“In My Eyes: Photographs 1982-1997” showcases 332 pages of images from punk rock’s heyday.
It all started withThe Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Jim Saah
Saah needed to know more.
Jim Saah’s ‘In My Eyes’.Jim Saah
I was like, What is this music?
I have to check it out.
And I was like, Oh, people make this music locally?
Henry Rollins of Black Flag live in 1983, featured in Jim Saah’s book ‘In My Eyes’.Jim Saah
Black Flag (9:30 Club, Feb. 3, 1983)
Henry Rollins(a.k.a.
Henry Garfield) was singing for D.C. hardcore outfit S.O.A.
People would jump over my head, and I’d pop up and take pictures.
Dead Kennedys in 1983.Jim Saah
This one of Rollins is probably one of my most recognizable photos.
Rollins is just great to photograph because he’s so intense.
At that point I didn’t know him and was intimidated by him, because he’s scary.
Talking Heads live in 1983.Jim Saah
This show was at an old department store from the ’50s and ’60s called Lansburgh’s.
My mother shopped there.
It’s kind of like what a Target would be now, and it closed.
The Replacements live in 1983.Jim Saah
So it was just this huge space that they rented out.
And everyone sat down.
They were a great band to photograph.
Fugazi and Amy Pickering live in 1990.Jim Saah
I loved all the political bands.
This was theStop Making Sensetour, and I was already hooked on photographing bands.
But I felt like I paid better attention at the shows if I photographed them.
I was already aware of that mythology around them.
We get there and they’re all at the bar stringing their guitars and getting drunk and stuff.
And we were too young and shy to go up to them and say anything.
We were just watching them.
It was all 1970s AOR [album-oriented rock] covers.
and then go into another one.
It was super sloppy.
No one knows who he is!
I was of two minds.
My friend John thought it was fantastic.
And so, the next time they came around at the old 9:30 Club.
But I went, and they were great.
You really had to see them every time and just take what you get.
Minor Threat broke up in 1983, and then the scene kind of got a little wonky.
A lot of jocks and douchey people started coming, and I started not going to shows as much.
And then Fugazi comes along and everyone’s like, Youve got to check out Fugazi!
So I went to see them and I was totally blown away.
Fugazi is the band Ive photographed the most.
Ian told me, I remember being really struck by your pictures of Fugazi when I first saw them.
I think I got a little teary when he said it.
That meant a whole lot to me.
They’re a special band, and Ian was very helpful in curating this book.
But in this Fugazi shot, everyone is fairly small, and it’s very wide.
So the audience is a big part of my photographs.
Jim Saah’sIn My Eyes: Photographs 1982-1997isavailable now through Cabin 1.
