Show Us Your Bag

■ Who? Glenn P.M. Patrik, bluesman

■ Location: Downtown Vintage Guitars

■ Bag: Bally duffle bag

■ Are bags status symbols? It seems to depend on the person or the culture. When I travel in various countries of Asia, I notice that designer bags tend to be very conspicuous (many are knockoffs) in the large cities, much more than in Italy or France, where the locals seem to be more concerned with quality for the price than with public display. For me, no.

■ What does this bag say about you? It says that I chose my bag for subtle design and quality of construction, and plan to keep it for many more years. It says that I value reliability.

■ If someone found your bag and looked inside, what would he/she think of you? How did he ever get ALL of that stuff in there?!

■ What's the most important item you've carried in your bag? Final mixtapes for my first CD, which were hand delivered from the recording studio in Palm Springs to the mastering studio in NYC.

■ What's the strangest item you've carried in your bag? While touring the USA in 2006, we pulled over to a rural roadside stop in Utah to stretch the legs. I walked along the edge of the pullout and noticed a partial foreleg and hoof separated from a deer carcass, complete with fur, lying on the ground. I wrapped it in a plastic bag, stuffed it into my bag and later gave it to a tattoo artist in Kansas City.

■ Tell us about the first special bag you owned. It was a backpack from J.C. Penny. I bought the pack and a sleeping bag the day after I graduated from high school and later that week, used them while hitchhiking from my hometown of Kansas City to NYC. I kept it for about 30 years until I donated it to a charity thrift store.

■ Knockoffs: Love 'em or hate 'em? If your budget is thin, there are some extremely high-quality knockoffs on the market. Why not have fun with them? I prefer to buy from the brand retailer for the extended service that comes with such a purchase.

■ Image is ... everything in my business. However, there is a large amount of the population that couldn't care less and are extremely happy. God created man in his own image -- Genesis 1:27.

■ What's in your bag? 1. A second Bally bag (I keep this bag full of CDs, concert passes, and various promo materials for easy visits to radio stations and newspapers while on the road.), 2. Nano UV Disinfection Light (There are instances, mostly at jam sessions, where it is beyond my control that I must use microphones that have been used by many others. Some are reeking of tobacco or worse. A quick zap makes them user-friendly again.), 3. Language dictionary (Whenever I'm visiting any foreign country, I just go for it and attempt to use the native language.), 4. Digital Filebox recorder (When I have a great idea for a tune or production, I can instantly capture it with the least of effort.), 5. Bag of guitar picks (Finding the correct plectrum on the road can be impossible. Guitarists are very selective about them. You can also quiet children in the seat behind you on the plane with them.), 6. International driver's license (When I get a chance, I enjoy driving my own vehicle for exploration.).