How did you get here?

I always get a kick out of the search terms people use to find this site. Most are of course photography-related - and there are a lot that are music or model-related as well. I also get hits for Trashing the Dress and Rock Star and INXS and Lukas Rossi - all of which I'd expect.

But then there are some just plain fun ones! Like all the people searching for a red clawfoot bathtub - who knew it was such a sought after item? I love mine - I mean I did blog about it! But there are dozens of people every month that find this blog, because they're looking for a red tub. This last month I mentioned jack rabbits and mountain lions and I'm now getting hits related to that kind of wildlife. If that's what you're looking for - sorry! All I did was mention them, there's not really much here on either animal. I also get hits for simple modern desk or a variation of that - and yeah, I do have one, but no photos of it posted yet.

But the most interesting to me this month are the searches for "sold rockband.com" or "rockband.com sold for" or "rockband.com domain name." The game was released this month, and the domain name has been splashed all over the media and in their ads, so it's no wonder there's some interest right now. But wow! There are a lot of mighty curious people out there!

Look what I found...

And to zoom in on the interesting part!

Look What I Found in Blender Magazine...

Big News! I sold ROCKBAND.COM

A little over a decade ago, I bought a domain name to help promote some unsigned and indie bands I was working with. At the time it felt like a totally frivolous thing to do. And it was expensive - seventy dollars to reserve the name for just two years! And since it was the mid-nineties, most people had no clue what I'd just bought.

I actually wanted URB.com – since the site was known as Unsigned Rock Bands at the time. But URB.com was taken. So I tried Rock.com – obviously taken. So I sighed, and thought okay, I’ll go with RockBands.com – even though it’s ridiculously long. Conventional thought in the circles I ran in, was that the good domains were three letters long, okay domains were four letters long, and you should never buy a domain with more than five letters. Well guess what? Even RockBands.com was taken. At that point I was convinced ALL the good domains were already taken. So I settled on RockBand.com and figured it was better than UnsignedRockBand.com – at least I had that! But a few weeks later, as I started to talk up the site, I realized RockBand.com was actually a much better name than RockBands.com – it just sounded better. And less than a year later I knew just how smart a purchase it had actually been.

Lots and lots of bands registered, and many sent me their demo CDs. I interviewed the best of them and shot bands in LA and San Diego, and New York. In 2000 some of the bands I shot in NYC put together a tour of the East Coast, and promoted it as the ROCKBAND.COM Tour.

In 2005 CBS launched the TV show, Rock Star, and I launched a new and improved forum on the site to talk about music and bands, and this brand new show. And wow, it really took off! By the end of the season we were known as the best place on the web to get info about the show. In 2006 it got even bigger and better. Good times! And really great people! We threw a big bash in Las Vegas at a major hotel even – so our members could all meet up and party in real life. I got to shoot a photo essay backstage at a taping of Rock Star. Several of the singers on the show started posting on the board after the show ended. It was a total blast! Every single part of it.

And then I got an offer…

Harmonix, the creator of Guitar Hero was developing a new game with MTV and Electronic Arts - set to debut this Christmas – and they were calling it Rock Band. They weren’t interested in the site or the community, they only wanted the name. So I sold it to them!

In 1996 I was convinced that all the good domain names were taken, but guess what? I just registered RockBandLounge.com - it’s longer, but that doesn't bother me anymore, and it’s very descriptive and VERY memorable.

I think I just got lucky again...

If you’d like to read about the reaction at the new RockBandLounge, go here. I announced the deal there last month - but waited to announce it here until after the sale was final.

More Love, More Lovehammers

Wanna step back in time? Check out this photo essay shot earlier this year while Marty Casey and Lovehammers were on tour with INXS. These photos have never been seen before - consider them a holiday gift for hungry Lovehammer fans!



View the rest of the photo session...
http://www.rockbandlounge.com/news/2006-12-lovehammers.asp

Or read my interview with the Lovehammers, from March, 2006.
http://www.rockbandlounge.com/news/2006-12-lovehammers.asp

Hot New Band! Quietdrive!

I got to shoot a really hot new band last night! Quietdrive has a CD out on Epic Records that was produced by Butch Walker - big big deal producer! Their two most popular singles have been downloaded on MySpace a combined 400,000 times. And they're super cute and young - so much fun to shoot. Oh, and I LOVE their music. Their CD has not left my CD player since I got it!

I shot them for ROCKBAND.COM and you can see the rest of the images there, but here's a little taste...





To see the rest of the images, go to:
http://rockband.com/news/2006-10-quietdrive.asp

Ryan Star at the House of Blues in San Diego

The best thing about last night? Ryan’s voice after about the third song. Before that point it was the same voice I heard on Rock Star – but a few songs in, he got looser and fuller and the way he played with the tempo felt less studied and more inspired. We got to see a lot of him this summer, but it was all one song at a time – there’s just something about seeing a full set – the minutes just add up to something entirely different – and great!

So Ryan comes out and the start is fairly low key, and he does the first three or so songs with the keys, then he gets his guitar and that’s when the show got good as far as I’m concerned. I think it’s great how Ryan can fill the stage all by himself, and create a sound that *sounds* bigger than just one guy onstage with one instrument – but if it is only one instrument I’m always going to prefer guitar to keyboards! But my big wish would be to see him with a full band – one of his friends kept pimping the big show in NYC – the homecoming show – and if there’s going to be a full band there it might be worth flying for!

There were times when Ryan would use his feet to pound the floor – an improvised drum! I loved that! Another time he forgot he was tethered to the mic stand and he came out in front and then had to sing doubly loud to make up for it – but he went for it!

As for the songs – I loved them. He played a new song "11:59" and the lyrics go over familiar ground – but Ryan’s spin on a familiar theme is so devoid of cliché, you really believe him. I think he’s gifted lyrically – but it’s the music itself that really gets me. (But I want to hear it with a full band… I know, be happy with what you get, but I really really want to hear it with a full band!)

After the show we went to Stingaree, a nightclub a few blocks away from the HOB - one of Ryan's friends was a regular on ROCKBAND.COM during Rock Star, and so invited us to join them. It's an interesting club with a great rooftop bar, but unfortunately it was raining hard, we didn't spend much time up there - but I would like to go back on a clear night!

At one point I made a comment to Ryan about "shooting him" the next time he's in San Diego or Southern California, and he nodded affirmatively, then he leaned in and half-whispered, "Don't you mean shoe me?" - which make me laugh. It's a running joke on ROCKBAND.COM that Ryan has big feet, and well, you know what that means. It totally cracked me up that he not only knew all about it, but he was also okay with it and saw the humor in it. 'Cause every reference is always made with much affection, I'm sure!

For more reviews of Ryan Star in San Diego, go to:
http://www.rockband.com/forum/topic.asp?topic_id=4457
Or go to the ROCKBAND.COM Ryan Star Lounge!

Juke Kartel at the Viper Room, Hollywood

I thought I *got* Toby Rand. He's cute, he's fun, he's wholesome, he's young, he's talented. Yeah Toby! And I did love him on the Rock Star: Supernova.

But last night? Whoa! I saw Toby with his band - Juke Kartel - and they were phenomenal. You can't help but be turned on when you watch them onstage - all of them. They just burn up the stage. It was amazing.

Toby is a monster. He just slayed the women around me. He has so much talent he never got to show on the TV show. His voice - well I always loved it - but it's better than I knew.

Tommy, the bass player really knows how to play – and how to hold a bass guitar. I loved it when TLee talked about low-slung guitars on Rock Star because it’s a huge deal with me! It’s gotta be low, or it’s just not sexy. And can Tommy play? It was active and vital playing - hard to explain, but he makes the band in some ways. He’s great! And he’s fun. And he’s fun in the way he interacts with Toby and Todd.

Todd is so cute – I love the hair. And I loved the way his guitar sounded. Talk about fullness...

Dale played a guitar solo – so he’s okay in my book! I was mere inches from his fingers. He could do no wrong after that.

I couldn’t see Eddie, the drummer much during the set, but I got to talk to him after the show, and he’s very very cute. He was completely baffled by my friends – but he was very patient with them. How can you not love that? He also told us about how he gets his hair to look that way – it’s a combination of wax and hairspray.

Oh, and one of the best parts? When Dale and Tommy sang backup on a slower song. It was beautiful.

The photo to the right was taken by a friend - it's me and Tommy after the show, in the downstairs bar. It was a fun night!

For more reviews on Juke Kartel, go to:
http://www.rockband.com/forum/topic.asp?topic_id=4351
Or go to the ROCKBAND.COM Juke Kartel Lounge!

Hummers, keys, and Dave Navarro

I was in the middle of a conversation today, and we happened to be standing on the street next to this big black Hummer. Suddenly I see Dave Navarro heading toward us with Cell Phone up to his ear and head down, ignoring everyone around him. I was about three feet away from him, but he didn't look up - and I completely understand why. I wouldn’t make eye contact with strangers in LA if I was him either!

But then he couldn't get his key to work, so he told the person on the phone to hold on and without looking up, he said to us, "Is this my car?" As he fumbled with his keys I said his name and he ignored me, so I said it again and he still ignored me, but at that point I figured I might as well go for it, so I said "I own ROCKBAND.COM and you mentioned it on the air a while back. Thank you for that."

And at that point he sort of half turned and said "I did? When did I do that?" and I said "You did! And thank you very much." and he looked up at me finally and gave me a little smile with a tiny little bit of a sparkle, and said "You're welcome." It sounds totally innocuous, and it was, but it was still fun to see the recognition in his eyes!

Yeah, I love Mark Burnett...

I admit it, I love Rock Star and I’ve gotten really attached to the singers on the show. I felt this way last year too – I’m a big softie when it comes to artists fulfilling their dreams!

And I know it’s a reality show, and someone has to go home each week, but it’s tough to see it live – especially when the singer going home is as completely gracious in their goodbye as Storm. It was something to see! And I’ve detailed it more fully in the Episode Thread on ROCKBAND.COM.

After the taping this morning, I was walking down a hallway lined with people, and I was STILL all teary, and I saw Mark Burnett coming from the opposite direction, and I tried to look away because it’s not exactly cool to have your emotions so out there on display, but as we passed I looked up and he had a concerned look on his face, and then he gave me the sweetest smile. It was real and genuine and just very very sweet. And it hit me how much I love this man for giving me this show. So yeah, I love Mark Burnett!

Backstage at Rock Star: Supernova

On Sunday, August 13, 2006 I shot a photo essay backstage at Rock Star: Supernova and it's huge, but I think it's definitely worth viewing. You may even learn something! I spent about two hours backstage before the show started, and it was a lot of fun!

Here are a few of the images, the rest can be seen at
http://rockband.com/news/2006-08-rock-star-backstage.asp











To see the rest of my photo essay, go to: http://rockband.com/news/2006-08-rock-star-backstage.asp

If you have any questions about what you see in the images, ask them here and I'll do my best to answer.

My INXS Vacation

I actually went to five stops on the INXS tour last week - totally over the top, but so much fun! I went with a bunch of friends and we stayed at the Bel Age Hotel in LA and saw two concerts at The Greek - which is the best venue for sound. I was in the pit the first night , and further back the second night - I think it was the third row behind the pit, so still fairly close but the sound was so much better - and I thought the sound was great the first night! Seriously, The Greek is the place to go for a concert - it's beautiful and the sound is awesome! Rachel Hunter was across the aisle from me, Dave Goffin and Paul Mirkovich were right behind us. We heard Deanna Johnston was there too, but I never ran into her.

So LA was great, but that was only the first two of five concerts in one week! The next stop was Hemet and frankly I wasn't expecting as much from that show, but front row tickets were cheap. I love Hemet, but how is Hemet supposed to compete with LA? Well I was wrong. Where the shows in LA were slick and professional and totally moving, the show in Hemet was hot, hot, hot. My theory is that after two shows in the entertainment capital of the world, the guys were ready to have some fun. It was the sexiest show I've ever seen - by far!

Next up was Pala - which is just a few miles from my home. I had a press pass for Pala - the other concerts I was just there to have fun, but at Pala I was there to work! The area for press is directly in front of the front row, and at this venue it was only about three feet deep and there were six photographers, so we were definitely tripping over each other! The best positions on the right and left were both staked out by the guys shooting video for the big screens, so I started down center - I don't mind shooting straight up the band member's noses! Later I moved right and then left, but I think my favorite shots were from the very center - especially when JD and then later Kirk got really really close - the shot looking up at JD with the cigarette is one of my favorites, and I was right under him. Great show too!

The last show for my friends and I was San Diego - right on the Bay. Beautiful venue! Insane crowd though... Several friends flew in for this concert from out of state, but one had to cancel at the last minute, so I got to use her front row center ticket instead of my own third row ticket - which was very cool! My friends were all staying at Hotel Solamar, a fabulous four-star hotel in the Gaslamp District, so after the concert we went back there since they have a fabulous rooftop bar - and who showed up later? INXS. The band was there with friends and we were having a great time already, so we didn't interact much, but Kirk did come over to say hi. It was a fun evening, and a great way to cap off a great week!

INXS at Pala Casino

I finally got to shoot INXS - and it was great! JD, Kirk, and Jon all played directly to my camera - which I was not expecting at all. With all the shows these guys play, and all the photographers following them, I assumed they'd be completely blasé about it - but they're not!





























































To see this Photo Essay of INXS at Pala on 6/20/2006 at ROCKBAND.COM, go to:
http://www.rockband.com/news/2006-06-inxs-at-pala.asp