Fuji Rock Day 1

Got to the site quite early considering the lack of sleep we had all had. Sean and I raced down to the back stage area to meet up with Chris Musto and Orlando Bloom & co. We had to shoot Orlando as he started to speak about a new charity he was now involved in. This is called Global Cool.. It's all about reducing carbon in the atmosphere. Very interesting and worthwhile.. One of the finacial backers of the charity who is from Holland, told me that ifnoting is done about our climate, Holland will be totally underwater. Now, we cant have that can we. I love Holland, I think we all do. In fact the only person I have ever heard say anything bad about Holland was Austin Powers dad, Michael Cain. Mind yo he was only joking.. So, we did the shoot with Orlando and travelled around from one stage to the other in a bus. He made a few more speaches with Dan Morell, the Global Cool founder. Next shoot for me was The Cribs, I havent shot them before, but they were really good. Music was great and like so many of the bands I am without here, great to work with. When we finished, Sean and I headed off as fast as we could to the Green Stage to photograph Dirty Pretty Things. I shot the show and then we did a shoot backstage and on the bus. They are very nice chaps and very cooperative. As soon as we finished we shot over to the food area. You can get almost alltypes of food from anywhere here. Also, thisis without doubt, the best selection and quality of food of any festival that I have ever been to. So, had a quick bite and then headed back to the Green Stage to shoot Jet. Another band I really like. I must point out, that I dont just shoot bands that I like, but is really nice when I do. After Jet ran like little soldiers in the jungle over to the Red Marquee, which holds about 5000 plus, to shoot The Zutons.. I have photographed then quite a lot recently and again, really like them. There latest single 'Valerie' is great. So, after the Zutons we were off to meet up with Franz Ferdinand. We had arranged for a 10 second shoot just before they went on stage, which was nice.

Franz Ferdinand
Copyright 2006 Danny Clifford

Then on they went. We did have a breif chat and I mentioned that we were goingover to the White stage, which is bloody miles away, to shoot Madness next. As Franz were all running up the stairs on to the stage, they said we are going as well as soon as we get off stage, see you there.. I then shot quite a bit of the Franz set. Got some really nice different shots of them. Then Sean and I legged it over to the White stage. Madness were already way into their set. They are one of the very best live bands I have seen. Every song was a bit hit at some time.. After shooting most of the show, we wen backstage. I heard Suggs announce, this song is for Franz Ferdinand, they had just all became friends an hour or so before. As we got to the back of the stage area as bus pulled up, out jumped Franz and all of their managenent. They ran like they were in a race straight up onto the side of the stage. I was on my way up as well. We all watched the last two songs of Madness together. Absolutly brilliant. After the gig I was chatting to Alex Kapranos from Franz, he seemed interested to know bits about my shoots with some of the bands over the years. It was really funny talking to him, I hope he meant this nicely, but he sad to me, as we walked towards the bus to take us all back to production, anyway, Alex said, 'your like of Forest Gump, you seem to have been there at the great times in rock and roll and shot it'. Well, I must admit, I havent seen that film, so, I hope he was being nice.. So, back to the production area and in we went and did a group shot of Franz Ferdinand and Madness. We had a chat with them all for a while and then as the two bands left together to go off for a drink at one of the all night stages, Sean and I buggered off to find the others who were stayong out of town with us. We finally got back to our hotel at about 3AM. I then edited up the shots from the day and finally hit the floor (sleeping on traditional Japanese bed) at about 7AM.. Deep joy..