Atco Raceway -
Jackson, New Jersey &
Raceway Park -
Englishtown, New Jersey
Sometime during the past
two or three summers

Mommy’s alright…. Daddy’s alright
They just seem a little weird **

The above photo shows Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen sporting what the ‘well armed’ lead guitar player might be caught wearing to the show. Rick’s arsenal includes (from the top of the pile) a ‘57 Gibson Les Paul ‘Junior’ with the words "You Know You Like It" inlaid across the neck. In the middle of the pack sits a ‘57 Fender Stratocaster (with a ‘59 Strat neck). Peeking out from the bottom is THE 1974 Hamer Standard. I used the words THE 1974 Hamer Standard because that’s what it is… numero uno… the prototype… the FIRST Hamer Standard.

Looks to me like a pretty impressive line up and packing all of this equipment means Rick’s ready for just about anything the band can throw his way. But what about having all of that draped across your shoulder at once?

Which reminds me of the time I saw John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra (and you thought this story was about Drag Racing, did ya?) do a gig in Austin. John played a double cutaway Gibson ‘SG’ dual neck and had that big heavy rascal hanging off of him for about two hours straight! He just leaned way back and played the hell out of it.

Which brings us to guitar straps

That’s right, guitar straps! Seems years ago, anyone who was anyone in the guitar playing business wore their own custom tooled leather strap (custom tooled from the finest Corinthian leather, no doubt). Guaranteed to cut right through the flesh and have you leaning like you were still carrying that axe around the next day.

Which brings us to camera straps (nope, no Drag Racing yet!)

Seems some nameless guitar player was on stage one night with his guitar of choice cutting painfully into his shoulder when he noticed he was staring straight at some photographer. Now this photographer guy had a fairly heavy piece of gear strapped around his neck, but this strap was made of woven cloth (with some soft backing behind it) and he wasn’t lurching around like the hunchback of Notre Dame after a long day in the tower. Soooo… a whole new industry was launched. Custom made cloth guitar straps. Which freed up most of the finest Corinthian leather for seat covers… which in turn put a lot of people back to work over at Chrysler… and with a little help from Ricardo… the rest is history. Yes Virginia, it IS a global economy.

Which brings us to photographers

I had returned home to the Atco Dragway after a thirty year or so absence and was wandering around the pits when I came upon John Cerchio’s "Storm Front" Beretta Alcohol Funny Car (hey, Drag Racing stuff!). Turns out one of the Storm Front crew members, Jerry Pecorelli, is an old acquaintance. Jerry has a reputation as one of the best ‘drag chute packers’ on the East Coast, just ask Ron Capps. Jerry and the crew were buttoning up the Beretta and ready to head for the staging lanes. I asked to tag along and promised to stay out of the way. That’s where I first met Art.

Art Cimilluca was also a crew member on the Storm Front Beretta. He had been busying himself with whatever his particular chore was on the car and I hadn’t even noticed him. While the Beretta was being towed through the staging lanes Art remained in the tow vehicle. I was walking behind their pickup as it made a slow lazy right turn out onto the track coming to a stop before the starting line. The doors of the truck open and the crew jumped out. Art was the last one to exit the pickup………………he emerged thusly…

I get off on ‘57 Chevys
I get off on screaming guitars ***

The above photo shows Art sporting what the ‘well armed’ photographer might be caught wearing to the show. Art’s arsenal includes (in no particular order) a 2000 Canon 1N/RS (with a 28/200 lens), a ‘95 Canon 1V/HS with 17/35 lens, and a ‘01 Canon 1D (featuring a magnesium body race fans) with 35/350 lens. The 1D is equipped with a Canon EZ Flash.

Looks to me like a pretty impressive line up and packing all of this equipment means Art’s ready for just about anything the races can throw his way. But still, it does seem like a lotta stuff to have draped around you.

Which brings us to standing on the edge

The next time I ran into Art was during the Boninfante Clutches Funny Car Reunion at Englishtown last June. Art was part of a small armada of shooters standing on the edge of the track that Sunday afternoon. Notice, he’s still wearing three cameras.

But he started out with only one way back in the summer of 1982 when he first started shooting the races. Since then Art’s work has been featured in Raceway (Park) Magazine, National Dragster, Drag Race Monthly (Jan. ‘97 Photo Contest winner), Don Garlits’ "Big Daddy - A Career Pictorial Vol. III.." A few Pro teams have used his work in their handouts… including ol' John Force hisself back in the low buck Wendy’s/Pepsi Cola (and I only own one camera) days. Hey, how about THAT irony… John’s graduated up to three cars, while Art’s stepped up to three cameras, and Rick's got at least three guitars. Small world, no?

Which takes us back to guitarists, artists, and photographers

Mr. Nielsen’s skill with the guitar (s) speaks for itself. Twenty two albums over the last twenty six years with Cheap Trick, countless studio sessions with others… as well as the rumored TV’s ‘Bonanza’ theme music, should serve as proof enough. But still, you gotta wonder… does he really need three guitars at once?

Same goes for Art. I had an opportunity just recently to ask if he "REALLY needed three cameras at once?". His reply… "Ya never know." More old B.S. later.

Badco
badco@comcast.net

Rocky Pirrone's 'Nitro Charger' at Englishtown
©2002 Art Cimilluca Photo

* "Standing On The Edge" © 1985
Words and music by Cheap Trick
From the CBS/Epic album "Standing On The Edge"

** "Surrender" © 1978
Words and Music by Rick Nielsen
Performed by Cheap Trick on the CBS/Epic album "Heaven Tonight"

*** "I’ve got a Rock and Roll heart" © 1980
Words and music by Troy Seals, Eddie Setser, and Steve Diamond
Performed by Eric Clapton on the Reprise album "Money And Cigarettes"

A word of thanks goes out to Greg and Kristin Platzer at BCR Music and Sound Lemoyne ,Pa. www.bcrmusic.com for the guitar info and tuning tips.

THANKS BUD (and welcome back)