Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Picture Book

Photo by Julia Gorton from "No Wave: Post-Punk.Underground.New York.1976-1980"

When Eric and I were doing photos for the album recently, I thought "God I've been doing this a long time." Like some old actor who trots out a variety of expressions that have worked for him year after year. Only there's a few more lines and wrinkles to compensate for. Still, we had fun acting out little scenarios while our friend Karen snapped away. At least in "band" photos there's someone else to interact with. I always sort of liked doing photo shoots. It's the one time I feel like I can control how I look - in real life my hair is straggly, the acne scars show too much, I'm self-conscious and awkward. I can stare down a camera lens in a way I never can with real live people.

I started getting my picture taken back in college days, by my friend and dormmate Julia Gorton. I hadn't done anything much with my life except for going to art school and knowing how to put on eyeliner and thrift shop clothes and loving music, but I figured in Julia's photos somehow. I got excited when I heard about Thurston Moore and Byron Coley's No Wave book that came out a few weeks ago. I heard there was one of Julia's photos of my brother Michael and I in there and I couldn't wait to see it. This was taken before I started posing as part of the job. Like most everything else at the time, it was all just for the sheer novelty and excitement of doing something, even if that doing something was just sitting around trying to look bored.

I can't wait to get my hands on the actual book. Looking at a few of the photos online was kind of a shock - at the time I was so intimidated by the whole scene, and now I just marvel at how cute and fresh-faced everyone was, while acting tough. Young & odd. I like how we fit in, a little.

10 comments:

Rosie said...

You both look great. You have a wonderful sulky smoulder going on there I think...but scarily young! How old were you?

amy said...

Yes, scary! this was 30 years ago, so I must've been about 19 - er, um, I mean 9 years old.

SA said...

That's the shot, those were the days.
Glad you got it ...
Happy 4th

amy said...

Hi Stuart, glad you saw that. hope I see you on the corner of 1st Ave. & 14th St again soon...

travelling, but not in love said...

I love this photo. it'd be great on my living room wall! Such a great moment captured there - fantastic.

BTW you look gorgeous in it (so does your 'beau')....

travelling, but not in love said...

I meant 'breau' obviously. (little play on words - bro and beau, ha ha. sorry if it needs explaining it's a bad joke...)

halfpear said...

you both brood so well in the picture... and michael with the requisite skinny tie!

love
ph

Anonymous said...

You look fantastic! You had some really great style! (I'm sure you still do now of course!). Wouldn't it be cool if your friend could somehow hook you up to meet Thurston Moore? Sigh...

amy said...

It's funny Le Tigre, I've been in the same room, even the same elevator (!) as Mr. Moore at times but I'm always too shy to say anything. Even though he's supposed to be really nice.

Peter, isn't that just like my bro, always dressed impeccably?

TBNIL my brother and I were such a pair back then - breau is perfect!

Anonymous said...

Very cool photo!