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September 30
Some more of the Kings Of Leon...
September 29
A day off in Vancouver - well, kind of, as I had to sort out photos for Spin, Rolling Stone and various Canadian newspapers.
Went to the HMV store and got The Sheepdogs, Learn And Burn (they are opening for the Kings Of Leon). I asked if they had anything by Massive Attack the two young shop assists looked at me blankly 'Who are they, a new band?' realise I must be getting old.
My new friend Tamara Lee took me record shopping. I found three good record shops, Zulu Records, Neptoon Records and Red Cat Records. Red Cat had a singer from Toronto playing Jennifer Castle - she was haunting, I could have listened to her all night. Bought her CD and LP and got her to pose for some photos outside the shop.
Here's some of the records I got
Black Sabbath - Sabotage
AC/DC - Powerage on red vinyl original
Rush - Permanent Waves
Mott - Mott The Hoople, American cover.
Jethro Tull - Flute Cake
Helix - No Rest For The Wicked. I had a fun time with them in Toronto - covered them in spaghetti many years ago...
Dead Kennedys - Frankenchrist with all the inserts....
Photographed the building opposite in the afternoon sunlight. It was stark, I found it oddly fascinating.
September 28
The Kings of Leon in Vancouver. See more...
September 27
Shot or should I say finished my session with Alex Turner, as we got coffee saw Robert Plant - I introduced Alex to him and took some photos of them together in black and white on film. It was really nice to see Robert it had been awhile.
Here's a couple of digital of them together...
Off to Vancouver this evening to join the Kings Of Leon .....
September 26
Nice day, couldn't go anywhere as Obama was coming a block from my hotel and most of the streets were in "LOCKDOWN" - silly word! Police were everywhere.
I'd hung out with Jeff Beck then thought I'd walk along Sunset Strip. It was like a Hollywood movie - people dressed up to meet the President, protesters, VIPs going for a burger with Obama at the House Of Blues and in the middle of all this - Jesus. Standing on the Strip looking over the throng. I said hello to JC and took some photos...
As I was walking back shot the police who were super nice...
Ran into Robert Plant at my hotel, who introduced me to Seal and told him I was a great photographer - which was very nice of him.
Finished the evening having a drink with the Arctic Monkeys.
'Here's a feature on my travel photography from luxury magazine Sunseeker, published in this week. Interview by Jonathan Wingate.'
September 25
In Los Angeles... Shot Alex Turner late afternoon for a new magazine - coming soon. Then went to the Hollywood Bowl with the Arctic Monkeys. Alex wanted a photo by the sign backstage. As we went to take it all manner of security descended on us with 'No No No and No.' Moronic. They talked to us as if we were three years old, 'This is the Hollywood Bowl!!!! etc etc...'
Absolutely stupid. Still, we ignored them and got on with it.
Saw a healthy looking Josh Homme and various Queens Of The Stone Age. I was going to shoot the show then it was made clear I had to shoot from behind the mixing desk. I did for a bit then just gave up.
September 23
Nicole Nguyen photographed in London
Jimmy Page on the cover of Tight But Loose, shot at the Shepherd's Bush Empire.
The BIG 4 from Guitar World - thought I'd put these up as I've only just got the issue.
Lucy Liu in London for the launch of her book Seventy Two, she was charming...
A feature on me and ROSS HALFIN TRAVELS in my local magazine...
September 19
Bangkok Airways' in flight magazine has a nice feature on my book.
Been clearing out my 7 inch singles. Found Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Chile Slight Return which I bought the week it came out. It was rushed out after he died forty one years ago yesterday - great single and really good graphics.
Here's some other single covers I have and like - Evils of Led Zeppelin Exposed with tracks Satan is Everywhere and Stairway to Hell. Jimmy should call his bio that. Better stop hanging around him, in case I go south of heaven - like Jason Bonham, for his sins...
Bought Mark Yarm's Everybody Loves Our Town: A History of Grunge, which I did an interview for. I skimmed the book and couldn't find anything I said. If there is anything, someone please let me know. Maybe I was really, really boring. Funny how all the bands that have survived from that period go on about hating success, the music business, and what it embraces. Look at them all now - Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, etc. All embracing the corporate bollocks. Though I do like Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell as people.
Went to Spitalfields Market and found a great bootleg by The Faces - December 16, 1971. It truly captures what the Faces were really about. I even got the second Stephen Stills album on vinyl. It is really boring, considering how good the first one is.
September 16
The new Alice Cooper Cd -Welcome 2 My Nightmare 2... and a Special edition of Classic Rock, shot in Los Angeles and London, I'm pleased with both.
A Couple of travel shots I found in an old box of prints-both from my book Ross Halfin's Travels.
Plus George Harrison and Eric Clapton shot in Osaka also from an old box of prints.
A selection of recent magazines
September 14
Jimmy Page from the new issue of Player in Japan shot in London.
The Big 4 or 5... shot in Milan
September 13
Some old EP's I got all mint nice to find something fifty years old in good condition. They make good pieces of art.
And a bit of German Metallica.....
September 12
Spent yesterday in the company of the very great Jeff Beck,who was fantastic and funny. See more Jeff Beck...
Here's a true fact as stated in the Sunday Times by David Bailey about ART photographers
"Most of them are awful .They all take the same fucking picture - a girl of about 22 standing in a room with some peeling wallpaper and hopefully a TV with a car crash on it, looking into space".
September 9
Some pictures of Alex Turner shot in my back garden... he'd popped over to look at some photos
Plus a new Jeff Beck book with the front and back cover shot by me.
September 5
Storm clouds over Tuscany
September 2
Spent the early evening in Sienna, which is old and unruined. The church reminds me of the city in Ken Russell's The Devils where they burn Oliver Reed alive at the end.
Put the radio on in my car and Rival Sons came on playing the Out On The Tiles song-nice to hear something like that here.
A double page spread from GQ Japan of my Amy Winehouse session.
September 1
A message from the Great Baron Wolman...
Howdy Ross --
My "moving target" friend.
Belated birthday wishes.
And belated thanks for my copy of your outfuckin'standing book. Great packaging, great pix, great soul...even a great photographer. All great...!!!
And here's a page from Baron Wolman's new book, Every Picture Tells A Story
In Tuscany rediscovering myself and training as a gladiator. Here are my "roots" in this weeks Arts and Entertainment and you know what, sometimes I would rather just shoot travel but when I'm in the mood nothing beats a bit of rock and roll...
The view at 7pm from my Tuscan Crib
Some travel pictures - Ayers Rock, Australia, and Bali
Here's some Motorhead I found in my archive, shot in St. Albans March 25th 1979. I've never printed these before.
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