Saturday, September 23, 2006

Celluloid Heroes


Four "Chairs" down, nine to go...

Raining this morning in Brooklyn and all sort of nice and cozy here inside on the top floor of President Street.

Just perfect for listening to The Kinks bootleg "Fillmore West, 11/13/70" that my good buddy Johnny sent me this week. Boy, they were drunk that night. Ray and Dave singing horribly out of tune and Dave so, so sloppy on the guitar that he sounds like he's in a different band. But it is glorious. A close to eleven minute version of "Last of the Steam Powered Trains," Ray describing what he is wearing to the audience in detail (?), and a rollicking "Top of the Pops" right at the end before the hippie that recorded it abruptly switches the tape off. You know that sound - whirrrrppp!

Silence.

I wish my six-year-old ass had been there...I wouldn't see them for another nine years. Ray's one of the few songwriters/singers that has ever made me weep uncontrollably during a live show. Paul Westerberg was another, and as Johnny pointed out in his note to me, there is a similarity there...

Tomorrow is quite the day. Markus Richter is in town (see link to the right) and I am very excited to meet him. I have followed his work for years so it is an honor that he not only wants to hang out but to shoot together tomorrow. There are not a lot of folks I would agree to do that with...He has two models lined up and so do I. I have a shoot at 11am (the earliest one I've ever done) with a model from down DC way, who has worked with Sam Holden, whose work I really admire. Then later in the afternoon is a model from Los Angeles who came recommended to me by Eric Kroll, so she should be a hoot. I secured a fantastic location from my friend and patron Simon that is mind boggling - a 6 story building in midtown that has been completely demolished on the inside. Nothing but floors, walls and ceilings. I hope Markus digs it. Two freakish photographers and four models in an abandoned building. We'll have to try to get a group photo -mental note: take the tripod.

My good friend Tomiko from Los Angeles doing that thang last night. Her friend Mike assisting. Mike's a good man and he holds a mean snoot.

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