Friday, September 15, 1978

Bob Dylan US Tour Opening Night

This was the first date on the North American Tour. It was at The Civic Center, Augusta, Maine. I was shooting black and white and colour on this whole tour. I remember starting shooting from on the stage and during the concert I headed out the front to shoot from just below the front of the stage. After the show we all went out for a meal and went to a restaurant that specialised in seafood in fact it was lobster. I am not a great sea food eater, but what I had was really nice. Bob seemed in great spirit and very happy with the way the gig had gone.

Thursday, September 07, 1978

Keith Moon is Dead

Well, what a shock it was today. I called my little brother Simon who is back in the UK. I was all full of myself as I was still on cloud 9 and excited about being in the USA. When he told me that Keith Moon has just been found dead in his London apartment. In fact the apartment where he lived was the same apartment that Mama Cass was also found dead a while ago. This was a very sad day. Very depressing.. I borrowed a car from my cousin Paul Fisher and headed off down to Bob Dylan's Press Officer, Paul Wasserman's office on North Robertson Boulevard in Beverly Hills. When I arrived at his office, I was met by his secretary, Candy Coffee... What a mad name.. Paul Wasserman was out. So, I left some shots of Bob Dylan that I had taken in Paris a while ago. I also left my aunties telephone number for Paul to contact me if he wanted after looking at the shots.. It was bright and sunny day and on the way back I had the hood down on the car and despite being very upset about Keith, drove back getting lost at every turn. So, sunshine, Palm Trees, Yellow Taxis etc etc - this for me was the start of the American Dream...

Wednesday, September 06, 1978

USA here I come

It was a hot steamy day in central London. I was at my office in Wardour Street, Soho, London. I had my bags packed and cameras ready. Keith Moon and his driver Big Dick ran me from Soho down to Victoria station near Buckingham Palace. I then attempted to get myself an airline ticket from London to Los Angeles. I had never been to the USA before. I was so excited. Anyway, when Keith dropped me off he wished me all the best and said he was off back to his apartment in Curzon Place, London to meet his girlfriend Annette Walter-Lax. Later they were off to a film premiere " The Buddy Holly Story". I the proceeded to blag my way to the front of the list at the Pan Am desk. There weren't many airlines flying to LA where you could buy a cheap stand by ticket. The law required you to buy your ticket at Victoria Station. I suppose this was to keep any scum bag standby flyer's away from the airport unless you were confirmed on a flight. So, I started at the front of the line and with a clipboard that I borrowed, I started asking the name of the person who had arrived first. After I had made a complete list of all in the line. We just waited until Pan Am opened the desk. When they did, I was the first person there, telling the staff who was first in the line behind me. For some strange reason all of the passengers thought I was a member of the Pan Am staff. Needless to say, I was the first person with a ticket. I think only about 6 of us got a ticket. There must have been about 30 people waiting though. I suppose they got out on the flight the next day.. Still, I didn't care as I was on my way to the USA....

I arrived safe and well in sunny LA. It was so excited I couldn't believe it, I was really in America. So, where do I stay now I am here.. I called my auntie Connie. When I got through to her I explained who I was (her sisters grandson) and then asked if I could stay with her for a few days. She said of course you can and asked when I was coming. Ii then broke the news that I was already here. She was realy lovely. Even though she was then quite elderly, she jumped in her car and headed down from Canoga Park to Los Angeles airport to collect me. We then headed in the rush hour back up the 405 freeway then the 101 to her house.