Quantcast
Channel: Fast Film
Viewing all 557 articles
Browse latest View live
↧

Rest in peace KAREN BLACK, COWBOY JACK CLEMENT

August 11, 2013, 8:56 am
$
0
0
Bad news from America: 
both individuals passed away on the same day this last week, our iconic beauty and namesake of the current band The Voluptuous Horror Of Karen Black, who since the 1960s specialized in off-kilter vulnerability, shown in the video below performing Shakespeare just a year ago since you'll be bombarded with Five Easy Pieces clips ad infinitum; and major C&W producer/musician Cowboy Jack Clement. Even if outside your purview, watch his vid y'all. Not only do we see/hear Cowboy Jack on steel guitar dueting with Johnny Cash, but also the latter literally slithering on the ground in and out of a Ferrari!


NOTE: link back tohttp://fastfilm1.blogspot.comif all elements such as photo layouts or videos aren't present.
↧
Search

A.M. BIRD FEEDER ACTION !

August 13, 2013, 1:34 pm
$
0
0
9 seconds of procrastination via bird feeder action in our back yard this morning. Above, the production still; below, the video...
NOTE: link back tohttp://fastfilm1.blogspot.comif all elements such as photo layouts or videos aren't present.
↧
↧

AHAB/REHAB LIVE at Paladino's: wish granted!

August 13, 2013, 3:01 pm
$
0
0



Have you ever wished that bands who cover classic rock chose better songs or even just played better? Wish granted, and then some! Ahab/Rehab (and sometimes 3Hab: they have several variants of themselves, much as George Clinton has done with Parliament/Funkadelic) play great hard rock choices not limited to radio/tv/video heavy rotation with the expertise of the lifelong music pros that they are.

 Ahab/Rehab reprised their good taste and their precise Saturday night looseness at Paladino's, 8.2.13. More info on this great, FUN band and their pedigrees, clickLINK and LINK.








James Apache Hawkins: "We're guitar players who sing..." (as does drummer Tony Mattuecci.)



PHOTO OPS, family reunions edition:
Above, Danny Isaacs and Tracy Marshall Isaacs, proud parents taking the night off from their adorable little daughters to see friends rock out. Danny was known as "Danny De Muff" when he was in The Dogs (Tony Matteucci of Ahab/Rehab remains the Dogs' drummer as well.)
Comely duo, singer Merit Morgan and her mother enjoyed the gig as well. Merit is a former spouse of Loren Dog of The Dogs.
↧

R.I.P. ELMORE LEONARD

August 20, 2013, 8:41 am
$
0
0
Rest in peace Elmore Leonard,acclaimed, popular, successful and quite prolific writer (forty-five novels) who died today at age 87 in his Bloomfield Hills, Michigan home. He began writing Westerns in the 1950s, then Leonard refined and modernized crime fiction for our lifetime.  Above is an original  book cover of his source material for one of my alltime favorite films, Jackie Brown. Although many elements were changed by screenwriters Roger Avary and Quentin Tarantino (also Brown's director,) according to Wikipedia, Leonard loved its screenplay, considering it the very best of the twenty-six screen adaptations of his novels and short stories.
↧

MEDICINE LIVE at the Echo 8.11.13

August 22, 2013, 5:34 pm
$
0
0
 

 Medicine reunited for their first gig in 18 years at The Echo, 8.11.13! Medicine are a much beloved West Coast band that released music on Rick Rubin's American Recordings and Creation Records in the U.K. They toured abroad with Spiritualized and the Jesus and Mary Chain, and garnered much U.S. college and alternative radio airplay for their distinctive shoegaze with improbably catchy guitar noise and wistful but strong femme vocals. Brad Laner, whom I photographed 20 years ago in his nascent version of the band (Debt of Nature, see photo at bottom) performs the former and lovely Beth Thompson is their comely and graceful dancing chanteuse alongside Jim Goodall on drums since the beginning, and an as yet unidentified bassist.




 


















  Above, 20 years ago in my studio, Debt of Nature: Brad Laner, Marianne Grubbs, Eddie Ruscha. Brad arrived with a firm sense of what he wanted to convey, and we all nailed the session on this very first shot (rare.)
↧
↧

MARY KAY of THE DOGS, stylin' for Violet Moon

August 24, 2013, 2:20 pm
$
0
0
(We photographed this the week Mary was in town for THE DOGS' gig at the Kibitz Room, 8.16.12, see next blog, and I fashioned this copy for Violet Moon, which makes excellent quality, high end guitar straps as well see LINK.) 

MARY KAY, renowned bassist of the legendary Detroit/Los Angeles band THE DOGS, loves her Violet Moon bracelet cuff made by Dana Campbell, saying, "It's just exactly my style." 

Her music (and style) history: THE DOGS wrote their own original songs from the get-go in Detroit in the 1960s, and opened for the likes of MC5, The Stooges, Amboy Dukes with Ted Nugent, SRC etc. In the mid 1970s THE DOGS moved to NYC opening for Kiss, The Stilettos (proto-Blondie,) Television, Ramones and all manner of punks watchful of THE DOGS' pared-down but hardcore Detroit rock performed in their own torn jeans and leather jackets. "Our normal street clothes because," laughs Mary, "we couldn't afford stage clothes." In their Los Angeles relocation original punks era, THE DOGS' mighty "Slash Your Face" became one of SPIN magazine's all-time Top Ten punk singles. 

In the 1980s they performed with Van Halen, AC/DC, Guns N' Roses and, well, everybody, then sabbatical-ed in separate directions. But then the amazing occurred. The classic Detroit sound was vindicated though hundreds of thousands of fans and bands continuing to this very second. And THE DOGS' reputation via the emerging internet accelerated into its present, deserved status of bona fide, singular, committed, hardest rock/power trio/punk rock true legends. Europeans paid outlandish sums for long ago 45 rpm singles on THE DOGS' self-released Detroit Records. The Midwest reclaimed THE DOGS as native sons (and daughter) of Relevance, and brand new bookings, dvds, cds and tours of Japan, Canada and all across the USA ensued for the band. 

Thankfully, THE DOGS remain a touring and music-releasing band to this very day, forty years later with all commensurate energies plus tightest-playing, hardcore rock proficiencies intact!
↧

KIBITZING with THE DOGS at CANTER'S

August 26, 2013, 11:04 am
$
0
0





Inspired by guitarist/singer Loren Dog's gig with his other band Little Caesar at The Kibitz Room at Canter's Deli (see LINK,) THE DOGS pulled out all the punk stops and pulled the punk crowd into same. At top, Canter's habitue and Mayor of the Sunset Strip, Rodney Bingenheimer joins THE DOGS, who were the very first band played on the influential DJ's debut Rodney on the ROQ radio show, August, 1976.

Loren spent
a great
deal of the
set above the
ground or
showing
the Holy
Grail Guitar to
the enraptured masses with their tech devices at 
The Kibitz Room. As a new fan noted,"they do almost entirely different sets each performance," easy with their 40 years worth of material. Below, Paul L'Esperance of Shock leapt onstage to join in a rousing chorus of "John Rock And Roll Sinclair" during the encore.  

Ever the rebels, they
wish us to endeavor, as soon 
as humanly possible, to 
Free Pussy Riot!!
THE DOGS remain:
Loren Molinare, guitar, vocals
Mary Kay, bass, vocals
Tony Matteucci, drums, vocals


MORE PHOTO OPS:


Above, reunion for the Class of '77, with amongst others, Loren and Mary of THE DOGS, Paul L'Esperance of Shock, who often played with The Dogs, Vanilla, an original fan, and Tom Morris of Little Caesar.
 









Also above, O.G. Dogs cohort Stan Gullo with his brand new THE DOGS tattoo, Krista Wood (original Dogs' drummer Ron Wood's first wife,) and Ray Perez, sound guy extraordinaire for the Dogs since back in the day. Above right, Mary Dog, Al Temen and Leslie Knauer, who fronted Kanary, another of Mary's onetime bands. Below left, Kim Yee and Brian Zabawski, ardent new Dogs fans; and right, Eve Reynolds, ?, ?, Brenda Starr Light, Jamielle Stanley, Tony Matteucci.



↧

IGGY and THE STOOGES, live at the Queen Mary, Long Beach, Paraphilia Magazine photofeature link

August 29, 2013, 12:21 pm
$
0
0
 Have you always wanted even more current shots of these Stooges live onstage? Trundle over to Paraphilia Magazine, clickingLINKfor my photofeature on Iggy and The Stooges' gig at the Queen Mary, Long Beach, California at the beginning of their 2013 summer tour! I counted at least 29 of 'em, plus my review of the show and pertinent quotations by assorted colleagues, fans and friends of the band.
  
 

And exclusively for FastFilmBlog readers, here's a shot at the gig not in the aforementioned photofeature, backstage left to right: original "Kill City" back cover model Evita Corby, lovely Linda Williamson, Stooges' guitarist James Williamson and FastFilm's friend Rico Cardinale, Beverly Hills A-list hairdresser to several of my photo sessions with James.

↧
Search

HAPPY LABOR DAY!

September 2, 2013, 6:41 am
$
0
0
It's Labor Day in the U.S.A., we celebrate the working stiffs, and it brings to mind comedic duo Laurel and Hardy in "The Music Box" working harder than anyone ever has in the history of cinema. Hired movers in the plot, they cart a recalcitrant spinnet piano up the longest set of residential stairs in all of Los Angeles. Oddly for our instant tear down city, these steps are still here, betwixt 923-5 Vendome St. ascending to Decanso St at the top of a Sisyphean hill in the now trendy Silver Lake district. 
 


↧
↧

SUNFLOWERS @ NIGHT, TONIGHT

September 3, 2013, 8:35 pm
↧

SUNFLOWERS @ DAYBREAK

September 11, 2013, 10:42 am
$
0
0
Clouds remain a sufficiently rare occurrence where I live
that I'm drawn to document them. Cloudstalker! 

↧

9/11

September 11, 2013, 10:47 am
$
0
0
A photo I took 41 years ago of ruins in Los Angeles. In remembrance of New York's 9/11 victims, R.I.P. . .

↧

JOHN VAN HAMERSVELD art exhibition "Drawing Attention"

September 12, 2013, 10:17 am
$
0
0
 In which we attend the "Drawing Attention" exhibit of by John Van Hamersveld, one of the major art directors/graphic designers of all time, at his Cal State University Artist Reception, 9.7.13, info at bottom.  As creator of graphics for the iconographic "Endless Summer" surf film poster, murals for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and, amongst scores of thousands of jobs, the Rolling Stones'"Exile on Main Street" release, he remains our own West Coast equivalent of Milton Glaser, another art director who draws and fellow producer of timeless pop cultural images (however oxymoronic such may sound, but that's how great art transcends.)  

Top photo, John Van Hamersveld explains oceanographic matters to a kindred former surfer, my better half Mr. Twister and to author ("Canyon of Dreams" amongst many other books) Harvey Kubernik. The artist had a hand in designing singer Mr. Twister's EP with his band Christopher Milk on United Artists Records some 42 years ago, whereas Harvey was a contemporary supporter of C.Milk and Twister's 1976-78 punk band Chainsaw, writing in the pages of Melody Maker. 

A 2000s example, the below drawing "Cats and Dogs" appears even more mesmerizing in person, as its ink wash images are accomplished on assorted tissue paper overlays as in the oldskool, pre-digital graphic art production layout processes. The tissue or vellum overlays of old constituted different colors to be printed. Here it's used for in person, 3-D effect.

Above, manga/anime frisson and an earlier self portrait. Below, Mr. Twister acknowledges a concert that he himself attended in 1968 at the Shrine Auditorium (where the Academy Awards Oscars shows later were held!) Van Hamersveld drew many of the classic psychedelic posters for rock shows of the era, as his San Francisco art buddies  Victor Moscoso and fellow surfer/surf artist the late Rick Griffin and he shared and traded Underground Comics influences.










 
Yours truly passes a pussy riot of colossal feline graphics from original drawing while documenting in photographic medium. Guest photographer for above and below pics, Kurt Ingham.

 Above and below: teeth!  Lots of 'em!  Van Hamersveld began stylistic tinkering with the male variant of the drawing, "Johnny Face" in 1969, evolving into the "Crazy World, Ain't It" logo seen on billboards for then rock radio station KRLA, and finally into the "Johnny Girl" drawing below that became an Art Direction Grammy winner for him in 1972 via the LP "Jimmy McGriff - Black Pearl." 


Possible influence:
the funster logo of
long ago Coney Island 
Steeplechase Park,
NY with its 44 teeth
(12 more than
normal.)



 The exhibit continues at California State University Northridge Art Galleries, 1811 Nordhoff St., Northridge CA 91330 in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley until Oct. 12, 2013. 
Call ahead 818 677 2156 for info as parking is somewhat tricky: we had to drive over a street curb even to approach the site, making our eventual getaway one step ahead of the parking fuzz...
↧
↧

PALEONTOLOGY CORNER

September 16, 2013, 8:58 am
$
0
0
Evocative 1941 Z. Burian illustration of Brachiosaurus.
↧

LAST of the GIANT SUNFLOWER GARDEN 2013

September 17, 2013, 9:21 am
$
0
0
Above, Mr. Twister celebrates his Giant Sunflower garden and below, yours truly as poseur, guest photographer Kurt Ingham.
Above, who says compositions can't be topsy turvy?
↧
Search

DETROITS ROCKS! music documentary

September 17, 2013, 9:35 am
$
0
0

At top, Detroit/L.A. band for four decades, punk progenitors THE DOGS whose singer/guitarist Loren Molinare recently was interviewed this last week for director Ron Perry's longterm music documentary "Detroit Rocks!" The film encompasses decades of major Michigan music legends, with Perry having interviewed over 120 participants over the last four years including Dick Wagner, Scott Morgan and MC5's Machine Gun Thompson and (the late) Michael Davis.

Next photo: Deniz Tek of Australian punk icons Radio Birdman but originally from Ann Arbor, smiles while interviewed on film for Perry in April of 2011. Deniz still tours with the Godoy twins with all the same original sweaty passion.  

Above left, Kim Maki of the popular Retrokimmer blog chronicling the Detroit/Ann Arbor scene amongst many other fascinating topics, and right: Rick Ruiner of current pop/punk band The Ruiners who are fun incarnate (I'm always impressed with performers who deliberately set themselves on fire as does Rick. This was one of my better half Mr. Twister's signature onstage moves,) Kim Maki and the filmmaker his own bad self, Ron Perry. For more information on the release click Retrokimmer's LINK.
↧

R.I.P. SKIP GILDERSLEEVE

September 17, 2013, 3:16 pm
$
0
0
Here's flowers for a far sadder occasion.

Social media, the down side: I am aggrieved to learn from same of the passing of someone I only met in correspondence, but from that knew him to be a genuinely nice and generous person, a true music professional and yet still an enthusiastic music fan.  Rest in peace SKIP GILDERSLEEVE. My heartfelt condolences to his wife, family and friends in Michigan. The terrible news came today.

He was a longterm music tech/road crew pro for Bob Seger, many others (see Nite Bob's quote below) and known by all as a terrific human being. When I was immobilized for months with broken limbs earlier this last year, Skip sent me personalized FunPaks of dvds and cds galore that he knew I'd appreciate. We both loved the music of Iggy and The Stooges, Parliament Funkadelic, reggae, Dylan, etc. etc. etc.

From his colleague Nite Bob, "Rest in Peace Skip. A Stooges fanatic! He was at the Rock N Roll Farm club when Iggy Pop got knocked out by the bikers! (ed.- photo of same of the cover of 'Metallic K.O.' LP by Iggy and The Stooges, aural live document of same.) I met Skip at a New York Dolls show at the Michigan Palace way back in 1974...it was a blast to take him out with the 2005 version of the Dolls...He was with Rush, when they opened for Aerosmith in 1977...we toured with Nugent together and played in the crew band on that, we toured the globe with Steely Dan and blasted Raw Power every chance we had... I am shocked..."

My friend Kim Maki of Retrokimmer blog (LINK) on all things Detroit/Ann Arbor music and beyond has best summarized the shock felt, "I am truly grieved....he was so helpful and generous. He never craved attention, he just loved the music. Many times I tried to get him to do a story with me and he was too shy for that. I miss him already!" 

↧
↧

PREAMBLE to IGGY and THE STOOGES gig SAN JOSE CA 9.28.13

October 4, 2013, 10:54 am
$
0
0
Snapshot scenes from the day before 
and day of the C2SV (Create Convergence 
Silicon Valley) technology conference and 
music festival, San Jose CA with headliners 
Iggy and The Stooges, identification of 
pics at bottom.

 




Descending from top left, a rather low tech temporary climate control solution at theMuseum of Tehnology reminiscent of Terry Gilliam's film "Brazil"; the infamous San Andreas earthquake fault line of California from the air; night and day hotel shots; two civic scenes around Cesar Chavez Park; a cute rocker couple staking early good viewing territory in the crowd before Iggy and The Stooges, who wouldn't appear until nightfall; local news videographer Robert Wellington and Professor Maria Damon, head of Poetry Dept., Pratt University, Brooklyn NY also await Stoogebliss while Maria shows off the signature Stooges guitarist James Williamson bestowed upon the hem of her dress
↧

FLASHBACK: CLUBBIN' in the 1970s

October 17, 2013, 8:37 am
$
0
0
 

Photographs I took for assorted media in the early 1970s of two of Hollywood's most famed music clubs, starring UCLA chums of mine. Left, The Troubadour with the obvious caption "What do you mean my name's not on the list?!?!" with filmmakers Reed Hutchinson and Janis Hendler; right: frolicking in front of the Whisky A Gogo (displaying Nazareth promo posterage) with my college roommate Elyse Wyman, Nancy Stevenson and Sally McMahon tormenting future Rhino Records co-CEO Harold Bronson. It was far easier to traverse Los Angeles three and a half decades ago, hence easier to coerce friends to location shoots.
↧

THE DOGS rockin' return to The Redwood 10.11.13

October 17, 2013, 9:58 am
$
0
0

 THE DOGS returned to a packed The Redwood, Downtown L.A. 10.111.13 in  rockin' form at a rare reunion gig for these Detroit/Hollywood legends (history, see LINK.) They still perform with all the passion of their teenage selves who rocked the Detroit/Ann Arbor/Lansing Michigan circuit of rowdy audiences in the late 1960s before relocating to New York City in the early 70s and Hollywood in the middle part of the decade.  Speedy, precise, impassioned, hard and loud, theirs now is the finesse of true survivors of the rock and roll wars, wherein the foremost enemy of such music is not its corrupt industry but the passage of time itself.  

The repertoire included 40 years of great protopunk, punk and hard rock plus selections from their brand spankin' new release "Hypersensitive." This photojournalist's personal fave song from both "Hypersensitive" and any Dogs' set- "Motor City Fever" which catalogs their influences in riffage that is insistent, astonishing, heavy and catchy all at once, rather like the band itself. THE DOGS are Loren Molinare- guitar, vocals; Mary Kay- bass, vocals, Tony Matteucci- drums, vocals.


Above post show, fellow photographer/promoter Chryss Butterknife O'Raidy embraces Dogs drummer Tony Matteucci musing, "So many rockstars, so little time." Below left- amidst weird backstage lighting, Mary holds Tony's set list indicating who starts what song other than drummer and with which percussion; right-Krista Wood and Todd Somers never miss these all too infrequent Dogs shows.


↧
Viewing all 557 articles
Browse latest View live
Search