From William Eggelston‘s Stranded in Canton video. (Via L.A. Times Pop & Hiss blog: via Bob Mehr.)
music
Alex Chilton, the brilliant and hugely influential singer, songwriter, and guitarist of Big Star and The Box Tops, died today. He surely will be missed. I shot this picture in 1999, where Chilton was performing with a newly formed Big Star. Bob Mehr reports on the terrible news in Memphis’s Commercial Appeal (Bob had recently written liner notes for the Big Star box set, Keep An Eye On The Sky).
The Blacks are celebrating the release of their new album tonight Schubas. I shot this picture for Magnet in 2000.
Their credo is violence…their god is hate. They call themselves Magic Milk. I shot the duo live a few weeks ago, and again in studio last weekend.
Violet Eyes, a brand spanking new video by the fabulous duo My Gold Mask, has just been posted. I shot and directed the video, which was shot both in HD (with the trusty Canon 5DMII) as well as with a low-res toy video camera (circuit-bent Fisher Price PXL-2000, aka “Pixelvision.”) Working with Jack and Greta and their Pug Roadie was a treat.
Awful news from Memphis.
Memphis musician Jimmy Jay Lindsey Jr., better known as Jay Reatard, was found dead in his Midtown home this morning, according to family and friends. He was 29.
Memphis police have opened a death investigation, spokesman Jennifer Robinson said. Lindsey was found around 3:30 a.m. at his home, Robinson said.
“Yeah, it’s true,” said Alicja Trout, a friend and former bandmate. “I don’t know much about it yet, because I haven’t been able to get in touch with the police.”
– Jody Callahan, Commercial Appeal
Yesterday’s Village Voice profiles aberrant musician Weasel Walter, who just moved from Oakland, California to Brooklyn (where he’s got three gigs this month). I took this photo for the Reader in 2002, back when he was a Chicagoan. I wish more people I photographed wore antennae…
Tomorrow night Rob Mazurek will be at the Hideout performing with Matt Lux, Joshua Abrams, Jason Adasiewicz, and John Herndon (with John Corbett DJ’ing between sets). Should be quite a show. Peter Margasak previews the concert in the Reader. I shot this picture of Mazurek in 2006 for Thrill Jockey.
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I’ve been going through my archives preparing to do some portfolio updating for the new year. I came across this 2006 picture of the fantastic harpist, songwriter, and singer Joanna Newsom, shot in an Erdovator for Drag City.
Sad to hear about the death of Blue Cheer bassist and vocalist Dickie Peterson.
Dickie Peterson with Blue Cheer in Chicago, 2006, at The Note. Photo: Jim Newberry.
Update: There are two music videos (so far) for this album. I shot the video for the opening track, Take A Chance, and Roman Coppola shot the video for White Telescope.
I had the pleasure of taking pictures (both publicity stills and album art photos) of my friend Liam Hayes for the new Plush record, Bright Penny, which comes out next week on the British label Broken Horse and the Japanese imprint After Hours. Here’s a collage I put together from the promo shots:
!@#$%!
New look for The Fall
UPDATE: Derek Erdman will be spinning from his vast collection of Fall records.
Last night I shot these pictures of Lawrence Peters, a contender for the Hardest Working Man in Show Business title (since the G.O.S. has left the planet), who has broken his heel and badly needs some dough to get it fixed and cover other related expenses. There’s a benefit this Saturday at The Hideout . Here’s the lowdown:
Saturday, September 19th, 9 to 11:30pm
The Hideout- 1354 W. Wabansia
A Tribute to the Fall
+ Benefit for Lawrence Peters (Lawrence Peters Outfit, Plastic Crimewave Sound, Velcro Lewis Group, Golden Horse Ranch Band, Mar Caribe, Hardscrabble…)
An evening filled with the brilliant music of The Fall as interpreted by local luminaries The Thin Man, Grimble Grumble, Plastic Crimewave Sound, Blasted Diplomats, Dorian Taj, Bleary, Punk Band, and Pritchard. Proceeds will go to Lawrence Peters to cover the many, and surprising expenses of a broken heel (medical bills, living expenses, rehabilitation, medicine, and lots of lost income). Come on out and support this local musical stalwart/ Hideout bartender/ music booker….
A raffle will be held for a print by Jim Newberry, posters by Bob Hartzell, and possible other goods. $8 admission. Don’t miss out!
I’ve been digging through my archives lately, reacquainting myself with the pleasures (and annoyances) of working with “film” (in the days of yore, this is what you stuck in your camera). I just stumbled upon photographs I shot of the magic that was (apparently she’s in retirement) Ms. Misty Martinez, a gal who brought elegance and sophistication to the faded glory of Chicago’s Congress Theater, gracing the stage as one of the cavalcade of muliebrous stars comprising Ladyfest. Unless my research team is sadly mistaken, this transpired on August 18, 2001.
Misty Martinez performing at Ladyfest in Chicago, 2001.
Misty Martinez performing at Ladyfest in Chicago, 2001.
Last week I had the pleasure of shooting pictures for this week’s fantastic Chicago Reader cover story—a doozy written by my friend Jake Austen—about The Jackson Five’s earliest recordings, which took place in Chicago. In the course of writing the article, a forgotten tape surfaced which now appears to be the earliest studio recording made by the group.
Jake and I drove to LaPorte, Indiana, where I photographed the lost tape as well as the folks who found it; Eric Leaner and Phylis Newkirk (children of Ernie Leaner, of the One-derful label where the early recording was made). It was a fun trip made even more special when we found out that Dusty Stepper—the horse belonging to radio legend Herb Kent (“The Cool Gent”)—lives right next door.
Herb Kent's horse, Dusty Stepper
Zombie Bride at Thriller Zombie Walk
Last weekend Martians ran amok in Union Park. Last night in Wicker Park, undead Michael Jackson fans rose up and reenacted John Landis’ Thriller video and then stumbled south, taking over Damen Avenue, and continued east on Division, then back north on Ashland, all the while writhing ecstatically to the dead pop-king’s infectious tunes, which blared from a boombox-appointed hotrod bicycle. What’s next, Malayan sun bears in Lincoln Park? More pictures and video on the way…
Not long after bumping into Martians at Union Park last weekend, I ran into Chris Salveter (accompanied by the lovely Jamie Michelle Topper), who I accosted and photographed. You can take pictures of Chris and Jamie and the other Jamie and Ryan and Darrell at Schubas next Monday (July 27th) where they’ll be performing with their popular music outfit Judson Claiborne.
Premier photo-retoucher, film actor, and comedian David Yow has reunited with The Jesus Lizard; at Pitchfork Music Festival last Friday they reminded us what rock sounds like. They’ll be back in November for a show or two at Metro.
I recently photographed Tortoise in Plano, Illinois, in the Fox River. We shot press photos for their new record with the catchy title, Beacons of Ancestorship, which Thrill Jockey just released. Doug McCombs not only came up with the winning idea for the shoot, but also drove us all down to Plano and brought waders for everyone.
Tortoise
Tortoise
Photo by Dan Bitney
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