Native Roses
It's hard not forgive the Native Roses for turning up, almost two hours late, when they fall out of their beaten up old Volvo all smiles, and clutching their pet rabbit. We head into my flat for a cup of earl grey, and cage the wild beast. We cover the cage in a blanket to calm it's frayed nerves after the stressful journey through the nether regions of south London, from Brighton. We then remove the mirror from the dinning room wall and start shooting a simple portrait of the band against the white background.
I throw a garland of (Crapitat) lights to the mix and let the band...
Phantom Limb
I step out of the bright september sunshine into Yolanda's welcoming arms. The boys are a little more circumspect with their greetings. This is Phantom Limb, a Bristol based band that I have come to photograph for the day. We walk up the stairs to the 'Robot' studio, which is appropriately full of robots (little toy ones). We have a quick chat about the ensuing day. Most of which revolves around where we can get the best sandwiches for lunch. Then we set off up Park St, avoiding the sunny side of the street, so that we stop bumping into, and chatting to, the entire population of Bristol,...
Sissy and the Blister
I awoke feeling like I hadn't slept. This was crap seeing as I'd gone to bed early to get a good nights sleep! I left the house at half eight and met Ryan at Waterloo. We were off to Guildford to shoot his latest find, Sissy and the Blister, a garage / rock'n'roll style outfit. The band start to fall out of bed once we step through the door. The lead singer, James falling out of drummer, Ed's bed, where Ed's girlfriend was also just waking up... 'Typical lead singer' says Ed! Turns out they'd been out till five, so we were all in the same sleep deprived boat.
We started...
Waves of Fury
Carter crossed the Kingsland Rd and entered Jaguar Shoes (the renowned Shoreditch bar). I was sitting at a table sipping my glass of water. Carter joined me, he had been working hard at his day job, 'brushing', but by night he is the singer of sensational rock'n'roll/surf band Waves of Fury. He was here to do some photos, so we quaffed down our water and headed down to the cellar to start shooting, in the men's...
Saturday night in with the Pleasure Mob
Saturday night, and in true rock'n'roll style, I'm staying. The doorbell rings, I answer the door, and in troop the Pleasure Mob carrying a 4 pack of larger, and an Argos chess set. We start the shoot in the 'Dining Room' studio. This is in fact my dining room. Out comes the chess set and my ex landlords wood saw...
After a can of larger we clear away the table, chess set, and saw and (just like James) sit down...
Famed for the surly attitude and truculent behaviour the Castle staff are in fact beautiful, benevolent people, without whom the climbing centre would grind to a halt. Here are a couple of portraits of the staff.
Rosa evades castle shop customers...
Tim training for another improbable climbing route...
Ida, castle wood nymph, plants the herbaceous borders...
Falling usually entails some kind of unpleasant consequences, normally pain. This is also true in climbing. There are times though when it just seems to be fun!
Laughter...
Joy...
Bliss...
Testing the new Catacomb set
Climbing in the 'catacomb' involves intricate footwork, strong hands, and hanging off the ceiling. In the these shots Tricky, Leah and Martin test the grades of each others routes.
Leah concentrates...
Martin contemplates his next move...
Tricky move on...
Solly takes care of tea...
Route testing the new 'Mezz'
Once climbing routes have been set, they have to be tested. The setters will test their own, and each others routes to make sure that they are 'on grade'. This is not an exact science and whether they are correctly graded is often hotly debated. Following on from last weeks route setting climbing photographs here are some shots of routes being 'tested'.
Tricky watches as Mike tries out his new anti-grav boots...
Leah leaps...
Controlled descent...
Pride in a job well done...
Castle Climbing Centre
The Castle Climbing Centre has become my second home over the past coupe of years so it seems only natural that I start to photograph the place and the people in it. Over the next few months I'll be posting climbing photography of the activity at this dusty, sweat filled environment! Enjoy!
Rebuilding and resetting the 'Mezz'
Every few weeks climbing routes are reset. This time walls that the routes are on were re-modeled as well . In this shot the route setters contemplate their handywork...
Mike Langley (routes manager) tests a route....
Fastening...