August 2015

Before I became a music photographer, I was into photographing sports. The first time I held a camera in my hands, I was courtside at a Bulls game, standing next to Lew Alcindor of the Milwaukee Bucks (I wish someone got a picture of that!!) He was one of my idols, because he stood for something. He wasn’t just a basketball player- he was a thinking citizen of the world. I have always admired the celebrity that puts his mouth where his money is, (so to speak) and shows the world what he feels. So my heroes were Lew Alcindor (soon to become Kareem Abdul Jabbar) Billie Jean King, and Muhammad Ali. I never photographed Ali, but did photograph the other two.

Ali’s anti war stance cost him years of his career, Billie Jean beat Bobby Riggs in straight sets in 1973, proving that women are equal to (or better than) men.

As we move through 2015, Kareem has become a voice for the black community. Last week, in a beautiful article in Time Magazine, he addresses the candidates for president.

Here is how it starts:

Dear presidential candidates:

With the first anniversary of the killing of Michael Brown this weekend, America needs to know how the tumultuous events of the last year have affected your stance regarding the needs of the black community. In order for African Americans to determine this, please select one of the following that best defines your current philosophy: a) Black Lives Matter, b) Black Votes Matter, c) Black Entertainers and Athletes Matter, d) All of the Above, e) None of the Above.

If you chose anything other than “a,” you probably don’t deserve any votes—black, brown, or white. You might get votes by default of being less bad than the alternatives, but getting votes that way isn’t much of an endorsement of your leadership abilities. And making things better for African Americans in a substantial and meaningful way in this country is going to require an outstanding leader.

Later in the article:

Courage is required in order to speak out in support of “Black Lives Matter.” So many Americans misunderstand the meaning of the phrase that there’s an outraged backlash against it. The popular misinterpretation, encouraged by some politicians seems to be that by saying “Black Lives Matter,” African Americans are seeking special attention. In fact, it’s the opposite. They are seeking their fair share of opportunities without receiving the “special attention” of being profiled, arrested, imprisoned, or killed.

Many of you candidates—including the only black candidate, Ben Carson—have used the more mundane phrase, “All Lives Matters,” which appeases racism deniers. This is cowardly because it completely ignores the problem and panders to the least politically informed constituency. Americans are used to candidates competing to see who can best ingratiate themselves to the demands of reclusive billionaire backers and fringe groups, but this goes too far.

Most Americans are already in agreement that all life matters—it’s just that blacks want to make sure that they are included in that category of “all,” which so many studies prove is not the case. In the future, think of “Black Lives Matter” as a simplified version of “We Would Like to Create a Country in Which Black Lives Matter as Much as White Lives in Terms of Physical Safety, Education, Job Opportunities, Criminal Prosecution, and Political Power.”

The man is brilliant- see the whole article here:

http://time.com/3987886/kareem-abdul-jabbar-black-lives-matter/

Maybe he should run for president rather than the morons that are running now!!

Last year I did a lot of traveling through the south working on a book with my friend Dave Hoekstra about Soul Food and the Civil Rights Movement (Coming out in October). While driving through many southern states (Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina) we were amazed by all of the confederate flags proudly flying.

This year, nine people were killed in a church in Charleston, SC, and the move started to ban the confederate flag. It is interesting to see how the music world treats the issue. In 1985, Tom Petty recorded an album, and produced a tour called Southern Accents. The backdrop for the tour was a giant Confederate flag. I thought it was interesting enough to shoot some stage wide shots with the flag.

This summer, after the movement to ban the Confederate flag from South Carolina, Tom wrote an article for Rolling Stone about the stage design.

The Confederate flag was the wallpaper of the South when I was a kid growing up in Gainesville, Florida. I always knew it had to do with the Civil War, but the South had adopted it as its logo. I was pretty ignorant of what it actually meant. It was on a flagpole in front of the courthouse and I often saw it in Western movies. I just honestly didn’t give it much thought, though I should have.

The Confederate flag became part of the marketing for the tour. I wish I had given it more thought. It was a downright stupid thing to do.

It is interesting to see how the music world saw the issue.

The Drive-By Truckers’ Patterson Hood called for a reclamation and celebration of Southern heritage, minus the Confederate battle flag and all it represents, in an insightful, biographical essay for The New York Times Magazine. He said:

“If we want to truly honor our Southern forefathers, we should do it by moving on from the symbols and prejudices of their time and building on the diversity, the art and the literary traditions we’ve inherited from them,” Hood wrote, adding: “It’s time to quit rallying around a flag that divides. And it is time for the South to — dare I say it? — rise up and show our nation what a beautiful place our region is, and what more it could become.”

Then there is Kid Rock:

The National Action Network’s Michigan chapter protested outside the Detroit Historical Museum, which houses a Kid Rock exhibit, demanding that the rocker stop displaying the Confederate flag, Deadline Detroit reports. In a statement to Fox News’ Megyn Kelly, Kid Rock relayed his message to those upset in his native Detroit: “Please tell the people who are protesting to kiss my ass/Ask me some questions.”

Yesterday, I met a true American hero! I spent the day with Andrea Hazzard on her farm in Pecatonica, Il. She is a 5 foot tall bundle of energy who grows (and harvests) grain for bakeries in Illinois and beyond.

She has been a farmer all her life (along with her brothers and dad) and wants to keep the traditions of farming alive for generations to come. She is researching  and growing ancient grains (from Russia, Turkey and many other countries)

and working with some bakeries in Chicago (most notably  Hewn in Evanston, Il. ) to produce some of the best bread on the planet. Her commitment to the land and the future  is heartwarming and needs to be brought to the attention of the people that are buying that great bread!!

It started out as a corner bar just like Cheers if Norm rode a Harley and Cliff was in a heavy metal band. Then a friend of the owners asked if he could cook lunch and dinner in the small kitchen in the back. He made some really great food- I think I was the only person that ate it!!

One day Mike, the owner suggested that they start making hamburgers named after heavy metal bands and the rest was history. Lines down the block and “best burger in Chicago” in many publications nation wide.

One of my greatest achievements was obtaining VIP access (first available table).

This week Kuma’s celebrated their 10th anniversary. Next week their 4th location opens in

Indianapolis. I am proud to have my pictures hanging on the walls of all four of them.

The party was great on Saturday- street blocked off and six hours of live metal music. Food trucks were brought in so that the employees could party rather than work. People of all ages reveled in the sense of community that a great burger and great beer can bring to a corner of Chicago.

Hopefully there will be 10 more years, and  many more after that!!

It is very seldom these days that a magazine puts together a single issue that is filled with amazing writing from start to finish. Even more amazing is a spots magazine that has an entire image and does not have a single article in it that describes a sporting event. Last weeks Sports Illustrated fit that bill.

The cover story is on Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks and tries to explain the psychology of how a professional team recovers from a disastrous play call in the final minute of the biggest game of the year (possibly causing them to lose the Super Bowl). It is a fascinating account of the year leading up to this season, with that decision weighing on the team, and how the coach helps them forget it. (My personal feeling is that it was a gutsy call that just didn’t work. Trying something else (the obvious) might not have worked either).

The first article in the magazine is about Zach Greinke, possibly the best pitcher in baseball, who didn’t want to be a pitcher, because he can only pitch every four games and has to sit around the rest of the time with nothing to do.

Another great article is about Shaka Smart, the new coach at Texas, who, a few years ago took VCU, a pretty much unknown school to the final four with his amazing motivational coaching, and got the big money to coach at Texas..

He labels the five days of practice as:

Appreciation Monday

Enthusiasm Tuesday

Unselfishness Wednesday

Teamship Thursday

Accountability Friday

(on appreciation Monday, each must demonstrate non-verbal appreciation to someone that day- a hug, a smile- and report back!!

They save the best for last. 25 years ago, H.G. Bissinger wrote the seminal book on high school football, Friday night Lights. On it’s anniversary, he travels back to Texas to find five of the guys he wrote about a quarter of a century ago. It is heartbreaking to read about what has become of these high school heroes. His description of  waiting in the visitors room in prison for Boobie Miles to come out to meet him is heartbreaking- but breathtaking to read.  It is fascinating how these guys were the heroes who won the state championship, and have now become loners. Makes you wonder!

The magazine ends with a column by the magnificent Steve Rushin, ruminating on his bucket list of activities is hilarious.

Buy a hammock. Check.

Oblige a crowd of children chanting Can-Non-Ball. Check.

Eat nachos from a batting helmet. Not yet!

Makes me smile!!