Friday, December 31, 2010

Goodbye 2010 - Good Riddance...


The new year. Gallery show. Shooting a lot, but with purpose. Losing the smokes, for the most part. Only good whiskey.

The new year. Diptychs.

The new year. A new home. New money. New friends. Old friends.

2011, here I come...

Come with me.

CHEERS!

Cover Star: Meagan, 03-08-08. Underwater.
Headlining Band: AFP

James M. Graham, Website
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Thursday, December 30, 2010

Drunken Poetry


It's nothing more than that.

I mean, it is, But not really.

Spew.

As long as the guitar plays...

Gallery show. Brooklyn. 2011,

Cover Star: Katy
Headlining Band: AFP, covering Radiohead

Did I mention that I want to photograph her? I think I did...

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph

Wednesday Night In The Universe


Wait. Talk to friends. Show up anyway. Play. Almost win. Laugh. A lot.

Fret. Pine. Scowl. Overthink.

That's what you do, right? Right.

Listen. Go.

Stand outside on Norfolk Street, just for a little while...

You know you want to.

Down the icy streets, indeed.

The time will come.

Brendan was right.

Cover Star: A drawing by Sarah
Headlining Band: GBV. God, they make me happy!

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

HOME


I've never missed it so much.

Next year, things will be different...

Cover Star: Decay
Headlining Band: Poor Dead JB

James M. Graham, Website
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Thursday, December 23, 2010

Friday, December 17, 2010

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Another Beautiful Genius


Don't you want to be free instead of being kept? Or do you want to be kept?

Either way, why do you resign yourself to communicating that:

I do my part by simply smiling, but I'm not the girl you think I am.

I ain't your Juliet...

You just might be.

Unrelated - I was just quoting...

Amanda is #4 on the list of my 'most want to shoot.'

As of today.

Cover Star: Elizabeth
Headlining Band: Amanda Fucking Palmer

James M. Graham, Website
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Sunday, December 12, 2010

Friday, December 10, 2010

Clowns For A Night


Bruce Davidson's retrospective (or as he called it, his "introspective") lecture tonight in SoHo was, in a word, inspirational. Chris, Marko, Sam and I all agreed.

Stunning. A truly magical evening.

During which, I was flooded with thoughts of never shooting again, crying, laughing, awe and just getting up and walking out due to it's emotional impact.

I laughed a lot (he was hilarious) but none of the others are gonna stick.

I want to shoot more. I have no desire to be a documentary photographer. Which Bruce is not - he's a true visionary. Really - a living legend. Who is apparently gonna go off in January and shoot palm trees.

I cannot wait to see that.

Thanks also to Smokey, Joe, and Victor for the drinks and the Toad Hall hospitality and the good folks at Lucky Strike that got us the coveted corner table (my favorite) on a really crowded night. We felt and ate like kings.

These are some of the many reasons I live in NYC.

I may leave at some point, but this will ALWAYS be my home.

Cover Star: my favorite Bruce Davidson photo
Headlining Band: QOTSA

James M. Graham, Website
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Thursday, December 09, 2010

Sunday, December 05, 2010

Route

Reality burns.

And it's now or never. Too close to the latter. We're all living proof that nothing lasts.

It can only take us away.

Unless it feels like home.

It can only take us away.

Here for now...


Cover Star: Yarrow
Headlining Band: Son motherfuckin' Volt

James M. Graham, Website
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Saturday, December 04, 2010

Not Forever, But Just For Now...


The 'switch' of a lighter.

The conversations where you find out that you have so much in common.

The comfort of a familiar place.

Ignoring the fact that your finger is bleeding.

Leaving your bag knowing that it will be taken care of, regardless of the contents.

That's good.

And then, and only then, a question.

Maybe?

Cover Star: Renee
Headlining Band: Uncle Tupelo (demo)

James M. Graham, Website
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Thursday, December 02, 2010

Truisms


Rolling your own makes you smoke less.

Lofts in the shittiest part of Brooklyn are still asking $2k/month.

North Korea is scary.

It's who you know.

Just because you play out live, doesn't mean anyone is gonna show up or listen.

People get tired of other people.

There might be something to preventative hair loss.

Great sex is all in the brain.

Cats know - everything.

It's easy to fall back into the same routine.

It's natural to want to fix things.

It's hard to protect yourself.

Bliss is good.

Communication is key.

My head hurts.

Cover Star: Yarrow
Headlining Band: The Grodes

James M. Graham, Website
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So They'll Find Two Less Freaks at Sea


No one ever listens to the songs I post...

You should.

Answers.

Cover Star: Naomi
Headlining Band: The Salt

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

The Sweetest Thing I've Ever Heard


I've heard a lot of things in the last three days...

...but, yeah. #1. With several bullets...

Cover Star: Renee
Headlining Band: My beloved The Grifters.

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph

Friday, November 26, 2010

Holidays


I spent Thanksgiving with the BK. We had Messrs. Berry, Buck, Mills & Stipe on the jukebox all day...The IRS albums, and "Green" (minus a couple of songs) and all of "New Adventures in Hi-Fi," their last GREAT album.

Autumn always reminds me of listening to R.E.M. - perhaps it's the being from the South, perhaps it's the trees, the weather, their music - I don't know.

Autumn in Brooklyn.

Thanksgiving.

Sad, but it means less to me the older I get. When my Grandmothers were alive, it was essential - I'd travel in the car an hour from my parent's house to rural NC with my family and walk into those smells, those arms that embrace you, those generations of traditions - and the food. My Grandmothers could cook their asses off. So can my Mother, but she doesn't anymore.

Autumn in Brooklyn.

All gone now.

Until I reinvent it.

There's a turkey breast in the refrigerator brining and potatoes and broccoli just waiting for hot water and the oven...

Cover Star: Doormat Face
Headlining Band: The aforementioned.

James M. Graham, Website
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Tuesday, November 23, 2010

I'll Be at Your Arm if Worlds Collide


Yeah, I shot that.

Walk into some empty house and sit around all by yourself?

Plunk out.

Don't go back to Rockville and waste another year. That's not how it oughta be...

Amen.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Cover Star: The Yokos
Headlining Band: R.E.M. (ancient 1985 demo). Dear R.E.M., Can you guys please make your next album at least as good as "Document" ??? OK, Thanks...Love, James.

James M. Graham, Website
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Monday, November 22, 2010

The Last Living Rock King


Shutterbug. When's the last time you heard that term? Now, it's all guy-with-a-camera or some-dude-from-work-that-just-went-to-B&H or WORSE. Paparazzi. Amateur.

"Shutterbug." I kind of like that. Maybe there's a monograph title there?

Allegedly, as far as the song references go, 'he' is a certain drummer from a Seattle band and 'she' is well, "skinny" and "cruel." And from Dorset...

There's shit on TV. You're pushing my buttons. You know how to touch me...

I'm tired of excuses. I'm tired of whining. I'm tired of taking things out on people you care about.

So don't do that anymore, ok?

OK. Going out for whiskey.

Cover Star: Kristin
Headlining Band: Veruca Salt, yes, Veruca Salt. Shame about that band.

James M. Graham, Website
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Friday, November 19, 2010

Dichotomy / Melancholy / Vanity







This is why I do not take photographs of live bands. Because I can't.

Or won't.

But I had fun trying.

The Patrick Salt Ryan benefit at Fontana's.

I had a camera to my eye for five straight hours. When I saw Patrick who was on crutches, about four hours into the event, he looked into my eyes and asked me if I was high. My left eye was completely bloodshot. Eyepiece damage is not a thing I'm used to.

All for a good cause.

But man, that borrowed camera and godlike lens aspect ratio is weird...

I am available for album covers. Wait, is there any such thing as an album cover anymore?

I feel the powder burns.

Cover Star: 09/27/2010
Headlining Band: The Afghan Whigs, Bowery Ballroom, 02/20/1999. I was there too.

James M. Graham, Website
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Thursday, November 18, 2010

Burns Upon Your Skin


Time-lapse.

Kelsey, in motion, shot with Fujicolor 800 and lit by an emergency flashlight.

The blackbird and the fox. Spiritual low. Ho ho ho...

Cover Star: Kelsey
Headlining Band: New Twilight Singers w/ Ani DiFranco

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Here Come Them Witnesses


I walked up Grand Street in Willimasburgland recently listening to this in one headphone.

I asked for the other headphone to hear the guitar.

I got the other headphone.
Sarah Lee and L. Ron Hubbard, indeed.

Perfect.

PJ Harvey. Call me...

I wanna take yer pitcher.

Cover Star: Niki
Headlining Band: Pure Rock Fury

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph

Who's Going To Protect You?


Weird head I got right now.

Gallery submissions ready for the mailbox. Pretty see through envelopes in black linen enclosures with seven (7) 11" x 14" prints. A note, a bio and a business card. Some of them even get a copy of my book. Yep.

On-line submissions submitted.

And Bali Shag, in the meantime...

Waiting...

Sold the two Danish Modern "Judith" chairs tonight for cash money. Good riddance. The buyer made me promise to perform an exorcism, which I will do in twenty minutes, guaranteed. I aim to please.

The land of sunshine is just over - there...

Cover Star: Sarah
Headlining Band: FNM, in one of their finer moments, of which there are many...

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph

Friday, November 12, 2010

Why All I Want Is Something Beautiful


I wrote my Last Will and Testament today.

And authorized my Living Will and Health Care Proxy, New York State, yo!

Weird, but morbidly fulfilling. Listened to Bikini Kill the whole time.

No one is gonna put me in the ground to rot now. No one is gonna say who my shit goes to now.

I get to say. One of the greatest things about being an adult.

You get to say. As long as you are alive.

Then I went into the city and saw a bunch of good friends of mine, which affirmed the belief that no one is gonna get my shit any time soon.

Let me get rich first before you fight over it, bitches...

All of these documents are in my filing cabinet, top drawer, back and to the left, should I end up at the Dekalb subway station later tonight.

A place to rest.

Cover Star: Somna
Headlining Band: Mr. Fucking Mike Patton & Band

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Tough Times


Random ramblings 11.09.10

"natural light, capture rather than contrived, bed and breakfast - stu's, matt's, call dean at (agency), contact (agency), get 'pretty girls' and shoot them outdoors, mua, stylist, etc...get a job, and you said you'd let me shoot you - yeah you did, romantic..."moments" - moments, my moments, her style, not mine..."

Thinking...

Cover Star: Sybil
Headlining Band: Mr. Fucking Muddy Waters

James M. Graham, Website
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Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Monkey Trick


"This one, it stops right here now, I think it's trouble you invite.
In so much as they don't know what's right.
This one, it stops right here now, I think it's trouble that you invite.
An absurd gag, a monkey trick, an Irish Bull, a childish joke. "

Sing me to sleep, David Yow...

Ow.

Makes one feel how harmless Bob Pollard is.

Cover Star: Rael
Headlining Band: TJL

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph

Monday, November 08, 2010

Gold Star For Robot Boy!!!






Last show on the THE HALLWAY OF SHATTERPROOF GLASS TOUR 2010!

Cover Star: GBV
Headlining Band: GBV

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph

Thursday, November 04, 2010

The Ghosts That Sell Memories...


Nothing is often and always, the best thing to say.

Unless you are Tom Waits. Then, you can say whatever the fuck you want to...

Cover Star: yeah
Headlining Band: Tom

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph

Tuesday, November 02, 2010

Sometimes Fugazi Makes Everything Better...


Been battling a cold for the last five days that has made me hate my inner life - read: chest, head and heart.

I sweated a 'Shroud of Turin' of myself on Saturday night all over the sheets. No photos, sorry...

Avoid this if you can. Most of my friends have it.

I gave a friend of mine a gift tonight - which he wouldn't have purchased himself - and I knew that. Scalped tickets to get it for him. It's called "Life." And that makes me happy. Look it up...

Listened to Fugazi last night for, I don't know, 5 hours? And then my uptight two flights down neighbor rang my buzzer and asked me to turn 'my music' down. It was 11:45pm - late if you have to get up at 6:00am - I get it - but it wasn't that loud. It is now. "Steady Diet of Nothing" pretty fucking loud. Deal. Ring the buzzer again. I dare you...

I had the best Halloween, of perhaps, my entire life.

Does that mean anything to you, two flights down uptight neighbor? Probably not. But to me, it does.

Did you vote today? And all you Californians - Proposition 19?

Let's talk, or more importantly, let's talk tomorrow once the results are in.

A first step. And I don't even give a shit about 'the pot.' But I do give a shit about the decriminalization of it. And California is the first place to start.

And the second place to start would be Fugazi getting back together so that I can take all my friends that never saw them. And if they want to, they can smoke 'the pot' or not - Fugazi wouldn't agree with that, necessarily. Jus' sayin'...

"It's your Father's footsteps or your Mother's shoes..."

Cover Star: Isa
Headlining Band: FUGAZI

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

36 Years Ago Today


I met my best friend.

Not my soul mate, well maybe, but in a different way, although I suppose he is one of the only people I actually could live with. But a best friend. Chris Patrick's 10th birthday party (Happy birthday, Chris!). 4th grade. Cary, North Carolina. Briarcliff Elementary School.

Thirty-six years ago today. Thirty-six years ago today. Fuck. Thirty-six years ago today.

I remember, he asked me to hang out at his house and watch movies later that week - we only lived down the street from each other. He had just moved to NC from Georgia, his Dad had gotten a job at the now conglomerated Burroughs-Wellcome in the Research Triangle, Durham.

His family - Linda, Cary, Shannon and Ashley - became my surrogate family, as I spent as much or more time there as I did at my own house. They adopted me and I happily adopted them.

I taught Shannon and Ashley how to fold pizza even though they laughed at my 'monster feet' (still have them, albeit a little rougher and more monster-like). Linda used to order us canisters of Charles' Chips - pretzels and barbecue potato chips - which we would devour in the afternoons and evenings after school. Linda could cook her ass off, just like my Mom, and I still have some of her recipes.

Cary would entertain us/scare us with his garage turned into a drive-in - a dual 35mm theater, where we would thread up "The Alamo", "Thunderball" and our favorite of all time and the holy grail, "Where Eagles Dare."

And then there was the Halloween Roger Corman Vincent Price-era marathon - "The Pit and the Pendulum", "Tales of Terror" and "The Black Cat". And a butt-load of Charles' Chips and Coca Cola.

We built forts, hated girls and made movies. Yep, made movies. Our parents encouraged it, and I hope they remember that - it informed who we are today. You can see it in my photos and you can hear it in his writing. 8mm 50ft. reels, exposed sequentially (in camera) dropped off at the K-Mart Fotomat on Maynard Road and picked up a week later and strung through projectors and editing bays.

Even though we've headed our separate ways, we've always had the same sensibility, more or less, about film, music, pop culture, and the people we've grown to admire, love and spend time with.

Toby, you mean the world to me. So do Jennifer and Presley and your family. You know that. I'm proud to have you in my life. I know we've put each other through some bad times, but that's what friends are for - especially best friends.

I love you. And that pretty much sums it up.

Some of my favorite memories:
- Walking those stupid dogs for middle school money and tying them up to a tree while we did other stuff
- Every Halloween monster movie marathon that we ever stayed up all night watching
- The Tom Verlaine show at Tramps that you came to NYC just to see with me
- The Doylestown Princeton Record Exchange excursions
- The 'Jaws' conference call
- Presley releasing a balloon for my Grandmother
- Seeing X with Presley and Lauren at The Cat's Cradle and Billy Zoom kneeling down and playing to her, Presley, all of 7 years old, and her 'fan girl' phone call from the car after the show to Mom at 1:00am

And too many others to possibly mention or remember.

Let's make more. We've got time...ok, buddy? Thanks for emailing me today and reminding me.

I'm lucky to have a best friend.

Cover Star: Me and Toby, Texas, 1980 - 16 years old. We were reading Hunter S. Thompson and were listening to this:
Headlining Band: KC

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph

Monday, October 25, 2010

I'm Practicing My T-Rex Moves...


'I look good in a glass pack
I look good and mean
I look good in metallic sick wraparound blackout tease
I scud along the horizon, I drink some sweet tree tea
I get high in my low-ass boot-cut jean
I like being seen
I look good with my drink-eat-no-sleep, take-a-leap longevity
I get high on my attitude, latitude, 1973
I'm in deep...'

Shhhh...

Cover Star: T & A
Headlining Band: On guitar, Ladies and Gentlemen, Peter Buck! Witness his seven very poignant notes...

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph

Sunday, October 24, 2010

The Hero Killed The Clown


Won't make a sound. Silence for now...

Cover Star: Ms. Austin
Headlining Band: Mr. Smith. Poor, dead Mr. Smith...

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Keep In Mind One Thing...



I was talking to Phil yesterday afternoon at CMJ and we discovered our mutual love of Frank Zappa. And we both agreed that perhaps the best Zappa lyric of all time is:

"MUSIC IS THE BEST." From Joe's Garage, Part III.

I've made no secret of the fact that since I AM NOT a musician, I 'make music' with my photographs. I don't know how I do it, but I do. There's some internal mental convention I've adopted that allows me to do that. Every photograph sings, and if they don't, well, you'll never see them.

These sing with the baritone of a, say, Mark Lanegan.

And that man can sing at my first gallery show and/or funeral. Mark?

Cover Star: Ms. Star
Headlining Band: Mister Lanegan. The man does LOVE a waltz...

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph

Thursday, October 21, 2010

If It All Amounts To Nothing...


She was right.

To quote Mr. Bowie, five years.

Too fast, too soon, but friendship prevailed. And a bunch of other stuff. Time now is making up for time ill spent. Time now is an investment. Time should always be an investment.

No one's gonna be around forever, now is the time to sing, or five years from now. Although five years is scary. Five years was never scary before, but it is now.

Everything is walking out the door, literally, leaving cash in it's wake. There are those that would nod, smirk and judge. There are those that wouldn't think twice. There are those that would think twice, then not say a damn word.

We're not those people.

Now's the time - the time is now. Or five years from now. Or four...

I know what looks good on you.

Cover Star: Ms. Star
Headlining Band: Mister Cocker & Band

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Come On - Sing Again!


Fuck. Life is strange. I wanted to post a photo I took of my old friend Xavier in my NYU dorm room in 1986, but I can't find the negative. I will though - it's right here somewhere - and I spoke to him tonight for the first time in 25 years.

We saw Tangerine Dream together that summer. And survived film school boot camp.

Weird, but good. Take a note. Weird, but good...

Stay tuned.

Cover Star: Jackie, in the woods of rural New Jersey
Headlining Band: Mister Cocker & Band

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph

Friday, October 15, 2010

Sweetness...


The greatest song ever written about...

Thanks, Bradley. I was only joking.

Cover Star: Socks
Headlining Band: The Smiphs

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Alone at the Station...


Tell me something that you want. Tell me something that I can give you. Tell me something that will keep you from disappearing, unlike me. Tell me something.

Anything.

Cover Star: Naomi
Headlining Band: The Airborne Toxic Event, live...for my friend Trish, and all of you.

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph

Monday, October 11, 2010

I Find It Kind of Funny...


A deadly hail storm in Park Slope.
An email from Germany.
An apartment in disarray.
A seminal restaurant closed.
A drink with friends, past and present.
A new watch.

October, 2010.

Cover Star: Naomi
Headlining Band: Michael Andrews & Gary Jules

James M. Graham, Website
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James M. Graham, Monograph