Cynthia Plaster Caster
Rock memberologist
BORN 1947
It started with a photo of The Beatles, although she didn’t realise they were musicians. “They looked so cute. I thought they were a comedy troupe,” she told me. And so Chicago high school student Cynthia Albritton developed a fascination with British Invasion bands, doorstepping The Rolling Stones’ hotel in June 1964. Encouraged by her teacher to cast something for a project, the normally shy Cynthia discovered a way to meet bands: “We want to make plaster casts of your dicks.” She immortalised Hendrix in 1968 (a moulding she named the Penis de Milo), Zappa put her on salary, and Rolling Stone featured the Plaster Casters in their 1969 Groupies issue. Other of her subjects included Eric Burdon, Wayne Kramer and Anthony Newley. Resuming activities in the late ’80s, she also did hilarious spoken-word appearances, eventually casting female artists’ breasts as well. A gentle, fearless soul, she preserved a very singular part of rock history.
Max Décharné