In Joan Jett's Bedroom
If you attend the second opening of the Cleveland's Screaming photo exhibit today, Saturday December 10 - you can see this photo up close and personal.
In the daytime, there will be another opening party at the Bela Dubby Gallery in Lakewood. Read the details here. That evening, there will be a gig at the Beachland Ballroom that wraps up a couple weeks of punk influence in the wintry Cleveland air.
That's B-Girl Cynthia Ross in the photo with Stiv Bators and Joan Jett. Joan was my across-the-street-neighbor in West Hollywood during the years 1978 - 1982, and the parties alternated between her place behind the Arco gas station and my place behind the Whisky A Go Go. It was not unusual to find Joan and Stiv hanging out whenever he was in town.
If you recognize this photo, yes, you did see it published in Creem back in 1979 or 1980 on the "Backstage" page. Creem photo editor, Charlie Auringer told me the day I sent him the photo of Stiv atop the billboard for the Warren Beatty movie, "Heaven Can Wait" with the "RIP SID" message spray-painted on it that it was one of the most powerful images commemorating Sid Vicious's death. I told him it was all Stiv's idea. Stiv, more than anyone I've ever met, had an eye for a photo opportunity. He's probably the person I've photographed the most - we must have done over a thousand images together... and I think that's a conservative estimate. He always dragged me on tour, we were roommates in LA and in London, we went off on musical adventures not just in the USA and UK, but in Europe as well. Don't get the wrong idea... Although he was known as a ladies man, he was like the big brother I always wanted. And he is one of the two people who by the circumstance of our friendship actually created a career for me.
But that's not why I miss him. Anyone who knew Stiv -- what I really miss is stuff like "June Bug." You know what I mean?
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