Some Polaroid Pictures of People in Bands
When I was in high school I had a polaroid camera I’d carry around with me everywhere; I’d take headshots of people I’d met and hang them on my wall, sort of a “staff directory” of my life. This lasted until I got a serious girlfriend in college who I figured would probably take umbrage to so many “other” girls smiling down upon us (or at least me) while we, ahem, slept. So that was the end of that. But I still kept around a polaroid, and when I could afford to buy film, I’d take pictures of shit. Sometimes I’d take pictures of dudes in bands just for lulz and because I couldn’t take real pictures with grown up cameras that well. Anyway, I just came across a giant box of old polaroids so I figured I’d post some for posterity.
Fall Out Boy, out in the alley behind the Grand Regency Ballroom in San Francisco, CA. This was right before From Under the Cork Tree came out, but they were already feeling pretty famous. They were super nice though. Me and MC Oroville were there to shoot some photos of them, and they played along with all sorts of crazy ass ideas like sitting in the line of kids waiting to get into the show, chasing around pigeons, fighting bums on Van Ness, basically whatever.
The Fiery Furnaces at Harlow’s in Sacramento. I don’t think Eleanor Friedberger was too stoked to be in this picture, but I made her do it. Later, I felt bad when there were like 40 girls in the front row sticking their camera phones in her fucking face the whole night because they saw her in Nylon or whatever. But Matthew Friedberger was way more badass than you would think from listening to his crazy ass music. We talked about a lot of cool shit, and I figured out that he’s just a dude who’s probably too smart for his own good. I haven’t really listened to any of the 29 records this band has put out in the last couple of years but I assume they’re still probably pretty far out.
Underoath at the Warped Tour in Sacramento. This was back when they still made these dudes play one of the shitty side stages, which was cool for me since I got to basically stand on the stage and jock them ultra proximity. Say what you want about Underoath but that band brings some shit live, for real. Even the fat dude who just dances around and every once in awhile hits a button on a sampler to trigger the loops. If you got the balls to stand on stage in front of thousands of people and go off it doesn’t matter what you play.
Senses Fail backstage at ARCO Arena. Senses Fail are another one of those bands who, despite catering directly towards 13 year olds, I can’t help but like. Every time I got a chance to meet up with them they were always down to chop it up about whatever. This was taken during the first Taste of Chaos tour, which also featured My Chemical Romance, the Used, Idiot Pilot and a bunch of other bands my friends all used to make fun of me for liking. Fuckers.
The Bled on their tour bus. The Bled were pretty badass in their day, but I mainly was super down with them because Vagrant hired me to write their bio and paid me American money. Pretty sure most of the dudes in this band have since fucked off or been fired or whatever; the last time I saw these guys only the singer and I think the one guitarist were still left. But they were still pretty pissed.
Justin aka The Abominable Iron Sloth, on the left, with somewhat complete doucher wearing sunglasses indoors, on the right. Oh wait, that’s me. Anyway, if you don’t have the first Abominable Iron Sloth record, and you care AT ALL about heavy ass music you need to stop fucking up and get that shit right now. Someday they’re gonna put out a new record too. I actually got to hear it a little while ago and it’s insanely pissed. They cover a Charles Manson song. But last I heard Justin was living in a van in the woods outside of Oroville panning for gold (no joke). So who knows.
Bryce Avary aka The Rocket Summer out in the parking lot of The Underground in Roseville, CA. If listening to Senses Fail, et al, got me made fun of, listening to the Rocket Summer straight got me kicked out of places. The first Rocket Summer record is one step removed from Raffi; yet, I find myself strangely attracted to it. Luckily, his next couple record sucked hard enough that I didn’t have to worry about being tempted to listen to them.
Chris Armstrong from Surrogate / Sherwood. Chris used to be in my band but then he had to blow it and move to Seattle. I keep waiting for him to get sick of it and move back but he never does. I guess he knows what’s up with timing, though: played guitar on the only decent Sherwood record, bounced, played guitar on the only two Surrogate tours, bounced, and is now successfully being the big city badass he was always meant to be.
Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy getting his nails painted pink by my old GF Ali backstage at the Grand Ballroom. He then went on to make millions of dollars and sell millions of records, marry Ashlee Simpson, start an ultra successful record label, clothing brand and line of books. I ,on the other hand, went on to be unemployed, single, and writing sentimental blogs in pajama pants on a Tuesday night in a room that smells like cat piss. Who came out on top on that one, eh Pete?
6 days ago | Tags: daniel taylor Fall Out Boy From Under the Cork Tree Grand Regency Ballroom Van Ness San Francisco The Fiery Furnaces Sacramento Harlows Eleanor Friedberger Matthew Friedberger Nylon Underoath Warped Tour Senses Fail ARCO Arena Taste of Chaos My Chemical Romance The Used The Bled Vagrant The Abominable Iron Sloth Oroville Charles Manson The Rocket Summer The Underground Roseville CA Sherwood Surrogate
