Year End Favorites and Thanks
I've said it a lot this year: I am a statistics dork. But I am happy to report that I just looked at my counter and it tells me that 5,000 people have visited Punk Turns 30 so far this month! Well, THANK YOU, dear readers. My statistics also tell me which photos you like best, or want to see most often, so in lieu of a scintillating story, I'm going to give you the Top Ten most popular vintage punk photos, according to you!
Number 1
Joan Jett & Billy Idol
Taken in May 1978 at Joan's apartment on San Vincente Blvd.
Thanks to Pleasant for insisting I undertake this adventure, thanks to Brendan Bourke for letting it happen and facilitating it, thereby launching my career, and thanks ever so to Joan Jett herself for many years worth of great parties at her place.
Number 2
Dee Dee Ramone & Stiv Bators
Taken in 1979 at the Whisky A Go Go during a Stiv/Disconnected solo show
Did I mention that Stiv was staying with me at the time? Thanks for all the good times, Stiv! And thanks to the late Greg Shaw for paying for so many of those good times.
Number 3
Blondie
Taken in 1978 at the Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley. I like this photo so much that I use it as the postcard for my exhibits.
On this tour, Blondie were supporting their first eponymous album and Plastic Letters; they had not yet released Parallel Lines but you could definitely feel their ascension. Their growing success certainly did not change the way they related to us. Going to this show was another wacky road trip with Pleasant and Randy Detroit. Debbie, Chris and Clem took great care of us and Chris even gave me great photography tips. Congratulations to Blondie for making it into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame!
Number 4
Stiv Bators & Sabel Starr
Taken in 1980, backstage at the Whisky A Go Go.
A racy black & white photo from the same backstage session ended up in Playboy. That would be the February 1981 issue in the "Grapevine" section if you collect such things (and I know some of you dedicated readers do!).
Number 5
Debbie Harry
This is another shot from the same April 1978 UC Berkeley show. Its proven to be quite a favorite on my tour, and I thank all of you who purchased a print. Pleasant and I think this is one of Debbie's best stage outfits.
Number 6
Bobby Pyn before becoming Darby Crash
Taken in 1977 in Pat Smear's mom's garage. Another image from this delightful afternoon ended up as the picture sleeve for Los Angeles's very first punk record to be released, The Germs "Forming."
Thanks to Darby Crash, Pat Smear, Lorna Doom and Donna Rhia for giving me this bit of notoriety.
Number 7
The Germs "Forming" outtake
Readers, you proved by the numbers that it was Darby Crash that made it the Germs for you. Nothing against that actor... but he IS an actor and these people are the Germs.
Number 8
Dee Dee Ramone
Taken in 1979 at the Whisky A Go Go, same show as photo #2 above. I don't know why I loved and photographed Dee Dee Ramone so much ...Joey, Johnny and Tommy were and are swell guys too. Well, I must thank Tommy Erdelyi for Ramones related things he doesn't realize were of tremendous assistance to me (and made me look good) over the past five years.
Number 9
Dee Dee and Stiv
Taken backstage after the show depicted in pictures #2 and #8.
Earlier this year, the Nashville Scene wrote about my photos that:
Kereakes' photographs, which are often (uncharacteristically) in color, have the informality of family photos—that is, if your family includes Dee Dee Ramone and Stiv Bators.
This is the photo they referred to.
Thanks to Jim Lanza for using this as the postcard for the Dead Boys 2004 Reunion Show and helping to kick-start my touring career!
Number 10
Pleasant, Belinda, Dave Alvin, Connie Clarksville
Taken backstage at the Whisky in 1978. This was such a typical scene on any given night. Perhaps it is way late in saying so, but thanks to Elmer Valentine and his right hand office gal, Dee Dee Haddix for letting me do whatever I wanted at the Whisky. I hope I have documented the memory of the last wave of good times there well.
My favorite shot
Of all the pictures I've taken, this one of Patti Smith is my favorite because it is a mistake (double exposure not intended), but its so cool. Another plus for the analog way of doing things. You can't get this result with a digital camera.
Taken in May 1978 in San Diego, CA. Jim Carroll opened. Patti was touring in support of "Easter." Thanks to Ivan Kral and Lenny Kaye for putting us on the guest list.
Well, that's it...your favorites and mine.
Number 1
Joan Jett & Billy Idol
Taken in May 1978 at Joan's apartment on San Vincente Blvd.
Thanks to Pleasant for insisting I undertake this adventure, thanks to Brendan Bourke for letting it happen and facilitating it, thereby launching my career, and thanks ever so to Joan Jett herself for many years worth of great parties at her place.
Number 2
Dee Dee Ramone & Stiv Bators
Taken in 1979 at the Whisky A Go Go during a Stiv/Disconnected solo show
Did I mention that Stiv was staying with me at the time? Thanks for all the good times, Stiv! And thanks to the late Greg Shaw for paying for so many of those good times.
Number 3
Blondie
Taken in 1978 at the Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley. I like this photo so much that I use it as the postcard for my exhibits.
On this tour, Blondie were supporting their first eponymous album and Plastic Letters; they had not yet released Parallel Lines but you could definitely feel their ascension. Their growing success certainly did not change the way they related to us. Going to this show was another wacky road trip with Pleasant and Randy Detroit. Debbie, Chris and Clem took great care of us and Chris even gave me great photography tips. Congratulations to Blondie for making it into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame!
Number 4
Stiv Bators & Sabel Starr
Taken in 1980, backstage at the Whisky A Go Go.
A racy black & white photo from the same backstage session ended up in Playboy. That would be the February 1981 issue in the "Grapevine" section if you collect such things (and I know some of you dedicated readers do!).
Number 5
Debbie Harry
This is another shot from the same April 1978 UC Berkeley show. Its proven to be quite a favorite on my tour, and I thank all of you who purchased a print. Pleasant and I think this is one of Debbie's best stage outfits.
Number 6
Bobby Pyn before becoming Darby Crash
Taken in 1977 in Pat Smear's mom's garage. Another image from this delightful afternoon ended up as the picture sleeve for Los Angeles's very first punk record to be released, The Germs "Forming."
Thanks to Darby Crash, Pat Smear, Lorna Doom and Donna Rhia for giving me this bit of notoriety.
Number 7
The Germs "Forming" outtake
Readers, you proved by the numbers that it was Darby Crash that made it the Germs for you. Nothing against that actor... but he IS an actor and these people are the Germs.
Number 8
Dee Dee Ramone
Taken in 1979 at the Whisky A Go Go, same show as photo #2 above. I don't know why I loved and photographed Dee Dee Ramone so much ...Joey, Johnny and Tommy were and are swell guys too. Well, I must thank Tommy Erdelyi for Ramones related things he doesn't realize were of tremendous assistance to me (and made me look good) over the past five years.
Number 9
Dee Dee and Stiv
Taken backstage after the show depicted in pictures #2 and #8.
Earlier this year, the Nashville Scene wrote about my photos that:
Kereakes' photographs, which are often (uncharacteristically) in color, have the informality of family photos—that is, if your family includes Dee Dee Ramone and Stiv Bators.
This is the photo they referred to.
Thanks to Jim Lanza for using this as the postcard for the Dead Boys 2004 Reunion Show and helping to kick-start my touring career!
Number 10
Pleasant, Belinda, Dave Alvin, Connie Clarksville
Taken backstage at the Whisky in 1978. This was such a typical scene on any given night. Perhaps it is way late in saying so, but thanks to Elmer Valentine and his right hand office gal, Dee Dee Haddix for letting me do whatever I wanted at the Whisky. I hope I have documented the memory of the last wave of good times there well.
My favorite shot
Of all the pictures I've taken, this one of Patti Smith is my favorite because it is a mistake (double exposure not intended), but its so cool. Another plus for the analog way of doing things. You can't get this result with a digital camera.
Taken in May 1978 in San Diego, CA. Jim Carroll opened. Patti was touring in support of "Easter." Thanks to Ivan Kral and Lenny Kaye for putting us on the guest list.
Well, that's it...your favorites and mine.
Comments
I love all your photos of Stiv!
Now I need to listen to The Deadboys. Happy New Year!!