A New Haircut

Early last month I gave up the gym for the swimming pool.

Within a few days it was apparent that my long hair was going to be a pain in the neck/ass while swimming laps. Every time I'd turn my head to breathe I'd get a mouthful of hair. Yes, I know there's this new-fangled invention called a bathing cap but I don't like like 'em. I don't even wear goggles in the pool. It's just me and my bathing suit.

Since the cap thing was not an option, I rectified the problem by scuttling on over to the local he-she trendy barbershop where I could get a cut for thirty bucks from (as it turned out) a chick with Munsters tattoos all over her arms. I may have mentioned that my table at the NY BeatleFest was next to none other than Eddie Munster. I'm now wondering if there is a connection between these events.

I told her I wanted to take two or three inches off so I could still throw it in a ponytail. She asked. "Just below the shoulder?" I said, "That would be fine." She picked up her scissors and started snipping away. Snip snip snip snip snip. I felt like I was in Edward Scissorhands' chair. Or better yet, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

When I walked in, I looked something like this:

Long hair. (photo by Cucumber Rob)

When I walked out, I looked something like this:

Now, you may think this looks all OK but I took this photo after I swam, after I had a shower, after I used the blow dryer and after I used a bunch of hair product. Completely against my wash and quick dry principles.

And if I don't do the full blow-dry and add the hair products it looks exactly like this:

Seriously.

(Crap. I just outed my new camera - well, new in early June. I didn't mean to do that. I am working on a post about cameras which I will eventually finish and put up, along with all the posts about my recent shootings.)

Earthquake!

We had a little temblor in So Cal at 11:42 this morning. They reported it as a 5.6, then inflated it to a 5.8 and now it's been downgraded to a 5.4 - hey, it's Hollywood.

It lasted a bit longer than usual and I admit it was a pretty good ride at my house. But it didn't make me want to huddle under my desk or run to the nearest doorway.

So, why am I writing this?

To vent.

Against the media.

They are running this as Live Breaking News non-stop, no commercial breaks. Talking to every Tom, Dick and Harry from those who are close to the epicenter and those who are so far away they probably didn't feel anything. Still, the anchor asks over and over again, "How did it feel where you are?" There's no major damage here, no reports of injury...just a little adrenalin rush.

What's the big deal people?

Why do our media outlets drone on and on and on over nothing?

They could easily condense everything they've said in the past hour and a half down to 5 minutes max.

And it's not just earthquakes. It's hi-speed and even lo-speed chases, it's the celebrity crap, it's legal crap...

Sheesh.

All You Need Is Love

If only.

Anyway, my kid edited this trailer for the recently released DVD set. Thought you might enjoy his talent.



Let me know what you think. As his current manager, I'm open to all job offers.

Michael Bloomfield

It's a big birthday for Mike...65 today.

If you didn't have the privilege to meet Michael in person, the interview clips in this piece from the film "Festival" are exactly who he was in person.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY...I wish you were here.

Keith Godchaux

My bad. Again. As usual. I'm late. I have a problem writing posts when I don't feel like writing posts. I should really pre-write my tribute posts and pop them up here on the appropriate days. Or maybe I should just get over my feelings and post every single day.

So I am belatedly celebrating Keith Godchaux's 60th birthday and the 28th anniversary of his tragic passing. Keith would have celebrated his 60th birthday last Saturday (July 19th) had he not been killed in a car crash two days after his 32nd birthday (July 21, 1980).

For those of you who do not know who Keith is let me enlighten you. He played keyboards and is best known for his years with the Grateful Dead. Before the Dead he played with Dave Mason. He recorded an album with his wife Donna in '75 and both played in the Jerry Garcia Band for a couple of years in the latter part of the seventies. He also wrote the song, Six Feet of Snow, with Little Feat's Lowell George.

I took this photo of Keith on May 17, 1974 at the Grateful Dead show in Vancouver.

It's really hard to find footage of Keith playing...this is the Dead playing Winterland in the Fall of '74. There's only a brief clip of the keyboard player near the end. I'm hoping it's Keith.



Happy Birthday and I hope you're rocking upstairs.

Home Run Derby

I'm watching the MLB Home Run Derby. The boys of summer are displaying their athletic prowess. It's really amazing to see those round bats hit those little round balls and watch them sail out of the park. Crazy shit.

I suppose you may be wondering why the hell I'd have any interest in the Home Run Derby or even baseball for that matter. It's a long way from rock'n'roll, right?

Actually, it's not. My kid used to play a lot of baseball and in 2000 he was the bat boy for the UCLA Bruins. I spent a lot of time at Jackie Robinson Stadium and was friends with the amazing coach, Gary Adams. I also took a lot of pictures at those games. Shooting baseball games is not so far from shooting concerts. It's just a different kind of music.

One of the players I shot during that year just happens to be competing in tonight's Home Run Derby. He was also the player that got the most votes on the all-star ballot. His name is Chase Utley and he is the second baseman for the Phillies. I'm hoping he wins the Derby - yikes, he's up next and I'm getting nervous. The kind of nervous you get when your own kid is coming up to bat.

Anyway, I thought you baseball geeks out there might be interested in this...it's one of three UCLA helmets that we have that belonged to Chase Utley. All three are in similar condition. And all three could have come from one game. He was serious about hitting. When he wasn't happy with an at bat, he wasn't happy.




I'm wondering if he's still killing helmets when he hits his slumps in the majors.

Go Chase!!

Happy Birthday, Mr. Starkey!

And in honor of this Beatle's birthday, I am releasing a fine art photography print of the man who wore rings.

I pulled this one out of the people I shot who are fortunately still alive box back in March and debuted it at the Fest for Beatle Fans in New York. I was planning to launch it on my blog and website right after that but I've been so busy I just haven't gotten around to it. Until now. Since he's the birthday boy.

This photo was taken in November 1974 at Capitol Records in Los Angeles. I had shot George (Harrison) on November 2nd and then made a trip to L.A. to see if I had a hope in hell of making it in the B.C. (Big City) After making the 24 hour drive and landing at the Continental Riot House on Sunset I made a call to someone who invited me and my camera to the Ringo Starr press conference for the launch of his album, Goodnight Vienna. I took that as a very good sign on my chances of making it in the B.C. even though it wasn't an actual job or anything. Just an opportunity to shoot some photos of another Beatle.

It was a lot of fun as they had a big production after the press bit where they had a space ship flown to the top of the Capitol Records building where they ultimately shot a video of Ringo singing a song from the album, with Harry Nilsson sitting in a lawn chair off to the side.

This is my favorite shot of him from the press conference:

If you are interested in owning a lovely silver gelatin archival print of this picture, I am running a Ringo Starr birthday special. The 16x20 Limited Edition of 75 numbered & signed prints is currently available at $275 per print ($500 framed) and an 11x14 Open Edition signed print is $125 per print ($225 framed).

I'll have this deal up on the website by the end of the day tomorrow. If you want it sooner than that you can send an email to info@cheshercat.com and we'll take care of you.

A year and a half after I took this photo I was sent to Ringo's house by Klaus Voormann to discuss the various pieces of Klaus' artwork that I needed for Starart. He spent a couple of hours with me discussing what I was doing with the book. It was at that initial meeting that he told me Ronnie Wood was a great artist and that I should have him in the book. I had no idea he was an artist so I am indebted to Ringo for the suggestion. Ringo also showed up for the gallery opening of Starart and also purchased #7/300 of the Limited Edition version of the book. He was very supportive.

Happy Birthday, Richie. And keep on rockin'!

Anybody Out There?

I imagine not since I have not tended to this blog garden for some time.

I just got back from four long days in Las Vegas at the Fest For Beatle Fans. And I barely had time to breathe in the four days I was home from NearFest before leaving for Vegas. I currently have 474 emails in my inbox that need answering and/or filing. There are a bunch of messages on the office and cellphone that I've not listened to or haven't returned. Not to mention the other work that has piled up. I have yet to edit the photos from Day 2 and 3 of the Harmony Festival and I haven't even looked at the 3 Fish shows I shot nor the three other bands I photographed at NearFest.

I expect I will catch up on the blogging as I edit the pictures, but right now I need to catch up on my sleep.

Sweet dreams.