LOS ANGELES, CA- Hey everybody. This is Derrick, Blurred Culture’s music editor. I take a lot of photos, and I follow a lot of photographers on Instagram to find inspiration and sometimes emulate. But there are a handful of photographers whose work I can only marvel at. Photographers whose work, style and aesthetic are singularly their own. One of those photographers Dave Fearn a/k/a “Shit Show Dave”.
I’ve been following Dave’s work for a minute, and the way he’s been able to capture and document Los Angele’s DIY punk/rock scene in black and white is nothing short beautiful. On July 28th, 2018, in Downtown Los Angeles, a huge collection of his portraits of the people that make up the DIY, underground punk/rock community in Los Angeles will be on display at The Factory as a permanent installation on the walls of the space. Die Group, Melted Bodies, Cat Scan and a special guest will also be performing to celebrate the occasion.
Dave was recently interviewed by Matthias Hombauer, so if you want to learn more about Dave’s background and the projects he’s working, click the video below.
I reached out to Dave and asked him if there were any portraits that will be displayed that he was particularly fond of. He was kind enough to send me some thoughts of several of his favorites.
***********************
EADDY – HO99O9
“Eaddy was something like the 100th musician I had photographed in a week and in anticipation of running out of ideas for poses I had spent that morning rallying around my house picking up random items that could be used to make a picture. I found this hammer in my shed and thought it could make a cool prop somehow. When Eaddy came in we talked about the primal fear of having teeth smashed out, like falling over on rocks or, worse, a mindless violent attack. Eaddy immediately went for the claw hammer and struck this pose. One photograph and I knew it was a banger. That terror in his eyes ain’t for show: Eaddy is 100% about everything he does and its then that you have to realize you’re dealing with a real OG punk. This photograph is cover material for the Sh!tshow zine for sure! Shot on 120 medium format.”
GABBY – GIRLPUSHER
“Gabby might just be one of the most photographed people in this project, having been in front of the camera countless times in the name of music and art and fashion, and seems to know exactly what she wants. Gabby turned up to shoot with these slivers of black cardboard and glued them on her face, instantly creating this brilliant psychotic clown visage. Gabby’s striking look and fierce demeanor is both truth and performance – as with her music – and as her friend I also recognize a person of great empathy, kindness and fragility. There’s an immense human beauty in being all these things at once, and I think that beauty shows in this photograph.”
JIM – THE SMELL
“Jim was one of the very few non-musicians I went after to photograph in this series, as I wanted to recognize the huge effort he has made in supporting grassroots music culture in Los Angeles for over 20 years. As the cornerstone downtown small venue The Smell has become the singlemost notable place for inexpensive, all-ages shows supporting new and rising acts fighting for freedom in an otherwise cold vacuum of opportunity. All noteworthy L.A. bands have played The Smell one time or another, From Ty Segall to Le Shok, No Age and The Locust.
When Jim came to shoot I found him to be quietly reserved and politely uninterested in my questions / praise for The Smell. I was honestly a little nervous that I might not get an interesting picture. After a few basic frames I put my camera down and began asking Jim about his own youth in the L.A. punk scene of the late 70’s to which he had a whole lot more to say. I asked for a pinch of real punk attitude and he gave me the double bird flip. I love this photograph as it might just be a glimpse into the punk heart of a legit music savior that not many people may have seen before.”
Follow Dave Fearn a/k/a Shitshowdave on Instagram and purchase a print to help make his Shitshow Party one for the ages.
