BRAD ELTERMAN: Raunchy glimse into rock and roll history.

From DISCOSALT: April 16, 2010

So many photo portfolios to get excited about this week. The latest is Brad Elterman’s photo career which started way back in 1974, when the 16 year old Brad borrowed a friends camera and snapped a shot of Dylan performing on stage. Since then, he’s been riding the gravy train on cheese wheels; one sex, drugs, and rock and roll infused photo feast, where Brad has had the amazing opportunity to photograph just about every rock/ punk/ pop legend to grace the stage and my highschool bedroom walls. From The Faces with our man Rod, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, The Sex Pistols, Devo, Talking Heads, The Runaways, Joan Jett, Kiss, Blondie, the Ramones, The Who, even Sean’s favorite band Abba…the list goes on and on. This guy has serious cred. Dipping his beak into just about every rowdy Hollywood party, Brad has made stellar contributions to magazines like Rolling Stone, Creem, Circus, etc. He was eventually hired to do official publicity photos by major record labels before forming one of the first Los Angeles-based photo agencies, California Features International, Inc. which specialized in providing celebrity coverage to magazines and newspapers worldwide.

Brad’s photos provide a rare, often raunchy glimse into rock and roll history where it seems Brad is always at the right place at the right time, camera ready. There is even a photo of Dylan posing with a young Deniro at The Roxy in 1976! and Brad, by some alignment of the planets, was some kid with a camera. There might be a better chance of quadruplet albinos being born under a solar eclipse, than a cosmic opportunity like that happening again in a young photographers career.

Duran at the Riot House

1981: I was a really big Duran Duran fan. Everything about the band was so cool. I read about them in the European press and of course, I had heard their records all over the radio. A couple of days before their debut showcase at the Roxy, I called up their road manager at the Hyatt House (we used to call it the Riot House) and asked for a photo session. I could have told him I was shooting for Music Life and Rock Show, which were amazing magazines in Japan regularly publishing my work. The band had nothing better to do, so it was arranged and I met them at the hotel pool. They did not have a clue about getting around in Los Angeles; so, I piled them into my old Mercedes and gave them a tour of the Sunset Strip. The photo session was amazing and John Taylor made sure that I was on the guest list for the gig that evening. 

The following year, Andy Taylor got married at the Chateau Marmont Hotel and I just kind of showed up with some friends and joined the bash. Camera in hand, of course.

The Day I Shook The Hand Of Bob Dylan

1976: In every photographer’s career there will always be a photograph that will change your career and possibly your life too. This was the case when I got to meet and photograph Bob Dylan in the dressing room of The Roxy Theatre in 1976.

Ronee Blakley was performing a showcase at The Roxy Theatre on the Sunset Strip. She knew that I adored Dylan and made sure that I was on the guest list. It was not a tip-off but a Come and Enjoy the Show invite. Guess who shows up and takes a seat in the VIP section? 

After the set, Dylan was escorted backstage and I was right behind him. Ronnee made the legendary introduction. Bob was incredibly friendly, remarking that I looked a bit like him! He even gave me a really limp handshake that was not all that impressive; but hey, it was Dylan! Ronee grabbed him and we did this amazing set of photographs. I was in heaven. Bob set up another group shot of him with a new actor named Robert De Niro and a host of other friends that included musician David Blue, actress/singer Lanie Kazan, actresses Martine Getty and Sally Kirkland. I did not have a clue who any of these folks were, but I just shot away!

The Tape Measure

1976: Downtown Los Angeles: Ron Gallela was the first and most infamous American paparazzi; but also a very animated, nice man who befriended me as a young photographer. Ron was a wealth of information about paparazzi photography and he was always willing to share advice and photo ops.

He had been recently drug through a large and expensive legal battle in New York with former first lady, Jackie Onassis. He passionately made it his job to photograph her every day. He would wait at her 5th Ave apartment and follow her into Central Park. Eventually, Jackie had the Secret Service arrest Ron and she dragged him into court. The judge issued a restraining order stating Ron could continue to photograph her in public places, but he had to stay at least 25' from her or he could be jailed. 

The evening this photograph was taken, Jackie O had made a rare trip to Los Angeles to attend a charity party at the Music Center. I was cleared to cover the inside of the event, but I had decided to follow her to her limo. I had learned early on that photos inside these press events were rather boring and not sellable. As I got to her limo I spotted Ron. In the process of making sure he was not violating the court order, he pulled out a rather large tape measure from his camera bag that read "Ron, Keep Your Distance 25'."

This became one of my most valuable exclusive shots. It was published everywhere. When Jackie passed away, TIME ran this photograph inside their cover story. I still speak to Ron from time to time and we often laugh about this photograph. I was so honored to have been included in the Leon Gast documentary chronicling Ron's life and amazing career, "Smash His Camera."

All The Right Ingredients For A Sellable Photograph!

1979: We were all horrified when thirteen-year old model/actress Brooke Shields stuck out her rather large tongue at the photographers at this Blondie party held at Fiorucci in Beverly Hills. This is exactly what the magazine editors wanted: an animated photo of a famous rock star and an international celebrity. The photo was published dozens of times all around the world; and of course, the Japanese went nuts over it. I see Gene at my local deli from time to time.

 

Introduction text from: DISCOSALT

Photo and text from: Brad Elterman offical website: http://www.bradelterman.com