Jed Hill - tattooist.

I've known Jed Hill for more than 20 years and back in the Live To Ride days he and I used to judge a lot of tattoo shows together, so he's fairly comfortable with me when I poke a camera in his face. I decided to shoot Jed for the MAPping Group's photo essay on Ballarat as he's been a long-time tattooist in the town and always has the right expression for a portrait. What I like about this pic of Jed is that only took a few minutes to organise and to move a couple of lights around in his studio to get the result I wanted. He hadn't long finished the back job on his partner so the colours looked really good in the low light.

Deflating an air balloon.

After the dawn balloon flight and deciding whether or not to land in neighbour John Fraser's property, we decided on the the dry bed of Lake Burrumbeet. Early morning low light combined with a wall of diaphanous material being deflated with the help of fellow photographers and passengers made for a great silhouette




Of course the only problems were the constant condensation on the lens due to the very cold cameras and very warm air inside the balloon and then the even gretaer problem of finding your way out through acres of rip-stop nylon once the envelope was deflated.

Flying over Ballarat.

One of the greatest aspects of my work is that I meet many people, and then get opportunities to do really fun things. The most recent one was a dawn balloon flight over Ballarat as part of the MAP Group (photography group), in the project "MAPping Ballarat".




The fact that you're so close to the ground means that you can talk to startled residents getting their newspapers off the lawn, or speaking to livestock in the fields as the burner roars into life every few minutes.

The only forms of air transport I've yet to experience now are parachutes and hang gliders, and I haven't given up on them yet either.

Elvis Costello, The Palais, St. Kilda, Melbourne, 1981.

Elvis Costello's first tour of Australia was marked by a hostile attitude to the media, but brilliant performances.




I was working for Virgin Press at the time, and somehow managed to obtain the only press pass issued to his first gig in Melbourne at the Palais, in St. Kilda.



Obviously Elvis hadn't been consulted as he spent a vast majority of time peering at me, in the orchestra pit, the only media representative, with a slightly quizzical/pissed off look on his face. Great gig.

Ollie Olsen, Melbourne, Australia.

Ollie was one of the most influential and admired musicians in Melbourne in the late 1970's and early 1980's. He was the founder of the Young Charlatans, Whirlywirld, and of course, No.

He had the most extraordinary who's who of musicians play in his bands, and collaboration with the late, great Michael Hutchence should have given him the mainstream recognition he so richly deserved.

He remains a true musical pioneer in the Melbourne music scene.

The Virgin Prunes - London 1983

The Virgin Prunes were one of a spate of goth bands emerging at the time, but they were characterised by elaborate props.

They were very theatrical, but unfortunately were very much style over substance. I've got a few of their early releases, but I cannot remember any of their songs.

They had a great stage presence though.

The Hoodoo Gurus (and Suzi Quatro)

In 1985 Matt Snow and I spent a day with the Hoodoo Gurus, in Fitzroy & St. Kilda, to do an article for "Sounds Magazine". They were the biggest band in Australia at the time, and their pix were taken at the ABC Studios in Ripponlea, on the top of the Countdown studio roof.

After their photo shoot, Brad Shepherd and Dave Faulkner came running to find me in the corridors, desperately wanting me to take a photo of them with the even more famous Suzi Quatro, who was also appearing on Countdown that day.

It goes to show that famous musicians can also get star struck. I also love the very bemused look on Suzie's face.

Fad Gadget.

These shots were taken in London in 1982. He was an early client if Mute Records, and was criminally under-rated as a performer - he was a brilliant musician. He had Alison Moyet as his backing singer, was a great performer and he used all sorts of props on stage, including shaving cream and horse hair (as fake pubic hair).

It was easy to understand why he was also an early favourite subject of Anton Corbijn, another NME photographer.

Edwin Starr

These photos were taken at a very small gig in in London's West End, in 1983.

There was only a small crowd, but everyone there was waiting to hear him sing "War". The entire crowd joined in to help sing the lyrics "what it is good for?" and it was one of those one in a lifetime opportunities to see a great performer belt out one of the best known anthems.

The Ramones.

The Ramones came to Australia in 1981, and Jeremy was there at La Trobe University, camera at the ready.

Which was lucky, because the late (& truly great) Dee Dee Ramone saw the camera and played it up for all he was worth.

Great stage presence - great music!