SEMIE MOSELEY & THE VENTURES AT OPENING OF HARD ROCK CAFE

[zarfnober]

Sorry Rocco, the Ramones are cool, but this is History in the "Mosrite Era" and this
PIC with Uncle Semie and "the Ventures" after all those years......IS HISTORY".....

Well shame on me for having a little fun. I would say that there are more than a few fans of Mosrite simply because of the Ramones, Johnny was very rarely seen playing anything else for 2,263 shows. And Semie DID build him a guitar and presented it to him backstage at a show. In return, they gave him a leather jacket, I've seen the photos. Semies nephew Dustin(I think) is in one or two of those photos. Loretta has some of these photos and so does Arturo Vega. I'll try emailing him to see if I can get copies of what he has. As much as I like the Ventures and instrumentals, and I really like them, I'm a huge Ramones fan and probably would not even own a guitar, much less a Mosrite, if it were not for them.

As for the history, The Ramones are a big part of it. I believe they were there when The Ventures got inducted on the Rock Walk Of Fame. We cannot count how many people followed The Ramones, wanted THAT guitar and ended up being Ventures fans too, plenty are here on this forum. I will try and get copies of the photos, give me time. And let's not forget that Semie built a Ramones model too, not many, but he did build them. History.

But back to my original post, very cool picture, it's great to have Elaine here. But I was just trying to put a little humor into everyones day.

Hey Ho! Let's Go! Rocco

[Dennisthe Menace]

Paul,
You just lit a fuse... I need to doublecheck the info I have before I post it, but I need to thank you for the info ....I think that this might be the same Guitar!!.......

I don't have a copy of the book, but does it describe anything at all about the guitar with Don's name on it? (color of the guitar, pick-ups)?

For the sake of clarity and for those who don’t have the Ventures Book by Del Halterman, here’s a quote from it:

The surprise of surprises came when Moseley produced another Mosrite guitar. This one was a sparkling new Ventures model with a sunburst finish and white pickups. On the fingerboard, between the second and fifth frets, were inlaid letters spelling DON. Hand written on the back of the headstock was the inscription: “To Don from Semie Moseley.” Considering the history of the sixties and the recent incidents involving Semie, Don was completely dumbfounded, but as he recalls, he graciously accepted the gift. “When Joe [Rosignolo] brought us to the ceremony, he didn’t tell us that he had invited Semie, or we would likely have not gone along with it. We were not interested in doing anything more with Mosrite. Then Semie presents me with that guitar. I thought that maybe he had finally seen the light and built a guitar with a wider neck, but no, he’d been making them the same for thirty years and he just couldn’t change.

The book also says that

Stirring up curiosity of the band’s fans in America and Japan, Don used the Mosrite as his “on stage spare” for almost a year.

Fiona Taylor who was also present (she had just got married to Mel) recalls;

“…it was a really awkward situation for all concerned.”

I STILL have not made Contact with Mike Tarno. He was the Drummer for 'the Semie Moseley Memorial Concert' and had also recorded 'the Memorial Concert back in '93. He was ALSO responsible for recording the "Concert" up in North Florida where his Camera was taken away from him for recording 'the Concert.'

Elaine, I might need to PM you with some info that I have, in which you more than likely could tell me if this info is correct or not before I post this inormation.........

[Veenture]

Hey Dennis, I'm not meaning to start any fires bro'... ...but I am fired up now to see what you've got for us!!...

[KRamone27]

I've had this pic on my computer for a while which shows the red, white and blue guitar also.

[Dennisthe Menace]

Sorry Rocco, the Ramones are cool, but this is History in the "Mosrite Era" and this
PIC with Uncle Semie and "the Ventures" after all those years......IS HISTORY".....

Well shame on me for having a little fun. I would say that there are more than a few fans of Mosrite simply because of the Ramones, Johnny was very rarely seen playing anything else for 2,263 shows. And Semie DID build him a guitar and presented it to him backstage at a show. In return, they gave him a leather jacket, I've seen the photos. Semies nephew Dustin(I think) is in one or two of those photos. Loretta has some of these photos and so does Arturo Vega. I'll try emailing him to see if I can get copies of what he has. As much as I like the Ventures and instrumentals, and I really like them, I'm a huge Ramones fan and probably would not even own a guitar, much less a Mosrite, if it were not for them.

As for the history, The Ramones are a big part of it. I believe they were there when The Ventures got inducted on the Rock Walk Of Fame. We cannot count how many people followed The Ramones, wanted THAT guitar and ended up being Ventures fans too, plenty are here on this forum. I will try and get copies of the photos, give me time. And let's not forget that Semie built a Ramones model too, not many, but he did build them. History.

But back to my original post, very cool picture, it's great to have Elaine here. But I was just trying to put a little humor into everyones day.

Hey Ho! Let's Go! Rocco

Rocco,
Johnny Ramone was a BIG PART of Mosrite History, there's no denying that, and yes I knew you were having fun with that post (LOL). I just wanted to stay focused on the Topic Thread before it turned into another Ramones thread . BTW, I grew up between the Ventures/Beatles AND the Ramones Era.....so I'm TOTALLY screwed up .

[Dennisthe Menace]

I've had this pic on my computer for a while which shows the red, white and blue guitar also.
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg12 ... _Mosri.jpg

Kevin,
I've got a pic just like that. This was from "The VAULT" in Orlando Florida owned (or was) by the HARD ROCK CAFE.
That place had EVERYTHING including a Ramones Display. Sadly when we went there, they were still waiting
delivery on a Johnny Ramone Mosrite, so the guitar stand was empty, but that's another looooong story............

[Dennisthe Menace]

Hey Dennis, I'm not meaning to start any fires bro'... ...but I am fired up now to see what you've got for us!!...

Start the Fire! Start the Fire! . BTW Thanks for that info Paul, I think the picture of the guitar that I saw at that '89 Concert, and the
description in the book that you posted, might be one in the same. The thing troubling me, is that I don't recall Don's name on the
Fretboard, and I would think that I would of remembered something like that, and I am still waiting to hear from Mike in Miami............

............it was so long ago ............

[EF@MosriteRecords]

HEY DENNIS AND MEMBERS DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE A PICTURE OF DON'S GUITAR UNDER DISCUSSION HERE MIGHT BE OR ANYONE GOT A PICTURE.
THINKING BACK I CANNOT SAY AS I EVER SAW A NAME IN NECK EITHER. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT IN ANY FORMAT. IT MIGHT RATTLE THE LITTLE GREY
CELLS.

EF

[Veenture]

...DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE A PICTURE OF DON'S GUITAR UNDER DISCUSSION HERE MIGHT BE OR ANYONE GOT A PICTURE.

You know, I've never seen a picture of ANY Ventures model in Sunburst finish...with white pickups!! (I'd very much like to see it too)

[Dennisthe Menace]

HEY DENNIS AND MEMBERS DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE A PICTURE OF DON'S GUITAR UNDER DISCUSSION HERE MIGHT BE OR ANYONE GOT A PICTURE.
THINKING BACK I CANNOT SAY AS I EVER SAW A NAME IN NECK EITHER. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT IN ANY FORMAT. IT MIGHT RATTLE THE LITTLE GREY
CELLS.

EF

Elaine,
I can not get a hold of Mike down in Miami, maybe he is out of town or something, but I'm checking into
another possibility I just got a lead on, but at the same time, I'm a little suspicious of 'the source.'