I met Atlanta De Cadnet last night at the Mick Rock opening at Confederacy. I was not sure who she was at first, but I knew that she looked really familiar. I told her that I photographed her dad John Taylor from Duran Duran 30 years ago on the Sunset Strip. I am thinking of doing a photo session with Atlanta. All black and white film.
I was a really big Duran Duran fan. Everything about the band was so cool. I read about them in the European press and of course, I had heard their records all over the radio. A couple of days before their debut showcase at the Roxy, I called up their road manager at the Hyatt House (we used to call it the Riot House) and asked for a photo session. I could have told him I was shooting for Music Life and Rock Show, which were amazing magazines in Japan regularly publishing my work. The band had nothing better to do, so it was arranged and I met them at the hotel pool.
They did not have a clue about getting around in Los Angeles; so, I piled them into my old Mercedes and gave them a tour of the Sunset Strip. The photo session was amazing and John Taylor made sure that I was on the guest list for the gig that evening.
The following year, Andy Taylor got married at the Chateau Marmont Hotel and I just kind of showed up with some friends and joined the bash. Camera in hand, of course.
This is an excerpt from my new coffee table book, “Like It Was Yesterday”, which will be released this fall. The book is being printed in an exclusive edition of 500 signed and number copies. I will keep you posted!
Duran at the Riot House
1981: I was a really big Duran Duran fan. Everything about the band was so cool. I read about them in the European press and of course, I had heard their records all over the radio. A couple of days before their debut showcase at the Roxy, I called up their road manager at the Hyatt House (we used to call it the Riot House) and asked for a photo session. I could have told him I was shooting for Music Life and Rock Show, which were amazing magazines in Japan regularly publishing my work. The band had nothing better to do, so it was arranged and I met them at the hotel pool.
They did not have a clue about getting around in Los Angeles; so, I piled them into my old Mercedes and gave them a tour of the Sunset Strip. The photo session was amazing and John Taylor made sure that I was on the guest list for the gig that evening. The following year, Andy Taylor got married at the Chateau Marmont Hotel and I just kind of showed up with some friends and joined the bash. Camera in hand, of course.
Someone asked about John Taylor ( Duran Duran) photos. Here he is with Nick Rhodes in 1982 at a recording signing party at Tower Records on the Sunset Strip. I think I was one of the few photographers who turned up for this event. Do they still do record signing parties these days?
This are the kind of photos that I liked to take. Candid photos in the street. Duran Duran was not a household name when I took these photos in 1978 for the Japanese magazines. Such a classic. I miss these times!
This 1982 classic was taken on the rooftop pool at the Riott House. Hardly anyone in the USA knew Duran Duran. I knew them of course as I would see them plastered all over the Japanese magazines. When I met up with the band they had nothing to do and what seemed like zero press. I took them up and down the Sunset strip and dragged them upstairs to the hotel pool. They were gracious and incredibly cool. Simon and John Taylor even as teenagers had star presence. You could really feel it. They were incredibly charismatic and total pros in front of the camera. It would be another 25 years before I would run back into John Taylor at a party at the Chateau Marmont Hotel. He looks exactly the same and he had not lost one once of that charm.
Note from Brad: Hey invite me to a cool scene to take photos! I am around all summer!
