Punk Turns 30

Stiv Bators and the Disconnected Band , originally uploaded by Theresa K . A couple of days ago, I mentioned how Stiv Bators picked the brain of Doors producer, Paul Rothschild when we met him at Kirk Wood's amazing Malibu compound. A lot of the punk ethos was founded upon a nihilistic rejection of all the rock that came before - the stuff of oldies stations and mainstream radio that later became known as "classic rock." The clever artists who were also punk rockers knew better than to reject wholesale the music that broke ground for youth culture worldwide. Consider how X embraced rockabilly and roots rock into their own stylings way before any marketer coined the term "alt.country" and put John Doe in movies about Jerry Lee Lewis. And how about former Door Ray Manzarek producing X anyway? That's what I mean. Stiv, throughout all his bands, simply embraced what sounded good and what helped him get his message across. I never saw Frankenst...

Greg Shaw and Stiv Bators in the studio together; that's Frank Secich on the left. This was during the recording sessions for Stiv's solo album, Disconnected. Despite his reputation as a party-hearty ladies man and all around gadfly, Stiv worked hard in the studio, and so did Frank. Greg came by frequently in his role as Executive Producer. Yeah - he paid for the record and kept us in Taco Bell, but he gave more. He was a record collector with an awesome collection and a computerized brain that could access any bit of rock n roll reference point you'd want. "Disconnected" was recorded in a basketball court in Sun Valley, California. The record is full of pop gems and a wonderful cover of "I Had To Much To Dream Last Night," a hit in the 60s for The Electric Prunes. Before his untimely death, Greg Shaw was able to see the 25th Anniversary reissue of "Disconnected," and I was able to tell him of the record's warm reception at Sept...

Behind Paul Kolderie , originally uploaded by Theresa K . So many of my memories of Punk come from the clubs and the streets and the daily lives we led. However, the records that were made by our punk friends and heroes did change the things sounded as well as the way radio was programmed. Most of my beloved records are pretty lo-fi sounding. The Germs first single, "Forming," (featuring my pic of them in Pat Smear's garage! I must digitize and post - soon!) was about as lo-fi as recordings get, not to mention the B-side was recorded on a cassette recorder that Darby Crash who was at the time calling himself Bobby Pyn, snuck into the Roxy when The Germs "auditioned" and performed during the filming of the movie Up In Smoke by Cheech and Chong. I was the one who hit the record button! I had a seat at the front center table and at the right moment, Darby/Bobby gave me the signal and out came the recorder! Who was with me at the time? I think it w...

Kim Fowley , originally uploaded by Theresa K . Kim Fowley, circa 2004, in NYC before he took a lunch meeting with Troy Gregory, one of Detroit's favorite multi-instrumentalists and one of today's most versatile artists. Kim Fowley has been in show biz for over 40 years. During Punk's Heyday, Kim Fowley was the man behind The Quick, Venus and the Razorblades and seminal grrl group, The Runaways. The Runaways boasted future stars Joan Jett and Lita Ford, and also included the ch-ch-ch-ch-Cherry Bomb-shell singer, Cherie Curry (who is as beautiful today as ever), and Sandy West and Jackie Fox. Now, Kim Fowley will boldly tell you he is a genius. He IS. He's the man behind many hit songs you know and can probably hum. In fact, a lot of his songs probably can't get out of your head! He's written and/or produced songs for artists ranging from KISS to Helen Reddy! But you may know his work with Alice Cooper, Blue Oyster Cult, Guns N Roses, The Mo...

Stiv & Sabel Starr , originally uploaded by Theresa K . Stiv Bators and Sabel Starr posed for a few photos on this night at the Whisky A Go Go and one of them I took ended up in the Grapevine column in Playboy (February 1981 issue). I'll have to print it and upload it soon. Its in Black & White. Was Sabel really the inspiration for "Pennie Lane" in the Cameron Crowe film, ALMOST FAMOUS? Stiv once boasted to me that he had bedded at least 600 women, if not 1,000. Beautiful women and girls flocked to him. That skinny little guy. That nice skinny little guy with the sparkling blue eyes, silly sense of humor and real gentlemanly behavior. . . beneath the rock star stuff, Stiv was nice. Nice boy from Ohio. And immensely talented in ways I didn't know about until recently. Jimmy Zero, fellow Dead Boy and Clevelander, told me a story about seeing a photograph of Stiv, aged about 5, at the home of Mr and Mrs Bator, back in the day. Stiv had a disprop...

Jenny Lens Punk Archive Photo , originally uploaded by Theresa K . Jenny Lens is an artist of some note. She and I were side by side during so much of Punk's heyday, shooting complimentary pictures of this amazing time. Here, Mumps have just come off stage at the Whisky A Go Go and guitarist Rob duPrey believes he has injured his rib. That girl with the Marc Bolan hair is me. I'm indulging Rob's hypochondria by putting pressure on his ribs to prove that nothing is broken. Lance is hamming it up as usual. It makes for a pretty fab photo. And what a setting. The graffiti backstage at the Whisky was always being refreshed by bands who left their mark and their opinions. In my estimation, Lance Loud was Punk Rock's "Mercutio." A very thoughtful man, he made up for his deep soul by being the court jester, class clown. You may remember him from the very first ever "reality tv show" - AN AMERICAN FAMILY, which aired on PBS. It was hig...

Stiv LIVE , originally uploaded by Theresa K . Stiv Bators, live at the Whisky A Go Go, 1980. At this time in Stiv's career, The Dead Boys had stopped touring and recording as a band (they would reunite to do a New Year's Eve show in NYC in 1988 at the old Ritz, however). Stiv was doing a pop-oriented thing, as you can see by his clothes. He performed with the band that backed him on his solo album, Disconnected, which was released by Greg Shaw's Bomp Records. I am pleased to take this moment to boast that all the photos on the back album cover and inner sleeve are mine, except for the front cover, which is a great shot by David Arnoff. Back to the story -- Stiv was living in Los Angeles, recording with a pop band that at the time, temporarily included Dead Boy Jimmy Zero, and dating super groupies Sabel Starr and Bebe Buell. Disconnected was recorded in a basketball court in Sun Valley, CA and produced by Thom Wilson, who would go on to some notoriety for...

Clem & Syl , originally uploaded by Theresa K . This 2004 photograph of Blondie's Clem Burke and New York Doll Sylvain Sylvain illustrates the staying power of 70's punk rock. The New York Dolls paved the way for the Sex Pistols. Malcolm McLaren was their manager, after all. The Dolls took glam into the gutter and roughed it up with Syl's and Johnny Thunders' loud, nasty and dirty guitars. Thirty years later, young bands continue to be influenced by their two ground-breaking albums, and Sylvain and David Johansen are going strong. Blondie continues to record and tour, and are as influential as ever. This photo was taken backstage at the Underground Garage Festival (August 2004). Clem was playing drums for Nancy Sinatra - fitting since Debbie Harry is the same kind of groovy blonde sex kitten. My big fantasy for Blondie these days would be if they recorded a record not unlike the Detroit Cobras, and maybe had someone younger and cool, like Greg Car...

stiv & dee dee , originally uploaded by Theresa K . I miss them both -- Dee Dee Ramone and Stiv Bators. Here they are backstage at the Whisky A Go Go in 1980. Stiv had just played a set with the band that backed him on his solo album "Disconnected," that came out on Bomp. Dead Boy Jimmy Zero played with this group at these shows. Stiv and Dee Dee were close friends, and Dee Dee joined in on a few songs and generally hung out and created merriment for all. This photo was used - as you can see - as the postcard invite for the Dead Boys reunion on September 18, 2004 at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland, OH. It was a sold out show and the proceeds went to Stiv's elderly parents, who were in attendance. Stiv was the spit n image of his Dad, Stephen Bator. The same twinkling blue eyes and mischievous smile. Lovely man. It was an incredibly melancholy moment talking with the senior Mr. Bator. I do miss them - Dee Dee and Stiv. It's time to let their s...

Welcome to PUNK TURNS 30. Actually, by my calculations, its only 29. On February 17, 1977, I took my first photographs of The Ramones and Blondie. They were playing at the Whisky A Go Go. I lived behind the club, AND I worked there, too. Punk had been bubbling under for a few months. The Ramones first played Los Angeles up the street at the Roxy in August of 1976. That, to me, heralded the birth of punk rock in Los Angeles. This blog is dedicated to punk turning 30, and being, in my estimation, one of the most important cultural phenomena of the 20th Century. To me, Los Angeles 1976 - 1980 is right up there with Paris 1919 (yes, after the John Cale album of the same name). That era in LA was like Europe between the Wars - a period of unbridled, boundary-breaking creativity in the arts. The next 18 months will be full of surprises as the tributes to this phenomenon get under way. If you want to own some photos of LA PUNK 1976 - 1980, why not email me and let me know what you...