This one is for Nick
In the 1980's I was a Photograher and very much a rock n roll person. I lived and breathed behind my cameras and sometimes lived in my studio. In the early eighties I lived in a house opposite parliament house which was owned by court judge here in Perth.
This was my Landlady
In the photograph she is wearing my leather jacket and smoking a joint I think? We had a rock n roll affair for a while, she was also a photographer however a little older than me.
Mick Jones of the Clash
This is a photograph I took of the Clash when they came here to Perth in the 80's. I didn't get a photographers pass at this concert which was unusual. The touring company tried to ban cameras and I think I was out of favour with the tour company manager at this time.
I edged my way up through all the punks in the middle concourse at the concert. It was standing room only; I had two camera bodies and various lenses in my jacket pockets. I got some terrific shots of the band while being buffetted by pogo dancing punks all around me. They were using my shoulders to launch off sometimes but I stood steady with my telephoto lens.
Paul Simonon
Afterwards I went backstage with a few others and got several shots after the gig. The shot above of the bass player was just after he had his intravenious vitamins shot. The band let us eat and drink from their eskies and we all enjoyed the euphoria of the powerful performance by the clash.
I guess this is one of the highlights of my experiences through the eighties although one of many.
I wonder where Fiona my landlady is now?
Kenoath
10 comments:
Great post kenoath,
Good to see some pictures of your past and find out a bit of who you are
Cheers
Graffiti
Thanks for stopping by Graffiti.
best
kenoath
Hi Ken,
Int'restin' post Ken. I like yr landlord.In the past I've had a coulple of fat greasy bearded landlords- not really in the same league as Fiona, I'm sad to say.
I like the photo's of the Clash. That punk rock generation were so visually stunning, it must've been great to see them in the flesh. Unfortunately, by the time I was old enough to go to concerts they'd come and gone, burnt out and moved on, so I didn't get the chance. Alas.
Luckily, though, we've got the records, video clips and photos to remind ourselves of how great they are.
Rave on
Nick
They were surely fun-weird times, Landladies and all Nick. I was 23 yrs old and life was exciting.
k
Hi Ken,
I'm sure it's still exciting . Don't look back !!!
Nick
Wow - the 80's. That was my time for babies and madness! I can't remember much about much back then - i so do prefer before the 80's or now. No, definately now.
You do take nice photos. Pity the coat didn't fit her, hope it wasn't too cold. The clash pic ended up being really good considering you were in the crush. Mind you - it's the best place to be. Strange how when in a mob like that it's the emotions and intentions that are heightened. Talk about a mix of feelings, can't take them all in, it's so loud - there's just to much - and inside gets over flowed til you join in the fury - it's the only way so much can be expressed and if it doesn't get expressed you'll just explode or something.
Great photos!
roses
Hi Ken,
The Stranglers were also a very cool band. I think I probably prefer them to The Clash as I like their humour. It was a bit dark as I think several of them had been in prison. Like the Clash, they had very cool hair, combed back with a huge wave jutting out the front. I suppose you came across them in the 70s London punk scene. Don't suppose you've got any photos of the boys??
Nick.
Hi Nick, no I don't have any pictures of the Stranglers. I liked them too, they had that good song Golden Brown didn't they? I was into the Ramones, XTC, early U2. I also liked the Cars. I remember seing Lou Reed when I was about 18. It was at the Perth Concert hall. The audience was in awe really. I thought they were scared of him knowing some of his lyrics in the late seventies.
At one point Lou yelled out "whassup wid you". Perth was severely peroachial then and one could say that at concerts, audiences took till the last song to get into free child.
kenoath
Hi Ken,
Yeh I like Lou Reed, especially in his underground period. It was a great idea to have Andy produce the banana album even though he didn't know anything about music. Perhaps he listened with his eyes though, and he was a visual genius, after all.I like some U2 songs, but not the whole Bono package. In the 90s they seemed to become a circus, and I think they've lost a lot of their initial energy, like most punk orientated bands, I suppose.
Yeh Ken I like golden brown!! It's a nice melodic number isn't it? I used to listen to it a lot, and then I realized what it was about and it kind of spoilt it for me. I guess drugs is part of the immature rebellious side of rock/punk music. I sometimes think only the great artists ( Dylan, Van Morrison, Roy Orbison, Bruce Springsteen??) grow past this rebellion and work creatively in middle age but I can't say for sure.
Peaches by the Stranglers became my favourite song of theirs after Golden Brown.
Nick
Yes, I was qiute surprised when I found out about the meaning behind Golden Brown Nick. The Stranglers did have a sense of humour.
k
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