December 28
Freezing cold but the sun is shining. I'm off on the
2.20pm to LA, then on to Bora Bora. Seems like a great
idea until I realise that I'll still be travelling tomorrow
afternoon...
December 27
Jimmy and I had both seen some Buddhas we'd liked (no,
we're not looting them from Angkor Wat). They were at
the local market, so in a fit of "let's buy something"
we both buy them on the way to the airport. It then
occurs to us. 'How are we going to get them home?' They
are both five feet tall, with packing about seven feet.
I volunteer - we nearly pay more to check them on as
baggage than the price of the flight...
Fly at dawn to Singapore. I'm heading home, Jimmy's
off to India. Back to London today for one night, then
off to Bora Bora for New Year. As we land in Singapore
it's sunny! This is a first, it's usually raining...
Home - it's FREEZING and it's snowing. I realise I've
bought two Buddhas, a painting, and a load of stuff
I don't need. I already have a house full - must stop
being a tourist. Still, already thinking about a stone
Buddha for the garden...
December 26
Instead of the temples I decide to go out on a boat
on Tonle Sap lake for the dawn. Jimmy, who hasn't slept
since we left England (don't ask me how he does it),
stays in bed. I suspect it's not being tired - it's
that he can't swim.
This is a real eye-opener. I thought Siem Reap was
the third world. As we get out of the city the road
is now a mud track with the locals living in huts with
their pigs underneath. I see people getting up and washing
and cleaning their teeth in the milky brown water. I
am the only foreigner around. It is overcast and drizzling,
but you can't take away the vibe. I am not exaggerating
when I say it reminds me of Apocalypse Now...
Lots of children are coming up, sailing in large buckets.
I shoot pictures of them - they want money of course.
The strangest thing is a floating christian church -
in the midst of a Buddhist land the west still wants
to sell Jesus. The lake is a vast 12,000 square kilometers
- you can take a boat to Phnom Penh. I enjoy this more
than the temples. No sunrise, too overcast. I must come
back, perhaps in February.
December 25
Cambodia... It's strange to be here, quite mystical.
The country has a wonderful smell, sweet, a bit like
the hills of Bali.
Up at 4.30am and off to Angkor Wat to watch the dawn
rise. It is pitch black as Jimmy and I climb through
the temple. Lots of bats, which freak me out - big ones...
Only about six people apart from us - and, as the sun
comes up, busloads of Japanese.
We celebrate the Christmas dawn by eating a Christmas
cake Jimmy has brought with him. At 7am shoot around
the Bayon temple, by 9am I need to go back to bed. It
is still Christmas Eve in Europe. We're having a Khmer
meal for Christmas dinner - I wouldn't mind some turkey.
Still, it is nice and warm...
Go back to bed. At 4.30 head off to Bakheng Temple.
Shoot a bit of the sunset, then mainly shoot the locals
who, apart from being shy, don't mind at all... We go
shopping in downtown Siem Reap - the sales are on, it's
the Bond Street of the far east...
We both give in and cancel the Khmer dinner. Roast
turkey it is, with Christmas pudding. Being English
what do you expect? You know the old saying, "When
in Rome - eat comfort food". Merry Christmas.
December 22
Enough of Christmas and the cold weather. I've decided
to go to Cambodia - off this morning with Jimmy Page
via Singapore. We're going to spend Christmas Day in
Siem Reap at Angkor Wat...
December 21
 Here's my new model of the year, Jaime Laurita, Aerosmith
chef and nutritionist, posing in a very nice designer
t-shirt. I was going to get Charlie Hernandez or Rock
n' Roll John Bionelli, or even Matt Kent to model for
me but I wanted a real man... I even asked my agent
Simon but he turned his nose up - the shirts are obviously
not Prada...
If anybody would like to spend their Christmas cash
on one have a look on my Sales
page.
Got an great present today, Amazing Journey by Mark
Ian Wilkerson. Mark sent me a signed copy with a nice
dedication, and a credit for my pic inside - it's good
when people remember to do this...
December 20
I'm having a day where I can't get anything done. I'm
sorting out Aerosmith photos, so hopefully some should
be up tomorrow.
My agent has been getting far above his station. He
started throwing all sorts of tantrums when I left him
a message and had the audacity to suggest he eats KFC...
Now I know the rich and famous eat caviar but Simon
seems to forget he's from Essex - and, let's face it,
in England that's the 'hood.
Danielstein, famous gallery owner, took myself, Mark
Blake and David Brolan to Nobu for Christmas lunch.
We got a great table, courtesy of the manager, Dragan.
Daniel had only booked a table for two, hoping he didn't
have to pay, but Dragan came to the rescue and we rescued
Daniel's credit card from his purse. David Brolan, being
Irish, has never eaten fish, only meat and potatoes.
Luckily they cooked him a chicken - he wouldn't have
minded KFC. All friendly...
December 18
    Off
to the Foo Fighters at Earls Court. I go with Jimmy
Page and Gordon Gheller. We get lost on the way in
(the place is vast) and nearly end up in Santa's Grotto.
Finally find David Grohl who tells us a funny John
Paul Jones story. I get a good picture of Jimmy and
him laughing. David also regales us with his attempt
at being Angus Young -  last night he ran into the audience
to play from the mixing desk.  On the way back, he got
stuck. Serves him right for trying to run through eighteen
thousand people. Great light show, good guitar sound,
very AC/DC. The drum sound was awful... Still, had
a good time.
December 17
 Sunny England, or sunny London. Off to London to shoot
Ray Davies of the Kinks. On the train are two Millwall
fans singing 'Fuck 'em all, we are the Millwall and
we are the best - fuck all the rest,' over and over,
and it wasn't Matt Kent - Nice to be home...
 Meet Ray and his very powerful PR, Barbara, at the Savoy
(a very posh English hotel). Shoot some portraits, Ray's
a bit stiff at first but he warms up. We walk to Waterloo
Bridge and I shoot him looking east and west. I then
get him to stand in the middle of the bridge and shoot
with the Houses of Parliament in silhouette. A man comes
over and asks to shake his hand. I couldn't have asked
for a nicer day...
Speak to Dave Grohl, I was going to meet him. He's off
to soundcheck - I might go to the Foo Fighters at Earl's
Court tomorrow.
December 16
My chum Wilfred Wright drives me to Detroit Airport
in the early hours. Get to bed at 2.30 up at 4am. Fly
to Washington, then the day flight to London. Nice skies...
I'm too tired to take photos - which I regret when I
land. Home at midnight.
Here are some old Knebworth pictures I found recently.
December 15
Rock n' Roll and I and his PA Phil Cafferty (I have
been warned Phil likes to party) sit on our own in the
hotel lobby bar until 2am. We are the only people there.
After a drink John admits he's worried, 'They might
change the set list,' - rock n' roll...
I wake up to a blizzard. This is like Siberia - snow,
snow and, er, more snow...
Speak to Dave Grohl who has put a huge list of my
friends on the guest list for the Foo Fighters show
in London - a kind man.
Simon Kenton, my agent, has been sending me rather
angry emails. He is concerned I have been painting him
in a bad light and people will get the wrong impression.
For the record Simon is very well-educated with a degree
in African studies and is a fine human being - and a
great agent.
See Donny Shiteman who tells me where to get a manicure
and pedicure - 'I'm going again.' I ring John B. 'Do
you want to come for one?' He is horrified, 'That's
for girls!' We're in Detroit - Gene and Paul would never
do that...
 At midday it is snowing so much you can't see. Talk
Steven into going outside to do photos. He and I have
a good time - no one is around. I get him to buy an
ice cream and pose with it in the snow. My hands start
to go blue and I start to get hit by snow balls. - Rock
n' Roll John Bionelli is attacking us from his warm
hotel balcony.
We leave in convoy for the show - it is grim. Still
sold out tonight. Aerosmith get an award for the most
soldouts at The Palace Of Auburn Hills.
 Get Joe to get ready early. Shoot a lot of him backstage.
I ask him why they don't play Combination, from Rocks?
'Good idea, we should,' he says and proceeds to play
me it. 'It was the first song I ever wrote for Aerosmith
on my own.' Good show, a lot of fans come up and say
hello, which is strange - I find out John has been writing
about me on Aeroforceone. I'll have to have a look...
Wish the band happy holidays - I'm off to tropical England...
December 14
 At 1am fly with the band to Detroit. Shoot Steven and
Joe together and a very nice portrait of Brad Whitford.
Arrive at 3am, it is colder than Chicago - I am in hell...
Well, at least hell would be warm...
I wake up in Birmingham (a suburb of Detroit), open
my curtains to a view of a brick wall with the hotel
garbage below - I am not a happy man. I go to the front
desk. 'Can I move cells, to a cell with a view?' 'Sorry
sir, we are sold out.' Nice to be in Detroit, murder
capital of the USA...
 Venture out at 3pm. I meant to shoot pictures of Steven
but it's too cold. Find an ice cream shop with the Statue
of Liberty outside. 'How can you eat ice cream when
it's snowing?' I do exactly that.
Joey, Tom and I go out to the local mall. Donny Shiteman,
who'd been at a beauty salon all afternoon having his
hair blow-dried and his nails done for the show tomorrow,
comes along in case we are bothered by any fans. God,
we are boring - Detroit rock city... John Bionelli has
been hiding in his room all day watching the new Kiss
video over and over, and stressing about tomorrow's
setlist. We were going to see King Kong but it's three
hours long and we are all tired, doing nothing...
December 13
Leave Chicago and fly up to Milwaukee. The food backstage
is surprising, instead of prime rib and fish you get
sushi, crab, steak, really anything you want. It turns
out a culinary school is next to the arena and the students
are doing the crew catering...
 Rick Neilson arrives to show Joe Perry his Merle Travis
guitar. It is one of only three and worth more than
a house. Lenny Kravitz comes to see Joe - do some pics
of them together.
The band are rather rocking tonight, they add Love
In An Elevator instead of Helter Skelter which I find
a bit tired (like listening to Smoke On The Water).
Now I know you go to a show to have a good time but
the crowd are very drunk, the arena floor is a sea of
spilt booze, and people are walking into each other
like zombies. There is nothing WORSE than a drunk older
fan, they seem to think it's their role in life to stand
in front of me leering into my camera going "aaaaargh,
roooock n' roooooll" as they proceed to spill booze
all over me.  It was like being with twenty thousand
Paul Brannigans. Joe Perry plays acoustic during Seasons
Of Wither and it starts the intoxicated dancing. I didn't
think of this as a dancing song. The other annoying
thing is they all think they are photographers, swaying
and trying to take photos on their mobile phones...
I have never seen so many girls climb on stage trying
to kiss Steven. Donnie Shiteman was doing his best to
intercept, hoping for a kiss... Rick Neilsen played
Train Kept A Rollin with the band. They did the slower
version - as on Get Your Wings. The encore was Back
in The Saddle and Draw The Line, my two fave Aerosmith
songs. The band had a great time - I did not enjoy shooting
it...
Rock n' Roll John Bionelli rings at midnight - 'What
are you doing? It's Detroit Rock City we can't go to
bed.'
December 12
Been in Chicago the last couple of days - Aerosmith
are home in Boston. Run into Gavin Rossdale in the hotel
lobby, haven't seen him in ages. We catch up.
Out of nowhere the hotel I'm in is full of security,
all on radios, looking pensive - U2 are walking through
the lobby. Honestly, it is pathetic, who do they think
they are - the Pope converting America? Of course, I
forgot Bono thinks he is. Top of the morning...
December 10
Get up at 3.45 am. Fly on the first flight to Chicago.
Shoot the dawn flying out of Los Angeles - beautiful
clouds.
Arrive to a snowbound Chicago - IT IS COLD, REALLY COLD,
ARCTIC COLD...
By 6pm Chicago is having the worst snow storm I've
ever been in. The taxi I take to the United Center is
sliding all over the road. The first person I see is
Steven who is very happy I have a Nikon Digital camera
- he now thinks I've joined the 21st century...
 Shoot Steven working out, digitally, and cheated and
shot some real black and white. Shoot the band walking
to the stage with Donny Shiteman walking in the middle
of them - pretending he doesn't see me taking the pictures.
The show is hard to shoot, very backlit and not very
camera-friendly with two huge penis ramps going out
each side of the stage. Spend the encores on stage,
Steven telling me to go right in the middle - even introduced
me to the crowd... Charlie Hernandez, the production
manager, is pulled on and sung Happy Birthday to by
Steven and the crowd. Good show, everyone in a good
mood.
December 9
Run into Anton Corbijn at breakfast. He's in LA to
direct a new Depeche Mode video. I tell him all about
my fun with them in Vegas and Chicago - he looks horrified
and commiserates with me. We spend breakfast discussing
Golden Earring. They have a huge photo book out in Holland
- he's promised to get it for me. Nice to see him.
The sun is out and it's warm - I love Los Angeles...
Kevin Shirley calls. He meets me for a quick coffee
- tells me how super fit he is. He bores me with tales
of his bike riding, 'I've got a nutritionist, she's
amazing.' Kevin then confesses he hates her. 'Do you
know a good place to get a burger?' The Caveman and
I make plans on going crazy when he hits London in the
New Year - I leave him in search of a perfect quarter-pounder...
December 8
Off to Los Angeles this morning. Then I'm joining up
with Aerosmith in Chicago on Saturday - where I'm sure
the weather's super nice and warm...
Arrive after a very bumpy flight. Flew a northern route
over a load of places with strange names like Hells
Canyon (near Idaho) and Shashone Canyon - I only know
this by watching the route map on the plane. I get in
at 2pm then wait two hours for my bags. Los Angeles
is cold. Looked at the news - a plane has crashed on
the runway at Midway airport in Chicago and there's
heavy snow. Perhaps it'll warm up by Saturday...
December 7
Watched a really depressing and strange film last night
called A Certain Kind of Death. It's about what happens
to you if you die with no friends or family. It really
puts you in a strange mood. And it's filmed in LA -
worth seeing.
 Matt Kent has sent me this cover of a new self-published
Who book with a nice picture of mine on the cover. Thank
you Matthew - a kind man...
Andy Curren - the Jaco Pastorius of Canada - sent me
the new Rush dvd. It has a cd of the show inside. I
have been blasting it all day. Rush play Summertime
Blues better than the Who - unfortunately, they murder
Heart Full of Soul and Crossroads. Still, nice to hear
Geddy chatting away in German between songs. I thought
being Canadian, they only spoke French...
Here are some pictures I took last week if anyone is
interested...
December 6
Got asked this question which makes a nice change from
"How did you get started and can you get me a photo
pass?" If you want to see the rest of the questions
go to FAQs at the foot of my Biography page.
hi there ross
i emailed you earlier this year to ask you some questions
to help my research for my photography degree. i am
now
in my final year and am currently writing my dissertation,
i just wondered if you would share any opinions or ideas
towards my title question
"can a photograph of a musician be anything
other than a form of promotion?"
every contribution is appreciated!
Here's my reply...
   Of
course it can. If you are a fan of the people you are
shooting (in my case a band like The Who) you are shooting
something that you enjoy and are inspired by. If
I was to pick a photo, it would be my pictures of The
Who from The Brighton Centre and The Kids Are Alright
show at Shepperton Film Studios. There is one picture
of PT with his number one guitar, smiling, one arm
gesturing, the other on the neck - one of my favourite
pictures, although it probably means nothing  to anyone
else. I also like the pictures of Pete and Roger together
at the Boathouse last month, particularly the smiling
ones - but I am a total Who fan, of course...
December
5
Scarlet Page, the evil girl (well, woman, as she's
nearly as old as me) has sent me this. It's her South
Park creation of me - the hair is good...
December 1
Christmas is coming - yuk...
Here's the new GW cover with Jimmy Page and Jack White.
Been away for a week - here's some jet-lagged, and
somewhat rambling diary.
Just got back from a week in Las Vegas and Chicago.
I'd gone out to shoot Depeche Mode - in the whole time
I've been away I shot them off stage for ten minutes.
I know this because I asked my assistant Laurence to
time it.  I
was meant to shoot on location but this was deemed unacceptable
by the band, or management, couldn't
quite work out which... The first time I get Dave Gahan
is in the penthouse suite of the Hard Rock Hotel. It
has a bowling alley as well as several rooms. As you
go in there is a wall of chains. I wanted to shoot Dave
hanging on this, bare chested a la Iggy Pop... The manager
tells me 'No way, don't even ask. It looks too gay.'
'What about Dave in front of the "Welcome to Las
Vegas" sign?' (This is half a mile from the hotel).This
is dismissed as completely unacceptable... 'This is
not going to happen,' says Depeche's PR, who in fairness
is trying make things happen.
I go for the huge bathroom with Dave lounging with
the windows open so you can see the Las Vegas strip
in the background. Dave comes in and is very nice, he
introduces himself to everyone. I shoot ten frames of
him sitting on a stool in front of the wall of chains.
We move on to the bathroom. I have shot literally two
frames when his manager starts telling me 'We have to
wrap this up.' He keeps repeating this so much, I think
he's turned Buddhist and is reciting a mantra. I get
six more frames before the session is stopped (if you
can call it a session). 'Dave's got a plane to catch.'
'Hey man, I've got to go, I'm late for my flight.' David
had obviously forgotten he's on a private jet... My
photos are over and Dave is off to Chicago.
The hotel PR is a very nice woman called Laura Herlovich,
she fully knows who I am. 'You are a god,' she tells
me! Now, I've been called a lot of things, most of them
nasty, but never a god. I quite like that - it beats
being called "The Master". I ask Laura, if
I am a god, how come I've got a room with two single
beds? She is shocked and rectifies this by upgrading
me to a huge suite, fit for a god - thank you Laura.
 While
in Vegas, I went to the Hoover Dam with my agent Simon,
who stank of booze, and looked like he hadn't bathed
in a week. Simon had only been in bed for thirty minutes
and was trying to pretend he didn't have a hangover.
I didn't think the Hoover Dam was that impressive -
the two art deco statues at the entrance stood out more...
 Also
shot the strip at sunset and sunrise from my room. It
was sunny but freezing. The same afternoon, went to
the Venetian Hotel with Simon (still pretending he wasn't
hungover). The hotel is so ridiculous - the ceiling
is painted from sunrise to sunset with clouds and it
looks real. This is the hotel with the shop that Michael
Jackson spent a million dollars in on rubbish - it even
has a fake canal with gondolas... Simon suggests we
should stay here.
And I finally did something that I've always wanted
to do - I took a helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon...
I didn't think about it and flew east at dawn - into
the sun. Everything is in shadow, of course. Out of
nowhere after flying across buttes you arrive at this
giant crack in the earth. It is very humbling - must
use my brain next time and do it again at sunset...
Flew to Chicago the following day. Had a great view
of Lake Powell, at the top end of the Grand Canyon,
I think. Shot a load of film. The midwest was completely
overcast (Kevin Shirley must be below spreading gloom).
Chicago is so cold it was painful to go out. At least
the hotel was nice - The Park Hyatt, a great hotel.
I am shooting Depeche again the next night. I run into
Dave Gahan in the gym. I suggest doing a wet shot when
he comes offstage. He looks at me as if I've suggested
I paint him silver...
Anyway, at the show I see Willy who sells the t-shirts
and works for the richest man I know, Barry Drinkwater.
Willy insists I take a polaroid of him naked from the
waist down... 'Bazza will love this,' he tells me.
I finally get the band lined up. Four frames in, I'm
asked to 'Wrap it up.' I also get one roll of Martin
Gore wearing a pair of black wings. I go in the hospitality
room to shoot some reportage. This consists of three
frames of Martin and two of Andy Fletcher, and two of
them together. 'Hey, we've got to wrap it up.' As I'm
ushered out I show Willy's polaroid to Martin. 'It's
a present.' Martin looks at it. 'You're making me feel
ill...'
I do get to shoot the whole show and I have to admit
I really enjoyed it. They are great live. Dave is a
cross between Mick Jagger and Rod Stewart. They put
on a great show.
I go to bed for three hours, get up and fly home I'm
meant to be in business class but the flight is completely
over-booked. I fly in the third-world - in the back,
economy. Even a God has to be mortal - sometimes...
I'm home and it's raining. I'm starting to miss Chicago.
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