Shock-rocker Rob Zombie played his only [sold out] UK date in 2016 to mark the end of the tour. There’s no support as such, drummer Ginger Fish gets everyone warmed up with a DJ set accompanied with occasional podium dance moves that you would expect to see from your dad at New Years. The venue turns to darkness and opening track ‘The Last of the Demons Defeated’ from latest album ‘Electric Warlock Acid Witch…‘ plays. Guitarist John 5 takes the stage, seen only by his illuminated Telecaster and flashing lights in his grinning mouth. Straight into ‘Dead City Radio’, ‘Superbeast’ and ‘In the Age of the Concecrated Vampire, We All Get High’, the venue is bathed in impressive lights and dripping with excitement from the off. A chipper Zombie sets the challenge ‘do you like to party? Can you party like France did last night?’ With unanimous cheers they plough straight into ‘Living Dead Girl’ met with a buoyant crowd and surfers galore; Rob’s high-energy stage moves are infectious even to the seated upper tier. Where the show is lacking props seen on this tour (no flames, or robots), they make up with inflatables, costume changes and crazy custom guitars. Sheri […]
A couple of weeks back, I went on the road with Machine Head – a dream of mine since I started this photography lark ten years ago. When they announced their ‘Evening with…’ shows, we spoke about me going out with them for a chunk of the UK tour as their photographer. It was a privilege and honour to be a part of such an achievement in their career; playing between two and half hours up to a record three hour set, with no support bands – and the majority of the shows completely sold out. It was something I cannot put into words. Some fans had been to at least forty shows in the 25 years of Machine Head, while for others, it was their first. Some raged until they bled and couldn’t move anymore, some cried tears, and others lost their voices. The mutual love between them and their fans is something to be aspired to; whether it be an interaction during a meet and greet, the bunch that become a familiar face at front barrier for countless shows, or the guys and gals that wait in all weather conditions at the end of the night to meet them. […]
In 2016, I will be in my 10th year of ‘being’ a photographer. Needless to say before then I was taking pictures on a social level, always seen with a camera of some sort. There are many bands I have photographed, some of which have been an incredible honour – bands I grew up listening to through good times and bad. Music soothes the soul as they say. I’ve had many a conversation with fellow photographers about bucket list bands and artists, along the lines of “if you could go back in time, who would you have loved to photograph live?” Mine would be (in no particular order) Elvis, Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, Queen (with Freddy Mercury), Alice in Chains (with Layne Staley), Jimi Hendrix, and THE Guns ‘n’ Roses lineup. I digress. After watching ‘Montage of Heck‘ and then the ‘Soaked in Bleach‘ documentary, I was speaking to a friend about how much those productions made me angry and conflicted as they told such different stories about Kurt Cobain’s life and the events surrounding his death. They pointed me to the book ‘Heavier than Heaven‘ by Seattle based writer and journalist Charles R. Cross, and said ‘…in […]
Following on from my Rival Sons post, are my other personal highlights from Ramblin’ Man Fair festival. The eccentric dance moves and enigmatic personality of Phil Campbell from The Temperance Movement, was enough for people to forget about the rain… The legend that is Seasick Steve, managed to stop the rain for a brief moment on Sunday afternoon Followed by an even greater legend that is Gregg Allman. Which was just spectacuar. To see some of my other photos, grab the next issue of Classic Rock Magazine! Mx
