OT - Of interest to metalheads only (and Kingston Trio fans)

[Michael B]

I am so busy with work I have not been able to post anything in this thread for a long time. Based on projected work I am going to be busy for the next 3 months at least and was just approached by the feds for a big project. All that work plus I have to write a script for a educational webinar I will be doing for CE credits (the lawyers know what I mean) for professional licensing standards in D.C in three weeks. The light at the end of the tunnel is a truck rushing towards me.

I decided I needed a distraction so I just spent 3 hours scanning and editing. I will take a couple of posts, but I am sure everyone will enjoy.

Jonathan - kind words. Not necessarily directed at me, but nice to read. Hey Ho, Let's Go!

Doug - If any of your tours bring you into my area, Baltimore to Richmond, let me know. I would never complain about an unlimited photo pass even if it is a band I don't know that well. I have not really shot much in the last few years. I had taken a bit of a hiatus when what I did not realize was cataracts got frustrating. Fortunately they not only fixed that with surgery but also my vision. Went from almost legally blind without contacts to 15/20. Now I have bionic eyes, one for reading, one for distance and I will never need glasses.

I had the chance to completely reorganize my concert slides and negatives chronologically. I am stepping back to some of the earlier shows. Hopefully no duplicate photos.

On with the show.

Dave Valentin - most, if not all people on this site have never heard of him. He was a Latin jazz flautist from New York. I first interviewed him when I was working in college radio in Boston in November 1980. I later saw him perform down in this area twice. A really nice person. Very old school. No answering machine, no computer. The last time I saw him was at the Birchmere in Alexandria, VA. opening for Angela Bofill whom he discovered. I was in the dressing room after the show getting some albums and photos signed. I gave him copies of this photo and several others from the interview. He takes an index card and writes down his phone number and says "Give me a call when you are coming to New York and we can go do something." Doug can probably attest to this. There are some genuinely nice guys in music, Huey Lewis is another, and Dave was one of them. Unfortunately, he passed away in March, 2017 and I was never able to take him up on his offer.

Taken in the dressing room at Berklee Performance Center in Boston,

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Thin Lizzy - These were taken during the Chinatown Tour, December 1, 1980 at the Paradise in Boston. Even though the mike is in Phil's face in one of them I still like it. The guitar player is Snowy White. He replaced Gary Moore in the band. (Doug, thanks for point out the error. Fortunately, my name is not on the first page of the Bible.) He has also toured with Roger Waters on the Dark Side Live tour and The Wall live tour.

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The Jam - One of the more talented punk/new wave bands of the late 1970's. I first met them at a record signing in Kenmore Square, Boston, near Fenway Park, for their All Mod Cons album. I still remember one of them giving me an unreleased 45 on yellow vinyl of Butterfly Collector. The last time they played together in Boston was May, 1981 at The Channel Club. It was oversold and overpacked. I was shooting from in front of the stage which was crazy. I had to to to stage right and stand on top of the amp and monitor cases with another photographer. In 2008 I went to the 9:30 Club in D.C. to get my rock book and the photo of Weller below signed by him. The alley next to the club is a public alley, much like a street, and the club cannot prevent people from walking down it. Weller came off the bus and a few of us went up to get him to sign. This was the first and only time I went to that club to get something signed. Some richardhead club employee started yelling out loud that I was a professional dealer. Mind you, I only had my book and the photo. I looked at the guy and said "Hey asshole, I took this photo myself." Weller signed no problem.

Rick Buckler
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Bruce Foxton
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Paul Weller
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The Plastics - not to be confused with the clique in the movie 'Mean Girls' were a Japanese New Wave Band. I interviewed them for my radio station. Devo and the B-52's were fans so they got some exposure in the U.S. This was taken May 23, 1981 at the Paradise in Boston. The lead singer in the veil is Chica Sato. She was also a model and played a big part in getting American new wave, hip hop and graffiti into Japan. I believe the guitar player is Toshio Nakanishi aka Tycoon To$h. He was married to Chica. He passed away from Esophageal cancer in 2019.

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The Clash - a couple more photos from the Clash on Broadways I attended June, 1981. If I were to make a high quality print of Mick Jones it would be this one. I also like this one of Paul Simenon.

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Dave Edmunds - never as big here in the U.S. as in the U.K. Most people know him for his song "I Hear You Knocking". Taken at a record signing Strawberries, Copley Square, Boston May 17, 1983.

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