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April 29
Spent last night shooting volcanic rocks - huge and very sharp. It was sort of like the moon, you knew you were somewhere different. Got up at 5am and went back there for the sunrise.
Spending today shooting Lenny Kravitz in the Bahamas 'hood...
April 28
Miami. Went for coffee at 5am, there were lots of the worst kind of Americans wandering around. Loud! I mean, why do you need to shout at this time of the morning? Ordering a load of shit pastries, burgers etc and all going off fishing, and even worse, to play golf - "let's eat a giant cheese burger to start the day". I hate both of those sports, if you can even call it sport. Golf, yuk...
I've heard a horrible rumour that the Mighty Priest play golf - golf is for homosexuals...
At least Metallica don't play golf. Or I hope they don't, wandering around the greens shouting "Die Die Die!" then putting a ball - it just wouldn't be right.
Off to the Bahamas this morning, to Eleuthera, and it's a beautiful day.
The journey from HELL today. American Airlines at Miami was like the fall of Saigon, everybody pushing and shoving, total chaos. The line for security was never ending, and my camera bag was searched by a TSA security person trying to pull it apart. When I objected she threatened to have me arrested. I'm saying 'For what, telling you not to damage my bag?'
We were bussed out to the plane and upon arriving were told there were no custom forms so we had to wait and fill them in one by one, then do customs one by one - fun it was not.
Eleuthera is long and empty, a bit too chilled for me. I was met by Jimmy Hubbard who is here as my Man Friday. This Island is a bit like being Robinson Crusoe, it's nice but I feel cut off..
April 27
I'm writing this at 4am as I'm up and heading to the airport - off to Miami via Washington on a dawn flight. I'll be in The Bahamas on Wednesday and I was moaning to someone about this at the weekend. 'Hey, you could be unemployed,' they retorted. I am unemployed , I thought, I have been since 1976...
Couldn't sleep at all last night - need to charge up my batteries.
Took a 7am flight which was empty, just me and a couple of others in the middle of the plane. It was kind of like being on your own private plane. At DC it was the first plane in to immigration, that took two minutes, then on to Miami. Flew over Cape Canaveral, you could see the rocket silos.
Spent early evening in God's light walking along Miami beach in the warm sunshine. It was a painless day, even with all the travelling - I even sort off enjoyed it...
And while I remember a big thank you to Lars who delivered a hugely personal piece for my book. Long and well-written, I was a bit amazed in a good way. He addresses me and him and Metallica perfectly.
April 26
Atsuko sent me this from Japan - Koyuki, and very nice too...
More of Paul McCartney, Flowers In The Dirt Tour, Wembley Arena. See more...
April 24
A baking hot Saturday, and what did I do? I sat in the garden? Errrr, no, I did what all sad people of my age do and went to the Olympia Record Fair with Jimmy Page...
Dropped my car off at Chateau Page and we walked. He knows the short cuts, which as he's lived in the area since 1972 he would. People generally were respectful and left him alone. He got some boring Bob Dylan cds. I got a mint Next SAHB with an American cover, Steven Stills, the album in the snow, Brinsley Schwarz 1st LP with the Indian painting looking off into the sunset - I'd love a UK copy if anyone has one (terrible band), Tir Na Nog Strong In The 
Sun, Pil 12 inch single and two mint 7inch singles - The Who, Won't Get Fooled Again on Track (it looks brand new and it made my day) and a Muddy Waters EP with a laminated cover (same as Live At Newport). It has You Shook Me, You Need Love, Little Brown Bird. Jimmy found it and told me this is the EP where everybody got the songs from...
And as tonight is a beautiful evening I'm off to Tesco.
April 23
Saw Jimmy Page's book today. He and I along with Catharine (from Genesis Books) and Kazuyo checked it with his handwritten copy. It looks good - and I'm a bit bored with it by now. Having spent so much time on it you always get bored at the end of finishing a book, but I'm very pleased with it - even though I'm a bit Led Zeppelined out at the moment.
As they are coming this summer I've been playing Soundgarden's Like Suicide and Outshined, Slaves And Bulldozers. I was also playing Jeff Beck's Truth which isn't as good as I remember it - listening to the bootlegs they were magnificent live.
Read the Times Art section which was frankly boring and rubbish.
I've taken up painting which I haven't done in years. Friday night and I'm going to watch Oil City Confidential, the Doctor Feelgood documentary - I did and Wilko Johnson was amazing, brutally honest in a crazy strange intense way...
April 22
Watched Das Boot Director's Cut, a bit dated, then I was going to watch Farewell My Concubine but it wouldn't play so I tried goodbye Dragon Inn by Tsai Ming-Liang, who made What Time Is It There which I liked. I've had this movie for a couple of years it is soooooooooooooo boring. I thought it was homoerotic - perhaps it is. I sat watching it in a disconnected way the same as you would in a queue waiting for a bus or a train or waiting for a call that never comes - it was perverse. Yet just before the end the two old men watching the film in the cinema make sense and it is nostalgic. I've been forcing myself to read to open the mind.
April 21
The Slash special issue of Classic Rock and Anvil ad from Japan
Found some of my Paul McCartney from the Flowers In The Dirt Tour Wembley Arena. See more...
April 20
Some odds and sods I found and like, including Ritchie Blackmore and Phil Collen, some from Reading ('81 or '82 I think - feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) and around that period.
April 19
Still not a plane in the sky. Strange, it's like a sunny version of the book The Road - eerie...
It's one of those days where I can't get enthusiastic about anything. Steffan Chirazi did make me finish writing some copy for my Metallica book and he has done an excellent job sorting out the copy, plus an interview with your truly. So a big thank you. It should be out in the autumn.
Watched the new Spielberg drama, The Pacific. It's truly bad, full of every war cliche you can think of, nothing new same old retro Americana. It was insulting, but then again it's Spielberg - full of schmaltz and sugaring things American.
April 17
Another beautiful warm sunny day. I did what an old man does on a day like this, went to London and wandered around looked in my favourite record shop JB'S in Hanway Street. Got Black And Blue - Rolling Stones, Gasoline Alley - Rod Stewart, a US pressing original pressing with a embossed cover (really nice). I would like to get a mint copy. These Foolish Things - Bryan Ferry (great record, it was £2.00 unplayed), Warner Bros Fruity Compilation from 1972 with Alice Cooper Under My Wheels.
Also got a book called The Book Of The Moon by Rick Stroud. The cover was damaged - I'd like a better copy.
It's 6pm and God's light is falling...
April 16
Strange, sunny weather with not a plane in the sky. Odd how we've got used to seeing aeroplanes without thinking anything about it and now a volcano goes off and there's nothing. I was going to Los Angeles today, now going nowhere... Went on a date to a good Vietnamese restaurant called Mien Tay in Battersea instead.
Staying in like the old man I am to watch the Descent Part 2. I've been reading
The Guardian Book of Rock And Roll - the features from the 50's are interesting
The Forgotten Highlander - Alistair Urquhart who was captured by the Japanese in Singapore, like my uncle.
Hiroshima Notes - Kenzaburo Oe
Plus I've been listening to
Trust - Repession
ROCKNROLLA - Original film Soundtrack
Blue Oyster Cult - On Your Feet Or On Your Knees
STP - Compilation
Bad Company - Bad Company
And some Runaways from the Roundhouse in October 1976 - they were rubbish.
April 15
Ratt studio shoot circa 1984 in Los Angeles. The live photos are from Houston or Buffalo, not too sure. Robin Crosby was a good friend of mine who died in a bad way.
My favourite was the first Ratt EP which I don't have and must get...
The weather in London is glorious. I just heard there are no domestic flights from the UK because of the volcano going off in Iceland - how can International flights be okay and domestic not?
The Scorpions See more...
April 13
Joe Perry at the 100 Club. The last time I was here was with Metallica and that was before the Black Album.
I missed soundcheck where (according to Peter Makowski) Joe and the band jammed on Highway Chile while Hagen, the German singer, looked on baffled. Oh well, the real singer will be back soon. I was surprised that I got some decent photos. Joe forgot to play Toys In The Attic - I tapped him on the jacket to remind him. He did a good Sight For Sore Eyes, which he claimed he had never played before. Ermmm, it's on Live Bootleg Joe...
John Bionelli's groupies
Rock'n'roll John Bionelli came to tell the crowd a message, and I even got a photo of John's two crazed fans.
Had a good time this evening.
Got this from David
Just want to thank you for offering me earplugs at the JPP gig last night, it was very thoughtful; I should have taken them (didn't seem so loud at the time, but shittttt my ears this morning). Last time I had that problem was Iron Maiden in 1983........ Really funny when you reminded Joe about not remembering to play Toys after Walkin' The Dog and his comment was even funnier. What a gig......... damn if only all gigs were THAT good.
And this from Glen
Bionelli is exactly right about Paul Stanley. No one outshines the Starchild!
A couple of French magazines. Plus London 12 inch single shot in 1977 - shot it in Highgate cemetery.
More Bad Company. See more...
April 12
Had dinner this evening with Joe Perry, Jimmy Page, John Bionelli, Peter Makowski, Kazuyo and Jessica Squire. We ate at Bam-Bou, a Vietnamese restaurant. A private room to ourselves which made it a relaxed evening, the highlight being when John Bionelli declared (after several pints of wine) 'Paul Rodgers is okay, but let's face it, he's not the Love Gun. He's no Paul Stanley - Feel Like Making Love is no I Was Made For Loving You!' He proceeded to sing it to a startled Jimmy and Joe who politely asked for the bill and said, 'John, I think it's time we left.'
Got to hand it to John, rock and roll all night and party every day...
April 11
Sunday - another warm sunny day.
Met up with Jimmy Page and Peter Makowski. Kazuyo drove us to Wembley which turned into the drive from hell as we arrived as Wembley Stadium was emptying out from the football - thousands of bald people walking all over the streets looking angry.
Got into Wembley Arena and watched Steve Rodgers open, who was good. Then Jimmy went to say hello to Paul Rodgers and Mick Ralphs. took some photos of them and Joe Perry joined us. We watched the Joe Perry set. Joe dedicated Train Kept A Rollin' to Jimmy and finished it playing the riff to Whole Lotta Love.
I took some pictures of Joe with Bad Company before they played. A good set, good light show again, even better than last night, and they finished with Deal With The Preacher. Paul thanked Joe Perry and the Swan Song representative from the stage.
Chatted with Jimmy and Paul after. Paul thought Feel Like Making Love was the song of the night. And I must thank Cynthia Rodgers, who really did look after us, and Mick Ralphs.
April 10
A seriously beautiful sunny day in London. Went to Brighton in the afternoon. Kazuyo drove, I fell asleep it was so warm, a glorious day. Got down around 4pm. As they say, "Nothing is planned by the sea and the sand".
Shot Joe Perry doing soundcheck at the Brighton Centre, then at 6pm got Joe to walk down to the seafront to take some photos. I was explaining Quadrophenia to him and he was looking at me as if I was crazy - 5.15, Sea And Sand, Drowned, Bell Boy... I, ermmm, I don't think he got it. But I got some good pics of JP in the end of daylight.
Said hello to Paul Rodgers, and to Mick Ralphs, who is undoubtedly one of the nicest people you can meet. Shot The Joe Perry Project live. Joe looked good, he was wearing a stars and stripes as a scarf. Bad Company were rocking, good lights, dry ice with that old damp smell, mirror balls, follow spots - the light show was rocking as well. And as Jimmy Page once said to me, Paul Rodgers is the Sam Cooke of rock. I thought they were everything a classic band should be. Joe joined them for Rock And Roll Fantasy and they finished with Bad Company.
Driving home along the Brighton seafront the street was full of many staggering semi-naked girls (rather like Newcastle, but slightly warmer). 'Look,' Kazuyo exclaimed, 'The town is full of prostitutes!' I pointed out they were just girls out on Saturday night. 'Free prostitutes then,' said Kaz...
April 9
Home and London is sunny and warm, as in hot. And London definitely cannot be beaten when the weather's right.
The Scorpions See more...
April 8
California - when it's sunny cannot be beaten. Went early morning to The Grove, a strange shopping area near Fairfax. It is all fake, the cobbled streets, the fountain, the cable car, everything made to be a Disney-style American experience. Strange being there at 9.30am with no one around. It was like being beamed onto a parallel world...
Spoke to Steven Tyler at lunch time, he sounded really well. Waiting to see if I do Aerosmith, if we can agree terms.
Flew home in the afternoon. I enjoyed my little Los Angeles excursion.
April 7
Rudolf Schenker turned up at 9am dressed and ready to work. Matthias Jabs turned up at 9.15 and off I went and did a photo shoot. It was super-productive with Rudolf insisting that I take photos of him in the pool fully dressed with his Flying V guitar. It was old school in an enjoyable way. Left a wet Rudolf who was off to Frankfurt.
The afternoon was spent shooting STP, or The Stone Temple Pilots. It's been a while but it was good as well. Scott Weiland had on two different shoes, which he blamed on his assistant - it was also her last day. It took a while for Scott to warm up. Then he clicked and gave me what I wanted in his slightly strange rock singer way. A pleasure seeing Dean, Eric and Robert.
Strange, when you least expect it, a day when things work.
Had a quiet evening. I was a bit vague from concentrating all day, plus it was eighty something - pleasantly warm. Saw Gabriel Byrne - always nice. As he said, 'I'm always arriving as you're leaving.'
April 6
Stayed up till 1am then gave in to Morpheus, which didn't work as I was up again at 3am, 4am and 5am. Gave in and got up. Went to the gym, put my ipod on and the first song was Make It Real by The Scorpions. Saw Matthias Jabs and Rudolf Schenker at my hotel - Rudolf told me he's going to make a record with Michael Schenker. The Scorpions are, and I mean this, really really nice people.
Also saw Billy Duffy and Dave Navarro, and Andrew from Wolfmother. The thing I like about LA is you run into people you know and don't normally see.
I was shooting Scott Weiland today but that was, how can I put this, "Postponed".
Peter Makowski arrived with Duff Battaye. We were having a mellow evening when Rudolf and Matthias arrived, freshly lubricated, so spent the rest of the evening listening to Rudolf's philosophy on life, which was entertaining. And Rudolf told me and everyone around the hotel bar I was the best photographer in the world. Very true - and who am I to argue?
April 5
Flew to Los Angeles today on an empty flight. All I did was feel spaced, too much on my mind.
Bumped into the very refreshed Scorpions at my hotel. LA is cold, I was surprised - it's supposed to warm up. My big worry is jet lag - waking up at 3am and pacing the room and waiting for the dawn light...
Kimberly wrote to tell me she enjoys my "Meteorological moans". I like that - it would be a good title for a book.
Me with James Hetfield, sent in by Andres Zamora
I found this pic on a fanpage, just in case you hadn't seen it. I'm pretty sure it's you!
If I remember rightly this is Pine Knob...
April 4
Easter Sunday - sunny which is very nice. Yes, the sun does pick up your mood, for a whole five minutes.
As it's Easter and Jesus died here are some real deaths - just found out Micky Jones, the guitarist from Man, has died. I loved Man in the day - they were the first band I ever shot live and I have a good picture of Micky from the Fairfield Halls in Croydon. And also singer Lesley Duncan has died- I had a huge crush on her as a teenager. She sang with T Rex always on Top Of The Pops, and Pink Floyd, Elton John plus sessions with bands you know from the '70s.
Received a message from Joe Nardi about my Motley pictures on April 1.
Ross, I believe they were opening for Ozzy when you took those pictures.... Some of the west coast dates also had Ratt on the bill......
Makes sense to me...
April 2
Got this from Jeff
You seem to mention the weather a lot in your diary. I'm sure that for a person who travels as much as you do it's always a concern. I come from the mid-west of the United States and it's something we notice a lot also. I think that weather is the main reason for the whole "Bible Belt" thing. It seems we're threatened with extinction by flood, drought, heat, and cold quite often. Nothing makes you imagine an almighty power more than when you imagine it's directed at you. Love your work...
There is nothing more crazy than people in America believing tornadoes etc are the work of the devil - and that Jesus saves. In the Philippines today people crucify themselves in the name of the Jesus, which is something I'd like to photograph. I'm agnostic - something had to create all this, but I don't think the Son of God is saving anyone.
And it's raining in London...
It is such a depressing day I went to Waitrose supermarket and came across an old record shop called Mike's which I thought had long closed. I half-heartedly looked around and found The New Age Of Atlantic for £3.00, unplayed and with a two-sided poster showing the new Atlantic catalogue for 1972. I have three other copies of this record and none have the poster. Then got a first pressing of Missa Luba (a mass sung in Congolese, which came out in 1958) on the Philips label, unplayed, for £3.00 as well...
April 1
Summer's here and it's Arctic winter again this week - at least it's still light.
What a strange day it's been - cold but sunny and it kind of cheers you up, then all out cloud, rain and hail to depress you. A weird day, very up and now down... At 7pm this evening the last rays of 'Gods Light' were shining through - but I feel as if I have huge black clouds following me around.
Watched a few films, Paris With Love, so bad and moronic I can't believe it was made, and Dead Snow, a Danish film about Nazi zombies - this one was so moronic it was fantastic. The zombies were amazing.
Some pages from the next Guitar World, including my Slash shoot in Los Angeles with the 'Legendary' M. Shadows, and Jeff Beck with Eric Clapton plus various new magazines I shot.
Some Motley Crue I found from the Shout At The Devil tour. Don't know where I shot the the photos - I have absolutely no idea. Half the roll of film is Ratt. I'm not sure if they toured together, but it's definitely in the USA as the film was processed in LA... anyone out there who can help?
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