2018.04.16 - Appetite For Distortion - Interview with Jack Lue (GN'R photographer)

Transcript of interesting GN'R parts:

Brando: So then then take us to, I guess the first time, like when you met Axl, unless we're missing anything in the story, or, Art, if you get this thing that I'm missing? The first time when - because you said Slash was in and out of bands and then it clicked with Axl - did it click for you as well? Did you see something different?

Jack Lue: Well, yeah. In the first shows they were, you know, they were okay, you know. And then I learned more of their songs. You know, first time you see them, you don't know the music. You know, but you know, but they had a certain sound and a certain look that was kind of unique back then. And then, you know, once you learn the songs, then you go, "Oh my God, this is really good," you know. I wish took more photos back then [laughs]. You know, film was expensive back then. [...] But you know we did it like after like maybe the sixth.... You know, after they start playing after a while, you know, they, you know, word got around that this is a band you should check out. And you know, they started playing and got packing clubs and you know, my God, you know. And Axl had a really good energy with him. He was a great performer and he had a really unique voice. And he sounds different from other, you know, hair metal bands back then.

Art Tavana: Jack, from your perspective as a photographer, so you're up close to all these different bands. I'm sure you probably shot, like, Cinderella or Faster Pussycat, all these various bands. What was it about Guns N' Roses that visually was so special? I mean, obviously the band you preferred to shoot the most, but what was it about their looks and their stage presence that kind of captivated you more than any other bands on the Strip?

JL: I mean, just watching the energy from them, you know, I shot every freaking hair metal band out there and, you know, some were good and some were, you know... You know, I shot Poison and Poison was okay. But you know, they're fun but Guns N' Roses just had a unique, you know, they were like the bad boys. They had that look but they were also something about them that, you know, they're bad guys, you know.

AT: And, you know, you're shooting in Canter's, you're obviously in like the more personal environment, right. You're telling them how to pose. You're giving them ideas on what to do and like what you think might look cool. How was it to take us into that like moment where you're standing with these guys, right in front of Canter's Deli, in front of that Cadillac, and what's going on? Are they telling you what they want? Are you giving them advice? Are there particular shots they want? Like, are they not okay with this shot or that? Like, what was that experience, like, the overall vibe?

JL: They were just friends. They were nobody back then. It wasn't... Now would be totally different. Now they wouldn't do it. But you know, back then they were just, you know, five guys. Just to get some flyers. I just I got lucky [laughs].

Brando: So you just looking for generic photos or is there something that you wanted?

JL: They needed some band shots and, you know, the car was a unique shot that was kind of really cool; we just happened to have a, you know, a cool car that we could take a shot with. The booth shots were kind of different, too. You know, at Marc's restaurant, and you know that's a unique shot. And we took some shots back in the alley. They were just five guys that were friends.

Brando: Right.

AT: Which one of the members was to you the most photogenic or the most that you really want to like, pull away and do like a one-on-one with? Who is like the character for you in this first stage?

Brando: Maybe have him walked down on the couch and put the heart of the ocean around their neck.

JL: Axl had the most style. You know, when I shot those shots on the couch shots, you know, Axl, he was the coolest of them. Slash, oh man[?], drunk and stuff. I would redo those now. The Axl shots were probably my favorite shots, you know. Steven was the friendliest guy in that little batch.

AT: There's always some, like, there's always been conversations behind the scenes of like GN'R took a lot of visual cues from Izzy and some of his style and the stuff he was doing early on and they sort of were all developed by the kind of passion and the vibe he brought to the band. Did you notice that or did you feel that when you were shooting them or did they all had their own unique look and style?

JL: I think Axl directed more of the pose. I just don't remember that but, you know, it was 40 years ago [laughs].

[...]

Brando: And speaking of friendships, I mean, I don't know too much behind the story of this question, but, you know, I wanted to do the fans right. This is from Michael Caine on Facebook. And I know it all stemmed from your friendship with Marc Canter, and, you know, in your book, you know, Slash praises his friendship with Marc - but there was a recent interview with Doug Goldstein that he said that Slash doesn't really talk to Marc anymore. I don't know if there's any truth to that. I'm just doing my due diligence and going through the fan questions. I don't know if you know anything about that?

JL: I think they text each other all the time. I know Marc didn't see any of the new show, the new tour. Yeah, because, you know, they didn't invite him. But Marc could ask them and they'll probably, you know, get you in. But he didn't bother asking them because they didn't invite him. But, you know, I know [?] talk every now and then, you know, with Slash at least. But I'm not sure. I know Alex, Alex Canter, Marc's son, went to the show. I know he went to the shows and, you know, they got him in. But, you know, I know Marc didn't see the tour and I go, "Marc, just ask the guys and they'll hopefully they'll get you in." But he hadn't asked.

Brando: You find that stuff - because Art and I were talking about that before you came on - do you find the politics around this band silly? Because, yes, there's a business involved, but it's also, you know, it's rock'n'roll and a lot of these, you know, you know Slash and Steven, you know what, Marc and you, you've been friends since high school. Do you have an opinion on that?

JL: There's politics in it [laughs]. And it's probably, you know, the management that's managing them. We were planning to have a like a GN'R gallery back in, like with like, right before the Dodger Stadium show, we gonna have, you know, gallery show just to, you know, promote GN'R and you know me, Gene Kirkland, you know, Gene wanted to do this gallery thing, so we were going to do it at Canter's. You know, we promoted it and, you know, we got the photos ready and then like, you know, the management said, you know, "cease and desist," basically. So they told us not to do it.

AT: Do you know why that would happen? So I actually went to the.... There's like another kind of ad hoc version on Hollywood Blvd - I think off Hollywood Blvd - that I went to and I saw a bunch of... It was just Gene's photos, I think. You were there, right?

JL: I saw some photos of it. I didn't go to it. I should have, but I didn't.

AT: Do you know why GN'R would have that sort of Canter's Deli photo gallery thing shut down? Because I was really excited about that. I was going to go to that as well. Was there, like, did they give a reason or was it just, "The photo rights are not yours"? Like, I don't know, what was the reason for that? Can you talk about it?

JL: I think they had their pop-up store. I heard here are pop-up stores at the same time. And I guess they didn't want to compete with us. But you know, they wasn't to go to the pop up store to buy stuff, you know, they could do both [laughs]. You know, they just asked us to cease and desist and we said, "Okay." Well, you know, I wanted to, you know, keep the band happy. You know, Gene wanted to do it and, you know, but I was out of it, if the band's doesn't want us to do it, stop it, you know, I'm out. "So if you want to do it, Gene, you can do it."

Transcribed the parts I found interesting.