John Nelson audio slideshow "Still Having Fun"

Hear or download an mp3 of Nelson's "Rock Concert History of Charleston"

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - John Nelson holds in his hand some photocopied sheets of paper. You could just as easily say he's holding a sort of "Lonely Planet" guide to his soul.

The sheets, compiled by Scott Rebrook, display scores of ticket stubs from 30 years of legendary, infamous, thrilling and occasionally titillating rock concerts in Charleston.

Dylan. Sly Stone. Clapton. The J. Geils Band. AC/DC. Jethro Tull. Bowie. Zappa. Yes. Alice Cooper. Grand Funk. Humble Pie. Rod Stewart. Springsteen. R.E.M.

The stubs go on and on. Nelson didn't compile the sheets, but attended many shows on them and numerous others. He fashions himself a kind of oral historian of the greatest concerts ever in West Virginia's capital city.

Nelson, 51, is manager and music buyer for Budget Tapes & Records in Kanawha City, which for decades has been a go-to place for recorded music and concert tickets. Begun in the early '70s by David and Priscilla Pope and friends, Budget has since restyled itself a "lifestyle emporium," full of "gifts and goodies," to use Nelson's phrase, along with everything from adult products to cigars.

In the latest installment of My West Virginia, an online multimedia series about living in the Mountain State, we profile Nelson in two parts (links are posted above). The first is a four-minute audio slideshow. It depicts his life at a key establishment in the area's music scene, along with Nelson's quest to quench an insatiable thirst for great roots-rock music.

The second part is a 10-minute mp3 you can hear online or download, featuring his colorful, opinionated, personal tour of his "Greatest Rock Concerts in Charleston History."

So, what was his first concert?

"Just turned 16 - the famous/infamous Black Oak Arkansas show, [their] first headlining appearance in Charleston with REO Speedwagon. They ended up playing in Charleston and headlining numerous times, probably over 10. And that is July of 1973. That's where it starts in Charleston."

By "it" he means the way Nelson counts out the days of his life - a chronology of momentous live music he has witnessed.

 John Nelson audio slideshow "Still Having Fun"

Hear or download an mp3 of Nelson's "Rock Concert History of Charleston"

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - John Nelson holds in his hand some photocopied sheets of paper. You could just as easily say he's holding a sort of "Lonely Planet" guide to his soul.

The sheets, compiled by Scott Rebrook, display scores of ticket stubs from 30 years of legendary, infamous, thrilling and occasionally titillating rock concerts in Charleston.

Dylan. Sly Stone. Clapton. The J. Geils Band. AC/DC. Jethro Tull. Bowie. Zappa. Yes. Alice Cooper. Grand Funk. Humble Pie. Rod Stewart. Springsteen. R.E.M.

The stubs go on and on. Nelson didn't compile the sheets, but attended many shows on them and numerous others. He fashions himself a kind of oral historian of the greatest concerts ever in West Virginia's capital city.

Nelson, 51, is manager and music buyer for Budget Tapes & Records in Kanawha City, which for decades has been a go-to place for recorded music and concert tickets. Begun in the early '70s by David and Priscilla Pope and friends, Budget has since restyled itself a "lifestyle emporium," full of "gifts and goodies," to use Nelson's phrase, along with everything from adult products to cigars.

In the latest installment of My West Virginia, an online multimedia series about living in the Mountain State, we profile Nelson in two parts (links are posted above). The first is a four-minute audio slideshow. It depicts his life at a key establishment in the area's music scene, along with Nelson's quest to quench an insatiable thirst for great roots-rock music.

The second part is a 10-minute mp3 you can hear online or download, featuring his colorful, opinionated, personal tour of his "Greatest Rock Concerts in Charleston History."

So, what was his first concert?

"Just turned 16 - the famous/infamous Black Oak Arkansas show, [their] first headlining appearance in Charleston with REO Speedwagon. They ended up playing in Charleston and headlining numerous times, probably over 10. And that is July of 1973. That's where it starts in Charleston."

By "it" he means the way Nelson counts out the days of his life - a chronology of momentous live music he has witnessed.

"At the climax of the show, Black Oak was known for a strobe light show where they would smash their guitars together. This night, a piece of the guitar went into the audience, hit a girl on the head and she had to go to the hospital for stitches. Supposedly, Jim Dandy - Jim Dandy to the rescue! - came to visit her in the hospital in the next day."

Nelson is disciplined in his assumed role as the village's rock teller of tales. He expects you to be, too. "Many people can tell you about concerts they went to. Then, I'll say, well, who opened the show? And they go blank. Well. Were you really there?"

He was there when The Police - in their New Wave "Regatta de Blanc" phase - played the Galaxy disco-rock club to a tiny audience in the late '70s. "Supposedly there were 18 tickets sold for the Police show." (He would love to see a ticket stub for that show.)

He was at David Bowie's 1974 show here, his hair cut to look like Bowie's pompadour from those "Diamond Dogs" days.

He was at a notorious Ratt and Poison show "that is every boy-man's fantasy," when a crew of semiclad women cavorted on stage and "the beer lines emptied out immediately."

Nelson is the keeper of the Vault of Local Rock Minutiae, back when concert tickets cost $4 to $6.

"Bob Seger was here twice as an opening act, once for Grand Funk, and who the second time?" he asks, then answers himself. "KISS!"

He caught bands on the way up and down. Like when Metallica opened for Ozzy and when AC/DC opened for a more famous headliner "and blew Aerosmith off the stage."

He could go on. Well, he does, actually. And he wants feedback from people to refine his Charleston rock history.

"I'm just a longhair from the '70s," Nelson says, "still havin' fun."

Check out the multimedia stories on Nelson and add your comments at the My West Virginia blog at www.thegazz.com/gblogs/mywestvirginia.

Reach Douglas Imbrogno at doug...@cnpapers.com or 304-348-3017.