  |
 |
||||||||||||||||||
|
January 30Off to Los Angeles today. I'm heading off to Irvine as soon as I land, Phil Collen's adopted homeland, for The Mars Volta. Not looking forward to the flight - strange how sometimes you are and sometimes you aren't. I suppose it's all in the mind... January 28
Michael has emailed me - a true older Iron Maiden fan speaks.....
Came across some Thin Lizzy negs so here are some Phil Lynott shots. See more... 
 January 26I've been ill with food poisoning, felt like I'd been run over by a train. I'd had enough of staying in today so I went for a wander in London. Got a dvd called Rise-Blood Hunter starring Lucy Liu as a vampire, one of those films you know is going to be shit. But I'll enjoy this shit for a bit of Lucy Liu biting people...
Had a coffee with Dave Brolan and his son Ted. Dave will only eat meat, 'No fish, I'm Irish!' I made him try chicken liver pate. He turned his nose up but tried a bit, 'Not bad - it'll be good with chips.' Ted calls me The Master - I'm his hero. I was teaching Ted useful things to say to his mum like 'I'm not going to church,' (he's a catholic) and 'Grandad's drunk.' He learnt them perfectly. Ted told me his favourite songs are Whole Lotta Love and Heartbreaker, and his Dad's favourite is Danny Boy. I leave him making the sign of the devil to various customers in Carluccio's. Ted is four...
Got Things The Grandchildren Should Know by Mark Oliver Everett, also known as E of the Eels. It has an intro by Pete Townshend. I thought it was one of those Dangerous Books For Boys at first. I'm sure it'll be poignant, like his music. The cover is done in perfect understatement. Perhaps I should read something more uplifting. January 24Spoke to Steve Harris today, we haven't spoken in nearly a year. Steve's off around the world being a Powerslave next week. I had lunch with an editor friend who said Rod Smallwood went ballistic when my name came up to shoot Rang Geoff Barton, who's been in a head-banging frenzy watching the Scorpions Live at Wacken DVD which has all my photos on the artwork. It's well filmed and the Zoo is amazing. It's all good, even a drunk Michael Schenker. I remember after the show one of the Scorpions (and I'm not saying who) said 'The problem is Michael is not a nice person.' Then again most people are not nice drunk, apart from me - I'm great fun. Or, as Phil Collen so rightly said, 'Everyone's a wanker when they're drunk.' Staying home tonight to watch them again and "Rock Me Like A Hurricane"...
A couple of photos of me - in my old age... January 23I've been looking at Burrn, they have a feature on Ratt who I shot a lot back in the day. The set list looks good - full of Paul Elliott and Phil Alexander's favourites like Sweet Cheater, Dangerous But Worth The Risk, You Think You're Tough, and many more. I'd like to see them play. Burrn magazine and Player from Japan featuring the Hammer Of The Gods. 
And Aranda, the Dark Lords of Oklahoma... 
 With the Dark Lord of Surrey January 22
Sunny Los Angeles, glum Halfin...
Flying out of Los Angeles 
 January 21Got a nice unusual shot of the mountains flying out of Los Angeles. The light lit the mountains for about thirty seconds and was gone - and so was I, home to London. Home! Vile weather... 
 Got this from Sacha Gervasi I saw the movie in LA late last year. It is a film about hope and finding your dream. It's good, go and see it - and remember "Metal On Metal, The Only Way!" Repeat as a mantra... Seriously, it is a GREAT film. Got this from a Rush fan
Oh yes I would... January 19Feeling fragile, all from my own doing. It's been cool in LA, now it's a pleasant, warm Saturday. Saw Billy Gibbons a couple of times. Last night I ran into Derek Hay, an actor who goes under the thespian pseudonym of Ben English. Before his acting career Derek was a production manager for the likes of Blondie and Metallica. I always run into him in Ago, which is where I started to create my now fragile state - not ill, just poisoned. Derek's invited me to a early evening party at his house to watch Ultimate Fighting. I might go if he invites Mika Tan. Been watching (while jogging at the gym) Scott Baio is 46...and Pregnant, and, even worse, Brett Michael's Rock Of Love. Both are beyond the realms of moronic. Brett's show truly degrades women. Who on earth thinks this crap up... Even watched a Ringo Starr VH1 Story Teller where Ringo, with his awful band (the likes of Jack Blades, Joe Walsh and Mark Hudson), plays Beatles songs excruciatingly badly and tells unfunny stories and laughs at his own jokes. They should all be shot or tortured to death slowly - it would be far more entertaining... At the gym was a man next to me jogging while in one hand he was reading a hardback novel - only in LA. My head still hurts and it's mid-afternoon. I'm going shopping, a great cure for a hangover. My great shopping extravaganza consisted of me buying three books; Cormac McCarthy's The Road, and No Country For Old Men (to see if I can get the ending), and Jimmy Page:Magus, Musician, Man by George Case, so I can learn all about the Magus. I also went in a t-shirt store and ask for a medium. I get 'We have XXL and small - want to try them?' I mean, what do they think - I'm growing or shrinking in thirty seconds...? January 18
January 16Photographed Aranda, a band from Oklahoma. It consists of two brothers, Gabe (as in Gabriel), and Damien (as in my good friend the Antichrist). Damien insisted on having two buckets of KFC to nibble on. Shiiiiiiiiiiiittttt, at one point I was calling them Clarence and Tyrone. They were a pleasure - its always a pleasure dealing with Heaven and Hell and he did eat both buckets. Roman from Poland said I should put up what I listen to and watch, so here you are...
Fifty Dollar Don Bernstine is in Los Angeles. He rings, 'Do you still hate me?' 'Not this morning, but I'm sure I can by this evening.' Don then namedrops that he's hanging out with the legendary Dave Kushner from Guns N' Roses. Don, I'm impressed - rock'n'roll etc... January 14I saw my friend Roman Rogowiecki, who was in LA to interview Silvester Stallone about the new Rambo film. Roman claims he was funny and that the body count in the movie is huge. He kept talking nonstop for two hours, driving me mad. I asked him why. 'To practise my English, I talk to you.' I felt a little bit bad. Flew to Phoenix for the day to see Randy Johnson (I am now working out that he is sort of well-known). As Randy was dropping me back at the airport a traffic person ran over and shouted 'You have to move now!' Randy opened his window. 'SHITTTTT, it's Randy Johnson.' Randy asked 'Can we stop for a couple of minutes.' 'You take as long as you want. I've got a doll of you!' ' How sad,' I said. 'I know,' said the traffic warden, ' but it's Randy Johnson...!!!' It's quite handy knowing Randy - I wonder if he could get me upgraded to First Class... Led Zeppelin at the 02 Arena - to go with Jimmy's cake... 
 January 13
Atsuko from Japan sent me this - first time I've seen a cake with one of my photos... January 12Off to Los Angeles today. Got up at 5am, worked out, packed, ran, feel like a superman - I'm sure it won't last... The highlight of today was at Heathrow airport - you can now carry on two bags instead of one. It makes a difference - you try stuffing books and everything else in a bag of cameras. It made me happy for at least two minutes. At passport control was a sikh customs officer in a turban, methodically opening the passport and staring at you trying to look intimidating. And doing it at a snails pace. I know he has a job to do but he just makes you hate him.. Okay flight over the usual terrain, and Los Angeles is sunny... Went to the Chateau Marmont for dinner, a hotel famous for people dying there (John Belushi, Helmut Newton etc). The food was dreadful. At the next table was Jason Statham (who looked very fit) with the overweight actor in the tracksuit from Layer Cake. All the talk was "Blinding my son" just like in the films. As I went to the toilet I ran into Harry, a female English singer, I haven't seen her for a couple of years. She in her usual way was very positive and thanked me for telling her to give up smoking. Courtney Love was with her, looking weird and anorexic in a long green evening dress. Someone asked me about the Led Zeppelin show - Courtney cried 'When is it I can't wait?' I looked at her, 'A month ago...' She seemed puzzled. 'Oh, I must go,' and walked off. Somehow I ended up at a huge house in the Hollywood Hills which was very Norman Foster. It looked like Dubai airport. It was full of people mingling, doing nothing, including Lady Victoria Harvey. In fact, it was awful... I must get an early night. Ian Coughlan (famous Irish hotel president of the far east) sent me this, all about Paul Brannigan's favourite Irish Metal Anthem. If it's not Irish why do all the Paddies insist on singing it when drunk while walking into walls or navigating walking along the pavement...?
January 11
A couple of singles sent by Nori (Chris Cornell's favourite person in Japan). Great 70's artwork on both of them.
Here's an interesting and informative email...
Fuck me, no wonder people don't respect Def Leppard - Boots? Must get my photos developed there from now on... January 10Some Led Zeppelin from Dec 9th 02 soundcheck. I forgot I had these, I really like them, I think/hope it captures Led Zeppelin playing and having a good time.      
Some of my latest Magazine coversSee more...
Here's a message from Scotland - proof that Scotsmen are homosexual. The sad part is they are sober, but they do "LOVE" David Coverdale. Och aye...
January 9Some more of Led Zeppelin in rehearsal at Shepperton Studios, London. 
 January 8Spoke to Baron Wolman last night (very famous photographer). We discussed how people who buy prints want them for nothing or want them autographed by the artist. People want a trophy, not a print. 'Can you get Pete Townshend to write a message?', then you get 'What's the problem?' when it's no. Well the point I'm trying to make is these people don't appreciate art or photography. Def Leppard fans always write to ask me to put up more Steve Clark - I have only ever sold one print of him. People just want free wallpaper for their computers... More pictures from Thailand 
 January 7I was going to put up some more Led Zeppelin from the 02 show, but in true "Kevin Shirley" fashion I thought I'd put up some photos of me and Simon Kenton instead, taken at the beginning of this year. Who needs Page and Plant when you can have Halfin and Kenton...? 
 Bangkok, New Years morning 2008. The food was on sale on the street - it beats a kebab and chips. The tiger
January 6Back home. It's sunny, a perfect English winter day, but it's cold - freeeeeezing. Thailand already seems years ago. Flew through Dubai which seemed like a madhouse - so many people. Will put up some pictures this week. January 5Odd waking up with no Simon making me wait hours while he got ready for breakfast. Had the morning at the pool doing, ummmmm, nothing. I could have pretended to be Kevin Shirley and told you I swam in the ocean then cycled fifty miles, but to be honest I went to the spa at 6am, looked at the treadmill and thought 'fuck it, I can't face this' and did a slow fifty minutes on the lifecycle. Got a car and drove an hour to Chatuchak Market, recommended by Ian Coughlan, a friend of mine who knows Asia. I have never been here before - it was insane, like Portobello Market magnified a hundred times. You can buy anything, sinks, lights, food, flowers, plastic fruit (what for?), and even rats. I looked in a allyway full of pet shops. Ughhhhhh, there were cages full of rats, snakes, parrots, a giant iguana (scary - creeped me out) as big as a dog, a giant tortoise. Never mind how much is that doggy in the window? Didn't shoot much as I didn't have Simon or Will to carry my bags. I will say this - a certain someone I know wanted to go to a Turkish bathhouse called The Embassy (the best in Thailand according to Peter Makowski). They asked at the concierge. 'No problem sir, right away,' and off they went, only to come back looking forlorn. The concierge had sent them in a car to the British Embassy... Well, home tonight, reality tomorrow. My son's been looking after my house. What's that song? "Ain't Nothing but a House party". I hope not... January 4A tearful farewell to my chums William and Simon, both heading west today to the land of ice and snow - the real world. Had spent the morning watching homosexuals at the pool while Simon felt suitably bronzed and ogled. We took a long boat along the Chayo Phraya River, ended up at a snake farm. The last time I was at one of these was with Metallica in '91or '93 (on the Black Album Tour). I normally hate this sort of thing but this time got some good photos. A Bengal Tiger was lying in it's cage ignoring us until I put on a long lens and realised it was following our every move with one of it's eyes. Another odd thing was a crocodile which was so still with it's mouth open I thought it was stuffed, until after ten minutes it closed one of it's eyes. It freaked me out in an eerie way... Even more eerie was Simon's outfit as he left for the airport - yellow tracksuit bottoms with a multi-coloured D&G shirt. He looked like he was German, or maybe Dutch - or an eight year old dressed so his parents wouldn't lose him. He stuck out like a beacon. He saw me looking and advised me to see a stylist. Yes, I need a change from black and white... Auf weidersehen my chums, I'll miss you both.. The Latest Mars Volta pictures are up. 
 January 3Photographed Wat Arun, or the Temple Of The Dawn. This is the fourth time I've been. It was truly peaceful - last time I was here it was full of Russians. Today there was no one else, it was empty, and the light was beautiful. I was a bit late, but still got some of the remains of the day. Maybe the Russians have gone to Chechnya or Stalingrad for New Year. Saw an English pub, next door to an English fish and chip shop, full of burnt people with huge bellies. I was convinced I saw Paul Brannigan, swaying along in the road holding a bag of chips. At one point the red person dropped them (in the street), picked them up one by one and then carried on eating them. Plus they were singing and talking to themselves - it had to be Paul, or someone Irish at least... The Mars Volta from my sessions in LA - more going up tomorrow. 
 January 2Hanging out with Simon, I have realised he is like my ex-wife, Denise (The Evil One). My idea of getting ready in the morning is to take five minutes, put on shorts, t-shirt and go. Simon's is a full production - shower (to go to the pool?), Gucci loafers, D&G hat, Vilebrequin shorts (pressed by the hotel butler, of course), and Blackberry with lots of unread messages (so he can pretend he's working). I woke up and realised it's been ten years since I've waited like this, when I was with The Evil One. Every morning would be the same. I can't imagine how long Simon would be if he was putting on makeup. Will also pointed out that there are a lot of western men with young Asian boys in the hotel. He's right, but at least the hotel's not full of Germans, 'The SUNBED is MINE and so is the Asian boy...!' Had dinner at Dalat, a Vietnamese restaurant recommended by the hotel. It was dire. In fact it was SHIT. Bad wine, overpriced at $3.99 a bottle, for $60 - fucking dreadful. The best part of the evening was me ordering pigeon. It was fried with the whole head. Simon turned purple. 'It doesn't look like it died happy.' I mean, how can you be happy to be eaten? 'I feel SICK,' he cried. What a baby. Will and I ate the whole head although we did give up on the beak. Simon went off to be sick. What a fairy - when in Rome etc... Ended the evening at Soi Cowboy, the Knightsbridge of the red light area. Simon cheered up 'If only Pete Makowski was here instead of you...' I left him there taking in the New Year. January 1
My new Guitar World cover featuring Kirk Hammet.
On New Years Eve I got stopped in the lift twice, both times by Americans, both as big as houses. The first asked if I was from Australia and told me that they were from Beverly Hills, as if I hadn't guessed. The other was drinking champagne and staggering. I had my ipod on, on the way back from a run listening to Electric Eye by the Mighty Priest. He looked at me and slurred 'Really interesting.' I ignored him. 'HEY, REALLY INTERESTING!' he shouted. I just ignored him, thinking fuck you and have a shitty 2008. As Ty Cobb said "Hard-headed fuck you all." I've been emailing with Chris Cornell yesterday and told him I'd been called the Ty Cobb of photography. He replied 'We all want to be Ty Cobb...' I mean, why can't people just leave you alone? Ran into an elephant in the middle of the madness. It was quite happy to pose for photos. Photographed Thai New Year food on the street. Our cab driver was a pain, 'I find you lady - and then I find you lady boy.' Simon was keen 'The world's our oyster!' Time to go to bed - welcome to 2008. William Nash arrived at dawn. We spent this morning sitting in the sun having breakfast by the river. It was glorious. 'There are far worse ways to start 2008,' said Will and he's right. Spent the morning lounging at the pool then the afternoon getting a foot massage - with Simon wishing it was an all over massage. Photographed a Hindu temple to the Goddess Uma full of painted Gods. You couldn't take cameras in so I did it from the outside. Across the street you could buy the most beautiful flowers - shot those as well. A peaceful colourful day. Some newspaper clippings from the Led Zeppelin reunion 
|
||
