On the Shelf
Topic: Punk
By Maggie St. Thomas, $49
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Maggie St. Thomas had an uncommon childhood that led to a lifetime of documenting uncommon moments in punk rock historical past.
As a 6-year-old, St. Thomas used to exit on college nights and hang around at seedy music venues along with her dad to look at bands like Motörhead and TSOL. In 1991, when she was in sixth grade, she casually picked up a digicam to shoot a political rally at Los Angeles Metropolis Corridor, the place L7 and Pink Scorching Chili Peppers have been performing. St. Thomas says that is the second she found her ardour for pictures, and over the following few many years, her life grew to become consumed by punk rock reveals and movie rolls.
The SoCal native went on to shoot revered acts just like the Ramones, Johnny Thunders, and Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead, capturing many personal moments with musicians off stage too. St. Thomas has compiled these and numerous extra photos in her newest e-book, “Subject: Punk,” a set and chronicle of her punk rock pictures from the ‘90s to the present. The book, which published its second edition in October, also includes music journalism narratives and past interviews that the punk rock photographer conducted with musicians like Wayne Kramer of MC5, Markie and Johnny Ramone of the Ramones, and many others.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
The Ramones at the KROQ Weenie Roast in Irvine in 1995.
(Maggie St. Thomas)
Your latest book, “Subject: Punk,” captures your photography in the SoCal punk scene from the ‘90s to present day. Despite all the great bands you were capturing in the early ‘90s, your dream was to ultimately shoot the Ramones. What did that moment mean to you when it finally happened?
When it finally happened, it was June 17, 1995. I’ll always remember that day. I nonetheless have the T-shirt that they signed, I haven’t washed it, and I’ve solely worn it on a pair particular events since. It was every thing to me — seeing the Ramones at a really early age, watching “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School” on TV. I bear in mind my dad saying, “Make sure you’re in before the streetlights come on because ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll High School’ is going to be on.” I had no concept what to anticipate, I bear in mind watching it and I used to be identical to, “Oh, my gosh, these guys are incredible,” so it was every thing to me, completely. After I photographed the Ramones, Rage In opposition to the Machine, Gap, White Zombie and Elegant have been on the identical invoice. It was large. Through the Ramones’ set, I assumed, “OK, I can die happy now, I did what I wanted to do in life.” I selected to have a look at it like a calling and pursue it. I’m so grateful I’m nonetheless right here — I’ve lived so many lives since 1995.
You finally grew to become near Arturo Vega, the Mexican graphic designer and artist who created the Ramones’ iconic emblem and who is understood by followers as “the fifth Ramone.” What was your relationship like, and the way did he assist your work?
A crowd surfer on the now-closed Showcase Theatre in Corona 1996.
(Maggie St. Thomas)
Your e-book describes how attention-grabbing your childhood was. Whereas different youngsters have been having bedtime tales learn to them at night time, you have been at music venues together with your dad watching acts like Motörhead, Johnny Thunders and TSOL. How instrumental was your dad in cultivating your ardour for music and sparking your work as a photographer?
Extraordinarily. I went all over the place with him, and it was a unique childhood, I’ll say that. And the factor is, whenever you’re a child and you’re introduced up a sure manner, I figured all people did that till I noticed they didn’t. It was a really completely different life from what most youngsters have been residing. I bear in mind once I noticed Lemmy Kilmister in 2006, whereas we have been doing a portrait that will be featured within the e-book. I shared with him that I noticed Motörhead in live performance once I was 6 years outdated. Lemmy gave me a thumbs up and stated, “That’s true rock ‘n’ roll.”
The day that every thing clicked — it occurred at a really early age, and I’m so grateful for that. Sixth grade, I ditched college that day and I went with my dad. He was going to doc some L.A. present; that’s all I knew. I simply didn’t need to go to highschool and I went with him in his 1984 El Camino, and we went to L.A. Metropolis Corridor for a rally. The Pink Scorching Chili Peppers performed, L7 performed, I used to be proper up entrance, you couldn’t get any nearer, and I had an 8-millimeter digicam. My dad was filming, documenting the occasion, and I used to be only a sixth-grader, bright-eyed like, wow. That was such an unbelievable second, wanting behind me and seeing 1000’s of individuals after which there I’m. How can college examine with that?
After this huge second, this realization that this was your calling, who have been among the first bands that you simply began taking pictures?
Properly, shortly after in 1992, I photographed Dr. Timothy Leary with my dad at Chapman College, after which in 1993 I began taking pictures on the Hong Kong Cafe [in L.A.] these anarchy, crustcore punk bands. Different bands I used to be taking pictures at Hong Kong Cafe included MDC and Whole Chaos.
Maggie St. Thomas
(Courtesy of Maggie St. Thomas)
What was it like for you as a girl taking pictures bands within the ‘90s, when concert photography was much more male-dominated than it is today?
It still is very much well-dominated by men today. It’s a person’s world regardless of the way you slice it, and being a girl within the area — I’m positive as you’ll be able to relate — there are challenges. It was tough then and it nonetheless is tough in some methods. In my experiences, I’ve discovered that ladies oftentimes need to work tougher than males to be taken critically, not simply in pictures, however in any occupation.
What recommendation do you’ve for different girls who need to get into this and navigate this surroundings to do live performance pictures?
You’ve received to have thick pores and skin, you’ve received to essentially be decided, and also you’ve received to imagine in your self. I didn’t have prestigious colleges behind me. After I received into this, I used to be studying as I went, and this was the time of movie, which is way more unforgiving than digital. I’ve so many rolls of movie the place there’s stills of blurs and underneath exposures, and overexposed photos, however I stored on taking pictures. You’ve received to essentially imagine in your self, even when it’s solely you, as a result of it’s nice when you’ve an viewers and the assist of individuals applauding you telling you the way nice you’re, however that isn’t all the time there, and that isn’t the way you develop. So, you’ve received to essentially imagine in your self and all the time maintain shifting ahead.
X performs at Pacific Amphitheatre in 2024.
(Maggie St. Thomas)
“Subject: Punk” chronicles the evolution of the SoCal punk scene by means of the many years, however how is that this e-book greater than only a assortment of photographs, and what does it symbolize to you?
To me it represents coronary heart and soul. This e-book wasn’t simple to place collectively in any respect. I had quite a bit going towards me, however I additionally had quite a lot of assist from some fairly superb folks. The artists who’re featured on the quilt are artists who completely supported me by means of this: Exene Cervenka of X, Lou Koller of Sick of It All, Corey Parks, she performed with Die’ Hunns and Nashville Pussy, Gina Volpe of the Lunachicks, and, after all, the spirit of the best band ever, the Ramones. I put every thing into this e-book — it’s coronary heart, it’s soul, it’s tears, it’s sweat. “Subject: Punk” isn’t any bulls—, man.
What’s your favourite {photograph} within the e-book?
Each {photograph} I’ve captured of the Ramones will all the time be my favourite, however there are such a lot of others. I have a look at the images on the pages, a few of which have been taken three many years in the past. That’s a part of my youth, what I did rising up, and I’m nonetheless alive, I’m nonetheless right here. There’s lots of people on this e-book that aren’t [alive anymore], and that’s one thing I by no means take as a right, to be alive, and to expertise and see among the fruits of my labor. I’m so extremely grateful to be speaking to you proper now — that’s the best present. I have a look at this e-book like, “Wow, I did it. I actually put this book together.” That quote from Arturo Vega from greater than 20 years in the past is true the place it’s meant to be — within the e-book he all the time advised me I ought to put out — so right here it’s.
“Subject: Punk” e-book cowl
(Courtesy of Maggie St. Thomas)
Aside from the Ramones gig, what was essentially the most memorable present or band you’ve ever shot?
When my mother handed away — that is why I imagine in greater powers and know there’s one thing better than us — I went and noticed Etta James. I introduced my digicam with me, and someway received a photograph cross so I might convey my digicam in. After photographing her unbelievable dwell present, I maneuvered my manner backstage the place she had like 20 guards round her, and I grew to become invisible and received proper as much as her and handed her {a magazine} with my picture work on the quilt — of Lee Rocker and Kitten de Ville. She stated, “Oh, wow, is this for me?” and I used to be thrilled that she needed to maintain it. “Absolutely, Miss Etta James, it is,” I responded, and we had this actual cool dialog, and I snapped some photos of her holding my journal. So a lot of these situations have been so magical the place it’s like, how else do you clarify that? How might I get previous all of these safety folks by myself? There needs to be one thing better than us, ?
What’s the final message you hope folks come away with after studying and seeing your work on this e-book?
My message is that I hope that folks by no means cease making an attempt they usually all the time imagine in themselves. Life can get actually onerous, and it oftentimes does, and also you neglect about these valuable moments, these snapshots of life that change into our little forevers that we maintain pricey and cherish. After I have a look at the e-book, I get blown away, I get very emotional typically as a result of I’m like, “Damn, what a life this person lived” after which I notice, “Hey, this is my life, wow” — it simply hits me completely different typically. Who would have recognized these images I started taking as a youngster can be in a e-book on a complete tradition? No matter you do, no matter you need to be, simply do it, as a result of you’ll be able to. There’s a magic in all of us, and you must imagine in that magic. You don’t ever need to lose it. In order that’s what I hope anybody would get from the e-book.
