time for the guys.

Let's see if we can narrow down the favourite male singer category. In my younger years I know for sure that my two favourites were Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin and Jon Anderson from Yes. In my early record collecting days I am sure that I had every album by these two bands (as well as their solo efforts), and listened to them over and over and over. By the way I still have all those vinyl treasures for all you vinyl fans out there...and I know you are out there. Through the years I have had many favourites, they tend to come and go depending on what I am into at the time. A small taste of that list would look like this Geddy Lee, Ian Gillan, Elton John, Sammy Hagar, Gary Cherrone, Joe Jackson... well I could go on and on as variety is the spice of life. In keeping with the theme of my rock photography for the favourite today we will focus on Jon Anderson. I was a major Yes fan in the day and still enjoy them to this day. I was viewing some videos of Yes on You Tube the other day, the song Close to Edge to be more specific. I could not believe how much that took me back. I do not think I could ever hear that album too much, for me it is a classic and in my top 10 for sure. I had the pleasure to see Yes perform in the round and for some reason the year escapes me. It was either 1978 or 1979, so if anyone knows it please let me know. It was a different to shoot as the musicians were always moving around. Then there was Jon Anderson dressed head to toe in bright white, a real photographic challenge, anytime he was in the frame it wreaked havoc with the old exposure meter. Those images were crazy difficult to print in the old darkroom days you could get cramps in the shoulders trying to burn that white suit in. With digital and the scanner it is quite a bit easier but still a substantial amount of work with multiple scans and layers for each image. But well worth it. Following is a sample of images from that Yes show of yet to be determined date.

Jon Anderson - Yes

Jon Anderson, Chris Squire - Yes

Jon Anderson - Yes

Steve Howe, Jon Anderson - Yes

Jon Anderson - Yes

Chris Squire, Jon Anderson - Yes

my favorite singers?

I was conversing with my youngest daughter the other day when she asked me who my favorite singer was. I thought awhile and realized I did not really have just one favorite. I tried to simplify the task and asked her if she was looking for my male or female favorite. I thought for sure she would say female, thinking she would favour that gender as she is one. Of course not, she said both. Now I had to find two favorites. I was unable to narrow it down to just one for the males, but I new I had a favourite for the female part of the equation. The selection I gave her for MY favorite female singer was Lisa Dalbello or just Dalbello as she would go by later in her career. Of course the name Dalbello garnered my nothing but a blank stare of confusion. Now of course I have the thrill of exposing her to some awesome albums in my collection. below you will see a variety of shots fro earlier in the Lisa Dalbello career as I had the great opportunity and experience to spend some time with and shoot her on three separate occasions a great performer and an equally gracious person. I wish I would have had the opportunity to see her live in the mid-eighties when I was a big fan ( I still am). Whomanfoursays was and still is and incredible album I spent many hours with the headphones on listening to the wonderful sounds, textures and vocals and it never gets old. If you ever have the opportunity to get and really listen to this album you will not be disappointed. Enjoy the photos and the video links for a couple of my favorite songs. Next up... some favourite male singers?

Lisa Dalbello - 1978, The Refinery

Lisa dalbello - 1978, The Refinery

Lisa Dalbello - 1978, The Refinery

Lisa Dalbello - 1978, The Refinery

Lisa Dalbello - 1978, The Refinery

Lisa dalbello - 1978, The Refinery

Lisa Dalbello - 1979, Bentley Festival

Lisa Dalbello - 1979, Bentley Festival

Lisa Dalbello - 1979, Bentley Festival

in the beginning... sort of!

Ever since I attended my first concert, T. Rex and Blue Oyster Cult I was hooked on live music. My second show which was Foghat at the Jubilee Auditorium in 1977 was my first experience at being close to the stage and I never wanted to be in the back again. There is something about being up close to the action that enhances the live experience. There is an energy that just seems to diminish the further back you go. Soon after that I got my first camera and really wanted to try and capture that live action on film so I could look back and remember what it was like. The first show I took my new camera to was Kiss and Cheap Trick. When I track down those images I will put some up for viewing, although I was not up front and had no idea what I was doing it was all fun. Led Zeppelin was my next adventure and I travelled to Seattle in 1977 with my new 200mm lens in tow. The Kingdome was packed outside when we arrived and I somehow managed to be unchecked as I passed through the security with my camera. I WAS IN! Some others were not so lucky, apparently cameras were not allowed. Who knew. It was the concert event of a lifetime there I was with my camera and my rock idols on stage in front of me. I think I was shaking so much from excitement at the start of the show I didn't even bother to look through the camera. I was 17 years old and this band was everything to me. Heaven would not have measured up. The greatest band in the world, 20,000 people, three sets, an awesome tour shirt  and I got pictures. Life was good. Here is a little taste. Put on a little Physical Graffiti and enjoy.

Led Zeppelin Ticket Stub 1977

John Paul Jones, John Bonham, Pobert Plant, Jimmy Page
Led Zeppelin, 1977 Seattle Kingdome

John Bonham and Jimmy Page
Led Zeppelin, 1977 Seattle Kingdome

John Bonham, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant
Led Zeppelin, 1977 Seattle Kingdome

Robert Plant, John Bonham, Jimmy Page
Led Zeppelin, 1977 Seattle Kingdome

Robert Plant
Led Zeppelin, 1977 Seattle Kingdome

Jimmy Page
Led Zeppelin, 1977 Seattle Kingdome

Jimmy Page, Robert Plant
Led Zeppelin, 1977 Seattle Kingdome

a special thanks

I would like to thank Al Baker who is the creator of the Fans of Prism: The Ron Tabak Era facebook group. He was inspirational in motivating me to really get after the editing of my rock photos. I was contacted by Al asking if I could supply some of my Prism photos to their cause, after going through that process I was energized to see what other treasures I could dig up. I had photographed Prism numerous times and when I was looking through all these Prism photos it occurred to me that probably at least 95% of these images have never really been seen by anyone. Not really even by me. So the search was on. Thanks Al for the kick start to reviving the rock images that were such a huge and thrilling part of my life. If you are a Prism fan please check out the group page Al has created join up and enjoy some Prism. If you don't know about the Ron Tabak Era all the more reason to jump on board and discover. Here is a little look at some Prism for you.

Ron Tabak - Prism, 1978 Palace Theatre

Allen Harlow - Prism, 1978 Palace Theatre

Ron Tabak - Prism, 1978 Palace Theatre

Lindsay Mitchell - Prism, 1978 Palace Theatre

Ron Tabak, Lindsay Mitchell - Prism, 1979 Alberta Jam

Ron Tabak - Prism, 1979 Alberta Jam

Ron Tabak - Prism, 1979 Alberta Jam

the introduction

Well at long last, after many many hours of editing and scanning, it is time to launch the hope photography classic rock blog. Numerous people have asked me over the years about the rock images and I finally took the plunge to dust off those neg files, grab the loupe and the light table and go through them frame by frame. No small feat I must say. The great memories came flooding back as fired up the old turntable and spun some vinyl as I relived the old concerts through that small magnifier. I will bring some of the highlights of the shows to the blog and put a more thorough look at the concerts on the rock website when it gets completed so you can have a more in depth look at what I saw. Perhaps you were there as well and the images will spark your memory. I would encourage you to contact me with your memories of past concerts and bands or with requests to see something. I may have shot it ... you never know. So sit back and have a look, enjoy and tell your rock n roll friends to come on by.

Led Zeppelin 1977, Seattle Kingdome