| Will Hodgkinson: Macca's first guitar - yours for 100,000
100,000 is a lot to pay for any guitar. But it seems that when the Beatles come into the picture, you can name your price for any old piece of junk. In terms of craftsmanship, "the Rex" acoustic steel-string model is not exactly up there with a Martin or a Stradivarius. This eastern European production-line guitar from the mid-50s has steel strings like cheese-cutting wire, a tree trunk for a neck and an original price tag of around 12 guineas. It is what guitarists not so affectionately term, "a pig". .
Hyde Park Calling: The weekend in pictures
One very (very) hot weekend in early July saw classic British rock names The Who and Pink Floyd's Roger Waters rub shoulders with the best of the British guitar rock scene for Hyde Park Calling - and Sound Generator was there to catch all the action.
On Saturday, over 30,000 joined in the fun to see main stage slots from Texas and Starsailor, as well as an appearance by guitar hero Robert Cray, before night time operatics from Roger Waters and his quadraphonic 'Dark Side of The Moon' sound system.
Not to be outdone, The Who performed a rock n' roll tour-de-force of their legendary hits the following night, leading on from show-stopping slots from Razorlight and Primal Scream.
Take a tour through classic rock's biggest weekend in the UK, with hundreds of great pictures from all corners of Hyde Park, July 1-2.
Sound sale: the guitar that made McCartney
THE guitar on which Sir Paul McCartney played his first faltering chords will be auctioned this month after lying hidden for 50 years. The Rex acoustic guitar, which is expected to fetch more than £100,000, belongs to Sir Pauls school friend Ian James and it was on it that the future Beatle learnt the chords he used to impress John Lennon when they first met. .
Discs ; IN STORES TOMORROW
Yorke's first solo album proves he's the brains, but not the brawn, behind Radiohead. Currently on a revitalizing world tour, Radiohead is reminding fans that rock 'n' roll lives with new, guitar-heavy material. At the same time, Yorke's "The Eraser" is an anti-rock album. It's high-art electronica pop, yet, unlike Radiohead's "Kid A" and "Amnesiac," there are enough hooks to keep even casual fans interested. Over a sonic palette of mostly blips and beeps, Yorke's unmistakable voice and poetic lyrics supply the diversity. Made up of laptop loops and synths, the political diatribe "Harrowdown Hill" and the love-gone-wrong title track exemplify Yorke's rare ability to craft pop without guitar, bass or drums. Download: "The Eraser." - JED GOTTLIEB ** Every cloud has a . . . SOUL ASYLUM "The Silver Lining" (Legacy) Grade: B- The boys in Soul Asylum began their careers as nasty little Minneapolis alt-rockers palling around with peers the Replacements and Husker Du.
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