Exuberant in all her extrovert glory, singer/songwriter extraordinaire, the emotive Ruby Friedman of eponymous Ruby Friedman Orchestra excited all 2.28.12 at the Hotel Cafe, Hollywood, showing off (besides my inadvertent alliterations) their new repertoire for their forthcoming release. Continue reading
Above, Deerhounds take the concept of pool party literally. Daytrippers Mr. Twister and I motored to the Del Mar dog show and an after-show party Saturday (2.25.12) at the lovely estate of a gracious exhibitor. Continue reading
Four photographs from Egypt circa 1997, from the top down: #1. trompe l’oeil sphinx; #2. the Colossi of Memnon, Luxor commemorating the pharoah Amenhotep III; #3. Continue reading
I took this photograph of writer John Mendelssohn ( LINK ) 42 years ago in my UCLA dorm room. We somewhat jokingly based it upon the iconic Victor Skrebneski photograph of Vanessa Redgrave (see info about that shot LINK ) which graced the print ads and billboards for the 1968 film “Isadora.” It was a high key shot lit with a study lamp initially, then in a darkroom I polarized it (subjected it to timed white light exposure, whereas normally only dark red light could be tolerated in the developing process without ruining the prints.) The avant garde effect of this print emerged from the developer chemicals looking just like this, no decades-later computer manipulation needed. (Photo tech tips from the Pleistocene!) It was said that the polarizing process was random and could not be controlled precisely, so I promptly disproved it and made multiple identical copies for assorted recipients Continue reading
Self portrait of Michael Davis that appeared in his Facebook profile. My favorite quotation from MICHAEL DAVIS, bass player extraordinaire for the MC5, Destroy All Monsters and a few lucky other bands, fine artist, charitable humanitarian, from his autobiographical blog: “As I stand here, looking down the last stretch of my own path, I still see the greatness of being alive. Continue reading
In the midst of bulletin board normally touting “horse for sale,” “found dog” and the like at East Valley tack and feed store, this was displayed today. It lifted my spirits that someone bothered to post this, but what I want to know is: has it had any dressage training? P.S., any takers might ponder study of the book below, which I indeed recommend. Continue reading
Three long blocks away from our own domicile, a huge fire in a strip mall raged tonight, requiring over 100 firefighters to contain it. The smoke looked like a vertical storm (video by me with my “purse camera.”) NOTE: link directly back to http://fastfilm1.blogspot.com if all elements such as photo layouts or videos aren’t here. Continue reading
Above, Melanie Harrold of the metal band Bad Xample, in my studio in Venice sometime in the 1980s. She was (and probably still is) a terrific, strong-voiced singer, and the band’s overall effect was that of Bessie Smith fronting Aerosmith Continue reading
For Valentine’s Day, where ever you are, I hope your troubles are few… Continue reading
My photo stills from “What Goes In Quiet Comes Out LOUD,” newest video in conjunction with THE DOGS’ new release “Hypersensitive.” Of course, it’s terrific, hardest rock from this legendary L.A. by way of Detroit band Continue reading
Typical of how I spent my time between classes at UCLA, concocting shoots like this 1971 one above with my then roommate Barbara Legarra, a beauteous Basque-American. These were photo sessions wherein locations were found ahead of time and fitted in between the models’ busy academic schedules. Above is the friend mentioned in “How I Started A Riot 41 Years Ago” ( LINK ) which I’ll more accurately quantify here as 1969. Continue reading
Above and below rock and roll couturier Evita Corby and author Mike Hudson are all smiles Feb. Continue reading
“It’s My Party (And I’ll Cry If I Want To)” (model: Stacey Q) Here are some of my photographs for the tv commercial for Warner Bros. “Supergirls” collection of classic 50s/60s girl groups on LPs, audiocassettes and 8-tracks(!) Yes, it was the 1980s, era of K-Tel-type infomercial sales overkill on television, and Warner Special Projects wanted something a little classier Continue reading
A peacock couple (peafowl, technically) moved in behind my horse’s pipestall where he boards, and are seen here within same and giving me the evil eye, even though I give them extra horse feed and water them. Like Gaston in “Beauty and The Beast” who decorated with antlers in every room, I utilize peacock feathers in our abode, despite the supposed bad luck to theatre folks, because one doesn’t have to off any birds to obtain same. Continue reading
His name was Christopher, he had a winning smile, and he sang for a band called AZUR. That’s all she wrote (meaning my notes on the session…) Continue reading
Above, inventive, influential and now venerable British folk-rockers Fairport Convention, known for spawning guitar great Richard Thompson and the late, seminal singer Sandy Denny, underwent numerous personnel changes throughout their still continuing career. (Inception of same: a tragic band van crash claiming the lives of their original drummer and Thompson’s American girlfriend, a rock and roll stylist [see LINK ] in 1969.) The rarity of my photo draws from where at UCLA the band performed in May of 1973. Continue reading
In the pre-digital Pleistocene, I made the above test strip in my darkroom, a maneuver we photographers did to guarantee a complex exposure would turn out as we’d planned. I imposed Dave Gahan onto the Anton Corbijn-designed special effects screens to simulate the stunning stagecraft of the performer fading in and out of his own image as seen during the Depeche Mode performance somewhere in America circa 1993. The resultant photo (with more of the singer and screens and better composition but otherwise the same) appeared in the magazine which had assigned me this gig to shoot. Continue reading
Crispian Mills (son of actress Hayley Mills) in his tres popular-in-the-90s BritBand Kula Shaker (which my better half Mr. Twister wants to equate with Tupac Shakur as separated at birth twins. Continue reading
On 1.7.12 the capacious Gallery 800 of North Hollywood hosted another show of its talented Art Directors Guild (film and tv production art professionals) members featuring Mauro Borelli (see life-sized elephant painting) Jim Fiorito and Patrick Janicke. Yes, the chopper was part of the exhibit Continue reading
Many short essays by Don Strachan with his unique P.O.V. about Donyale Luna (Richard Avedon iconic photo of her in a Paco Rabanne minidress of metal rectangles, above left illustrating a gallery exhibit, image photographer unknown,) the international high fashion world’s first black supermodel remain online at LINK . You’ll find them all very good reads but they’re a bittersweet coda to 2011 as Don, my UCLA friend and occasional work colleague who wrote it, passed away mid-October of that year Continue reading
First photographs taken in 2012 of our Art Deco pirate couple amidst my Scottish Deerhound trophies and assorted sighthound/canine antiques atop the living room piano… … and below, the last photos of 2011 taken at a New Year’s Eve party, chez sporting pals of Mr Continue reading
Iggy and The Stooges live at the Hollywood Palladium, 12.1.11 . Continue reading
Part of CD booklet slick (proof) for new “THE DOGS – Hypersensitive” release, photos by your humble photojournalist (Full frontal disclosure: yeah it’s a press release but since I wrote it, consider it a soupcon of deathless prose on yet another topic which keeps the faith via a full spectrum of my belief systems. Continue reading
“Now that’s a rock star!” wrote Stooges-archiving author Natalie Schlossman of my above portrait of James Williamson of Iggy and The Stooges, taken 11.28.11 at Swing House rehearsal/recording digs in Hollywood, Calif. To me it harkened referential in his enduring cool to the one of him below in London circa 1972 by Byron Newman , photo below by kind permission of the photographer. Continue reading
Attn: drummers and musician pals, do you want to hear the clearest recording ever of what Keith Moon actually DID on drums within his sonic maelstrom in his absolute prime? Continue reading
