05/07/2024
If these walls could talk.
Ruthie Foster and her band made their debut at The Funky Biscuit on Sunday. Ruthie opened the show with an observation that validated this photographer's affiliation with the Biscuit since it opened in 2011. Ruthie eloquently put into words everything I hoped the walls at the Biscuit would express. Needless to say, I had goosebumps. Thanks for capturing this video, Michael Wolfe and Datflys. I will cherish it.
Many of my followers and friends know that I was a concert photographer in the 70s, relatively unknown, and I certainly didn't take the opportunity as seriously as I might have if I knew then what I know now.
An old story but worth repeating maybe is that I abandoned that life when I got married, grew up (lol), and had kids. I wasn't very careful in a move and lost almost all of my photographs and the negatives from that part of my life, and only "saved" about 60 or so shots that were printed, of the rock stars I had the pleasure of photographing. It stung really badly, especially when in my new life in the stock market I would print some of those remaining shots for charity events or for many of my Deadhead friends as word spread that I had a great shot of Jerry Garcia. My younger brother, who wanted to inspire me back to the live music photography scene, digitized some of the shots and presented them to me as a gift, and I continued to blow them up for charity events but didn't get inspired enough to shoot live shows again until my dear friend Albert Poliak opened The Funky Biscuit in 2011. Al came up with the idea of me putting some of my black and white 70s photos on the Biscuit walls to create some atmosphere for the new music venue.
I quickly became a de facto promoter of the place and took up live music photography again by making myself the House photographer. This also led to wonderful associations with Rock Legends Photographers, SFL Music Magazine, which I later bought, and a long-lasting friendship and association with Jesse Finkelstein and Blues Radio International which immersed us in the Blues world as well as taking us to Memphis for the BMA’s for many years. These years were way different than my early years as I now would get to know the musicians I photographed, and I became known for my work. I was pulled into the digital age and color, leaving behind film and my love of the black and white. Al made the Biscuit much more than its reputation as a Blues club, with every genre represented, from Jazz to Country and everything in between.
As time went on, we eventually removed the seventies pictures to make room for the new colorful shots of the acts playing the Biscuit. However, we - photographers - are always looking for validation or recognition that a shot is great or unique, and getting a subject from the seventies to sign one is cool, as Pat Travers did while he told me what year and where the shot was taken, and Russell Javors, the guitarist for Billy Joel, did on a night he sat in with the Turnstiles band and we brought the Billy Joel picture down off the wall for him to sign over his place in the band. The shot showed the band from the back, and it took him a minute to find himself before signing it. Then there was the time we had Rory Gallagher's band in, and we discussed my shot of Rory from My Father's Place in Long Island that was hanging on the wall, and Gerry McEvoy and the boys took a photo with me in front of their beloved bandleader, bringing great memories flooding forward for all of us. Other 70s shots memories before we moved them out included talking with Mark Stein of Vanilla Fudge as he reminisced about his time playing with Tommy Bolin and we stood under a rare photo I took of Tommy in '76. Then there was the night George Terry, who played as Clapton’s second guitarist for years, was in, and the shot on the wall of Clapton actually was cropped so George was cropped out. I called home, and my daughter Jessica found the original and printed a fresh copy and brought it over as George walked over to the bar. I bought him a beer and told him what we did, and he had a great laugh and told me where and what year the photo was taken as he signed it, just like Pat Travers did. How do they remember?
Because we needed room to keep capturing the musicians going through the Biscuit, we removed the old black and whites, and over time the walls became a wonderful and colorful history of The Funky Biscuit, documenting the local scene as well as the touring musicians who have come through the Biscuit doors. As Ruthie said, all her friends are there and more. New Orleans Bands found a home at the Biscuit. All the offspring of the Allman Brothers Band did as well, starting with Devon Allman and leading Gregg and Butch Trucks and his band and children to perform at the venue as well. They are all family now. The list of performers who have graced our stage is long, too long to go through here.
A walk around the place can inspire young aspiring musicians as well as provide familiarity to the legends who love to reconnect with their fans after years of playing to faceless stadium crowds.
That’s what Ruthie said in her description of the awe of what it felt like seeing all the pics around Carnegie Hall to the lovely way she put it about how lucky we were and how the Biscuit felt like family to her. The Biscuit's reputation is solid, and Ruthie said “when you look at those walls, you just go Yeaaahhh.”
Al and I made a pact early on that we wouldn't remove any pictures, just to put fresher shots up, that we would keep a historical reference, and Ruthie validated that for me.
I have slowed down now; I can't spend five nights a week there anymore, and I have grandchildren to enjoy spending time with and a magazine to run. But I get to the Biscuit every chance I get and can't wait to bring the grandchildren by one day. I have to thank Chris Schmitt who tirelessly has filled my spot photographing shows at the Biscuit for a while now and has a few of his own on the walls, and Susan Caplan, who was there early on as well and has some shots up on the walls too.
I can't thank the Biscuit and Al Poliak enough for what the Biscuit has done for me, to rekindle my love of photography and to give me this gallery we call the Biscuit. Once again, I say walk around the place with Al or myself as “every picture tells a story” and we are always ready to tell you one!
Thanks Ruthie Foster for making me so glad I came to shoot your show!
