Welcome

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're looking for and if I can hook you up with a cool pic. As Hollywood guru, Kim Fowley says, "Everything's for sale!"