Jim Gandolfini was shooting the movie,"The Last Castle" near Nashville--and wanted music in his trailer for down time between his scenes, so he'd have something to do. He sent in one of his assistants to buy something. I was at the counter and saw the credit card with the name James Gandolfini on it. I looked at the ticket and noted that the salesman had sold him a $1K system of, small B&W's a Marantz CD and Integrated--something like that.
I approached the man he had sent in, and handed him a B&K Brochure--on it I had written, "You bought pretty good stuff, but here's what you should have purchased", referencing the really nice solid state B&K, "It's Made in New Jersey, by the Mob", and signed, Larry Staples. (The 'mob' thing was an obvious reference to the Sopranos HBO television show he was starring in. The guy laughed and said, "I'll give this to Jim, he'll like it".
The next day a large hulk of a guy comes in the front door, eating a banana. He looks at me and says, "Where's 'dis Larry guy?"
I immediately recognized him, we shook hands, he laughed, and said, "OK where's the 'better' stuff?"
That was the beginning of a nice several weeks. Jim came in, in the evening, after hours. He would call and ask if he could come by after shooting,even though we closed at 6pm. He couldn't get there until about six, butI didn't mind. I agreed to stay and entertain him with music and show him our audio gear.
After a few trips he was interested in, and almost purchased the Nearfield Acoustics, but he didn't think his NYC loft would support the height of them, or that his wife, at that time would go for the overall size of them. We listened to the ML Prodigys the THIEL 7.2's on all kinds of music, but he just didn't like the overall sound of either for some reason. He enjoys older rock n roll and blues really cranked. His tastes are pretty eclectic really, and he had a good collection.
At that time, I had just heard the Mahler's from Vienna Acoustics in Vegas, (Rebecca Pidgeon's Spanish Harlem was very nice on them) and liked their friendly mellow sound, plus the imaging was very good, and cabinets beautiful.
I recommended the Mahler's as an alternative, he went to NYC that week end and after one bad demo, went back at my insistance to hear them again. He ended up getting them. Also, from me, he purchased an LS16, I can't remember the model exactly now, conrad johnson and one of the newer MAC amps, not a well matched combo, but he liked tubes, and the overall sound of the cj and as is the case with many people, the looks and allure of the MAC.
During one visit we were having a beer, and I asked him if the locals bothered him at restaurants and such and he said 'NO!, but they do approach Bob quite a bit though.' (referring to Robert Redford)
"Why him and not you, Jim?" I swear he said, "Cause I'm a prick!". I was a little surprised at this, and said, "You don't seem that way to me". Jim hesitated and said, "That's caus' you're a nice guy, Larry."
Later, when Jim found out I had a large tumor removed from my back and that the surgery had gone badly, disabling me, he called back several times to check on me, one time talking to the Owner of Nicholson's giving me encouragement, "Tell him, I had a friend with a similar thing, and he's ok now".
Terrific guy--interesting, funny, and I think one terrific actor.
I heard later that he's expanded into even better gear, but don't know what he's ended up with.
I have thought about approaching him to do print ad's--but haven't called him.
The real Tony Soprano.
Larry
Larry
