I've been to the exhibition and wanted to share here of course, but I couldn't find the words, to be honest.
When the auction was announced, I felt incredibly sad. For Mark, it must have probably been a long progress to make the decision, but as a huge guitar maniac myself, it's not easy to see your hero sell most of his collection. The last couple of years have been weird in terms of the recording/touring cycle that has been broken. Though I generally visited one show per tour, it was a wonderful thing to look forward to and something like a certainty in life. Any sign that he was back in the studio meant I could see him play again. Overall, I'm glad he quit touring; it's the right decision, but waiting for 5,5 years for the next album was tough, even more so when he seemed sure to keep writing and recording.
Anyway, with all the announcements combined, I had an odd feeling that One Deep River might also be his last record. I felt unfortunate about that idea but immediately felt like a visit to London could fill up some emptiness of a missing tour feeling and perhaps some closure of the whole circus. I was prepared for an emotional rollercoaster in London
But it was not! I was thrilled to be there and happy all the time at the exhibition. It felt like celebrating his career. We took all the time in the world to carefully look at every instrument, and it was such a joy. As a kid, I spent so much time worshiping the MK1, you wouldn't believe it. Yes, I liked the Fenders and Gibsons, but this beast was my 'object of desire'. When I started visiting tours, he already quit playing it, so I never saw it in real life. In fact, for the last 20+ years, I always thought I would never see it again. It was an absolute highlight to get so close to it. I've been staring at it for minutes. I could also tell about the obvious other diamonds, but the MK1 stood out.
I don't care how much money the instruments raised. It's strange that some might never see daylight again, but let's hope for the best. Of all my fond MK memories, having visited every tour since 2001, this day was very special, and I will never forget it. I'm very thankful we got a chance to see the instruments. Like I said earlier, it felt like homage.
