2008

I happily bid you adieu.

You fucker.

Cover Star: Kayla
Headlining Band: The Afghan Whigs

www.jamesmgraham.net

You Shouldn't Hide Behind Your Hair

"o, sometimes, i don't think I'll ever be
sure: coming back from who-knows-where
locked-up, downstairs. do you remember
what you were thinking of?

'well. maybe?'

call out to nothing in the wake of watching
her sip her wine from a camping cup on
some missing night. but, did just enough
ever give it up?

'when was i someone who you let inside
and held-on, too?'

(and somewhere)

a note just inside the door. is hoping
something is still where it was:

'i came to dance and
passed it up. once i
land, won't you come?
think of me: i just can't
move. i couldn't see
i never knew
i'd wonder where
i'll never be.'"

Three, count them, three more days until this hateful, hateful year is over...

Cover Star: Amy
Headlining Band: Richard Buckner

www.jamesmgraham.net

Brooklyn, New York, United States of America

home
sweet
home



Four, count them, four more days until this hateful, hateful year is over...

Cover Star: Cristi
Headlining Band: AMC

www.jamesmgraham.net

Light Holiday Reading

"I want to be in love with a woman
One who loved me
One who could show me I could trust her
One who could show me
That I didn't have to be on my guard all the time

I wish I could meet a woman that could show me something
One who could make my blood stop screaming."

- Henry Rollins, "Now Watch Him Die"

I Drove The Jag Today

oh boy

The Takeoff Makes No Sound...

I'm headed to NC tomorrow for the Holidays.

My Holiday hopes are not high and I'm packing my anti-anxiety shit with me. Something tells me it'll come in just fine and dandy handy. As long as the TSA permits me to walk on the flight with it.

A lot of my friends are hurting right now, financially, emotionally and literally, and my heart goes out to them.

As I've stated before, I'll be glad when this fucker (2008) is over.

I wish you all a more optimistic Holiday experience.

And I leave you with this very uplifting Christmas carol.

Dig it.

I'll be back soon...

Cover Star: Cristi
Headlining Band: AMC

www.jamesmgraham.net

And There's Blood On My Teeth

I print out little playing card sized versions of my photographs so that I can deal them out at the kitchen table or in a bar and take stock in them for my website, or my book or a gallery submission. It helps with sequencing, editing and overall comprehension of my body of work.

I spilled a Jack and Coke (!!!) on my little stack of printouts tonight, which have been sitting on my desk for six months now. As I "rescued" them with a wet paper towel and laid them all out to dry, I realized that I haven't looked at them as a whole for quite some time. There's probably fifty of them and they are drying out now, edges curled and fucked up slightly - and I like them. There's some good stuff in there.

I'm ready for this sordid year - 2008 - to be over, as are many of my friends, acquaintances and others. And seeing this booze and caramel soaked mess gives me hope.

As does this:



Cover Star: The Lower East Side, NYC, September 7th, 2008
Headlining Band: The Afghan Whigs, The Reading Festival, 1994, featuring Marcy Mays on vocals

www.jamesmgraham.net

I Just Called To Ask You What I Said Last Night

I'm an avid record collector.

I used to go to the big record convention in Hillsborough, NC with my buddies and buy all sorts of stuff on vinyl, most of which I still have.

But lately, for instance, combing through the treasures at the WFMU Record Fair here in Manhattan, I've been less inspired. I think for two reasons:

1 - I already have most of what it is that I've been searching for.
2- The shit is just becoming harder and harder to find - i.e. people like me are holding onto it.

Although there are some outstanding Suicide Commandos records that I want, but I ain't holding my breath for those (see #2).

Well, here's one that I want:



It's the only 45 by Naked Skinnies. According to Mark Eitzel, they had 500 pressed and he threw 250 away. I saw one on eBay once but it went for bank. Weird, since it's so obscure, but hey, I guess I just answered my own question.

So if anyone out there has one of the 250 that remain, send it to me and I'll send you a signed print - or some bank.

And in related news, I cannot for the life of me find my CD of AMC's "California," which is a MASTERPIECE and is idiotically OUT OF PRINT. I probably lent it to somebody...

Sigh...eBay and Amazon, here I come again.

FUCK! I gotta look around some more. It's got to be here somewhere...

I'm craving chicken wings from Bonnie's Grill. Park Slope but Buffalo style. And the best wings EVER.

Cover Star: "All My Life" b/w "This Is The Beautiful Night"
Headlining Band: AMC

www.jamesmgraham.net

Kept Dropping Spare Change

Dream Sequences from the past week:

- Playing pool to Jeff Buckley's version of "Hallelujah" - twice
- Bowling to The Smiths' "The Boy WIth The Thorn In His Side"
- Missing daylight entirely that one day
- That poor pomegranate
- The Lounge, mine in the kitchen and that one in "The Station Agent"
- Eggleston at The Whitney
- Flaming meat and margaritas at El Sombrero
- Walking, smoking, drinking, talking

And a bunch of other stuff I'd never mention here, but you know.

You know.

Cover Star: Danish Modern Nectar
Headlining Band: AMC

www.jamesmgraham.net

Finally...

Sometimes you just have to wait long enough for good things to happen. A good thing happened today. I finally got to shoot one-on-one with Mayan Lee.

Mayan is one of the first fetish models to take the Internets by storm. She's a legend. She's also cool as shit.

I accidentally shot her almost four years ago when I was shooting a model for my No Vacancy series in tandem with Melvin Moten, Jr., who was shooting Mayan in the same hotel room in Midtown. Towards the end of the shoot, we decided to do a "drunk showgirls" scenario with Laila and Mayan as the aforementioned showgirls in the stairwell.

I took four shots and knew I had it.

So, we've been going back and forth for this whole time since about doing a proper shoot.

This afternoon, it happened.

It was almost as much fun to hang out with her as it was to shoot her, and it was amazing to finally get her in front of my lens.

Thanks, Mayan. You ended my year just damn fine.

Evidence soon...

Oh, and two of my pieces are in The Dirty Show.

And it's my father's birthday. Happy birthday, Dad.

Cover Star: Mayan and Laila
Headlining Band: American Music Club

www.jamesmgraham.net

Bettie Page

RIP

You inspired us all.

"Bad Habits Make Our Decisions For Us...

...you should try and remember all you're holding is a hand full of dust."

I'm on a tear. Scanning negatives and listening to AMC.

Disclaimer, and my good friends can attest to this:

This shit could go on for quite some time, as when I latch on to something, I tend to drive it into the ground. I've done that with this band countless times. Hundreds, if you actually were to count.

I appreciate all the comments here, but "m," really, to start with "Mercury" would be a huge injustice. You have to grow with this band. Start with "Engine" then "United Kingdom" then "Everclear" THEN "Mercury" and finally "San Francisco."

And like I said, if you dig it that far, go back to "The Restless Stranger," their first album.



Double-date tonight with one of my favorite photographers and her husband, who I WILL ask for financial advice.

Uptown.
Bitches.

The rollercoaster ride continues. The last time I was on one (The Cyclone) I just kept screaming for them to stop it.

Just like I am now.

Slipping through Jesus' hands...



Cover Star: My Landlord's Worst Nightmare
Headlining Band: American Music Club (dedicated to a former friend of mine)

www.jamesmgraham.net

When You Are Gone, You Are Gone VIII

If you do not own any American Music Club albums, you are really missing out on some really profoundly brilliant and depressing shit.

One of my favorite bands of all time. Mark Eitzel was one of the best songwriters of the late '80's and early 90's.

We used to have the odd drink or two, and I got to know him a little bit.

Start with "Engine" and go through them all until "San Francisco." Then stop, unless...

...you really dig it. Then pick up their first album, "Restless Stranger" and his early solo stuff, like "50 Watt Silver Lining."

Do not ever listen to "West," which he recorded with Peter Buck from REM.

Trust me.

If you have any questions about anything in his catalogue, please, feel free to ask me. The one he did with the Greek guys where they covered a bunch of AMC songs is outstanding. And weird.

I have it all. Except for "West." OK, I probably have a copy laying around somewhere...

"Everything collapses here, in slow motion..."

I have two more shoots this year. I think.

And
That
Is
It.

Cover Star: Scar
Headlining Band: American Music Club

www.jamesmgraham.net

When You Are Gone, You Are Gone VII

My Grandmother's Sweet Potato Pie Recipe (makes two pies):

5 Sweet Potatoes (not Yams!)
1 Egg
2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
2 Cups Sugar
1/2 Stick Butter (or Margarine)
1/2 Cup Milk

Wash potatoes, cutting away any imperfections.
Boil potatoes until soft, pour off water, and fill with cold water to cool.
Remove peeling by hand.
Place potatoes in large bowl.
Add butter (melted) and sugar.
Mash well.
Add egg, milk and lemon juice.
Mash again and stir well.

Pour into pie shells.
Bake 10 minutes at 450, then bake 45 minutes @ 350 degrees.



"Dirty boots are on - hi di ho..."

Cover Star: Anna
Headlining Band: Da Yout

www.jamesmgraham.net

When You Are Gone, You Are Gone VI

Today.
Woke up on the couch.
Shot Jenny.
Fell asleep on the floor.
Did happy hour with Kirsten.
Ate.
And listened to Magic Lantern on vinyl.

And wrote this.

Cover Star: Jenny
Headlining Band: Magic Lantern

www.jamesmgraham.net

When You Are Gone, You Are Gone V

"Always talking but never laughing
The trail it was laid out
Your patterns were made out
Closing all of your portal doors
Now I couldn't see your face
But my thoughts were full of grace
For you

I'm hoping that
You're knowing that
Anything from now
Is better anyhow

I'm knowing that
You're hoping that
Everything from now
Is better anyhow

Crawling back to a brand new old shoe
I always cross the line I'm always losing time
Give me less than and nothing happens
A taste is all it takes
And my bridge will surely break
Again

I'm hoping that
You're knowing that
Anything from now
Is better anyhow

I'm knowing that
You're hoping that
Everything from now
Is better anyhow"

Cover Star: Naama
Headlining Band: Varnaline

www.jamesmgraham.net

When You Are Gone, You Are Gone IV

It's cold here in Brooklyn. And windy, too. Bone chilling, in fact. But I've got left-over Kinara in the fridge and the cat has been fed her Tiki Cat tuna and chicken bullshit. And thrown it up.

This is me thinking out loud:

- Hey! Photo Editor Guy from PASTE Magazine...write me back!
- Should I submit three photos to The Dirty Show?
- And what about The Anna Kustara Gallery? Hunh? Hunh???

Enough.

"Bubblegum" is the perfect soundtrack to tonight's musings and meanderings. I've almost put every song from the record on this here blog, but here's one I haven't (OK, part of it once...)

I wish I had written "One Hundred Days."

(Note to self: Next life - musician. I'll drive all the sexy young thangs crazy, while hopping on one foot...they'll scream a lot at me).

I also wish I had shot this.

So, in the meantime, I gotta make me some photographs.
That matter.
To me.
This week.
The last three shoots of 2008.
Good riddance.

This photo was shot by Thom Salvatico in 2004 while I was shooting Sundae for my NO VACANCY series. She remains one of my favorite subjects ever. I have the privilege to shoot her again after the new year, five years later. Already 2009 is going to be better, even if the fucking world ends after Sundae and I shoot.



My shot:



Cover Star: Sundae St. Laurent
Headlining Band: The Mark Lanegan Band

www.jamesmgraham.net

When You Are Gone, You Are Gone III

When you talk to me about snow, I get all, uhmmm...

Cover Star: Darenzia
Headlining Band: The Mars Volta

www.jamesmgraham.net

When You Are Gone, You Are Gone II

Arriving at your doorstep momentarily. With a tea kettle and a spatula. Or some such thing. Perhaps it's the cyclical nature of "time" - lose a ship and a ship sails into port. And on board, a puppet show with a live band, a paper bag, and a non-working "for display only" model of a rotary engine. Or some such thing. You know, just when you think everything changes, everything does, while you are thinking that everything changes. Then it changes again. It's not fair. That's what UPS is for. It's a scientific fact that if you move slowly enough you can pass through walls. And metal. And other people's lives. It all feels the same. But you have to move really, really slowly. Really fucking slowly. Practice that. You took that from your past. And still do. Remember when you talked about brushing your teeth and wondering what you'd look like when you were dead? Pristine and wonderful.

Wait!

A Em G. A Em G. A Em G. A Em G.

This is nonsense, you tell yourself and everyone else...
...but it sounds good. To you. Right now. And probably will tomorrow, too.

Cover Star: Reby
Headlining Band: Fugazi
Paintings: William Quigley

www.jamesmgraham.net

When You Are Gone, You are Gone

There's a silence, a vacuum, a void.
I gotta figure out how to fix that.

-----

Back in 1999, I was lucky enough to tour the original Ackermansion with Forrest J Ackerman on a warm Saturday morning in Los Angeles. Forry showed Toby and I the entire house filled to the brim with his collection of science fiction and horror props, memorabilia, letters, books and magazines. He told great stories, answered every stupid question in detail and invited us to go to lunch with him at The Sizzler. Dream fulfilled, it was one of the best days of my life.

RIP, Mr. Sci-Fi.


Cover Star: Persiana
Headlining Band: Foo Fighters

www.jamesmgraham.net

Abandoned Pomegranate

The second Brownie Hawkeye has been cleaned, hacked and repaired by my trusty assistant and I. Another is on the way, supposedly "pristine" but I doubt it. Those plastic lenses tend to oxidize and collect grease, even when only used by a little old lady to drive to church on Sundays.

The goal is to take the best elements of the three and create a "Frankenstein Brownie" - the most appealing organs, eyes, and body. Whether bad or good, I am still the brain behind this creature.

More soon.

I watched Jem Cohen's Fugazi documentary, "Instrument" (for the 20th time) last night with a friend. I am convinced that it is one of the few music documentaries that you can show someone who is not all that familiar with the band and it will compel them to love them. You can't say that about "Let It Be" or "We Jam Econo!" or even "Gimme Shelter."

You can, however, put "Instrument" in the company of "The Last Waltz," "The Kids Are Alright" and "The Daddy of Rock 'n' Roll." And "The Devil and Daniel Johnston."

More soon. When Fugazi gets off their asses and records/tours again...

I am available for a documentary too. Jus' sayin'. Wanna follow me around with a camera and see what it is exactly that I do?

Let's talk...seriously.

Sundance beckons...

Cover Star: Marzena
Headlining Band: Fugazi

www.jamesmgraham.net

I'm Really Glad There's a Grasp To Grab

Apple pancakes and pretty girls make for a great afternoon...

Cover Star: Sienna
Headlining Band: Built To Spill

www.jamesmgraham.net