• Guys, we've spent considerable money converting the Les Paul Forum to this new XenForo platform, and we have ongoing monthly operating expenses. THE "DONATIONS" TAB IS NOW WORKING, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO KEEP THE LES PAUL FORUM GOING! Thank you!

Jimmy Nolan ex Selmers, possible Beano connection

bramley

Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2005
Messages
408
The Top Gear Music FB page is bringing people together who were around and in the thick of things when a lot of the London/ 60s and 70s history discussed on this forum played out as normal daily occurrences.

This post from an ex Sound City & Top Gear employee mentions ex Selmers salesman and later Sound City deputy manager Jimmy Nolan selling a Les Paul to Eric Clapton. Nolan is a verifiable figure in the 60s West End retail scene as his signature appears on a number of Hendrix/ Sound City receipts from '67. No idea if Mr Nolan is still with us but it's interesting that personal snippets like this are coming to light.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1693883604074117&set=p.1693883604074117&type=3&theater
 
Last edited:

bramley

Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2005
Messages
408
I should have mentioned , the FB post talks about Jimmy Nolan selling Eric his own personal guitar while an an employee at Selmers.

Anyone heard that before ?

Recollections like this are easily dismissed by recent historians but as I said, things like this were every day occurrences in the 60s/70s West End guitar biz.
 

houndog31

Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2004
Messages
550
:hmm this is very interesting, I have not heard any of this before other than the story that EC purchased the guitar from Selmers on Charring Cross Road. Appears to be some teeth to it and worth giving it some cred. I had long ago wondered if any paperwork which may have included a bill of sale, and alas a serial number existed from that sale.
 

goldtop0

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
Hi bramley and thanks for this info.
However 'possible' is the word that I focused on from the title of the thread.
There are threads on here(over the years) and other publications like Strange Brew(2007) that deal specifically with the John Mayall's Bluesbreakers era('65-'70) and it's been noted that EC bought his Beano LP from Lew Davis's shop in May '65, and following the theft of that one in June '66 he purchased the Summersburst from Andy Summers that same year.
Good to read the article with the famous people associated with Selmers:2cool
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
Wasn't Jerry Donahue a salesman at one of those shops [at the time]? :hmm

It seems that the records of both Lew Davie's shop and Selmers are long gone.
And extensive searches have been done.

It's been mythical for some 50 years. :2cool



I just hope that if and when it ever turns up, it comes with irrefutable proof. :ganz


:salude :jim
 

bramley

Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2005
Messages
408
Thank you for the replies.

The Davis btothers founded Selmers and kept the Lew Davis shop open until about '67. To most players back then "Selmers" was a blanket name that referred to both shops , and staff also worked between both stores. I'm not sure if Chris Welch would have been aware of that when he wrote the "Strange Brew" book.

Unfortunately receipts, sales ledgers and other hard evidence have mostly been lost or destroyed but as social media enables people who " were there" to come forward with their experiences there are bound to be stories that confirm writings about certain instruments and contradict others.

The Top Gear Music page has succeeded in bringing employees from the '60s &'70s together with pics and information , hopefully some documentation will be unearthed as well. Seek and ye shall find !
 

goldtop0

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
Yes there would be nothing like being there at the time(or in that era) would there with these stores etc on the same street.
I recall seeing posted here some years ago a handwritten letter from Eric to Lew Davis apologising for his being tardy in making an agreed weekly payment on his Beano LP.
It's lurking somewhere in the archives of this forum.
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
I'm not sure if Chris Welch would have been aware of that when he wrote the "Strange Brew" book.

Chris Welch did not write Strange Brew [British blues book].
It was Christopher Hjort. :ganz
 
Top