At 16, my first "gig" was photographing Chris Spedding and Snips Parsons playing at the Masonic Temple in Toronto. One of the images was then used on the cover of Shades magazine. I was motivated to find more images that were less predictable. It was an image of Spedding and all his guitar otherworldliness, or guitar madness, whatever it was he seemed genius. Then an image of his punk boots was used for the inside spread. It was my first feedback from an Art Director and I was hooked on how we saw things in a similar way. Ron Gaskin was also a Big Chris Spedding fan and Rock and Roll journalist. We collaborated on other projects and I kept admiring all this talent which surround us, in often non descript little hide-aways in Toronto or Peterborough. If I had enough money I would bring 3 rolls of film, if I was broke I might only have a dozen frames.
Chris Spedding and Snips Parsons along with Paul Cook founding member of the Sex Pistols, Tosh Ogawa from Slaves of Gravity and Nick Judd have re-grouped into their previous band called the Sharks.
I came across binders of negatives and thought it a good time to share. The music is varied as are the styles coming from my cameras.
Wayne Eardley 2017
“Pictures are funny things. We know what the people in our lives look like and yet we want pictures of them. We have photo albums or devices full of pictures. Most often those photos were shot by our spouse or our mom or our best friend and come with a disclaimer “I take lousy pictures” or “it’s a bit blurry” or “ You blinked in this one”
And then there is artistry.
Wayne Eardley is an artists’ artist.
His photographs transcend the mere likeness of the subject … there’s mood, feel, character and a story all contained within each image. It’s the same magic found within Cris Cuddy’s lyrics or Washboard Hank’s live performances or Rob Watson’s heart felt delivery. There is meaning and purpose. One element of this collection I hadn’t anticipated was that of passing time. Wayne has known most of us since we were beginning our artistic journeys. Here is a wonderful collection of images and memories of these talented Peterborough musicians offered up with lyrical and melodic majesty.”
John Crown is a musician of many talents, father and friend to many. When he's not drumming or producing or volunteering behind the scenes most often without credit, he can be found in any Peterborough hockey rink setting up plays and telling really great jokes.
When I was a teenager living in Cavan, my parents ran an Antique store (they still do). Friends of theirs, Doris and Web Price, were wonderful, colourful, enthusiastic people who raved about their son, J.P. Hovercraft, being in a rock band. Although according to JP it was Doris doing the raving and Web doing the worrying. I was in awe of his name, and wanted to meet and hear this guy. Turned out, J.P. Hovercraft played in a band called Max Mouse and the Gorillas (and still does). WOW!
I was in High School and snuck into bars to see them.. I loved the fact that these guys were so energetic, and eclectic. When I hear them now, I feel like I'm 16 again. Their music moves me, literally.
The Gorillas' manager, in the early years, was a man named Ron Gaskin who was, in my eyes, THEE coolest dude on the planet. Ron got me that first gig at Shades Magazine and continues to work in the music industry.
"wayne eardley's lens is a kaleidoscope for me
it opens my mind like a psychedelic
and suspends the critical while heightening the sensual
I'm hypnotized and taken on a journey inside the moment he was in
whether that moment was his egypt or zimbabwe or cuba,
I gratefully share in the experience
as much as the times we drove together
through the poppy covered hills one southern spring
on the way to memphis to visit bobby's world of blues and rhythm
and on to the glitz of tin pan nashville's mighty kristi and fats
or even to a stage I was on, some long-gone somewhere
I feel his magic in all my zones
the way that music's magic feels to me"
Cris Cuddy is a songwriter, singer, musician, semi pro golfer, and a very cool guy.
Brought to you by Kodachrome...and Ektachrome and simulated chrome. I have always used different formats of film, different forms of capture.
Photographing all these people in pubs street corners and in studio has allowed me to go on some wonderful adventures. Travelling to Nashville and then to Memphis with Cris Cuddy in my old Buick Electra where we met up with Bobby Watson was certainly a highlight. Cris was another face around Peterborough playing lots of gigs familiar on the street. When we went to Nashville it seemed every music venue we went into Cris was treated like a songwriting hero, everyone seemed to know of him, he was more the legend in Nashville then in his hometown. In Memphis I was invited to play on a recording with Cris and Bobby. Where the tapes ended up - no one knows but the memory was
amazing. The stories these artists tell are always interesting, they live interesting lives, sometimes full of tragedy sometimes full of love, always inspiring.
What? Roger Daltry, once again had to sneak my cameras into the venue with my long lens down my pants and my film in my pocket. Trying to shoot amongst the moving crowd with a long lens and blue smoke was a challenge that doesn't exist these days of 3 song pit access. Shooting music used to be a sport.
Its a long rode to the big stage...
"Wayne is able to capture both the bravery and the unique artistic perspective it takes to be a musician in my hometown of Peterborough. These are people who are making music because they have to, and they're doing it without a net. So many of them have been towering inspirations to me and many others."
Greg Wells musician, songwriter and music producer living and working in LA from the Patch
