest in that creative outlet the show stirred.

"A lot of people actually started doing art because of our show. Micky Dolenz started doing art for our show. Jon Anderson from YES. Robby Krieger from the Doors," said Segalbaum.

The show ran for six years in Los Angeles, with proceeds going to AIDS research, and when Segalbaum moved to the Philadelphia area to take a job with WMGK, he took the idea with him and launched it on the east coast.

In the mid-aughts, the show became sufficiently successful that Segalbaum left radio, started Right Brain Revue, and launched a full-time, cross-country tour. He hasn't stopped since.

"We always make the MGK show really special though," promised Segalbaum. "We have things here that aren't available at any other shows and we get loans from major publishers."

The show runs Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. through March 27.