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Kirk West is probably best known as the long-time tour manager, archivist, and photographer for the Allman Brothers Band– but before that he spent many years shooting many other musical legends while living in Chicago. Many of those images laid dormant for decades, and now with time on his hands since his 2010 retirement from ABB, the amazing images have now come to light– and many of them are stunning in their honest, fly-on-the-wall, honest energy. Being a lover of the Blues, I was instantly strike by many of his images of legends in a bygone time that I’d love to step back into.
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1978 — Blues guitar great, Johnny Winter at Chicago’s Park West theatre –Image by © Kirk West There’s a famous story about a time in 1962 when Johnny and his brother went to see B.B. King at a Beaumont club called the Raven. The only whites in the crowd, they no doubt stood out. But Johnny already had his chops down and wanted to play with the revered B.B.”I was about 17,” Johnny remembers, “and B.B. didn’t want to let me on stage at first. He asked me for a union card, and I had one. Also, I kept sending people over to ask him to let me play. Finally, he decided that there enough people who wanted to hear me that, no matter if I was good or not, it would be worth it to let me on stage. He gave me his guitar and let me play. I got a standing ovation, and he took his guitar back!” via
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1985 — Late guitar great, Stevie Ray Vaughan at the Chicago Blues Fest –Image by © Kirk West From Guitar World Magazine ’85 — “Vaughan remembered something that came from Johnny Winter, the first white Texas blues guitar hero, who’d preceded him down the long path. ‘He said something to me when the first record was doing so well,’ Stevie Ray recalled. ‘It made me feel a lot of respect for what we did, for the music. He said that he wanted me to know that people like Muddy Waters and the cats who started it all really had respect for what we’re doing, because it made people respect them. We’re not taking credit for the music. We’re trying to give it back.’” I dig that attitude– doing what you love, and doing it well– to give back to those who cam before you– and the music as a whole. You don’t hear enough talk like that these days. That’s real heart and soul right there.
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1978– Johnny Winter, Bob Margolin, & Muddy Waters at Harry Hope’s, Cary IL where they recorded Muddy “Mississippi” Waters – Live –Image by © Kirk West. During early live performances, Johnny Winter would often recount about how, as a child, it was dream of his to one day play with the great blues guitarist Muddy Waters. In 1977 Winter’s his manager creating Blue Sky Records to be distributed through Columbia, Winter now had the opportunity to bring Waters into the studio for Hard Again. The album became a best-seller, with Winter producing and playing back-up guitar on the set that included Waters, and the legendary James Cotton on harmonica. Winter produced two more studio albums for Muddy Waters – I’m Ready (this time featuring Walter Horton on harmonica) and King Bee. The partnership produced Grammy Awards, a best-selling live album (Muddy “Mississippi” Waters Live), and Winter’s own Nothin’ But the Blues, on which he was backed by members of Muddy Waters’ band.
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STEVE MCQUEEN REMEMBERED | FORMER LOVER, FELLOW RACER
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1960 Lime Rock Nationals– Denise McCluggage sits on the grid while SCCA gets things straight.
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Back in 1955 or so, a young Denise McCluggage had a chance encounter with a then unknown Steve McQueen which led to a brief affair and a long-lasting friendship. They would be separated by their own career ambitions, and the many demands and erratic schedules that come with the territory. That said, McCluggage managed to stay in touch over the years. She herself would go on to become a legend in the world of auto racing– a renowned driver, writer, and photographer for over 50 yrs. McCluggage has won trophies around the world and raced for Porsche, Jaguar, Lotus, Mini Cooper, Alfa, Elva, OSCA, Volvo, among others. In 1961 she won the grand touring category at Sebring in a Ferrari 250 GT, and in 1964 McCluggage scored a class win in the Rallye de Monte Carlo for Ford. She shared her remembrances of McQueen and their relationship years after his passing, published in AutoWeek magazine back in 1981. She recalls a young, lean McQueen who was already obsessed with cars and racing, who swept her off her feet with his searing looks, charm and well… incongruity, as she puts it.
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1955, Steve McQueen as he looked back in the day, running around the Village w/ Denise McCluggage – Image by © Roy Schatt
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Shortly after our reunion he had sidled up next to me and whispered in my ear: “I’m falling in love all over again,” and given me the full brunt of the smile. My response had been an instantaneous hoot of laughter. –Denise McCluggage
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The epic tales of Miles Davis and his need for speed have been on heavy rotation again lately, as they are just too damn good to die. I mean, who splits their Lambo Miura on the West Side Highway, and screams at a good samaritan responder for dumping two bags of blow for him before the cops show up? Both ankles were crushed and all Miles wants to do is jump out to see how busted-up his ride is. Cocaine is a helluva drug. The love of cars can be a vice all its own, and Miles had it bad from early on.
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Miles Davis, Red Ferrari, New York City, 1969 – Image by © Baron Wolman
Miles Davis And His Mercedes 190SL:
“…In 1955 Miles Davis dragged his quintet into the Prestige Records studio and recorded five albums in a row for the purpose of satisfying his obligations to the label. Although Davis himself had turned away from the worst of his heroin addiction, his crew was all hooked on something — from John Coltrane, who had conspicuous tracks up both his arms, to ‘Philly’ Joe Jones, who showed up to the session with just one drum and a hi-hat because he’d pawned the rest to get high — and nobody could have predicted that the group would settle down and turn out some of the greatest music in recorded history.
Miles hated Prestige. They famously paid $300 a record and didn’t seem to be familiar with the concept of residuals. The moment he had a chance to jump the fence to Columbia, he did so, and celebrated by buying a Mercedes 190SL with pretty much all the money he had at the time.
A new 190SL cost about four grand — easily four times what Davis had just cleared on the Prestige session — and it was not exactly a rapid automobile. Most of them wheezed perhaps 85 horsepower back to the swing-axled rear wheels to push the 2600lb mass. The real hot ride was the 300SL, famous today as the ‘Gullwing’ but far more popular as a convertible back in the day, but Miles would have had a hard time buying one and a harder time keeping it maintained.
Miles eventually fell in with the fast crowd, which included the Baroness Pannonica ‘Nica’ de Koenigswarter-Rothschild. She rolled in a Bentley, and she was well known among the community. PIanist Hampton Hawes recalls:
Thelonius Monk and his wife and Nica and I driving down Seventh Avenue in the Bentley at three or four in the morning… and Miles pulling alongside in the Mercedes, calling through the window in his little hoarse voice… ‘Want to race?’ Nica nodding, then turning to tell us in her prim British tones, ‘This time I believe I’m going to beat the Mother F#cker.’”
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Miles Davis, Red Ferrari, New York City, 1969 – Image by © Baron Wolman
“That photo of Miles Davis and his red Ferrari (275 GTB) was taken on New York’s West Side Highway in 1969. We had just shot some portraits in his apartment near Central Park. He said he wanted to go to Gleason’s Gym to work out. He was am amateur boxer, as you probably know. Anyhow, we’re driving along and I said, ‘Miles, pull over. Let’s do some shots of you and this totally cool car.’ He said ‘yes’, we did, and then proceeded to the gym where he threatened to knock me out.” –Baron Wolman
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Hitchcock. Are you kidding me? Oh, hells yes. I will see this. Based on Stephen Rebello’s 1990 classic Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho – a literary deep-dive into Hitch’s low-budget (intentionally budgeted and shot for under $1M because he wanted to one-up the B-movie movement of that time…), black & white (because Hitch knew the film would simply be too damn gory for viewers and censors alike if shot in color…) menacing masterpiece. Scheduled for release on the big screen sometime in 2013 — and starring Sir Anthony Hopkins. You’ve got time, so I recommend that you bone-up now and check out the book beforehand. It’s a great read for Hitchcock (and classic cinema) fans.
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Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller “Psycho” was covertly referred to as “Production 9401″ or “Wimpy” — the name Wimpy coming from cameraman, Rex Wimpy, who appeared on clapboards, production sheets, and studio stills. Cast and crew (Hitch borrowed his same crew from his TV series, “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”) were forced to raise their right hand and sworn not to utter a word about the film. Hitchcock even guardedly withheld the climactic ending from the cast all the way up until it was actually shot. via
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Alfred Hitchcock had a vacant cast chair marked “Mrs. Bates” placed eerily on the set of his 1960 “Psycho” throughout shooting, and even falsely reported to the press that he was auditioning for the role of Mrs. Bates to further add to the mystery around the film. – Image by © Sunset Boulevard/Corbis
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Actress Janet Leigh and Director Alfred Hitchcock on the set of his chilling 1960 masterpiece, “Psycho”. The much-talked-about Janet Leigh bra scenes had a definite method to their mammory madness. In the film, prior to swiping 40K for her lover, the bra is white– symbolzing innocence. After the dirty deed, the bra is black– symboling her crossing over to the dark side. Same with her purse…
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A young Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates, the role that dogged him for the rest of his acting career. When asked decades later if he would have turned down the role in retrospect, he noted that he’d absolutely do it all over again. “Pyscho” had many bird references– for example, Norman Bates was into stuffing birds (taxidermy, people…), Janet Leigh’s character was named Marion Crane, etc. “The Birds” would be Hitchcock’s next film.
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Tonight 5/31 is Round 3 of the Hammarhead x Dunderdon collaboration event — the last in a 3 week series of Thursday nights at the Dunderdon SoHo shop. James will be finishing up the 2008 Triumph Bonneville that has been Hammarhead-ed to perfection each week at Dunderdon. In addition to the bike, there is the product collaboration to admire and shop– the deerskin welding jacket is getting a shit ton of raves. Click-through to check out photos from week #2, and come to the Dunderdon SoHo shop on Howard Street tonight to see the completed Hammarhead Industries bike.
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Hammarhead Triumph bike build — Photo courtesy of Hammarhead Industries and Shaun Castillon
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Tonight 5/24 is Round 2 of the Hammarhead x Dunderdon collaboration event — the second in a 3 week series of Thursday nights at the Dunderdon SoHo shop. James will be working away on the 2008 Triumph Bonneville that is being morphed before our eyes into an original Hammarhead Industries creation live at Dunderdon. In addition to the bike, there is the incredible product collaboration with one of a kind pieces– my favorite being this amazing deerskin welding jacket that James and Dunderdon designed based on an old relic of a photo. They were taken by the clean, honest construction and simple lines of the piece and how functional and timeless it was, not just for welding and grinding and such– but also for a blast around the block on your bike. What I like is that all the pieces of the collection is that they clearly have utility in mind, are no nonsense in design, yet the materials and trim are extremely durable and over-engineered, reminding me of the Hammarhead Industries bikes themselves.
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J77(HHI) Welder’s Jacket
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“Shooting the motorcycle stuff really changed the way that I saw what I did as a photographer.”
–Scott Pommier
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Friend Scott Pommier recently shot Motto Guzzi motorcycle’s 2012 ad campaign — and it looks amazing. The usually stoic Canadian gets a little sappy in this behind the scenes video — talking about his early days shooting skateboard stuff for Thrasher Magazine (Scott’s a helluva skateboarder, btw.) and how getting busted on a shoot by the cops who impounded all his equipment and car for a month (LA’s finest) led to him getting a motorcycle and his passion for bikes and riding. I love it — check it out. And the photography? Well, it’s classic Scott Pommier. Spot-on as always.
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Backstage film shot and edited by Stefano Righi
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Scott Pommier photography for Moto Guzzi Motorcycle’s 2012 ad campaign, Art Director Luca Eremo
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Scott Pommier photography for Moto Guzzi Motorcycle’s 2012 ad campaign, Art Director Luca Eremo
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It was a great night at the Hammarhead x Dunderdon collaboration event — the first in a 3 week series of Thursday nights at the Dunderdon SoHo shop. In speaking with James Hammarhead about his bikes and design ethos, I was struck by this over-riding Germanic sense in his DNA that translates directly to his incredible bikes — strong, spare, focused, and above all functional. We cut the conversation when an internal clock in James’ head triggered that it was now time to get to business. He assembled the Hammarhead crew and the naked 2008 Triumph Bonneville, that will be morphed over the next 3 weeks into an original Hammarhead Industries creation, was wheeled-out right onto the sidewalk where James went to work cutting and cleaning-up the frame. James admitted that the design is more or less unfolding organically as the event and bike literally come to life over the the next few weeks at Dunderdon. It’s important to James that his work and his bikes be accessible, so he works hard to keep the price range to 15K-20K. In building a bike of this caliber at that cost it forces you to make everything count and to forgo the superfluous. Every inch of a Hammarhead Industries motorcycle is built with purpose in mind — bottom line. The result is an honest and capable motorcycle built for a rider, not a sissy-ass showroom.
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Hammarhead x Dunderon collaboration unveiled in SoHo, NYC — Image by Hammarhead Industries
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2008 Triumph Bonneville selected for this Hammarhead build — Image by Hammarhead Industries
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James Hammarhead lets sparks fly outside on the sidewalk outside of Dunderdon’s SoHo shop as he pares down the 2008 Triumph Bonneville’s frame — Image by Hammarhead Industries
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The Hammarhead x Dunderdon collaboration events start tonight, I’m checking it out. Hope to see you there. It’ll be cool to see the bike build unfold over the next 3 Thursdays. Spirits provided by our friends at Art In The Age and beer by Sixpoint Brewery.
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WHAT: Over the span of 3 weeks in May, Hammarhead Industries will design and fabricate a custom motorcycle at Dunderdon NYC.
WHEN: 6-9PM, Thursdays – May 17, 24, 31
WHERE: DUNDERON 25 Howard Street, New York, NY 10013
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The iconic Playboy Bunny is a symbol of the fabulous swinging era of the ’60s & ’70s that Hugh Hefner honed to a razor sharp point in the form of a fuzzy cotton tail that adorned the hostess Bunnies in his famous (or infamous) Playboy clubs that cropped-up around the world. From the pages of the Ex Playboy Bunnies Website (with its trove of photos, btw) is an official hand-typed “The Playboy Club Bunny Manual” which strictly dictates the duties, demeanor, and personal presentation expected of Playboy Bunnies at all times. They were not messing around– this was a buttoned-up operation (on paper at least) that was focused on keeping the Playboy mystique and allure alive– and the Playboy Bunnies were definitely the faces and tails of the Playboy brand.
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Keith Richards (background, upper right…) and the Rolling Stones paying a visit to the Playboy Club.
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The original Playboy Bunnies proudly showing their most precious and proudest asset– their iconic bunny tail. The bunnies had to keep their tails cleaned, brushed, perfumed, and impeccable at all times.
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It was a lot of fun and a great honor to be interviewed by Chicago Tribune writer Wendy E. Donahue for a denim story called Jeaneology that ran in last Sunday’s print edition and online. Denim is near & dear to my heart, and the love affair started a long time back, as I mentioned in a previous post–
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“I was in 5th or 6th grade, 10 years old, when I started making my own money. I’d go with my Mom on the weekends to the restaurant where she was working at the time out at little ol’ Litchfield Airport in Arizona. The place was called Barnstorm Charlies. I’d bus tables there, re-stock, clean-up, help out in the kitchen– whatever they needed. It made me feel independent, and like I had something to offer the world. I worked hard and didn’t complain– I was proud to have a job, and wanted to be the best employee I could be.
With my hard-earned little fistful of cash, the first thing I remember buying was a pair of Levi’s 501s. I still recall heading to the local Smitty’s, going through the stiff stacks of shrink-to-fits looking for my size, doing the shrinkage calculations printed on the Levi’s tag in my head, holding that dark, rigid denim in my hands– and feeling a wonderful inner glow that’s hard to explain. It was the birth of an intense Levi’s ritual that is still a part of my life.”
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1969, Santa Rosa– Tony Aeillo and Austin Hall (a still from– 49 Year Ride – Generations on the Road)
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Another great short film by Marc Bencivenga called 49 Year Ride – Generations on the Road. Steve Leandro of S&J Motorcycles opens up about coming up in the motorcycle scene when he was young, his shop and love of bikes, and passing the torch on to his grandson Zak who he’s able to share his love of bikes and builbing with. Marc also shot another great short– A Prayer For Cool which we featured on TSY a while back. Enjoy.
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Steve Leandro’s grandson Zak who clearly already has been bitten by the bike bug.
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Good friend Scott Toepfer shot some amazing images for the TSY x PRPS x TRIUMPH Blackbird limited edition jean were all the buzz at the event held at Fast Ashley’s Studios in Brooklyn, NY. Those of you poor souls who were unable to attend deserve a gander too because they are that good. Looking forward to doing this again!
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The Black Flag tribute on the helmet is simply strips of everyday black electrical tape. Brilliant. Blackbird event original image by © Scott Toepfer photography
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TSY x PRPS x Triumph Motorcycles limited edition Blackbird 14 oz jean — Blackbird event original image by © Scott Toepfer photography
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The Blackbird event– a collaboration between TSY, PRPS, TRIUMPH, and friend & photographer Scott Toepfer in celebration of denim & machine. The Blackbird jean was inspired by the 1953 Triumph Blackbird. Handmade of super rigid & raw 14 oz Japanese denim– these jeans are not for the faint of heart. The black hardware and Thunderbird (tail) inspired stitching on the back pocket pay homage to the iconic motorcycle. The event was held on 4/13, as only 13 pairs of the Blackbird jean were made. Why 13 pairs? As a tribute to “The Wild One” starring Marlon Brando, that was based on the epic motorcycle clubs– 13 Rebels and The Boozefighters. Anywho– it was a helluva night! Thank you to Fast Ashley’s and everyone who came out! You winners out there that have my babies– please keep me posted on how they’re wearing, and send postcards & photos to info@selvedgeyard.com !
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The Blackbird jean hangtag blown up poster-size for the event at Fast Ashley’s Studios in Brooklyn –photo by The Vintagent
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The scene outside on The TSY Blackbird event at Fast Ashley’s Studios in Brooklyn – yep– lots of bikes, Triumphs, a Ducati or two and plenty of other nice rides. Donwan Harrell of PRPS even drove his 440 6-pack Road Runner! –photo by The Vintagent
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The iconic bike that inspired it all– the 1953 Triumph Blackbird at Fast Ashley’s Studios in Brooklyn –photo by The Vintagent
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Just a friendly reminder that the event is this Friday evening. We will be shutting down RSVP sign-up promptly at NOON, Thursday 4/12. The response has been incredible, thanks to all who are coming, and sign up now if you haven’t already. There will be beer by The Brooklyn Brewery and spirits generously provided by our friends at Art in the Age. A taco truck will mosey on over and park outside Fast Ashley’s for your convenience. We’ll be giving away some goodies as well. Look forward to seeing you there!
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I hope to see you all there for what will be an epic night. A night that was born many months ago when Donwan (of PRPS) and I decided to collaborate on a limited edition jean run of 13 pairs of badass jeans for The Selvedge Yard called the Blackbird. What was the inspiration? The iconic ’53 Triumph Blackbird motorcycle, a sexy-as-all-hell Thunderbird offered for the first time ever by Triumph in all black. Also– the 13 Rebels MC, who inspired 1951′s The Wild One starring Marlon Brando who rode his own Triumph bike in the film. The Blackbird jean is handmade in Japan from the best selvedge denim you can get your hands on – 14oz raw chunky goodness that may out-live us all.
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When people speak of architectural photography, these two images always come up as arguably the most iconic and moving of all. You may not know the photographer’s name, you may not know the architect– but if you’ve ever seen these images and appreciate both photography & architecture, they are most likely seared on your mind’s eye.
Julius Shulman was a photographer for 70+ yrs, capturing some of the world’s most amazing structures and spaces ever created by man. He set the standard that others now strive to reach, and when they can’t– they may simply stage or frame a shot using his famous works like a proven template as homage and acknowledgement that it just doesn’t get any better. Shulman brought Mid-Century Modern to the world as much as the legendary architects he worked with. Sought out not just for for his incredible eye– he had an innate ability to understand and interpret the architect’s intent, and tell that story strikingly with laser-like focus. Correction: Shulman didn’t set the standard– he is the standard.
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Architect Richard Neutra’s “other” Kaufmann House built in Palm Springs, 1946– the first being Fallingwater, and yes– Frank Lloyd Wright’s feathers were indeed ruffled over this apparent snub when Pittsburgh department store magnate Edgar J. Kaufmann selected another architect for this project. Published in the LIFE Magazine feature “Glamourized Houses” in 1949. –Image by © Julius Shulman / J.Paul Getty Trust / Julius Shulman photography archive. “No other architect Shulman worked with was as controlling as Neutra. He would look through the viewfinder and adjust the camera, only to have Shulman move it back when he turned his head. Theirs was a battle of egos, of who was in charge of what and whom. This was never more so than when Shulman photographed the Kaufmann House on a 1947 evening. He set up inside as the sun began to fall behind the mountains, but to capture the fleeting dusk he decided to move outdoors. Neutra wanted him to stay put. Shulman ignored him and placed the tripod on the lawn facing west. As the sky darkened, the house glowed. For the next 45 minutes Shulman ran in and out of the glass house, switching lamps on and off, opening and closing the shutter to burn in the light. At the end of the exposure he asked Mrs. Kaufmann to stretch out on the deck. Who wouldn’t want to imagine themselves there? The photograph, its lights and darks forming a thousand shades of gray, the geometric lines of the house set against the jagged range, would become one of Shulman’s two most reproduced works.” –Mary Melton
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