The Art of My Boyfriend the Punk Rock Photographer
When I moved in with my cyclist/financial advisor boyfriend a few years ago he had mentioned he took photos when he was 16 at punk rock shows. He even showed me a few of his black and white photos taken right by the stage and I had to admit he had an eye. Kevin was a high school student catching rides with his friends to go to small Punk Rock concerts and outdoor venues in the 1980s. He found his identity wearing the uniform of a Punk--motorcycle boots, torn-up jeans and leather jacket--and a type of music that attracted him with energy and violence. Kevin was a fan, and his photographs reflected that awe of Black Flag, The Misfits, Minor Threat, The Circle Jerks, The Descendents, and a handful of photos of other Punk bands. He appeared as a photographer on the stage literally for two years, 1982 and 1983, took amazing photos, and put his camera away and left for college. The photo negatives, fanzines, pins and Punk attire all went into a box and stayed there for decades. I was a fan of X and Blondie but other than that didn’t get in too deep to the hard-core punk bands like Kevin did. I admit it, I was at Bowie and Police concerts in the ’80s.
Fathom Gallery contacted Kevin one day late in 2019 after looking at his small website of punk photos from 30 years ago and wanted to meet him. The gallery signed him on the spot and included two of his Punk photos in a show the following weekend. The unique path towards energetic photographs of Punk Rock bands in 1982 and 1983 was Kevin’s gift. He entered into the world of photography with no ego, experience, or agenda just pure form and spirit for the music. He would be at sketchy locations where no other photographers would go like Bob’s Place in Watts but also would show up with other photographers at Cathey de Grande, Dancing Waters, Whiskey a Go-Go, The Vex, Mi Casita and even Goleta Valley Community Center. Punk was the Van Gogh of music. No formal training and following the energy to where it would go even if over the edge and too loud and violent. Kevin also had no training but had the passion in his photography to evolve from a Punk fan to an important Punk Rock photographer.
He had a solo show at Fathom Gallery in Los Angeles and has sold to numerous collectors. He is currently working on a book of his photos with never before heard punk rock band members’ stories. Getting back into photography, Kevin recently photographed Con 800, Fletcher Dragge’s first band before he started Pennywise, and will be photographing The Descendents and other Punk Rock bands at their upcoming shows. His work will be included in the New Punk Rock Museum opening in Las Vegas later this year. Kevin is back in the slam pit taking photos after a 30-year break!