25 years ago, a band from LA by the name of Redd Kross made a huge impact on me with their album “Neurotica”.
The album cover was shot by John Scarpati, and caught my attention – and inspired me visually as being engaging and interesting. The songs and lyrics connected with me profoundly – I liked rock, I liked punk, I liked glam – but the way Jeff & Steve McDonald along with Robert Hecker and Roy McDonald performed it took me to all new places – and ones where I felt welcome and less like an outcast or weirdo.
Or at least if I felt like I was a weirdo, I knew I wasn’t alone.
25 years later, I am proud to say that I’ve had the opportunity to photograph and work with Redd Kross for 12 years; and that with the wonderful help from Scarpati, one of my photos of the band is the cover of their first album in 15 years – “Researching The Blues”.
After hearing the new collection, I felt the same profound connection and kinship I did to the band a quarter of a century ago – except we were strangers then, and now we’ve become good friends.
I wouldn’t be doing what I do for a living if it wasn’t for the encouragement and support of Redd Kross, Vicki Berndt, Scarpati, Dave Markey, Imperial Teen, Persephone’s Bees, Daniele Luppi, Dave Naz, and many others. I am forever grateful for your inspiration and the wonderful doors you’ve opened for me – and the journeys we’ve taken together.
I look forward to many more.
