Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Owning an Alembic => Fun Stories => Topic started by: ajdover on February 04, 2006, 05:52:30 AM

Title: Live from Baghdad, The Burkha King
Post by: ajdover on February 04, 2006, 05:52:30 AM: Here's my new acquisition, my 91 Essence. I call it the Burkha King. The pictures were taken in front of the Presidential Palace in Baghdad. In one of the photos there is writing on the wall. It means: Top line, right to left: "We'll never find a hero like you [referring to Saddam]." Middle line, right to left: "You build and advance Iraq from the beginning to the end." Bottom line, right to left: "Saddam, you are Iraq and you light every house in Iraq." The other pictures were taken in front of one of the two wings Saddam had added to the palace to celebrate his "victory" in the first Gulf War. They are extremely ornate on the inside, but I am prohibited from taking pictures for security reasons. Anyway, I believe I have the first Alembic in Iraq. Alembic ... conquering the world one bass and one country at a time! Enjoy, Alan
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/394/24820.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/394/24821.jpg)

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/394/24822.jpg)
(Message edited by davehouck on February 04, 2006) (Message edited by ajdover on February 04, 2006)
Title: Live from Baghdad, The Burkha King
Post by: David Houck on February 04, 2006, 06:54:11 AM: Hi Alan! Nice pics! The green trucks look ideal for hauling a bass rig through rough terrain!
Title: Live from Baghdad, The Burkha King
Post by: dela217 on February 04, 2006, 07:00:05 AM: Alan - Awesome pictures. Thanks for everything.

Michael
Title: Live from Baghdad, The Burkha King
Post by: Bradley Young on February 04, 2006, 07:07:03 AM: Alan,

Pretty cool to see you with the Burkha King out in front of the palace of an ousted dictator. Sic semper tyrannis.

Here's wishing you and your bass a safe and speedy return. Godspeed.

Brad

PS- Any good barbecue joints in Baghdad?
Title: Live from Baghdad, The Burkha King
Post by: ajdover on February 04, 2006, 07:25:48 AM: Brad,

There's all manner of kebab, shwarma, and tikka places here, as well as falafel. I've had some wonderful flatbreads, as well as some tomatoes and onion roasted directly on coals. BBQ? Well, not quite like what we're used to anyway. They eat a lot of lamb, chicken, and fish here, not exactly BBQ fodder as we would understand it.

Hmmmm ....

Al's Al Burkha BBQ ... might have to do that ....

Alan
Title: Live from Baghdad, The Burkha King
Post by: lowlife on February 04, 2006, 07:47:04 AM: Very, very cool. Congradulations!

Ellery (Lowlife)
Title: Live from Baghdad, The Burkha King
Post by: daveo on February 04, 2006, 11:56:16 AM: Hey Alan,

Do you have a band you're jamming with in Iraq? Bring the funk to the people and the people will come peacefully in mass to share the fun!

Good luck out there and stay safe...

Dave
Title: Live from Baghdad, The Burkha King
Post by: Bradley Young on February 04, 2006, 12:54:53 PM: Alan,

I got hooked on halal food after spending a couple of months in Singapore across the way from Arab Street. Mmmm... lamb curry. Fried bananas.

I haven't found too many good places to eat that kind of stuff since returning stateside.

Brad
Title: Live from Baghdad, The Burkha King
Post by: ajdover on February 04, 2006, 12:59:30 PM: Daveo,

I sat in at a function a band here called the Baghdaddys (imagine that!) played at the other night. It was great to play a couple of tunes.

Brad,

Yes, I've had falafel, kebabs, and the like. It's good stuff. They had a bunch of places like that in DC when I lived there.

Everybody,

Thanks for the kind wishes. The support means a lot to all of us here.

Thanks,

Alan
Title: Live from Baghdad, The Burkha King
Post by: bigredbass on February 05, 2006, 05:58:07 PM: AJD:

Isn't the best thing about being an officer is that you ALWAYS have roadies?!?!?

J o e y
Title: Live from Baghdad, The Burkha King
Post by: kmh364 on February 06, 2006, 05:38:53 AM: Alan:

Great pix! Thanks.

Enjoy your new baby and stay safe!

Joey:

Not only does he, as an officer, have roadies, but (ck the pix) the amp rigs are already loaded on top of the Humvee's, LOL!
Title: Live from Baghdad, The Burkha King
Post by: gare on February 06, 2006, 05:54:04 AM: Great pix Alan
Better have your roadie keep the bass in some AC, don't want it to melt in that heat !

Be safe
Gary
Title: Live from Baghdad, The Burkha King
Post by: george_wright on February 06, 2006, 07:03:50 AM: Alan, what's the voltage standard in Iraq (120, 220)? And how is the power availability/reliability? Are y'all on local power, or do you generate your own?
Title: Live from Baghdad, The Burkha King
Post by: ajdover on February 06, 2006, 08:02:07 AM: Joey,

Roadies? What are those?

Kevin,

Not only are they amp rigs, but they are Kevlar-protected rigs!

George,

Standard voltage here is 220. Our power where I am located comes from fairly large generators, provided, I think, by a contractor.

Alan
Title: Live from Baghdad, The Burkha King
Post by: 811952 on February 06, 2006, 08:10:45 AM: Alan,

Thanks for all that you and your fellow soldiers do for us. Glad to see an Alembic in your hands!

John
Title: Live from Baghdad, The Burkha King
Post by: kmh364 on February 06, 2006, 08:19:42 AM: Wow! Ballistic amps!
Title: Live from Baghdad, The Burkha King
Post by: j_gary on February 11, 2006, 10:24:55 AM: Hi Alan, there is something surreal about the photo of an Alembic at the palace in Baghdad. It's a jolting contrast of two different worlds.

The Alembic as a tool for joy and pleasure, and arguably bringing people together, vs. a palace that belonged to a power base driven by hatred, mistrust and death.

Stay low Alan and come home soon. Thanks to the efforts of you and your brave comrades, we here in the U.S.A. have been relatively safe since 9/11.
Title: Live from Baghdad, The Burkha King
Post by: zn_bassman on February 12, 2006, 03:32:12 AM: Alan,

Looks great! As always, I echo the sentiments posted above.

Zvi
Title: Live from Baghdad, The Burkha King
Post by: lowave on February 12, 2006, 08:13:42 AM: Hot Dam...that picture should be on the cover of Bass Player magazine !
p.s. thank god I only fought the 'cold war'.
Title: Live from Baghdad, The Burkha King
Post by: ajdover on February 12, 2006, 09:32:17 AM: Somehow I don't think a pic of me would be cover worthy as I am not a celebrity. It would be different, though.

Alan

P.S. Thanks for all the kind words.