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April 28Arrived home to a sunny day, in fact a bit like LA. Came home, unpacked, and headed to the garden. Going to have a rock'n'roll evening shopping in Asda. Opened my mail - got UFO's Strangers In The Night, original version, from Richard Whitbread in Hong Kong (thank you, but you could have sent a nice nude Gong Li photo book). And Robin Hurley from Rhino sent me Black Oak Arkansas Raunch N' Roll uncut, Black Sabbath Hammersmith Odeon and Jo Jo Gunne. It's nice opening letters that aren't bills... April 27Had breakfast this morning with Peter and Rock'n'roll John B. They were still discussing Kiss. This Gene and Paul lovefest was now quite disturbing. Sasha Gervasi arrived at the hotel with a film crew to film Peter and I talking about Anvil. He's making a film to be shown at the Sundance Film Festival. Anvil were a Canadian band who never succeeded. Peter and I did the first feature for Sounds magazine on them, which got them signed to Leber Krebs - after I told David Krebs to sign them. I had completely forgotten this until today. Pete and I said too much, which Sasha loved, but who cares, what we said was true. I'm sure we came over as to old men reminiscing about lost youth. Sasha has promised to arrange for me to make love to Lucy Liu as payment. Which I'll hold him to... We had to curtail our interview as I had to shoot Joe Bonamassa. Joe was polite and played me Starship Trooper by Yes, telling me Kevin THE CAVEMAN hates this song. THE CAVEMAN needs his head looking at - he wants Joe to record an album of religious songs, co-produced by THE CAVEMAN and his wife, Devon. Joe asked me what to do, he likes THE CAVEMAN and wants to go to heaven but doesn't want to do a cd called When The Lord Is Blue,The Blues Will Save Him. I told him to pray for a divine answer. Joe had some beautiful guitars the smell of them was wonderful - I'm serious, like old classical violins or cellos. I liked Joe and felt a little guilty for my former diary entries... Rock'n'roll was now hanging by the pool with Adam Wakeman, son of Rick. Adam has found Jesus (like his dad) and even looks like him. Adam's only problem is he's playing with Ozzy and his dad is worried about him being corupted by Ozzy's swearing and barking at the moon. I heard John ask Adam if he'd heard the Paul Stanley album and offering to get him a copy. John even said 'Paul wouldn't use profanity, his writing is like Pete Townshend's, full of issues that deal with today - he's going to re-do Tommy and call it Stanley.' I had a couple of hours in the 80 degree heat while Peter disappeared. I later found out that he acted like a teenager, and I'm sorry to break this to you girls, but Peter has fallen in love with Rose at the front desk of the Sunset Marquis Hotel. It transpired he'd been wooing her since he arrived, and they are now an item. Rose and Peter Makowski, true romance... Left for the airport and Billy Bob Thornton phoned to see if I was around tonight. If he'd called an hour earlier I'd have stayed. Peter sat in the cab like a lovelorn teenager texting Rose love poems - I hope she can read. I leave Peter and we fly back on separate flights. The light is God's light flying home. The light you get for ten minutes at the end of the day - it was mesmerising flying over the south west with long shadows from the slight remains of the day. I enjoyed this trip, enjoyed being with Peter and Rock'n'roll John Bionelli and Joe Bonamassa and Slash and Glenn Hughes. This trip made me enjoy my job a bit. Okay, a lot, I had a good time.
Here are some vintage Iggy pictures. See more...
April 26Nice and hot. It wouldn't bother me if I didn't see an overcast sky ever again. Photographed Glenn Hughes today, iconic bassist and funky singer. He and Peter haven't been together since they were with Deep Purple in Eastern Europe - this I must point out was so long ago I was about five years old. Both are now clean and serene. Glenn told some funny stories and looks fit. As well as the bad old days our main topic was about the benefits of running. Glenn did tell Peter that when he joined Deep Purple Ritchie Blackmore said he wasn't playing any "Shoeshine Music", in reference to Glenn's love of soul singers. We all agreed what great fun David Coverdale is to hang out with. I took some photos of Glenn and Joe Perry, as Joe was wandering by and cameover to say hello. Had lunch with Slash who turned up straight from the gym soaking wet after a run. Running must be the in choice of drug... I even took a portrait of him with my new lens. Spent the afternoon eating apple crumble and ice cream with Peter (he's swapped drugs for sugar, felt sick in the end - so much for being healthy... Went out this evening with Rock'n'roll John Bionelli and Peter to Robert De Niro's restaurant, Argo. John had never been to Argo and Peter had never been anywhere that wasn't a Thai restaurant or a McDonalds. I had to loan Peter some clothes to wear as his wardrobe consists of recovery t-shirts and army pants. As we stood at the very packed bar, a very fit looking man accompanied by the sort of woman you fantasise about came up to me. 'Are you Ross Halfin?' He asked. 'Occasionally,' I replied. It turned out to be Derek Hay, someone I knew years ago, who worked with Metallica and Motley Crue. Derek is now a adult video director and actor. I asked him if he knew Mika Tan - a famous Asian actress. 'I represent her,' he replied. I realise that God has been smiling on me on this trip. I offer to do some photography... A pleasure to see him. Far more interesting than meeting musicians. Had a good time tonight. At the bar were also two beautiful Japanese girls with a dodgy looking guy. I became quite fascinated by them and spent the evening ogling them. Rock'n'roll spent the whole evening in Kiss heaven asking Peter boring questions about Kiss. Peter confessed to liking The Elder, a really bad Kiss album, and thinking Gene Simmons is a good bloke. John looked ecstatic. 'You heard The Elder before it came out?' Peter sang some of the lyrics, Glenn Hughes style in a high-pitched voice. John even did some impersonations of Gene and Paul. 'What do you think Peter, which one is better?'. It was like a Kiss lovefest. I left them in the lobby of the hotel, as they went off to John's room to listen to the new Paul Stanley album. I went to bed to dream of Mika Tan and Gong Li and the two girls at the bar - it's better than dreaming of Kiss or Aerosmith... Here are some more pictures of Loudon at the Barbican. See more... 
 April 25Decided to try to get fit, went for a run at 6am. Had breakfast with Peter, he then went off for the misery of waiting all day in a studio for Scott Weiland. Spoke to Slash who I'm seeing tomorrow, said hello to Jeff Beck, then hiked Runyon Canyon. Came back tired. I was meant to shoot Steven Tyler but he cancelled so I fell asleep by the pool. Got rather burnt, so to wake up I went for another run. Now feeling crippled. Saw Joe Perry and Rock'n'roll John B heading out to the movies. Yes, my job isn't that bad... I was thinking that until I spoke to Neil Zlozower who asked if I wanted to go to the LA Forum to shoot Black Sabbath with little Ron. Neil, who's been shooting a lot longer than me and is a good photographer, is allowed a whole three songs of Megadeth (Dave Mustaine should apologise for this) and a whopping five songs of Sabbath. 'Fuck 'em', I told Neil, 'I can't be bothered, this is why our job can be shit.' Have some respect for what we do. Peter even said Guns N' Roses, sorry, Velvet Revolver were so boring and dull he could have done it on the phone. Everyone was tip-toeing around Weiland in case he started sucking his thumb. What was that saying by W.C. Fields - never work with animals and children. Or overgrown children... April 24Off to Los Angeles today. Arrange to meet Peter at Heathrow. Duff, the PR for this trip, is on holiday, trying to organise it while lying on the beach. I leave home at 6am. Pete can't check in as his ticket hasn't been issued, so I leave him and go through security. As I wait in boredom, idly scanning duty free, a woman pounces on me. 'You need this, it will de-age you'. 'De-age me? I look fantastic!' 'I can get rid of your puffy eyes and your weatherbeaten lines.' 'Will it get me an oriental bride half my age?' 'Of course, if it doesn't work you can have you money back.' I end up buying a load of stuff called Dr Sebagh - Dorian Gray I am... Eventually Peter appears. 'I waited hours to get this ticket issued'. 'Not as long as you'll wait for Scott Weiland to stop sucking his thumb and getting his arse wiped before you do your interview. I promise you he'll be five hours late changing his nappie.' The new Velvet Revolver cd is called Libertad. The band's press release says "It's about the struggle for freedom - social and economic freedom". I mean, who do they think they are, the new Rage Against The Machine - the I leave Peter on his Virgin flight as I head off on United. My flight is empty and I know the crew so I get moved to the front of the plane. Still, I miss Peter a little, no one to pick on or carry my bags. I sit in my seat reading Vanity Fair - the Green Issue. As if any of the celebrities in it really care about being green or giving up their private jets. The cover There is a photo spread called the Soundtrack of Change, the sort of thing which you'd get say Sting or Bono or Elton, except they only manage to get a load of D-list artists like Jack Johnson, Keb Mo (keeping it ethnic and in the hood), the vile (trust me, I've met her) Bonnie Raitt, Perry Farrell (who's not only green but has a new album to promote), and wow, Dave Stewart, Mr Green himself. The other thing is the pictures are so retouched the subjects don't look real. Come to think of it, the subjects aren't real. The pilot tells us it'll be a quick flight, only nine hours. Only nine hours - okay, I know, I could be a miner so I'll shut up... Well, I got to Los Angeles hours before Peter. In fact, I had a nice afternoon sleeping by the pool until rudely awoken by Rock'n'roll John Bionelli, in town with his boss. He'd bought me some leather chaps from Argentina - he really did, where I'm supposed to wear them I have no idea. Peter arrived at 5pm and took a photo of John and I relaxing outside my room listening in to the new Paul Stanley cd, John's new favourite. Rock N' Roll was singing along to every song. 'Ya know it's sad that Joe And Steven can't write a great album like this'. Ended up trying to destroy Los Angeles at Sushi Wa with Rock'n'roll and Peter. Even went to the Virgin Megastore, then Peter went on and on and on about going to the Hustler store to buy real DVDs. John refused to go in, he felt the store was dirty and would ruin his good Catholic upbringing. I felt sorry for Pete and went with him to help him chose his bedtime viewing. After an hour John came in looking annoyed, 'What are you two doing?' 'It's not me, Peter can't make up his mind, too much to chose from.' Here are some pictures of Loudon Wainwright from the Barbican 
 April 23Had a day of the same old bollocks. My number one moan is because I'm meant to be going away to Los Angeles tomorrow with Peter Makowski. The PR is on holiday and Scott Weiland, who Peter is writing a grovelling feature about, Anyway Sony are moaning that my flight is more expensive than Peter's - yep, must be at least a $100 more. So we're flying on separate flights. I did tell Peter to stop being such a wimp and say he's not going, but he'd rather be a wimp... Kevin THE CAVEMAN phoned and I told him how it was today with a salvo of profanity. He told me to read his diary today. Yes, THE CAVEMAN should be a mind reader. Never mind what he says, I'll take London anyday. He did tell me he'd made his wife a cd of him praying in 5.1 stereo so she knows he's being a good boy... Fuck it, it's 8pm and I still don't know if Peter's going and I haven't packed. April 22Kevin Shirley, THE CAVEMAN, calls, tired and jetlagged. He's slept twelve hours straight upon arriving in London. THE CAVEMAN tells me he's tired from praying. He prays five times a day in America. 'I have to, starting at sunrise, my wife wants me to shed all my sins. She's worried that I'm going to burn in hell for producing Iron Maiden, and meet Lucifer. He's adamant 'I'm not praying until I get home.' THE CAVEMAN should pray they don't build a gas platform and ruin the value of his house in the 'Bu. He then tells me about his tattoo of Jesus that his wife wants him to have, to ward off Steve Harris (The Devil incarnate). 'Don't write any of this, in case she reads it'. I know how THE CAVEMAN feels - an old girlfriend of mine, Amanda (or Mandy) found God and went all "HALLELUJAH", playing only christian psalms and prayers on her brother-in-law's car radio. He would show me what Christian station she'd tuned into. Amanda would only quote the good book - while wearing next to nothing, dancing and listening to Phil Collins records... Then she moved to Las Vegas, obviously tempted by the devil, and has been living in sin in the city of Gomorrah waiting for Genesis to go on tour. As THE CAVEMAN says, 'HALLELUJAH', or as Phil Collins says, 'There's Something In The Air Tonight...' THE CAVEMAN is in London making a Christian rock record. Sorry to spill the beans CAVEMAN, the band are called The Saints from Indiana. Praise The Lord. I'm safe - I'm one of the chosen race. Guy Pratt, famous bassist, is coming over to look for photos for his new book. I'd shot him in his first band, Speedball, and also Coverdale Page. He's got a book launch in June, with a solo tour. April 21After a hard day sitting in the garden, I decided instead of staying in on my own doing nothing I'd go and relive my youth by seeing Loudon Wainwright III at the Barbican. I rang Loudon - he said it would be an honour for me to shoot the show. You don't normally get this from Americans, it would be 'How much are you charging and we want to own it!' Which translates to 'we don't want to pay you and still want to own it...' Drove on a hot sunny evening across London into the deserted city, the only problem being I'm used to taking the train and the city is a huge mess of one-way streets. It's like a maze mixed with a labyrinth of dead ends. I ended up in Old Street and on City Road. I was so lost I stopped a taxi and paid him to show me where it was. The staff at the Barbican were shockingly helpful and ummmm - nice. You wouldn't get this at say the Astoria or Wembley.
Now I remember shooting Robin Williamson from the awful Incredible String Band at The Royal Festival Hall or The New Victoria Theatre and the same thing happened, this was in the late 70's. The audience were, well, wankers.
Loudon played quite a serious set, missing out his more flippant songs. Which for me made it more
Drove home across London playing Just Like President Thieu. I must have played it ten times. LW has a guitar sound which you can instantly tell is his and it's very underrated. Driving across Waterloo Bridge London looked fantastic. You could tell why it's a great city - if I hadn't been on my own I'd have stopped and taken photos. The Millennium Wheel had a huge crescent moon coming through it. Must shoot more of the city... April 19Los Angeles weather here - beautiful. In fact, I'm off to LA next Tuesday. THE CAVEMAN is coming - thought I'd announce it before he does. He wants me to destroy London with him on Saturday. I might do - if he doesn't bring along half a dozen people I don't like or want to be with... My friend Chris is here. He's rather camp but he's not gay - something he keeps telling me. Actually he's happily married which is something else he keeps telling me as well. We both sat in the garden today. I've noticed I'm getting a bit hairy, like Chris, who is covered like a gorilla. I've put my back out so I saw Harry Phillips, famous osteopath. Told Harry I feel old. 'Who gives a fuck what anyone thinks, it's an arbitrary thing. It's how you feel.' Harry's right. Must find Gong Li and marry her. Got this from Jon Hotten and Mick Wall...
Jesus, Steve Harris MBE... Okay, he is a good bloke but talk about brown-nosing. I wonder if THE CAVEMAN has signed it in 5.1 stereo to his producer Sir Steven Harris... Some Red Hot Chili Peppers from the Japanese magazine Rockin' On 
April 18Here's an interview I did a while ago online, it's everything I said - unexpurgated! I shouldn't have sworn - looks bad in the cold light of day. I am going to stop, I definitely mean it. I will abstain... http://suicidegirls.com/interviews/Ross+Halfin/ April 17I've been listening to Strangers In The Night, the live album by UFO. I've got the unedited, re-mastered version on my ipod. If I'm honest the performance is good, but it's let down by Phil Moog's between song in-jokes which nobody gets and aren't funny. I wish I still had the original edited version - much better. Spoke to Kevin Shirley, who really asked if I'd call him THE CAVEMAN. THE CAVEMAN promised to drown his dog as a protest against the gas platform ruining the value of his house, and the view. THE CAVEMAN managed to go on and on about Joe Porkamassa's new boring cd - I dozed off at one point for fifteen minutes and he was still going on when I woke up. I should be grateful he wasn't playing me Dream Theatre, I'd have fallen into a coma... I started watching Nick Broomfield's film Ghosts, about the Morecambe Bay cockle pickers who died, but found it too upsetting. Discovered I had Rory Gallagher's Irish Tour '74, the Tony Palmer film on dvd. It was strange watching the 70's in old grainy washed out colour. It reminded me how grim it was touring - no showers, all sharing one room backstage. It was like the land that time forgot. Ireland looked bleak, Dublin's very different now. Nice to be reminded how good Rory was and he is still the nicest rock star I've ever met. Some White Stripes outtakes from Nashville last week. 
April 16Been swapping emails with Kevin "THE CAVEMAN" Shirley. I looked at his diary (yes, today has been that boring), THE CAVEMAN has gone all "GREEN". He's worried about some sort of oil or gas platform ruining the environment. THE CAVEMAN even manages to name drop Pierce Brosnan, one of his celebrity friends - that he's never met. THE CAVEMAN is concerned about his view, and you guessed it, Pierce is concerned about his view, across prime pacific real estate. Yes, I'd be concerned as well - it'll cut the value of his MALIBU home in half. Hang on, I'm being unfair to THE CAVEMAN, this is all about the environment. Sorry CAVEMAN. I wonder what he can be doing in London - Iron Maiden, The Beast Unleashed Vol 25, in 5.1 and 9.1 dolby mono...? Some shots of Perry Farrell...
... and some of The Arctic Monkeys 
April 14Writing this early Saturday morning, just so I can escape the curse of Friday 13th and all it's fake bad karma. I saw Dave Brolan yesterday who was excited at the propect of going to the theatre. I was begining to think he was cultured until he told me was going to see Riverdance for the 50th time. 'Michael Flatley is a true Irish hero.' 'I think he's from Chicago.' 'So, that's just like Ireland - they dye the river green on Saint Patrick's Day.' He also told me he'd seen Feet Of Flames twenty times. I watched him dance along Soho, people were staring at him. A lot of people I know are off to New York tomorrow. They are welcome to it. I hear a major snow storm is coming. Going to be nice and hot here, I'll stick to my garden. Been sitting in my garden reading last week's papers. There is an interesting article about tourists snubbing Persia. I'd love to go - Persepolis, Bisotun, Tchogha Zanbil - anybody with any idea how please let me know...
Here are a couple of pictures of me (and Kazuyo) taken by Mark T at the Teenage Cancer Trust concert. If you want to see more of Mark's pictures go to http://www.emptymojo.blogspot.com April 13I am driving home through Wimbledon when at a traffic light a car slams into the back of me. Oliver gets out, looks at the women driver and pronounces 'You're pissed.' 'No I'm not,' she slurs, 'I've had two drinks.' Her car looks wrecked, the front nearly gone. Well, I eventually get home. Wake up this morning and realise it's Friday the 13th. Not that I believe any of that crap. I mean I really don't - I walk under ladders... Up to London to the Soho House Hotel to shoot Perry Farrell. Must have had five minutes (okay, I had an hour really). We shot in a hotel suite - in hindsight I should have gone outdoors, it was a beautiful day. Duff and Mike were trying to look like they didn't have hangovers after living after midnight. Noticed Soho has lots of beautiful prostitutes everywhere... I mean girls, of course. Sorry - been hanging round with Peter Makowski and he's a bad influence (in case a future Mrs Halfin's reading this - or Gong Li). April 12Went to the Astoria to shoot more Arctic Monkeys. It's good to shoot there - low stage and the security are actually friendly. Stayed for about half the show then went to meet Duff, Mike Kobayashi and Gordon Gheller, all intent on destroying London. We settled on a pizza in Soho. They are in London working with Perry Farrell. Peter Makowski had called to tell me he'd been "bonding" with him earlier in the day on the joys of lying in the gutter in the arms of Morphius. Peter doesn't drink and has been clean and serene for twenty years but he still likes to get misty-eyed over his prodigious drug use. We are joined by my son Oliver and his friend, hoping to join the others in destroying Soho. As I am the only sensible one there I curtail this and head home. April 11Well, I took a train to Victoria (carrying a large bag of cameras), changed at Green Park, changed at Baker Street, through a labyrinth of tunnels and stairs and finally found the Metropolitan line where I waited ages for a train to get to Paddington, the most inconvienent fucking station on the planet. I then walked along about fifteen platforms to find a train to Exeter, which was the fast one - took three hours. Train and tube lines were not made for carrying baggage - I will now feel far more sympathy for people carrying luggage. I then called the best travel agent in the world, Dave Brock, who told me I could have flown. 'Could have flown?' 'Yes, from Gatwick, takes twenty minutes.' I HATE record companies. Always sort out your own travel. Colleen at the record company will be put to death SLOWLY... It was a nice day, HOT and SUNNY. The show was at Exeter University. To be honest, I quite enjoyed shooting them. I could do what I wanted. Shot all the soundcheck, the band hanging around looking bored (yep, it's boring backstage). Shot them going onstage and coming off, plus the show. It was hard to shoot live, a high stage plus no front lighting - I mean nothing. Rather avant garde, as in Velvet Underground. The back lighting was blinding, which I suppose if you're not shooting it looks effective. Drove back in the early hours of this morning with Anton Brookes who spent the journey telling me about his friends who are spiritual. All my friends are capitalists (I was going to say c--ts, but I do have one or two friends). Took forever. Truthfully we did it in three hours with no one on the road. The irony was he dropped me at Gatwick Airport and I then had to get a cab. Got to bed at 4am. I was up at 8am - felt tired all day. Been sorting out my White Stripes film, I'll put some up next week.
Here are some pictures from Nashville. See more... April 10I watched a good film last night. I bought it in the US - called Memory Of A Killer, very gripping. Off to Exeter today - I don't think I have ever been there. It's to shoot the Arctic Monkeys live. I wanted to go to Southampton (a straight drive down the motorway yesterday) but the band's record company person, Colleen, was "WORRIED". She came up with world-worrying things such as 'They might be nervous, it's the first show,' and 'A lot of their friends will be there, it's a bank holiday.' I gave up arguing, off to Exeter it is. Colleen even put me on an 11am train (the band are on at 9pm). Must be in case I get lost or need to shoot photos of beautiful Exeter. I'm not sure if they even speak English down there. Perhaps a kind of English punctuated with lots of "Oooooo arrrrrrrrrrrrr' at the end of every sentence. April 8Went out to Harvey Nichols for lunch with Oliver and Gordon. It was closed. In fact, everything in London was closed. Easter - what a boring fucking day. Nice weather - sunny, warm, but still fucking boring. I came home and went to bed for two hours out of fucking boredom. I realised that the last few years at this time I've been in the far east with no religious bollocks. Trust me, I'll be there next year. Went with Peter Makowski to see the new Danny Boyle movie, Sunshine. It was in the vein of 2001, good see it on a big screen and it had Michelle Yeoh - yum, yum... We must have looked like two old queens, or just two old men. Easter is fucking boring, in case you've forgotten... April 7I sat on the plane last night in Washington and asked what the express meal was. 'Chicken in breadcrumbs.' I am not making this up. Arrived this morning in London to sunshine. The first thing I did was get a bacon sandwich with lots of brown HP sauce. Back home - I'm off to bed. April 6I leave for the studio at 7am with Jimmy Hubbard eating another bucket of chicken. He eats the whole bucket. Reminds me of being in Houston with Def Leppard. The studio is the size of an aircraft hanger. It's used to photograph yachts and small ships. There seems to be no sense of urgency with anyone working there, you ask for something and you get a "Coming right up". 45 minutes later you have to go and look for it. You then get "It's on it's way". Welcome to the South. Jack White turns up at 9am dressed in white (must be his Good Friday outfit). We shoot for four hours, it is a productive morning. Jack reminds me of Steven Tyler in that he wants you to get what you need. He's helpful, polite and funny. His assistant, Chloe, who I was dreading, was helpful in getting everything done which made a nice change after how things had gone earlier. Finished up shooting Jack and Meg for a Mojo feature. Pat Foley brings Jack a new white Gibson Melody Maker guitar which Jack seems to be pleased with. Pat has brought his It takes me ages to check in. The woman at check in is new, she smiles and says 'I'mmmmmmm reeeeeeal neeeew at this.' after watching her look puzzled for twenty minutes she says 'Ahhhhhh bet y'all wish y'all didn't get me.' 'Yes,' I agree wholeheartedly. As I queue for the security a cowboy type in front of me with long grey hair turns round - it's Rickey Medlocke of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Blackfoot fame. 'Hey maaaan,' he says. We exchange greetings. He's flying home to Fort Myers, I go off to Washington. I start to feel it's been a long day and yes, I know there are worse jobs in the world, but I'm tired... April 5Stayed up until 1am watching a French film, Empire Of The Wolves, which is part thiller, part horror, part police drama. It's good, but gave up halfway because I knew I had to go to Nashville and get up at 4am... Couldn't sleep, I never can when I know I have to get up at a certain time. I clock-watched on the hour. Up at 4am, in the airport by 5.30. God I was tired - couldn't even read the papers. Flew at 7.55 to Washington to connect to Nashville, home of Country Music. Something I LOATHE. I don't like any of it - Dolly Parton, George Jones, the new lot in their cowboy hats and George Michael beards looking like a bunch of midnight rent boys. Come on, if you want to be a real cowboy at least look like Clint Eastwood. The most overrated of all has to be Johnny Cash, I've never heard a record by him I've liked. I Walk The Line, A Boy Named Sue... He covered Rusty Cage to be trendy, and a Loudon Wainwright song, The Man Who Couldn't Cry. I was crying listening to how bad they were. Rick Rubin (Mr Trendy) reinvented him, but let's be honest, it was still shit. I'll take Scott Matthews anyday or The Metal Church... Writing this flying over Moncton, Canada. The sky is a vast sheet of grey nothing. Not very inspiring to shoot. I do know people in Nashville. Steve Gorman, a famous drummer, and Pat Foley, famous for being Pat Foley. Andy Omel and his mulatto sidekick Jimmy Hubbard are arriving in search of fried chicken (they've already found the Chicken Shack on line). I am supposed to be shooting The White Stripes tomorrow from 8am for various things. It has to be run on a deadline say the record company people. They told me they had arranged an assistant ('a local guy, knows everything'). Last night I get a call, 'Sorry, he's not available - never mind.' It is now too late to find and book anyone else. Then I get a lecture on what backgrounds I can and can't use. And I need to confirm this with the American PR before I get on the plane from London. Fuck her - I don't even call her, I speak to Phil Alexander, Mojo editor, and relay him the rules and regulations. 'Fuck them, do what you need to do, they're not telling you how to shoot for the magazine.' He was so angry he rang back and swore a whole lot more. Phil is good at swearing... 'Hey, come to Nashville for 24 hours and do nothing...' Still wonder why I hate American PRs? Arrive into Washington at 10 30am, wait until 1pm to fly to Nashville - after changing terminals. Two hours to Nashville and I'm met by Jimmy Hubbard eating a bucket of chicken. 'Want some?' he asks, extending a greasy hand. I decline... Staying at the Hermitage, very grand, old school southern hotel. I have to say the service is fantastic, Really five star, without the stuck-up attitude. My internet is wireless and works instantly - this never happens. Off now for a wander around... Ran into Jack and Meg as I was going out. Said a quick hello as they were in the middle of a photo shoot. Steve Gorman took me record shopping with his son, Conall, in tow. I was too tired to look. He dropped me off at Hatch's original poster shop. It had just closed and looked great, and it's closed for Good Friday - God hates me!
Had dinner with Andy Omel, Jimmy and Pat Foley. Pat brought a couple of Melody Maker guitars in case I need them. He told a story about a guy on the west coast of America who genuinely wanted to make 1,600 KFC Gibson guitars. I mean, how stupid and tacky. Jimmy looked hurt. 'I'd buy one, what's wrong with a chicken guitar?'
Some new photos of my Yogi. I know I've put similar up before but I like them. Also the Albert Memorial. See more... 
 April 4
I've just put up some Man Raze pictures. See more... 
April 3
Been playing the new Chris Cornell cd, I figured out it'd work in my car stereo. Safe And Sound and Arms Around Your love are good. In fact it's all good, you need to play it a bit to get into it. I am meant to be going to Nashville to shoot The White Stripes this Thursday and Friday, flying home Friday night. Everything keeps changing, it would be easier to book a trip to the moon. Some of my more recent covers. 
More of the Who have gone up today including the Golden God. See more... 
April 2A Def Leppard secret revealed - here's a question from Sharon,
He was Phil's boyfriend at the time. Phil would fly him out to exotic places so they could be together. Sav (who reads the Bible everyday) thought they should burn in hell. Phil dumped the Naked Man to marry his wife, but he still holds a place in is heart for him... Here are some pictures of The Who from the weekend. More tomorrow... 
April 1Watched Hannibal Rising. The plot's, well, only an American could have thought of the plot. Gong Li is the aunt, the only member of her family left after the bomb went off in Hiroshima - and she's Chinese. Still, don't worry about minor things like the story, it's worth watching just to ogle her. I was jealous of Rhys Ifans got to molest her. I'm in love... As it was so nice yesterday I took some photos of my garden yogi. The light was just getting right. I tried to shoot it but can't quite get it how I want it. Went to the Teenage Cancer Trust show last night with The Who at the Albert Hall. As I got there trying to park the light was perfect on the gold statue of Prince Albert. By the time I'd found somewhere the light was gone. Must go back and shoot it another time. I wasn't into the show, my mind was elsewhere and I was still jet-lagged from LA. I seemed to have no real enthusiasm. If I'm honest I thought The Who were just 'OK' but it was probably me as the crowd were going crazy. My mate Gordon thought they were amazing. Pete even apologised for the being jet-lagged (having just got back from Miami) - he even looked like he was having a good time. Which is odd, to me Pete never looks like he's having a good time... During the encores of Amazing Journey/Sparks something clicked and I realised why I've always liked them. It's hard to say what it is without sounding like a transcendental twit, but I felt elevated like I was part of what I was watching. See Me, Feel Me was spiritual - I even sang along to the Listening To You segment. It reminded me of watching The Who in the movie Woodstock (I was fourteen), I was like 'Wow'. The show to me finally electrified - I wanted them to just carry on... I hung out for a bit with The Golden God, Robert Plant, backstage. He was there with his son Jordan. Robert told me he likes the venue to see a group in but the sound is always terrible to play in. Ken Russell was there. I told him I used to go and see The Blue Oyster Cult and Journey with his son Xavier (look, it was a long time ago - '79/80!). 'Ah, I was trying to remember the name of the group he liked.' Ken said in a very posh Oliver Reed voice. Got a photo of him with Roger and then Pete. Pete told me to take it quick and not to bully him... Me bully him? I'd like to know how... Looked at my photos today, I got good stuff - a great jumping Pete (so did filthy Kazuyo, who was using one of my cameras), and some nice photos of Roger as well. I was pleased, considering where my head was at. Beautiful day. I say this a lot but it really is - I'm going wandering. Ended up in Tesco's. Adventurous aren't I? in the check out in front of me was a Korean family buying thirty two bottles of whisky (I counted). Strange how Asians love whisky. Some pictures of Chris Cornell. See more... 
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