December 12–19, 1996
hit and run
Sonic Sleuths
Before Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore played the Five Spot last Friday, his guitarist, Jason Meagher, had his guitar stolen from their car parked outside the Old City nightclub.
Moore and Meagher had been hanging out in DiPinto guitars on Market Street, checking out the merchandise and asking about the custom-made axe owner Chris DiPinto has been making for Moore. When they left for the Five Spot, Moore discovered the windows of his brown Volvo had been smashed and the guitar swiped.
In the meantime, a man had come into DiPinto Guitars and offered DiPinto an early '70s Gibson guitar. Inside the guitar case was a wooden flute and a bow, as well.
"It was an awesome guitar. He told me, 'I got a guitar to sell; I don't know what it's worth.' Of course, that's what you want to hear. I'm already putting on the act of, 'well it's not very good, I don't know...' and he said, 'just give me whatever you want.'"
DiPinto bought it from him for $75.
A few minutes later, Moore and Meagher were back in the store on a hunch that the guitar might have been sold back.
They were right.
The two rockers bought the guitar back from DiPinto for $75.
"They told me, 'wow we almost didn't come in here,'" said DiPinto. "After that they put us on the list at the club, which was really nice."
According to a representative from Moore's label DGC, who confirmed the theft, Moore was in the studio recording and wasn't available for comment.
The police officer who took the report wasn't available for comment at press time.
But Moore isn't the only musician who's had stolen equipment pop up in a local store.
Last Thursday, Dec. 5, members of the soul group Loni Gamble & Sound Cheque came across a piece of gear at 8th Street Music that was nabbed on Nov. 11 — along with the rest of their instruments — after a benefit concert for Children's Hospital. The Roland effects processor had the serial number filed off when the members of Sound Cheque discovered it, says Gamble, a Philly born and raised musician now living in Williamsport, PA. A roadie for the group, Dagner Clark, has been charged with stealing Sound Cheque's gear which is estimated by the group to be worth $50,000. Gamble, who used to play guitar for the Stylistics, adds that members of the band will be coming to Philly on a weekly basis to see if the rest of their equipment crops up in music stores.
