DAY IN THE LIFE MY ROLE IN TRAVEL
JEFF NOLAN MUSIC AND MEMORABILIA HISTORIAN, HARD ROCK HOTELS
Musician Jeff Nolan has been telling the Hard Rock story for 13 years. He tells Harry Kemble how he puts landing the job down to dumb luck and a misspent youth
Jeff Nolan
I start my day with… Music. That is the thing that sets the tone of the day. I look at what is trending in various parts of the world on Spotify. I don’t do that for my job, I do it for my personal satisfaction. The job is very exciting but there is regular stuff to do as well, such as sending emails.
My daily duties… With Hard Rock, I support both sides of the business – the cafe and the hotel. It’s about me telling that side of the story through music. Another daily duty is planning for events that seem spontaneous, but actually involve a lot of planning, such as Facebook Live events. A big part of my day is researching our memorabilia collection. I look at classic rock pieces and analyse them to make connections with contemporary and modern artists. I discovered a connection between Taylor Swift and Buddy Holly. In the 1950s, artists did not write their own songs, nor do they now, except Taylor Swift and Buddy Holly – that is the direct link.
What sort of memorabilia can you find at Hard Rock Hotels? It varies from destination to destination, but usually includes guitars and other instruments used by famous musicians – as well as clothes they have worn. Hard Rock Hotel Davos, in Switzerland, which opened last year, is home to 65 pieces of memorabilia, including a sequin sweater worn by Michael Jackson, a lace outfit made for Taylor Swift and a silk
shirt that Elvis Presley wore. Guests can find a jacket worn by Jimi Hendrix in the Rock Star Suite.
I’ve been in my job for… Thirteen years in February. I was approached when I was in Oakland, Florida. I had a friend who worked for Hard Rock Hotel and they started making noises about wanting someone unusual. Through this friend of mine I met some of the Hard Rock bosses, and here I am now. They liked what I had to say, but I put it down to dumb luck and misspent youth.
My favourite destination is… Ibiza. I had a great time when we opened our hotel there about four years ago. It was in the off season so there was no club culture. It was very relaxed.
The most rewarding part of my job is…
Hearing the guests’ stories on the tours. I do
not want it to be all about me telling guests something, I want their story too.
The most challenging part of my job is…
I personally struggle with time management, so I lose track of time when I really dig deep into topics I am researching. We have a lot of people who pay attention to what we are doing on the tours. People love to catch me out – and I do not blame them. If I misplace a date or get the band’s guitarist wrong they will shout me out, so that's also a challenge.
The worst thing that has happened at work… A couple of years ago Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top, who I am a big fan of, visited us in Orlando, Florida. He played guitars at our HQ in the memorabilia vault but I was travelling at the time. There was nothing I would have rather done than play guitar with him, but I missed the chance.
To relax I like to… Play music. I still play gigs, including with (guitarist) Kaleigh Baker and her band. She is extraordinary. I play with a lot of other people as well, but she is the main one.
Jimi Hendrix’s jacket in Hard Rock Hotel Davos, Switzerland
The one thing I would take to a desert island is… My guitar. If I had to pick one it would be my Gretsch 6120. It is just a very soulful instrument, a glorious guitar.
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travelweekly.co.uk 24 May 2018
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