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April 27More from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. 
Home - flew over a sunny London at dawn but by the time I came out of the airport it was raining, of course. Lots of bits to do today, and without sounding too much like Mick Wall, a load of bills, gas, electric, credit cards - lots of woe... Here's what I'm reading at the moment
Also Mojo's free cd this month is something I actually like. I mean, I always throw the free cds in the bin - normally a right load of old shit that the magazines licence for free. This has all the Island folk period and is really nice. Then again none of the cds with magazines are really free, it's just a way of selling you more dear reader, you con yourself into thinking you're getting something extra. April 25I wanted to go home today but the flights were full. And I'm starting to feel normal - ish. So spent the day driving around with Wilf. Went to the valley, found Louder Than Live/Soundgarden on blue vinyl, and Steppenwolf The Second, both promo white label copies at Freakbeat Records. Also I'd forgotten Steve Perry told me how much he loves the Eels and wanted to write with E - that would have been interesting. Beautiful sunny day - makes you appreciate Los Angeles. People say they prefer New York, I'll take LA any time... April 24Flew up to San Francisco, then on to Oakland to Greenday's headquarters. Billy Joe had enough rare Gibson guitars to fill a museum - Black Beautys, 58 Standard, Les Paul Juniors, Black ES 175s - you name it he had it. Bill, his tech, told me he and Billy Joe always go shopping around the world for guitars. I did a shoot on a white background, tried to make it look colourless while still using colour. Shot Billy Joe with some guitars you wouldn't have seen him with. Always easy to work with and nice - a pleasure. What wasn't so pleasurable was that I rushed back to SFO airport to find United had cancelled the next three flights back to Los Angeles. I suppose it could have been worse, I could have been driving... More Jeff Beck with Rod Stewart and John Mayer. See more... 
April 23Still in the land of being ill - it's my website so I can complain. Karen Sihota has been my angel on this trip, saving me from having to do anything. It's a pity she's off to Mexico tomorrow to marry a car mechanic and tire specialist - she even had a wedding sombrero made for her husband-to-be. She drove me out to the wilds of the valley to shoot Trent Reznor today. Old Trent wasn't as friendly as John Mayer but he does have a dry sense of humour and was professional. I mainly shot portraiture of him. Kings Of Leon, shot in Sydney Australia. See more... 
April 22Still feel rotten and it's still nice and warm. I found I now have many friends all asking me to get them into see Jeff Beck - on the day of the show at a small theatre. 'Oh yes, no problem, how many tickets would you like you ? Plus four? Not a problem.' I see Jeff who invites me to go to the Peterson Car Museum. I don't go but see him later for lunch where he tells me a good Jeff Beck Group story of how his Les Paul was stolen and he knows who has it, and the person is in the hotel. Rod Gruendyke, the hotel GM, invites us to go and see (in a villa in the hotel) David Lim, who is launching his bespoke jean company, Kasil. We go to a huge room as various celebs queue up to get fitted for designer jeans etc. I spot Cat Deely, Billy Zane and a few others I know. Leave for soundcheck and I get a nice picture of Jeff carrying his guitar case in the afternoon sunlight, waiting for his car. John Mayer is at the El Rey, I don't know him at all but he makes a point of coming over to me and telling me how much he likes my work (which threw me a bit). Jeff and John play Manic Depression and You Shook Me a couple of times. Tal (Jeff's bassist) looks at John with her mouth half open, 'Did you get some photos of me and him? He's soooooooooooo nice!' Yes, and every girl in Hollywood would like pictures with him. I stay down there and go for another curry with Wilf as there is nothing else to eat around here. At 7.30 a huge coach pulls up and it is full of Indians, the same as last night. Wilf asks our waiter what is going on. 'It's an Indian package tour, you see all the sights then come for a curry.' They could sell it to the English - they could come for a curry then start a fight. I shoot across the stage tonight. Get a 70s-style picture of the whole band playing from behind with Jeff looking in guitar raised. I jump in the front row for John Mayer. My friend Boh Runga came and she was intent on having a good time, even at one point deciding mid-show to go on stage and see what drum pedals the drummer is using. 'Some fella with shorts threw me off,' complains Boh to Wilf and I. We see Pete Mackay looking at Boh. 'Is she with you?' 'Yes,s orry about that,' I say. 'That's the fella,' shouts Boh. I get her to leave with me and Wilf. We are driving when Boh asks Wilf what he does. She gets impatient as only someone destroying the town can and says 'LOOK, YOU'RE REALLY ANNOYING, WHAT DO YOU DO?' 'Be really annoying,' replies Wilf. While Wilf escapes to hide in his room, I sit in the bar with Boh and my friend Cyndy Poon. I go to chat with John Mayer and drummer Steve Jordon. John tells me his all-time favourite record is Hysteria. He grew up in Connecticut and his sophomore year (when you are fifteen) band was Def Leppard. He defends them and recites Joe's lyrics, says it has a perfect polyphonic sound - now I know how John knows me. We talk about The Who, who John has never discovered. At this point I'm considering setting Boh on him for this outrage but he's so nice even I can't wish that on him. Dolph Lundgren is in the bar and Boh is in love with him. 'I've loved him since I was twelve.' She stares at him with her big eyes which now seem to be revolving in different directions. 'That's not him, he's too old.' Dolf is the same age as me, two old fellas... I put young Boh in a taxi with Cyndy - I'm dying and it's time for bed. April 21Felt strange today, went to see a doctor last night and got some prescribed medicine which had codeine in it. I was meant to take half a tea spoonful but didn't read the bottle and drank two half cups. I haven't felt like this since the 80s. I was walking around in a fog, one minute high the next I wanted to pass out or melt. It was horrible and I used to do way worse than this when I was young and stupid. I shot Jeff Beck in the grounds of my hotel and I still wasn't quite there mid-afternoon. I sort of did it on auto pilot. Peter Mackay (Jeff's tour manager) made it all happen. It went well - and I still felt like jelly. Drove with Peter to the El Ray theatre, shot soundcheck of Jeff and Rod Stewart playing I Ain't Superstitious and People Get Ready. It was, ermmm, amazing, it really was. Rod had a bit of a trantrum when he saw me, 'Who's the fucking photographer?' He also said 'Since I last sang this I've had six kids.' Also shot Joss Stone and Jeff doing I Want To Take You Higher. I spoke to Joss for a bit, she seemed unfazed by it all and was courteous, friendly and down to earth. 
 
I needed to feel kind of normal so went for a curry with Wilf Wright (Joss' tour manager). As we sat there two coachloads of Indians pulled up, it was packed. Must be the secret place for a curry in Los Angeles. Did some photos of the El Ray's neon sign, then went in and stood in the crowd at the front. It was claustrophobic but the crowd were friendly and didn't mind me being in the way at all. When Rod came out the crowd went nuts, it was sublime, really. Jeff was tearful (he told me after it was thinking that this had been forty years) as they started I Ain't Superstitious. It was truly a great moment. The set finished with Joss and Jeff. I spoke to singer Steve Perry for a long time after the show. The last time I'd seen him was in 1983. He was very gracious about Journey and it was a pleasure talking to him. Plus he could do a perfect impersonation of Neal Schon (in a nice way). Steve was getting pestered a bit for autographs and he didn't mind at all. Drove back with Wilf and saw Billy Bob Thornton at the hotel bar, fresh from fighting in Canada. Billy Bob was on form and was exceptionally funny. I left them all in the bar, had a good night in the end. April 20Had enough of the cold so got up at 4am and took the first flight to Los Angeles. I was feeling too run down to take photos on the way and I figured by the time I flew over the south west the light would have been too high. Of course today we flew right over the Grand Canyon and it looked spectacular, even at 9.30am, and I didn't take a single photo. Los Angeles is baking, in the high 80s, which is fine by me. I see Jeff Beck at the pool, he tells me he came from Chicago and it was freezing and he's enjoying being warm. Even saw my friend Gordon, recovering from a three-day bender at Coachella,'I need to go home to recover,' he tells me. Nice being warm, I just wish I felt better. The evening hotel bar was lit bright red by a figure swaying in the evening breeze. It was Steve Strange celebrating his birthday from last Friday, burnt bright red from the desert. He smelt of alchol like a true Irishman. As well as being an agent Steven is a speed metal drummer. We arrange to meet next week. I leave him going to the Chateau Marmont to drink the bar dry. My hotel is full of the French, there is a film festival in town and they all seem to be staying in drinking the Sunset Marquis dry. As I am feeling sorry for myself with a cold I go to bed...
I knew Rock And Roll John Bionelli liked to dress as a women... April 19Boston, a nice day sunny full of runners but it's freezing and I feel run down. Got to bed at 3am then I'm awake two hours later - funny how you go to Australia and I feel okay yet go somewhere with a five hour time difference and I'm worn out. Agganis Arena again - even sold out the venue is cold. Shot the soundcheck plus the show, which I'm getting used to, and some reportage in the dressing rooms. I like the Kings, very pleasant in a southern way. April 18For some reason I couldn't sleep, so I got out of bed at 5am - then felt tired. Left to catch the first flight to Washington then connect to Boston. Heathrow airport was empty at dawn, only one desk open, so I went to First Class and asked politely if I could check in there. I get 'I'm not allowed but I'll do it this once.' I think 'ungrateful cow, not a "Thank you for flying United and being a loyal customer" then.' The gate is number 56, a two mile walk - well, it seems like it. The security is Polish and I can hardly understand what she says. 'Diiiiiid yoooooooooou buuuuuuuy anythiiiiiiiiing from annnnnnnyonnnne apart froooooom theeeeeee shoooops in zeeee airpoooooort?' Me 'What?' She gives me secondary screening which means I'm searched then every camera, book, in fact everything, is gone through. I was tempted to tell her to go back to the eastern brothel she came from but I came to my senses. Whore, all she needed were a few more black and gold teeth... The plane was the new United Business Class with seats facing forwards and backwards that go into a bed. There is also nowhere to put anything, you have to have it all above. It is a designer's dream and completely impractical. Give me the old style seat anytime. The flight has fast tail winds and arrives an hour early. I am the first at immigration and they are friendly, 'Welcome to America,' even customs only takes a minute. The next slight problem is my connection - it is delayed three hours. Someone hates me today... I sit and wait and mindlessly check emails etc. I'd spoken to Carmine Rojas and Joe Bonanassa yesterday. Joe is playing the Albert Hall in May with Ten Drummers and filming it. I saw Joe a week ago in LA so I say I'll call him when I'm home. I finally got to Boston five hours late and as I predicted the weather was awful, overcast and cold. I went over to the Agganis Arena to shoot the Kings Of Leon. Good to shoot although I was only vaguely there, in another time zone. Strange, it was sold out yet the crowd seemed quite muted after Australia. The band had changed the set list around quite a bit which is good. Like Metallica it's different every night. I finished the evening in the hotel bar with various Kings Of Leon, eating chips (or fries if you're American) cooked with truffle oil and shaved parmesan, trying various red wines. This lot do know how to end an evening in the most cilivised manner. April 17A dire day, dull with rain - depressing. Spent it in my attic moving photos, books, magazines (which I mostly threw out). I seem to have excess Creems, Kerrangs and all that stuff that I thought was REALLY important once. I did find a Metallica Award from Japan for the Black Album which is unusual with a embossed snake. Found some Iron Maiden t-shirts from the Killers Tour - binned them as well (let's face it, I'd look stupid wearing them). Found some good posters and photos. Off to Boston in the morning - the weather is bound to be shit there as well... And here's a correcting email.
Okay, "Other photographers" - listen Frenchie, they are not photographers, just paparazzi, snap-snap-snap, job done-fuck off! Biff, 'Wow' - they should have played Heavy Metal Thunder Are you sure you don't mean Aramaic? PS How many Frenchmen does it take to defend Paris? None, you've never tried. April 14A day of sorting out photos from Cleveland, Australia, Los Angeles and Metallica at the 02... So I'll put some random photos up. Here's me with the sexiest man in America - Rock'n'roll John Bionelli, plus with my assistant Anton Corbijn 
  The Who in Adelaide. See more... 
  
April 12I watched the Passion Of Christ last night with Nori. During the scene where Judas betrays JC, I asked Nori if he understands it.
I tell him they are named after JC's naughty disciple who told on him to the bad Jews. He looked at me as if I'm mad, 'You'd have to be insane to think this is true.' I feel it's better he doesn't know than have religious propaganda drummed into him, brainwashing him like they did when I was at school. I believed in Jesus for at least ten minutes on Good Friday when the plane I was on made an aborted landing at Heathrow. 'Please let me live, I'll be good I promise.' Sunday morning and the weather is still vile. Come on JC, at least bring the sun out for Easter. Been playing Scream, the Chris Cornell cd where he has turned "Judas" on his fans and gone all hip hop, ordering buckets of KFC in between each verse. I now like four songs, tracks 7, 8, 9 and 10. Chris does look like JC in The Passion - let's hope he doesn't end up crucified. Got an email from David Coverdale from last week.
April 9Flying home today. A beautiful day in Los Angeles and it's going to pour down tomorrow so time to head home for a boring Easter. I should have gone east and I don't mean New York. Had dinner at the new trendy in-spot, Cecconis, the site of the old Morton's Oscar restaurant. Very happening, full of things to look at. I ran into Adrian And Natalie Smith in my hotel bar.I haven't seen Adrian since my dreadful trip to Japan with Iron Maiden a couple of years ago. It was nice to catch up having a good "chuckle" about 666 the Iron Maiden film, and Nicko's guest list of several thousand in Florida. We discussed our sons, and Mrs Smith is always great fun. I woke up with a sore head... Made myself go to the gym, saw Dave Navarro, in full eye makeup, sun glasses, bandanna looking at himself in the mirror while training. I mean, what a knob. This is the man who told me I don't know how to take photos (and to not make him look gay), then wanted one of my pictures for press for free. What a narcissistic poser. The photos of Jimmy and Jeff Beck are from the soundcheck in Cleveland. See more... 
 April 7Left New York and I'm now in Los Angeles which is nice and sunny and warm. It's energising waking up to a blue sky instead of say New York rain and skyscrapers or Cleveland cloud and cold. The Anvil film premier was tonight, so I went as I've never been to one. It was at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. You walk in and can either walk the red carpet or walk around the back of it. Lots of actors, Dustin Hoffman, people like that. Keanu Reeves introduced the film and Sasha Gervasi with a funny speech. As the film ended Anvil came out and played. I haven't seen them live since 1982, they were amazing, I mean that 666, what more could you want? A Rob Reiner drum solo - yes. He was astounding, even Sasha Gervasi (the director) got up and played drums and he was good as well. They finished with Metal On Metal. It was as good as Metallica,Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page in Cleveland... Come on Metal On Metal The Only Way! Went to a party for the film at Keanu Reeves bar, The Darkroom. In true Sasha "Stein" fashion you had to pay for drinks. 'Oi vey', the world of Hollywood is changing. It was a good night out. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. See more... 
 
April 5We leave at 1am. I do an Anton and get a lift on a private jet with JP back to New York. As we get to the small private airfield there are three kids waiting in the cold holding large blank cards to be signed. They cannot be more than ten years old trying to guilt you into it. They can't have any idea who Jimmy is. Ebay is a sick thing, who sends children out at 1am to get autographs? Get into NY at 2.30am. At the hotel is Andy Mendelson (manager of the Kings Of Leon) who has just got married and is celebrating in the bar. We congratulate him and his new wife, Julie. Standing at the bar is my old mate Eddy Vedder, fresh from down Seattle way, or Hawaii where he lives in Grunge Heaven. We say hello and talk about The Who, as you do. Got to bed at 4am, very tired. I found yesterday mentally draining. Had a walk along Broadway in the sun then I went to see Sasha Gervasi who was staying in a large suite at the Bowery Hotel counting all his $$$ from the Anvil movie. Went over to see the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame Annexe on Mercer Street. It was good for a small museum, it even had a Pete Townshend Sunburst Les Paul Deluxe from the '72-'74 Tours. It was far classier than the Cleveland museum. Browsed in Evolution on Spring Street - it's good if you want to buy a skeleton of a baby, or perhaps a bear, or even a selection of human skulls. April 4A sunny day, but so cold it could snow. Go and watch Metallica at 11am, playing Train Kept a Rolling with Jeff Beck, Ronnie Wood, Jimmy Page and Joe Perry, plus Flea and Jason Newstead on bass. James sings and considering he has never sung it before he does a good job. It's like a huge train of sound coming at you. Lars looks a bit unimpressed 'Where's Ritchie Blackmore?'. Lars does hold it all together - it is impressive. I go for a walk to the soldiers and sailors monument, it's still sunny but freezing. Quite good, the statues showing the soldiers in mid-battle. The strange thing about being in a hotel when every body in the city knows you are here is that it turns into a siege. You feel surrounded and can't move without being assaulted from all sides. I came over because Metallica invited me, then ended up with Jimmy looking after him, which turned into telling people 'NO' when they came from all sides. People come over with guitars and records begging to have them signed then get abusive when he says no, or in this case when I have to say no. No one considers that Jimmy might want to be left alone without hearing the hunter's cry of "Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy " Look, I'm a fan as well but doing what I do makes you realise what it's like to be pestered all day long without respite - Jimmy doesn't want to take photos or sign guitars... After soundcheck we sit in the hotel going stir crazy all afternoon. We leave at 6pm to go to the hall where there is a cocktail reception. As we walk in and find Ronnie Wood we are attacked from all sides (that is really the best way to describe it). I stand with Rocky (Ronnie's chap) and try politely to say 'please leave him alone he doesn't want to do a photo with you.' It is so bad we head to the table - full of wealthy drunks all zooming in to do the same thing. I line up Jimmy, Ronnie and Jeff and bang, I have five photographers trying to push me out of the way. It turns into a slanging match. I told I'm an ASSHOLE and one two of them threaten me. I tell them to fuck off. 'We're with the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame,' they lean in menacingly. 'Fuck you' is all I can come out with. Peter Mackay (Jeff's tour manager and a fine human) steps in. 'Move,' he says to them. Then a woman from the event comes at me. 'These are our photographers and they can take anything they want!' 'Not if he doesn't want them to,' and they try to shoot while Jimmy, Joe Perry and Jeff eat. I mean, would you want to have your photo taken chewing food? A bunch of cunts and I mean that - at least the old school of photographers were actual photographers instead of cunts with digital cameras thinking they are. The show is not bad apart from the speeches - people thanking God, their children, their mum and dad, it goes on and on. Wanda Jackson's was twenty minutes then Bill Black's son, who is sixty one, starts crying 'For my daddy.' His daddy's been dead since 1965. Give me a break, be a man and get over it. Eminem is good then Run DMC go on and on and on and on. If I'd had a gun I'd have shot the other two to put an end to the misery and all the 'I thank the Lord Jesus'. Thank Jesus? For what, giving you the opportunity to bore us with your boring speech? The worst, most boring speech had to go to the two bores from the E Street Band, Max Weinberg (so full of himself) and another one who was so boring he was nondescript. They both read off an autocue for so long, it was longer than an ELP cd and dull and no one cared except them. Bruce, PLEASE fire them soon... The speeches by Ronnie Wood, Jimmy, and Jeff are short and to the point. Jeff said 'Thanks, I've been very naughty.' Metallicas went on although I thought Lars' speech was good. Odd watching Metallica play Sandman without pyro. Got a great (and I truly mean it) line up shot of them with Jason Newstead. We left immediately at the end, straight back to the hotel. Check out, see Lars as we leave who invites Jimmy out to go wild. Well, have a drink anyway...
April 3Got up at dawn to have breakfast with Jimmy. We ran into a fresh-faced Ronnie Wood just arrived from LA. Then a my sexy assistant Kazuyo arrives just in from London, 'Alright my son, what's going on?' she asks with masterful use of Japanese English. I remember I came here with Iron Maiden when they opened for Rainbow in the early 80s. The photo on magazines on April 1st of Clive Burr and Bruce Dickinson was taken here. I also remember Ritchie Blackmore getting handed an upper set of falsh dentures by a man in the front row and playing slide with them. The photos on my gallery of Blackmore with Iron Maiden and backstage tuning up in his socks are also shot in Cleveland. The weather is so vile I can see about twenty feet out of the window. Go to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, which is much better than I expected, and Howard Kramer who showed us around really knew his stuff. Went to a rehearsal at Cleveland Public Hall, an old hall that Hendrix and The Doors had played in the day. Shot Jeff Beck playing with Jimmy. It was okay to shoot in a messy kind of way with camera people setting up etc. Saw Anton Corbijn who told me he flew into Paris with the band (Metallica) on a private jet - imagine if poor Anton had to fly commerical in that awful First Class. We talked about Golden Earring and Anton promised for the third time to get me a Dutch photo book on them. Now Metallica had a party, not a record company party, but a party with everyone who'd ever worked for them there, give or take a few. I went with Rock'n'roll John Bionelli and our two charges, Joe Perry and Jimmy Page. As we got to the hotel lobby we saw Lars and Kirk and families. Kirk brought his mother over to meet Jimmy and Joe. She looked at Jimmy, 'Hey, it's Aerosmith!' she cries, ignoring Joe and smiling at Jimmy. 'Hey sorry,' says Kirk, 'she's eighty-two.' The party is at The House Of Blues which Metallica have taken over for the night. Rock And Roll has the look of a man in love when he sees Kazuyo. 'Shittttt, good food and big women,' John says, tucking into a plateful of ribs. I see Tony Smith, Patrick Pentergast, the very lovely Linda Walker, Ron Laffitte (Metallica's first fan and now manager of Chris Cornell, who told me Chris is now sponsered by KFC), even Johnny Z and Scott Ian and Charlie from Anthrax. And of course, Steven Wiig, actor, lover, and fighter... It was a nice night out, I didn't work except for taking a photo of Jimmy, Joe and various Metallicas, - by doing that every knobhead with a camera and a phone thought it was open season.... Kazuyo took some photos of Anton and I, and me caressing John Bionelli in between ribs - it was a great party. April 2I managed to sleep for about three hours, got fed and went for a walk while it was still dark. The funny thing with New York is that there were loads of people around. Went out with Jimmy to see the John Varvatos store in the Bowery in the old CBGBs club. It was tastefully done and John had a lot of vinyl for sale. He gave me a record by a group called Catfish, who I'd never heard of. We had lunch with John then rushed off to the airport to fly to Cleveland. As we arrived there were ebay people waiting at the gate begging to get stuff signed. It was quite embarrassing waiting for your bags and being hounded and followed like the pied piper... Had dinner in a deserted Cleveland. It was like a ghost town, or the film 28 Days Later. I've never liked New York and now I miss it and love it. I was trying to remember who I've been to Cleveland with - Judas Priest twice, Kiss, and the last time was with Def Leppard on the Hysteria tour. I don't think I've even been with Metallica. More travel pictures from Australia. See more... 
 The black water of Sydney harbour, which I felt looked quite evil... 
April 1Flew to New York with Jimmy Page, we left a sunny London for a cold rainy New York. The last hour of the flight was turbulent and frightening, being thrown all over the place, and we were in the front of the plane. Landed just behind a flight from Spain, so immigration was full of Spanish who couldn't speak any English. Customs seemed to take as long as the flight over. The "Rock Toff" James Blunt was on the same flight carrying his guitar, he looked awfully posh - I expected him to break out his acoustic for a singalong to You're Beautiful. He got through customs before us, must have been his royal connections. I haven't been here for about two years, quite deja vu - got in just in time for rush hour so it took another two hours to drive in. Had dinner at Babbo in the village with Brad Tolinski and Greg Benedetto - very nice. Natalie Imbruglia, Jimmy's ex-next door neighbour was at the opposite table. She came over to say G'Day - her accent was now English, she's lost her colonial twang. Strange hearing an Australian speaking correctly... Australia - The Blue Mountains at the end of the day, a tree at twilight, black water in Sydney Harbour, a cannon under the harbour bridge, and a self portrait at dawn. 
The new This Is Rock with Maiden, shot in Florida when I was young.The photo was used on the single Two Minutes To Midnight.
More from This Is Rock 
 
 
Metallica at the O2 Arena 
The Who. See more... 
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