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March 27
Here are some excerpts from emails I've had about my Masterclass at the 02 - somebody liked it...!
I just wanted to say thank you for the talk you gave the other night (Wednesday 24th) at the o2. It was really inspirational and has made me even more eager to get out there and take some photos of live bands and portraiture.
Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your masterclass at the BME on Wednesday night. It was so refreshing listening to someone tell it how it is, as opposed to the often-heard sugar-coated stories of rock stars. I brought my son along, who is 16 and very interested in photography and he was inspired – although I don’t know what impressed him most: your photos or him learning on the way out that I had the first issue of Kerrang!
I’d just like to say thanks for your Masterclass at the O2 – it gave a fascinating insight into your (ie: the photographer’s) side of the music business. We only ever read in magazine articles of the artists' (or some self pitying journalists) side of events. Having just read your diary notes, I can certainly confirm that it wasn’t boring. I took my 19 year old son along as my guest, who is not really a photographer of any sort, and he couldn’t stop referring back to your stories and anecdotes all the way home, and wanted to know more about your earlier work on 'Sounds' and 'Kerrang' (in the days when it was worth reading!)
I just wanted to drop you a line to say how much last night meant to me and my two colleagues, I also wanted to apologise if you felt we asked to many questions or hogged the mic - but as a working gig photographer with everything on the line, trying with every ounce of energy and passion to make something of my work - you genuinely re-energised me and my friends to keep trying to get somewhere with this.
Me and Steven in Abu Dhabi, sent to me from Jessia Squire
March 26
More of Them Crooked Vultures. See more...
March 24
Went to the 02 for a Ross Halfin Master Class at the British Music Experience (I didn't call it that), which was me talking about photography to a hundred people. I was asked when I turned professional. I'm still not sure how you'd define "professional photographer" - I don't subscribe to you must do this or that - do what works for you. Do I still enjoy it? Yes, depending on who you shoot. There were even a few Australians in the audience which surprised me. I tried not to be to boring - I thought of some stuff I should have said afterwards. Paul Lilley from the BME was a good host.
Heard the sad news that Jim Marshall has died, one of the true greats of music photography. He was found dead in a hotel room in NY. Jim shot all the classic acts - Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Allman Brothers amongst many others - and one of his Who photos from Woodstock hangs in my living room. Iif you watch the Isle Of Wight dvd you can see Jim helping a man who was freaked out on acid during Joni Mitchell's set. I knew Jim well, he could be obnoxious but most of it was bluff and he had a good heart and was generous as a person and as a photographer.
March 23
Some more Randy Rhodes some I haven't printed before. Shot in Bradford Saint George's Hall, The Palladium New York, and Syracuse.
March 22
Shot Them Crooked Vultures at The Royal Albert Hall (it's the first night of the Teenage Cancer Trust shows). Did a studio set up deep in the bowels of the Albert Hall. Of course my lights, which had been exposing perfectly, made John Paul Jones a stop different to Dave and Josh - just as they lined up. But I got it right in the end. It went well, even shot some black and white, as in film. Said hello to Roger Daltrey then did a bit of reportage before the show in the dressing room.
The show was loud, Deep Purple loud. The bass and drums moved you, literally. Good light show as well. Came home feeling deaf - I sat in bed and realised I could only hear out of one ear...
New Jack White cover of Rolling Stone shot in Nashville, or was it London - I can't remember
The Scorpions, shot in Paris
March 21
Another nice Sunday - I wish they were all like this.
Saw Harry Brown, which was good apart from the ending where it turned into Die Hard 4. The junkie in the bed of grass was disgusting and it reminded me of working just off the Charing Cross Road years ago. You'd see them all shivering waiting to score. I'd often see a grey-looking Andy McCoy from Hanoi Rocks in the midst of them. We should do what they do in China and the middle east - round them up and execute the lot of them...
Playing Golden Earring To The Hilt - nice album cover, must find it on vinyl. Paul Weller's new cd sounds as if Paul's been playing early '70s Bowie. Played Kazuyo Hot Rats, she said 'It's rubbish, sounds like hotel music.' And you know, she is quite right. The album covers good, an infra red photo of a GTO in a storm drain but the music, just like the Grateful Dead, is bollocks.
Read Dave Ling's diary and realised to my horror that Jethro Tull played the Fairfield Halls last night, only down the road from me. And to think I stayed in and watched Michael Caine shoot a few chavs. I loved Tull in the day, up until Warchild anyway (which I saw at the Rainbow with Pan's People and Fanny supporting, in 1974 I think), they went far too folkie after that and the riffs dried up. Aqualung and Benefit are great albums and I even liked Passion Play a bit. Saw that at Wembley in '73 and loved it. Okay, I'll stop ranting like an old man...
Lady Emily, my posh friend who resides in Bali (like all toffs do), has sent me a new stone Yogi for my garden. 'You just need to get a fork lift truck darling, or the Japanese slaves you have to carry it in.' It's a job for Kazuyo.
March 19
Today's Independent has Arts & Books with a cover story on the Runaways as "The Band That Changed Pop Forever". Give me a break, I shot them when all the hype was in full swing at the Roundhouse in 1976 and let me tell you folks they were shit. As in SHITTY. Could not play that well, not very good-looking and just not very good - the sort of band Robert Knight champions. Not even worth masturbating over and I was nineteen then so I should know. I might even dig my negs out and put a frame up.
Alex Chilton has died and everybody is acting as if it's the end of an era. The end of Alex (not good to die), but apart from the band Big Star who only members of REM like, who's heard of him - what era? I watched the Box Tops on youtube and thought Joe Cocker did the white Stax soul man routine way better, and his version of The Letter is superior. And then I found out poor Alex was an art house junkie which ruined his career in music. Let's face it, heroin ruins your career in anything - being a father, a human, you name it.
Watched Michael Haneke's The White Ribbon - the Austrian auteur's award winning film. It was rubbish, no ending, not well-filmed, nothing European art house crap. I'd like my money back. Then tried a Japanese DVD, The Sinking Of Japan, and that was so bad I gave it to Kazuyo. I told her it was a serious work of art. Might watch the BBC's Hiroshima to cheer myself up as it's Friday night.
March 18
Spent this morning with Jimmy Page finishing off his book. My friend Chris Vranian in LA found some unpublished Arms plus Firm tour photos which were a nice last minute addition. The book is now done - I think. Jimmy, Kazuyo and I watched some of the Led Zeppelin 02 show, which I'd never seen - it was rocking. I didn't enjoy it that much on the night as I was working. The footage of For Your Life and Nobody's Fault was great.
Robert Knight has removed me as his Face Book friend - should be Fair Weather friend. I mean all I wrote was that he should get ten out of ten for crawling to bands - he's now off my list of "Best Chinas".
Been digging out more Randy Rhoads - I'll put them up soon
Motorcycle Irene, shot when she was a PR around '79 - I loved her, she was a lot of fun. The last I heard of her she'd married one of Vardis...
March 17
Mick Wall sent me his book, Appetite for Destruction, about his early writing days. Take everything he says about me with a pinch of salt. I read his intro on the toilet and yes, flying was fun and I used to get blind drunk on the pretext that I didn't like flying. Not true - it was just an excuse to drink at 7am. And flying was fun then in the front of the plane. The bit about me getting my knob out on the plane is not true. Dedicated to Peter and I - nice of Michael. Going to read it when next flying or having a leisurely time on the toilet...
The Coda bits at the end of each chapter are good. I wish Mick had re-written the original stories, some are a little of the time, but I suppose that was the point. The Rio chapter made me laugh even if it's totally exaggerated as to how I was carrying on. Mick was worse. I'd forgotten about John Syke's stopping me shooting Whitesnake as the intro tape went on - he told the tour manager he wouldn't play if I shot the show. Wanker - really he was a big one. Mick's Coda on Jon Bon Jovi is dead on, In A Blaze Of Glory.
Three covers of Burrn that I like, with Steven Harris. The blue background was shot in LA just before Powerslave in Rod Smallwood's garage. The other two were at Steven's house in Harlow Essex, in his garden and his pub.
Jeff Beck ad with my photo from the Asahi newspaper in Japan
Some Peter Gabriel from Knebworth '78
Some more of Randy Rhoads from the Day on the Green
March 16
Found a bargain today in the HMV store - Freakshow Misadventures in the Counterculture 1959-1971 by Albert Goldman, the very same man who wrote books and dished the dirt on Elvis and Lennon. These are his features for the New York Times and Life magazine. It is well written, there's a good piece on The Who's Tommy and Live At Leeds which includes a review of The Who at the Met. He interviews Hendrix at the Drake Hotel who plays him 1983 A Merman I Will Be. It cost me £3.00 - excellent...
Been playing Ten Years After (please don't groan) and Frank Zappa - Hot Rats. And to round things off nicely Atsuko sent me a Koyuki photo book.
March 15
Anvil and some bits from Guitar World
James Hetfield with cars and guitars, plus Thailand from Guitar Aficionado
The great Jack Douglas, shot in Los Angeles.
March 14
Sunny Sunday, and Mother's Day - who thought of that, a day of blackmail where you have to be nice to mother. I don't, mine's long gone, so I can think nice thoughts instead of guilt.
Drove to South Kensington to Bibendum restaurant where I met Tom and Linda Chauncy for lunch, which turned into most of the afternoon. Drove home over Putney Bridge and across Wimbledon Common where I spent most of my youth. Played Focus Live At The Rainbow in my car, it's fairly boring until the two last songs - Hocus Pocus and Sylvia which has an amazing guitar intro from Jan Akkerman. Plus I played Tool's Lateralus which I didn't know I had until I found it today. Everyone raves about it - I thought it was a bit one-dimensional. Finished with The Faces doing Blues Deluxe from the Fillmore West 1970 - Rod Stewart's voice on this old tape is what singers should be made of.
Got Paul Weller's cd Wake The Nation in the post - he'd sent me it. Which is very nice of him and not many musicians I know do stuff like that.
March 11
Went to the Shepherd's Bush Empire to shoot Jeff Beck, who was playing with Joss Stone. He showed me photos of his new hot rod he - if I knew anything about cars I'd tell you what it is. Shot Jeff warming up playing some Mahavishu Orchestra and some Sly Stone. Nice lights, easy to shoot, wish every day was like this work wise. I left before the end and was home by midnight.
Keith Richards, shot in Denmark
Some vintage pictures of Frank Zappa, Knebworth 1978
March 10
Found some Randy Rhoads negs I've been looking for for years, will have them printed and put them up - there's a photo that Randy told me was his favourite picture of him laughing onstage.
Gene Simmons, shot in Los Angeles. Van Halen in LA as well, for Creem - I have a memory of Sammy Hagar always being difficult when I shot them. Aerosmith from a UK press trip at Holborn Studios London. Phil Collen in Holland. Steve Harris and Robin Crosby, who was a nice guy, unfortunately he ended up a drug addict and died of aids. Manson, I have no idea where. And Kiss from Los Angeles.
A rare photo of Phil Collen topless with Def Leppard shot in LA. Edward Vedder in London, on the cover of Rolling Stone Germany. Suze from Baby Animals, shot in London, used on the cover of RS Australia. Metallica in Faro, Portugal. Tommy Lee with Ozzy and Amy Osbourne, Donington. Metallica in the middle of nowhere in Dallas. I remember it was 110 degrees and baking - I kind of miss doing that with them now, it just doesn't happen anymore.
March 9
Some photos from my garden, as it's sunny with good winter light.
I started clearing out all my old magazines, throwing them in the bin, so I've been scanning ones I like and even ones I dislike. It's odd, I thought I had a good memory but a lot of it I don't remember ever photographing, like say Bang Tango.
Creem magazine I like. Kerrang, some of it - the really early stuff is embarrassing. I have most of the Metallica covers but the "silver-painted" Lars cover is missing.
The Mojo 100 cover. I just did Iggy and Paul Trynka, the editor, at the time did his utmost to try and stop me doing it - he failed. Metallica in the Los Angeles Coliseum after they had played. Mike Tramp in Kabuki Mask in Tokyo.
Rob Halford backstage in Frankfurt, Rob had just shaved off all his body hair. I'm not sure of the significance of the yellow hankie... Ozzy at Irvine on his throne. The Little Angels cover I have no recollection of doing. If you asked me I would have said I never shot them - must be somewhere cold in the north of England. Faith No More in La Brea in LA. Aerosmith on the beach in Virginia Beach. The band's manger at the time Wendy Leister insisted on approving the photos, which Steven and Joe didn't like - Steven started screaming like a two year old, Joe said nothing, then I got banned from shooting them in Europe (during the Nine Lives Tour). Banned! Yes, ST is like a big kid not getting his own way sometimes.
March 7
Sunday and you know, it's a beautiful day. I'd be happy if London was like this all the time.
Gave in and got an iPhone and now I'm trying to live with it. I have no interest in the camera or the iTunes I just want a phone that I can text and email on with ease.
Over the weekend I watched Heavy Metal Britannia on BBC4 which was a "HISTORY" of Heavy Metal. It had Ian Gillan (rather good), Tony Iommi/Geezer Butler/Bill Ward (all very funny) plus Brian Tatler of Diamond Head who was excellent - thoughtful and funny. And the Mighty Priest (Rob and Glenn Tipton) plus on the sidelines a morose Burke Shelly of Budgie who I remember having no sense of humour and being glum when I shot them in 1978. It had some early Iron Maiden footage and I'd forgotten how exciting they were. I told Jimmy Page to watch it as he rang me half way through.
At the end was Heavy Metal at the BBC which was dreadful - clips of Budgie, Sabbath, Saxon, Judas Priest doing Rock A Rolla (awful) and the Ian Gillan Band murdering Evil. Jimmy asked who the guitarist was (Bernie Torme) who I knew with Ozzy. He thought he was good - I always thought he was a poor Ritchie Blackmore clone. I didn't get the impression JP was a fan of Blackmore - he needs a bit of In Rock or Machinehead instead of the blues...
I've been looking through my photos of Thunder, which is hard work as my agent went bankrupt last year and I got bits of everything in boxes in no order, all messed up. My file is like trying to put back together a jigsaw of thirty years of slides which someone has just dumped on the floor. So when people ask for photos it takes a while - plus nothing is scanned. Still, I loved Thunder, one of the great bands of the 90s who flew under the radar and deserved so much success. EMI are putting out a live five cd box of various shows I went to so I'm spending Sunday digging.
Read the Observer News Review where Julie Burchill slaughters Nick Kent's book, Apathy For The Devil. The point Burchill misses is that a book is meant to be entertaining and this book is. It's maybe not elitist enough for her - I remember her and the equally ugly Jane Suck at Sounds being the carbuncles of the music scene, hating everything that wasn't as "COOL" as them. The point they miss is that they were not cool, not that Nick Kent was either but he is entertaining.
Watched Vinyan (I think that's what it was called), a terrible film with Rufus whatsisname. Then Watching The Detectives with Lucy Liu, real rubbish with Lucy playing a wacky twenty something opposite Cillian Murphy, an actor half her age. So as it's Oscar night I'm going to watch a work of art, Universal Soldier Regeneration with Jean Claude Van Damme...
Some slightly older Kiss from the beginning of the Milennium.
March 2
A day of Kiss...
Drove off to the wastelands of Islington where Paul Elliott was holding court in the Hilton hotel, next to the Angel tube. In truth it was more like a Travel Lodge. Paul, who is now doing PR and writing, couldn't stop talking. You asked him a question and he'd ignore it and carry on talking about Bon Jovi (Paul is going to every show when JBJ arrives In A Blaze Of Glory).
I had a small conference room to set up in and do a photo shoot with The Gods Of Thunder. Peter Makowski was with me mainly to act as ear plugs so I didn't have to listen to more and more Bon Jovi rubbish from Paul... Pete just looked at him nodding, bored.
I get Kiss in all their glory at 5.30 pm for an hour. It went okay considering I'm shooting in a hotel. The highlight of the afternoon at the hotel was seeing the three very, very lovely Appleton sisters in the lobby, all on the way to see Kiss destroy the Islington Academy.
I took a photo of Gene and Paul with The Mighty Boosh. Then The Kings of the Night Time World came, saw and nearly literally killed the crowd when the CO2 in the confetti canons sucked the air out of the venue. Gene Simmons nearly passed out behind his amps and Paul Stanley told me he couldn't breathe and the band had to cut three songs out of the show. The only person who seemed unaffected by it all was Paul Elliott who carried on talking about Bon Jovi while everyone around him was gasping for air. From my point of view it was a pain in the arse. The barricade was right up against the stage. Imagine the feeling of being trampled on by Kiss in platforms, it gave the effect of photographing lying down on the stage. Still, it was a great show...
My son Oliver was pissed off at me as I told him the show was at Archway instead of the Angel and he only got there as they went on.
I came home to an email from John Bionelli, 'Do you feel like the luckiest man in the world?' Don't know about lucky, it was hard work.
Brad Merret, slightly retarded art editor (according to Kazuyo), gave me the new Nick Kent book, Apathy For The Devil, which is excellent. If you want to know about the 70s go and read it.
March 1
March 1st and it's sunny, a nice way to start the month and it's going to be like it most of the week.
The new issue of CR has my Slash photos from late last year, chopped up a bit - it does look okay. In fact, it looks great - ish. The mag tells us the Darkness are back! Back from where, flushing their career down the toilet? Lets be truthful here boys and girls they were always shit, the public thought they were being funny - they weren't, they were absolutely serious and that was the problem.
And Steven Tyler is back in Aerosmith. WHY ????? Because they all want $$$ and it's festival season in Europe - not that I blame them, they are far better together if the egos and wives/girlfriends don't get involved, but you know they will. Look out for a Peter Makowski Steven Tyler story.
Been playing Thrill Of It All, Black Sabbath and Beggar's Day, Nazareth. The Who At Charlton '76 an audience cd of the show I got in Japan (and had never played), it has a phenomenal version of Magic Bus. Pete Townshend's guitar playing soars and rings out. Most Who audience shows sound too boomy and muddy. I stood in the rain the whole day getting soaked to see them and it was a great show. I was eighteen then, when this kind of thing mattered! Plus I listened to The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Birds Of Fire cd to open my mind.
I even read the bland feature in Classic Rock on BTO by John Einarson, a Canadian like the band. I told Pete Makowski it was plain boring and Pete said how in the 70's he interviewed Randy Bachman (BTO guitarist) and how miserable he was. He was a Mormon and expected you to follow his views. Pete also said he was never a real rockstar, he studied how to be one and ripped off the rest of the band. Stuff you'd love to read and info Einarson manages to leave out of the whole four page feature. BTO looked like they spent their whole career dining at McDonalds, but Pete did say they were great live (I never saw them), and You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet is a classic song - and I still have Not Fragile on vinyl.
Watched A Prophet, a new French film, excellent and disturbing - the soundtrack is good as well.
Had dinner this evening with Paul Stanley, who has chopped all his hair off (and he looks much younger). Paul, Peter Makowski, my other half and I all ate at Hakkasan. It was a pleasurable evening before Kiss destroy London tomorrow night.
Peter brought me a present, a vinyl bootleg Kiss "Stoned In Paris '76", live at the Olympia. I finished the evening and the early hours in Tesco's (yes, life is exciting) as Peter was moaning there was no food he likes in my house.
Pete Townshend on a European cd from a French Guitar magazine
E from the EELS in wet Los Angeles from Mojo
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