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October 30
In Dubai with Peter Makowski and the very ugly Kazuyo. Sort of did some photography yesterday - some form of sunset plus the usual view I like. When I pointed out the view I wanted our driver just stopped in the middle of the highway and pulled over. We took pictures with rush hour traffic shooting by - it was a little disconcerting. 'Here comes a 4x4, WHACK!' That's the end of us... And that idiot Peter was taking pictures on his phone whining 'It's not coming out.' NOW I HATE CAMERA phones - it's a phone!
Peter tried and failed to find love with the girl of his dreams, Rina. 'I'm working on her,' he claimed. I took Peter to see the sites of Dubai, the Emirates Towers plus The Address. He hated it, 'far too upmarket.' He wanted to go to the one star York Hotel where the local workers relax and find love. 'A home away from home, full of my people,' he said.
In the early hours of this morning he is accosted walking across the road while eating a box of KFC (excellent and open 24 hours) by three very black Ghanaian women. 'They're nice, all three wanted to be friends with me and come back to the hotel!' he beams, while wiping his greasy hands on his shirt (as only a Pole would do). 'Of course they do, that's what whores do!' I left him and went to my room to watch the Last Samurai. Kazuyo had watched the Last Samurai. 'It's BOLLOCKS! Your girlfriend is nice in it - did you make love?'
Off to Abu Dhabi today for a bit of the Aerosmiths.
October 24
In Dubai now. Spent the last couple of days in Airlie Beach up on the Great Barrier Reef. This time the weather was perfect. For various reasons I only took photos of a frog with vivid colours at night (and I regret not getting a real camera to shoot it), and a dog. I also shot some clouds over the ocean and landing into Sydney. Found Australia expensive with the dollar so strong. I'm going to try to shoot travel in Dubai, by that I mean buildings and the electric night - Dubai comes alive at twilight.
Flew fifteen hours and arrived at 5am. Emirates had a shower on the plane. It was strange, you get five minutes with full power and a long room at the front of the A380 with a heated floor and the sound of birds twittering...
Shot the Emirates Towers at dawn from my cab. Then the view of the Burj from my hotel. It's strange how things have changed from the same view last August. Saturday here, which is Sunday in the middle east. London changes to winter this weekend so dark nights until next March.
Writing this at 9am watching a crane lift a huge platform of steel up an enormous skyscraper.
October 20
Got up and waited for the dawn over Uluru. It was silent, nothing, then the light came quickly. I now understand the obelisk in 2001: A Space Odyssey, you are drawn to it. I mean it, you look at Uluru in awe.
Drove out to the Olgas which were frankly disapointing, and full of Germans all feeling the need at 6am to express themselves loudly.
Shot a bit more of Uluru then had a quiet couple of hours doing nothing by the pool - it was 30c at 8am. My quiet morning was ruined when I was awoken by Klaus, Helga and Adolf. A whole group of them who turned up barking at each other and putting towels on all the pool beds as only a German can. Then swimming and shouting orders in the pool. I was wishing someone would round them up and shoot them "Ordnung muss sein!"
In the last two days I did not see a single local aborigine, not one. I have a theory that Uluru could be the new South America where German war criminals now hide while planning a new master race. I didn't see a single young aryan, only old ones. I bet the forces of the Reich have done away with the abos entirely - look out for blonde blue-eyed people wearing loin cloths, drinking lager and having dreamings...
Flew back to Sydney over Lake Eyre. It was huge considering I'm looking at it from 37,000 feet. Shot it in black and white with film - that stuff that photographers from the dark ages like me like to use. It was worth doing this trip just to see things you never see.
I took some pictures landing in Sydney of the plane's shadow over the water using my sureshot. It reminded me of a shark with all the sharp edges.
October 19
Went out in Sydney yesterday, ended up photographing burnt trees in Ku-Ringai National Park, where lots of local idiots were racing cars and motor bikes. I even shot pools of water in the twilight. Dined at Golden Century just to look at the giant fish - I ordered duck.
Flew to Uluru this morning. It was a fantastic flight, easy check in, empty where I was sitting, although the back of the plane was full of Japanese and Germans with names like Klaus and Helga. Plus they spoke loudly in German. Got a spectacular view of Lake Eyre (the lake was named after Edward John Eyre who was the first European to see it in 1840. The lake is located in the deserts of central Australia, in northern South Australia - I looked this bit up online). The air hostess was super nice and made a change from last time I flew Qantas to Adelaide to shoot The Who when they were rude with 'you can't bring cameras on the plane...' This time she could not do enough. Real service, just as it should be.
The last time I was in the Northern Territories was in the 90s with the dour Notherner Nick Moans from Paradise Lost. All he cared about was that I had some float from the record company and all he kept saying was 'When are you going to buy a pint?' This went on the whole time, 'How about a pint?' I made him go to Ayers Rock - he looked at it as only a man from Bradford can and said 'Looks like a big turd, shall we go and have a pint?' I'm sure Nick's in Bradford looking at a pub right now, thinking 'I could murder a pint, as long as I'm not paying.' He truly found something you'd see maybe only once in your life BORING..
Found Uluru more sanitized than it used to be. Coach parks, Abbo shop to buy expensive pictures with dots on them, dinner for coachloads while watching the sunset. It still is good, just too cleaned up for tourists in the middle of a desert, in the middle of nowhere.
Got pictures I was pleased with, the rock looked like it glowed. Off to spend this evening looking at the stars...
October 17
Been flying - flew Thursday night to Dubai. Ray Winstone was on my flight sitting opposite, I was tempted to talk to him. Then thought what do I say? "I liked you in Sexy Beast?" So I didn't . It was weird, I genuinely felt I knew him.
Dubai looked nice and warm. Watched my plane take off from the camera on the tail fin. It was odd, it was like watching a toy.
Flying on to Sydney and then on Monday to Ayers Rock or Uluru (I prefer Ayers Rock). Had a loud vocal argument with a Russian who wanted my window closed, I told him to put on his eye shades. This was just at sunset when I wanted to take pictures of the huge black clouds. Flew over Thiruvanthapuram (I read this bit on the route map) then Colombo, on over ocean. At the Equator there were huge black clouds and the sky turned black as the map showed a plateau in the sea called Investigator Ridge (must look that up).
Arrived into a sunny Sydney at 7am. Got secondary immigration because my middle name was missing from my visa... middle name - give me a break!
Spent the day lounging in the Botanical Gardens, then walked around Paddington. Went into the Blender Gallery on Elizabeth Street where I've sold some prints. It's an old house and you walk around it with photos all over. Also looked in Ariel books - got Andrew McGahan, Wonders Of A Godless World and E.H. Gombrich, A Little History Of The World.
October 15
More pictures of Joe Perry from Los Angeles. See more...
Joe Bonamassa playing me LA Blues... See more...
October 14
Joe Perry, "Mr Style", from Los Angeles last week.
If you want blood, the Legendary Robb Flynn bleeds for you - Los Angeles.
October 13
Home on the range - the London range...
Spent last night in the jet-lagged company of Baron Wolman (the legendary photographer) and his servant Dave Brolan. Baron had flown in from New Mexico via Dallas. He gave me two prints of the Jeff Beck Group. I gave him, erm, "Nothing".
Paul Stanley emailed me to tell me to stop writing about John Bionelli and play Sonic Boom. I have and it's very good.
Also been playing Black Oak Arkansas The Complete Raunch 'N' Roll Live just to annoy my girlfriend. The version of Dixie is fantastically awful.
Here's a couple of books I'm trying to read-
Werner Herzog - Of Walking In Ice
Jon Krakauer - Eiger Dreams and Where Men Win Glory
I'd also seen Neil Zlozower in LA who gave a signed copy of his Motley Crue book.
Was going to go to The National Portrait Gallery for an opening on photography in the 60s but I was too lazy and tired.
Met Baron, Dave and Jimmy Page (who all went), we had dinner and a good night out. I now regret not going to the opening...
October 10
Going home later today. Saw a furious Rock'n'roll John Bionelli at breakfast 'Pump?' he spluttered. 'PUMP? My favourite Aerosmith cd is Just Push Play, and that isn't as good as The Elder!!!!' (Kiss's answer to Tommy). He stormed off in a huff. John's got the Rock'n'roll's again, as Joe Perry might say...
Had a fairly relaxing day until we got to LAX. Air New Zealand's computer system was down so all the boarding cards were being written by hand. The Maori at check in looked baffled (I'd handed him both Peter's and my passport). 'Why do you have two passports with different names?' 'I'm with him,' pointing to Peter's big nose. 'Oh, didn't see the fella, only a nose - you two look alike.' Alike? Me of Russian decent and a Pole - I hardly think so.
Was getting pissed off queuing up until I saw director Taylor Hackford and Helen Mirren, plus Sophie Ellis Bextor, all doing the same...
October 9
Started today with designer Tom Jerman. He gave John Bionelli and I copies of Sonic Boom. John tried to keep mine as it was sealed, 'Come on, let me have it, I've only got nine other copies '
Photographed Joe Bonamassa before he ran to LAX where he's flying to Florence to get married. He was looking svelte. Shot him with his Gibson cherry red BB King 355. He played me a new song he's just written called LA, it has him stretching out with his arm all over the fretboard.
Then shot Joe Perry and wife, Billie. Joe walked in the street, stood him in front of his bus with the huge painting of him as a Guitar Hero. I even managed to get him to smile.
Went record shopping in Amoeba and Freakbeat. Found Jefferson Airplane 30 Seconds Over Winterland (white label promo), Dectective Live At Atlantic Studios, Quicksilver Messenger Service Happy Trails (nice painting on the cover), Torture Garden - I have no idea what it is just liked the strange cover...
Then attacked Book Soup - Mark Ryden (a small book of paintings), David Byrne Bicycle Diaries (nice cover), William Styron The Suicide Run plus Werner Herzog Conquest Of The Useless.
Saw Joe again who gave me a signed copy of his new cd with my photos inside, plus he wrote "To the legend in his own mind Ross Love Ya Joe". My credit is amusing - "Average photographer, great traveling companion, Ross Halfin", then "Kazuyo Horie, we know you really do all the work".
Had dinner with John Bionelli, who after several bottles of wine wouldn't stop talking about Ken Sharp's new Kiss coffee table book. 'A real band in a real book - I've loved them since I was ten!' I asked John when he discovered the joys of Aerosmith. 'I never liked them until Pump onwards...' I enquired as to who was bigger in America, Kiss or the 'smiths. He looks at me in amazement, 'There is only one great American band and it has four letters, even in Boston you wanted the best you got the best KISS.' And with that he finished his wine, 'I drink red like Gene drinking blood. I'm going back to the hotel for some Sonic Boom.' Friday night is Kiss night in Bionelliworld.
A lot more Mott is now up. See it...
October 7
Spent the day working in the studio. Started with the "Legendary" Robb Flynn from Machine Head. He flew down from Oakland, turned up on time and worked hard, or rocked, as they say in America. I finished shooting him covered in blood, dripping from head to toe. I suggested he check into Burbank airport like it just to see what would happen. He was professional and it was a pleasure working with a legend.
Next was SYNYSTER GATES, or Brian as he's also known, from Avenged Sevenfold. Then Joe Perry, who turned up looking like, Joe Perry. Got loads done - Joe looks better than he has in ages. He even smiled and Joe normally doesn't do smiling.
Finished the evening with group shots of The Joe Perry Project.
October 6
Joe Perry at the Viper Room. Saw Roger Daltrey who invited me to his show - I couldn't go as it was a Joe day. Shot soundcheck at a venue with no lights, but I did get a good moody portrait of Joe in a corner booth. He looked evil, not to be messed with.
Came back to the club and shot the show. It was challenging to say the least, with no light. Joe did a good jammed out Rockin Train plus East Coast West Coast and a reggae Dream On. Got photos of Joe, Slash and Tom Morello afterwards on Joe's bus. I was so tired by the end of the night I couldn't think - or even be rude to people...
My old friend Dave Grohl, having a slightly grumpy day in LA... Shot at the Sunset Marquis Hotel.
More Mott. See more...
A little something from my back garden...
October 5
Pouring down in London town, the weather has been so sunny and warm this is a shock - real damp winter rain.
Off to Los Angeles today for Joe Perry. I love working with Joe. When he's on he's a photographer's dream. Steven Tyler can be a dream, the problem is working out what planet he's on.
I was having second thoughts about going and missing Mott The Hoople. One of the best things I have ever seen - and I mean it. Where you feel in awe of supergroups Mott were joyous, as in come and join in. Plus Ian Hunter is soooooooo London (even though he's from the west country and a traitor for moving to NY), his raps between songs were glorious. Ian has never lost his rapport with the common man - he should give lessons. He is true real life. The last of the great front men and he's genuine...
More Mott the Hoople at the Hammersmith Odeon. See more...
Got the late Air New Zealand flight. It was full of people even older than me, including Peter Makowski - in the hold this time as they won't have him in economy. Flew over a cloudy Iceland and Greenland, then after the route map became a lot of sea, Canada - thought 'It's time to take an ambien and enter the land of Morphus.' A glass of port will take you there too with a thumping hangover as a reward when you wake up.
I slept thinking why can't American bands be like Mott - "WELCOMING " Most bands with success patronise their crowd with things like 'I'm not feeling it from the crowd' or 'The crowd are lame'. What bands seem to miss is they are being paid to entertain. You payed your $75 so they should put on a show - a good one. Just like Mott The Hoople...
Woke up over Banff, Calgary, British Columbia. An odd route - usually it's over Denver, Salt Lake, Las Vegas. The Canadian Rockies were impressive but it's a bit early in the year - no snow on them.
Arrived in early evening. Waited an hour for Pete who couldn't figure out which bag was his.
Checked into the hotel and ran straight into John Bionelli walking along talking to himself. 'What's wrong with you?' 'The set list! I have to get it done for tomorrow...' I sat down with John and his bride to be plus Peter and his new girlfriend, Karen Sihota. I watched the four of them lovingly holding hands - it made me quite ill.
October 3
Went and took some photos before they went on stage. Overend Watts had shoes with OW on them and some smaller writing (look at my photos to see). Ian Hunter thanked me for shooting the shows (which was nice of him to), 'because we couldn't afford you!' We talked about how awful Atomic Rooster were at the Oval, Ian said Guy Stevens looked at them playing and said 'Why?'. I told them that none of the Americans in the crowd knew anything before the Mott album. 'Yes, you're right and we're going to teach it to them,' said Ian.
More Mott The Hoople at Hammersmith - Saturday night at the Odeon...
Even better show than last night. Ian played Jerry Lee Lewis off the cuff . They told me to come onstage and wander around, just as I did Joe grabbed me 'Get back down the front, I'm singing Dudes...'
Ian asked if it was okay shooting the show, 'Don't worry about the crowd, there're too old.' He's wrong, like at the Rush shows in LA there's nothing worse than a fifty year old belligerent angry drunk or, as they say in the dictionary "Engaged in a legally recognized war", in the stalls of the Hammersmith Odeon. They were so drunk one was trying to rest his drink on Kazuyo's head. Maybe Mott should play When My Mind's Gone or Violence.
I even bought another copy of Diary Of A Rock And Roll Star plus the Live CD from the first night on the way out. Peter Makowski was talking to a contingent of his sex tourist chums who had flown over from Thailand. One hadn't been here for twenty five years, 'And I'm NOT coming back, I only came for Mott.' He had also been married seven times. Kazuyo looked at them, 'Perverts...'
Going back to Los Angeles on Monday and I'm already regretting missing the last two shows. My girlfriend said 'You seem happy.' I am, Mott created my mood. I came out of the show smiling and no other band does it. They are something special, an EVENT.
Thinking of the Golden Age of things, Peter gave me on vinyl The Good The Bad And The Ugly and Gong's Camembert Electrique. Now I have never heard Gong in my life - I'm sure it's terrible...
October 2
Mott The Hoople at the Hammersmith Odeon (not the HMV Apollo - if you grew up in the 70s it will always be the Odeon). Went with Jimmy Page, Peter Makowski and my filthy smelly assistant Kazuyo 'cos she's a woman and can carry my cameras. We got there in time to shoot Gemma Ray who, after saying I don't like any new music, I found captivating, she did I'd Rather Go Blind and finished playing her guitar with a large knife instead of a pick.
It was like regressing into my youth. No photo pit so you had to shoot from the front of the stage with the crowd pushing against you. Now it was okay, the people around me were fairly sympathetic to me getting good photos apart from one LARGE American woman who kept rubbing up against me trying to get to Overend Watts. When I'd shot here in the 70s - J.Geil's, Blondie, The Who, ACDC - it was nigh on impossible with people jumping on you and fighting you, especially with The Who. The crowd had a good contingent of Americans who knew the Mott album era onwards but none of the Island era songs.
The lights apart from on Ian Hunter were dire. The show was one of the warmest feelings I have ever seen from a band, you felt the closeness from the stage. They were your friends and I'm being truly sincere, the vibe was like a homecoming. It didn't matter if it was a bit of a mess in places or that Mick Ralphs couldn't sing Ready For Love, you wanted them to succeed and they did. I found myself singing along to all the songs, something Kazuyo found funny as she didn't know a single song.
We hung out after for quite a while chatting with Mick Ralphs (one of the most genuine and nicest people you could meet) and Overend Watts, all of the band were warm and friendly. Mick kept checking if we needed drinks or were okay. Thinking about this afterwards it was the difference between an English or an American act. At the show and backstage there was no heavy security - no PAs telling you rules, no management pretending how happy they are to see you then telling the security to get rid of you. Even with the bands I know well there is always an air from the people around them of "Get rid of them". With Mott it did not exist.
Joooooooooooe Elliott was there (in fact it was Joe who insisted I shoot the show), he was in "Heaven". 'Get a shot of me and me mate from school with Pagey!' which I did. Joe was so excited his accent became so thick and northern that Jimmy asked Kazuyo to translate - trust me, she speaks better English than Joe. It was great seeing Joe, he and I were just being fans for the night. I did get some pictures of Jimmy, Mick Ralphs, Verdan Allen, Martin Chambers and Pete Watts. We left the building singing The Golden Age Of Rock And Roll and All The Old Dudes and headed to the fish and chip shop for a cod and chips (yes, just like the 70s ). And they did play Sucker and One Of The Boys...
October 1
The new issue of Guitar Aficionado which has a feature on Bali and Flores with photos by me - and a story by Peter Makowski from steerage class.
Been listening to
Sabotage - Black Sabbath, which James Hetfield was blasting on his juke box - made me want to go and listen to it again.
Intimidator - Led Zeppelin Montreux 1970. A good How Many More Times (it's 24 minutes long).
Megadeth - ENDGAME, it has to be good, I did the photos for it.
And the David Gray cd which grows on you. Plus Procol Harum - A Salty Dog, boring, I'm to young for this music for Grandads...
PRS guitar at the Bulgari pool Bali, shot at Sunset....
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