“Light of Day”

In August of 1985, a photograph I took of Bruce Springsteen appeared on the cover of Newsweek. The next day the Chicago Sun Times wrote a small article about me being the photographer who took the picture. In April of 1986, a film was being made in the Chicago area. It was called “Light of Day,” named after a Bruce Springsteen song called “Just Around the Corner to the Light of Day.” The writer and director of the film was Paul Schrader (Writer of “Taxi Driver” among other films).

Mr Schrader, a Bruce Springsteen fan, was given the article and after reading it, asked his assistant to track me down to ask me to meet with him. So the next day, I drove out to the set and met him and learned about the film. It featured Michael J. Fox and Joan Jett as a brother and sister fronting a struggling rock and roll band in Cleveland trying to succeed as their mother (played by Gena Rowlands) lay dying in a hospital bed. He asked me if I wanted to shoot some pictures on the set, and I readily agreed, as Michael J. Fox was one of the biggest stars alive at that time.

April 7th, 1986. This is Michael on stage at the Thirsty Whale, a legendary rock club in Chicago.

April 7th, 1986 This is Michael at the bar of the Thirsty Whale, a legendary rock club in Chicago.

April 7th, 1986. This is Michael with director Paul Schrader on stage at the Thirsty Whale, a legendary rock club in Chicago.

April 7th, 1986. Joan Jett on the set at the Thirsty Whale, a legendary rock club in Chicago.

April 9th, 1986. Joan Jett and Michael J. Fox in back of  the Thirsty Whale, a legendary rock club in Chicago.

Plot point: Joan’s character gets sick of struggling to make it and quits the band to join a heavy metal band. Here she is having her makeup done while Michael watches.

April 9th, 1986. Joan on stage with the heavy metal band.

April 8th, 1986. Every band needs a good publicity shot! Here is the Barbusters shot!

April 11th, 1986. Paul Schrader directing a scene at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago where the band goes to a “real” concert to see how big bands do it. The Fabulous Thunderbirds were the big band.

April 23rd, 1986. During filming, Michael kept on asking me if he was doing the “rock guitarist” thing correctly. At the end of filming in Chicago, he asked me to come to Cleveland for a few days. So, the next morning, I flew to Cleveland! The following morning, in a van and off to Euclid, Ohio to the Euclid Tap for more Barbusters scenes.

April 23rd, 1986. Joan on the set at the Euclid Tap.