Facilitating a "penguin experience" for a pair of English rock stars landed one Dunedin collector an unforgettable memento.
Dunedin Museum of Natural Mystery curator Bruce Mahalski hosted Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker and Jason Buckle at the museum this week, ahead of today’s Auckland concert.
As a token of his appreciation, Cocker donated a pair of signed underpants to the private museum — known for its collections of bones, biological curiosities, ethnological art and unusual cultural artefacts.
Mr Mahalski said Cocker and Buckle planned to spend time in Dunedin ahead of their performance, but were unable to find lodgings with accommodation at capacity during university and polytechnic orientation week.
A mutual connection enlisted Mr Mahalski in the accommodation search who offered up the museum, formerly an Airbnb."He said they were coming to Dunedin, and maybe we could try and hook them up with a penguin or two," Mr Mahalski said.
"They spent a couple of days touring around the central South Island, but yeah, they were very nice English gentlemen."
Mr Mahalski said Cocker was interested in finding vinyl records of Dunedin music for his son and seeing local wildlife.
"Thanks to [Otago Peninsula Eco Restoration Alliance] — [they] let us have a penguin experience," Mr Mahalski said.
Underpants may prove to be a new niche for the museum to expand into.
"If any other rock stars are reading this and they want to donate their underpants, that would be cool," Mr Mahalski said.
"It’s not just men; any underpants from rock stars would be a good addition to the collection."
Pulp will play Auckland’s Spark Arena tonight.
