The Alan Rogan Archive
11th May 2023
The Alan Rogan Archive
Gardiner Houlgate are proud to offer 128 lots from the Alan Rogan archive - each accompanied by a certificate of authentication.
Alan Rogan was a living legend, a guitar tech to some of the most famous names in the music business and one of the worlds most knowledgeable experts on electric and acoustic guitars.
George Harrison once described Alan as “the finest tech in the business” and it is fair to say that Rogan coined the term ‘guitar technician’ whilst roadying for The Who during the mid 1970s.
Born in Gateshead in 1951, Alan became obsessed with electric guitars from the age of 12 after seeing his first live concert - the Beatles. His school books were soon filled with projects and pictures of electric guitars and during his teens Alan furthered his passion by landing a Saturday job at Barrett’s music shop in Newcastle. By the early 1970s Rogan had moved to London working first at Maurice Plaquet instrument rental house before going back into retail at Denmark Street's legendary Top Gear shop. It was whilst working at Top Gear that Alan answered a call from the Who’s management who were looking for a roadie for an up-coming 81-date world tour. Putting himself forward for the job proved to be a life changing moment and one that would see him travel the world many times over. Alan remained faithful to the Who, especially Pete Townshend whose guitars he lovingly maintained for the next 45 years. When the Who weren’t on the road Alan worked for the Rolling Stones, George Harrison, AC/DC, The Eagles, Eric Clapton, Johnny Marr, Bonnie Raitt, Tom Petty, Rush, the Shadows, Crosby,Stills and Nash among many, many others. Alan was known by everyone in the guitar world and involved in designing models for Fender, Gibson and Rickenbacker. Following his untimely death in 2019 Pete Townshend paid tribute to Rogan by describing him as “my friend, saviour and good buddy” whilst Graham Nash said “not only was Alan one of the best guitar techs but he was a remarkable man in so many ways. I will miss his smile for the rest of my life."
Alan was an avid collector of anything to do with music, be that guitars, basses, amplifiers, records or books. Since being a young boy he poured over guitar catalogues - which he often sent away for or picked up at music shops - in a never ending quest for knowledge. The lots here represent a collection that Alan had pieced together since childhood and although certain parts (literature on Fender, Gretsch and Vox) were bequeathed to close friends the bulk of his literature archive is on offer via this auction. From hand written notes by Eric Clapton and George Harrison to impossibly rare catalogues, brochures and books this is one of the most important collections of guitar ephemera ever to be sold.