April 27
Peter Makowski has reminded me it's our friend Robbie's
birthday today and would I put it up on the diary as
Robbie reads it every day. Robbie is my sponsor from
Thailand - he's one of Peter's companions in Thailand
and fine human being even if he is from Liverpool...
Robbie is 50 today - all my friends are getting old
and I haven't even reached my 40's. Strange how all
men want to celebrate old age and all women want to
forget it. Happy Birthday Robbie.
Spent the day burning photos on disc - I'm joining
the electronic age. Well, I wasn't burning them, Kazuyo
was. I was supervising and beating her when things went
wrong - I would be nice to her, but she wouldn't understand
an act of kindness - she would misconstrue it as an
act of weakness...
Got a Who cd of the Young Vic 1971 uncut from Japan
today - great sound with the soundcheck as well, plus
it has a good cover. Also Focus BBC and Reading 1972
- I'll stop before I show my age...
People keep asking me for advice about digital cameras
- you're asking the wrong person, I'm a technophobe!
April 26
I'm having an exhibition of photos at the Proud
Gallery in July. It will be a mixture of travel
and rock - here are a couple of travel pictures
I like. The abstract sky is over Luxemburg. The
huge rain storm is in Cambodia over Angkor Wat. |
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April 25
After nice weather it's Monday and it's pouring down...
April 24
Had one of those days where I mean to sort out a lot
of photos but really get nothing done - felt tired and
slow all day, like a hangover. Watched a good German
dvd called Tattoo - it has a good ending, unlike most
American films.
April 23
I am determined to spend today getting healthy - eat
no rubbish and go to the gym - got to keep my teenage
looks (I could become Dorian Grey)
Sutton Football club had Man playing last night (the
first band I ever photographed). Real Welsh rockers,
not like the imitations you get nowadays. I went, it's
five minutes from where I live. I lasted two and a half
songs. There was no Terry Williams, no Deke Leonard,
no Mickey Jones, only Martin Ace with a young band -
it was like Feeder plays Man... I went home and watched
The Jacket, another film I picked up in Thailand. It
had a good soundtrack - must get it.
April 22
In doing what I do, you tend to get jaded towards bands.
There are few which stand out - even ones you liked
as a teenager you look back and go oooooooooooooh nooooo!
Last night I watched Festival Express, a film about
three festivals across Canada in 1970. I've been across
Canada a few times and, let's be honest, it's not the
most exciting country in the world (I'm being polite).
The bands on the bill are Dull... The Band (should have
shot them all and saved Dylan going electric), Flying
Burrito Brothers (yawn) and the Grateful Dead (wimpy,
feeble, boring etc) and at the end Janis Joplin, who
was so good I rewound and watched it twice. You tend
to forget how great she was - her voice, eveything about
her has GREAT attached to it. Go and get the dvd just
for her. It's got extra footage of her live and it's
well shot - listen to her sing Tell Mama, you'll be
converted.
And it's a very sunny Friday - off to London.
While visiting Phillip Alexander in Darkest Emap Metro
today, I see a very red figure walking towards me.
'Top of the morning!' - it's Paul Brannigan, looking
extremely red. 'I've just been to Thailand, I went
to Koh Samui' he announces. 'Couldn't find a Scruffy
Murphy's and the food was terrible, it was all Thai,'
he beams. 'Got to go, I'm late for a meeting.'Where?'
I ask. He looks puzzled,'The pub'. 'Congratulations
on the new job' I shout as he staggers into the lift...
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Here's the new cover of Classic Rock, out
first week of May. |
April 21
Brad Tolinski has done a nice feature in the
new Guitar Legends on Ozzy, with Ozzy doing the
captions... |
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Here's another Joe Perry ad - talking of whom,
Joe, while on tour last year, made me watch Adam
Sandler in a football movie. It was quite funny,
so I watched Spanglish last night - it was truly
the worst film I have ever seen... |
April 17
Home, and it's a summers day...
Had a frightening flight into La yesterday - as we were
coming into land the plane, a small jet, rolled left
then right. I mean sideways. I thought we were going
to do a 360 degree roll. It then started shaking violently,
I seriously thought "this is it". The plane
straightened out and we landed. The pilot comes on and
tells us 'we were caught in the jet stream from a 747.'
Never had this before, it really shook me up.
Anyway, spent last night and the early hours of this
morning (depending what time zone you are in) shooting
the sky on the way to London.
Typical England, pouring with rain...
Got a new promo of the Joe Perry album, here's
the cover, which I like a lot. |
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Plus the Q Ozzy/Sabbath special and The Priest
from Japan. |
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It's the birthday of a very ex-friend of mine
today. He is 60 (I'm a lot younger). His name
is George Bodnar, aka "Crazy George".
He's having a huge birthday bash at the Soho House
in London. I always asked him to get me a membership
there but he wouldn't do it - he thinks I'm too
common. I'm not invited to today's great event.
Anyway, here's a photo of Crazy taken at the first
Donington Festival in 1980 - Happy Birthday George. |
And here's some pictures of Koyuki.
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April 16
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Was going to spend the day in Los Angeles,
but as I've found out my bags have gone to
Hartford (north of New York), I am going nowhere.
They're supposed to turn up at lunch time.
If they do I'm on the 6pm out of LA. Urgh -
yes I know there are worse things in life. |
April 15
Spend the night at the Mob Mansion. Off to Phoenix
today for more Audioslave.
Get random searched at Las Vegas airport, Chris Cornell
is just behind me - he seems to think this is most
amusing... Fly to Phoenix. On arrival the airline
has lost my bags, this always happens in Phoenix.
Off to the Dodge Theatre, a great place to shoot.
It's really, really hot, which is fine by me. See
Richard Carter. 'Look, what do you mean I'm almost
famous? I have important friends, I know Sir Paul
MCartney,' he bleats (I'd be more impressed if he
knew real rock royalty like David Coverdale). 'I'm
not some brusque colonial like Rick Fagan, I've had
an education.' Okay, you are now Sir Richard Carter
- make sure you put it on your diary.
Shoot soundcheck and a quick group photo.
Jonny Polonsky (who's supporting) is giving out
t-shirts with "I love JP" on them. I walk over.
'Why are you giving out t shirts with I Love Judas
Priest ?' I ask. 'What do you do?' he asks. 'Annoy
people' shouts Tom Morello... Jonny is very impressed
that I know the Priest and Rob "The Painkiller" Halford. |
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I am in the dressing room with Chris and point out
he had the most hair in the early nineties, like a girl
- there is proof of this in the Spin photo issue. 'Me
- what about all the other bands you shot with hair?'
he says. I stand my ground - he was the most girlie...
An interesting show. Some girls start fighting in
the crowd - the security ignore them.
April 14
Got up and drove out to Tarzana to shoot David Grohl
and his personal assistant, Oliver Taylor Hawkins (who
tells me to tell Pete Townshend that he'll play drums
on the Who album). Dave confesses to me that his middle
name is Eric, and his parents nearly called him Hans
- Hans Grohl, that has a nice ring to it... Taylor has
shaved off his very nice moustache which he only grows
for posh photo sessions. Dave and Taylor tell me what
a great rock drummer Tommy Lee is - I start laughing
at this ludicrous information. 'What do you know?' they
say. 'I can play better than both of you, so don't tell
me about drumming - next you'll be telling me Lars Ulrich
can play.' 'Okay, let's see what you can do,' they say...
I have to disappoint them as I run off to the airport
to go to Las Vegas.
I have to say I HATE Las Vegas... My friend Packarus
and his very lovely wife Claire have moved there. They
bought a 60's house, it's like a mob house from Casino.
Packarus thinks he's DeNiro and Claire wants to be
Sharon Stone...
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Flight getting to Vegas is packed, full of trailer-park
America going to lose whatever money they have.
Get in at 8.30pm, rush straight to the Hard Rock
to see Audioslave, get there just as they go on... |
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Haven't seen them play before, they are very tight.
Surprisingly they play Spoonman, Outshined, Chris does
an acoustic version of Blackhole Sun. They finish with
Killing In The Name Of. Great show - every girl in the
audience seems to be in love with Chris Cornell, can't
imagine why, I'm much better looking...
Go out on the town (well, for sushi) with Mr and Mrs
Packarus.
April 13
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Have to go to the Valley today to look at locations
to shoot the Foo Fighters tomorrow. Drive out to
Tarzana. It is miles away - it's so far away I
might as well be in Fresno. Seriously, it takes
an hour with no traffic... Dave Grohl has built
a recording studio in the middle of nowhere. It
is a very nice complex (based on Polar Studios
in Stockholm) - it even has pictures that I've
given Dave up on the wall. Dave is there and shows
me a photo of the original Polar Studios with Led
Zeppelin's gear set up. Anyway, the only downside
is it seems to be surrounded by meth factories,
the kind you thought only existed in movies... |
Finally get back to the Sunset Marquis to rest (after
another "HARD DAY"). Lay by the pool - it's
very nice, haven't done this for at least two weeks...
Notice more women "hanging around" - realise
Brad Pitt is staying in the hotel. He doesn't look as
good in the flesh as he does in Premiere magazine -
must be the airbrush.
See Tom Morello, 'Who are you bothering', he asks
- 'The Foo Fighters, but don't worry, it'll be your
turn in a couple of days'. Anyway, back to the pool...
April 12
Spend the day flying to LA. It's a long flight due
to tail winds - 13 hours (it's my website so I will
whinge). Read the new Classic Rock on the plane. It
had a great letter from Andy Thompson - Re: The Mars
Volta, "The only positive thing that came from
the whole depressing, soul-destroying, rotten aural
experience was the wonderful feeling of relief I experienced
when it ended. Next day I threw it away... The cancer
was gone." He then goes on to say that he loves
The Zombies - I'll stick with The Mars Volta. In the
same issue Glen Tipton has done a piece on Taste. Rory
Gallagher was the reason he played the guitar - and
Rory was one of the nicest people I have ever met in
this business.
Arrive an hour late at 3pm. At least my flight was
empty.
Nice and sunny and warm. Hang out with Rick Fagan,
famous tour manager, and Richard Carter - very funny
and he should be a famous merchandiser...
Notice the patio is full of women - I mean lots! Rick
and I go and have a look - we notice two other males
sitting drinking beer, one of whom happens to be Brad
Pitt. You don't see that at home...
April 11
A really hot day in London. Go to get a train to meet
John Fairs (Prodigy tour manager), find out the trains
are delayed for hours - only in England, this wouldn't
happen in Japan.
Buy the new issue of Guitar World with JP on
the cover and a nice piece on my website. |
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April 10
Watched a dvd called Bang Rajan, a Thai film about
a village holding out against the whole of Burma. It's
supposed to be true, though I doubt it. It has Thai
niceness, with bloodshed and death raining down from
the Burmese. It's about the destruction of Ayutthaya,
which is why I watched it - it's ok, not great.
Had a clear out of CDs - found the Dio Rhino anthology
and realised to my horror that it's not on my ipod...
Have now added Little Ron. Speaking of whom, last time
I saw him he had no idea who I was. You've got to remember
I photographed him a lot in his day - must be old age
setting in...
Just looked at Kevin Shirley's website - yes I know
it's Sunday and yes I'm bored - he's writing a book
about himself in the wild and dangerous world of recording
and mixing. Can't wait, I'm sure it will be a thiller
like James Bond - lots of edge-of-your-seat adventures
with Dream Theatre. Okay, I'm being cruel - maybe he
could call it Kevin and Maiden's Big Adventure - or
even My Life Babysitting Silverchair...
Well at least Kevin's got some taste - there's a nice
photo of the two of us in Prague (after the Maiden show
- he got that wrong) by my ex-girlfriend...
April 5
Got the new Classic Rock today - it has a photo
special of live stuff from me plus a nice spread
of The Mars Volta. Plus the new issue of Precious
and also Q magazine with Duff and an Ozzy ad. |
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Kevin Shirley called me - he was lying naked in his
bed (he took great pleasure in telling me this) in NY.
He's moving back to London to be near his favourite
football team, West Ham. He seems somewhat misguided
in the belief that you must hug, kiss and fondle when
you score a goal or win a game - he assures me Steve
Harris has told him that's what you do when you play
or watch football...
Kevin has promised me one of his guitars, either the
Joe Perry or Jimmy Page model. If I get one he may get
a hug or a kiss....
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Here's the photo of the Thai cafe
in Phuket |
April 4
Went to see Robert Plant at the Albert Hall with a
friend of mine who plays the guitar. The show was very
entertaining - in particular the two guitarist's theremin
solos in Whole Lotta Love. The short guitarist seemed
to think he was Pete Townshend (he needs to see The
Who). Robert Plant rocked...
April 3
A nice summers day. Dropped my film in to my lab, Bayeux,
and had a wander around London - tired by the time I
got home so watched my pirate copy of King Arthur that
I got in Thailand. It was sooooooooo bad, sooooooo awful,
I vow to stick to world cinema... Loads of people hacked
and chopped to death (being a Hollywood film you see
no gore), lots of Ray Winston and Clive Owen pulling
faces like they're constipated and shouting out "Freedom"
etc. The Saxons are the football hooligans in this,
which explains why the first Saxon settlement was in
South East London...
I'll get some photos from my trip up this week...
April 1
Spent the last couple of days taking real
photos. Went up to Phang Nga, it was quite magical...
I finally went to James Bond island - it's in
The Man With The Golden Gun. I had never wanted
to go there, too many tourists. |
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But I have to admit, it was beautiful. One of the
best places I've ever gone to... Took a photo of a
very pretty little girl at the Muslim village at the
top of Phang Nga, and of the rocks sticking out of
the water in the late afternoon light. Where the boat
docked was an old Thai village not ruined by the West
- it looked like something out of colonial times.
Heard the news that Paul Brannigan is the new editor
of Kerrang - 'Top Of The Morning etc...' Can't wait
to see Therapy and Ash on the cover - I'm off to Scruffy's
to celebrate...
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My woman dragged me to Naitong Beach (this
could be spelt wrong). After moaning about getting
sand everywhere I have to admit it was beautiful
- I even went in the sea... There was no one
there except us - shot a photo of nothing but
sand and sky. In the evening huge storm clouds
came in over the sea - it looked like the Apocalypse.
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Took a load of photos - just before the sun
went down it burst through the clouds. Stuff
like this makes photography very worthwhile,
and it only happens in the tropics. |
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On my way home now - back in London tomorrow. Seems
like I've been away forever...
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