®PRESENTS CLASSIC ROCK N' ROLL
PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAFFAELLI
BEACH BOYS / BLIND FAITH / ERIC BURDON / FLEETWOOD MAC / GRACE SLICK / / IAN ANDERSON / ROLLING STONES / STEVE WINWOOD / THE DOORS / 3 DOG NIGHT / CREEDENCE CR / ARCHIVES / PURCHASE PRINTS
BLIND FAITH____________________________________________________________
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BLIND FAITH was either one of the
great successes of the late 1960's, a culmination of the decade's
efforts by three legendary musicians, or it was a disaster of
monumental proportions, and a symbol of everything that had gone
wrong with the business of rock at the close of that decade. In
actual
fact, Blind Faith was probably both.
My involvement with the band started in April of 1969 when the
newly formed group's manager Chris Blackwell came to my studio
and asked me to fly to
London with him to meet and photograph the band. I accepted and
we departed from LAX the next day. This was my first trip to
England, and on our flight
Chris filled me in on the band?s background.
Blind Faith's beginnings dated from the break-up of the hugely
successful band Cream. According to Chris, a clash of
personalities between
bassist-singer Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker was
responsible for the break up of Cream. Eric Clapton and Ginger
Baker remained together after the demise of Cream. In Nov 1968
Steve Winwood joined the band after he quit Traffic. Rick Grech
joins the band after leaving the group Family.
Our flight landed at London?s Heathrow Int. airport just before
11 PM. By the time we went through Customs, collected our luggage
and located Chris's
Mercedes in the airport parking, it was after midnight. Chris
suggested that before I check into my room at the Royal Lancaster
hotel, we visit the band,
who were rehearsing at the Morgan Studios in London. It was well
past midnight when we arrived. The Studio was adjacent to a
residential area and
with everyone home for the night the streets were filled with
cars. We had to park several blocks away and walk. I was carrying
my camera case and was not happy about lugging it all that
distance. Chris said ,don't worry I know a shortcut.
After a short distance Chris pulled open a squeaky iron gate and
I soon discovered that the shortcut was through an old graveyard.
As I passed
through the portcullis it was like entering the set of a classic
1931 Vampire horror movie. I followed Chris through a maze of
gravestones, half
expecting Bela Lugosi to step out and say, I vunt to suck your
blood. Chris had used this shortcut before and was moving along
at a brisk pace. The turn
of the century Victorian headstones were quite fascinating and
soon my photographers eye found interesting compositions in the
moonlight, that I
just had to stop and shoot. I steadied myself between two large
monuments and took several time exposures. By the time I put my
camera back in the
case I realized that I had lost track of Chris.
My first trip to London and in less than an hour I was lost in an
eerie moonlit cemetery. I grew up in the 50's and remember
sitting in a darkened
movie theater watching a black and white film about a character
in just this situation about to be eaten by a Werewolf. I found
myself listening for the
telltale howl or the opening creak of an ancient crypt when a
hand touched my shoulder. I jumped three feet and practically out
of my skin. I spun
around expecting to see Christopher Lee peering out from behind a
raised black cape, but to my relief it was just an amused Chris
Blackwell. He said , Don't worry, you're safe, It's not a full
moon until tomorrow night. I felt a little embarrassed, but
followed him very closely until we reached the studio.
You would never guess from looking at the exterior of the
building that it housed what then was a state of the art
recording studio. The band was in
the mixing booth with the studio engineer Jimmy Miller, listening
to a rough mix of, Can't Find My Way Home. Chris got everyone's
attention and said, I
have someone here I want you to meet, This is Jimi Hendrix's
photographer; and then almost as an afterthought he said ?his
name is Ron Raffaelli.
Everyone was impressed and eagerly shook my hand. Although I felt
a little diminished I smiled and said I was pleased to meet
everyone.
That introduction had left me a little uneasy. I was very
grateful for the doors that my association with Jimi had opened
for me, but my worth and
talent were my accomplishments and not a result of my friendship
with Jimi Hendrix. I remembered a friend of mine who I met when
we were both
photography students at Art Center. His name was Chris Andrews
and on a number of occasions I was with him when someone
introduced him as Julie
Andrews' brother, not mentioning his given name at all. I always
felt that that had diminished him as an individual. Chris had his
own unique talent
and personality that were completely ignored when someone
introduced him as a sibling of a famous personality. I have known
several individuals that
have had to bear that cross and I got my first taste of this
experience that night.
I digress, Back to the studio. I was not commissioned to shoot
the Blind Faith album cover, that had already been decided. After
the introductions
Mr. Blackwell told the group that he wanted me to get to know
everyone and then make appointments to do individual portraits.
Jimmy Miller rewound the
tape and we all listened to the song again. Each band member
commented on how they could make improvements and soon everyone
was back in the studio, instruments in hand, recording what was
destined to become a rock classic , Can't Find My Way Home.
That night I tiptoed around the studio, avoiding tripping over
cables and quietly shooting pictures of the band rehearsing and
recording songs for
what was to become there classic and only album together. During
the breaks I talked with each member individually trying to
access their personalities
and determine how to best photograph them. The recording session
broke up well after sunrise and everyone went home to sleep or do
whatever rock stars do after a long night in the studio. Chris
dropped me off at the Royal Lancaster hotel where I checked in
and went up to my room and finally got
some rest after a long flight, an adventure in a graveyard, all
night in a recording studio and almost two days without sleep.
The next night we were in the recording studio again. When the
opportunity presented itself I got each member aside and told
them that I had decided to
photograph them at a location of their choice, where they were
most comfortable. Rick Grech said that he had a favorite park
that he and his lady would often go to for a picnic. Steve
Winwood said that he had a special (secret) location deep in the
woods outside of London that he found
particularly meditative and would like to be photographed there.
Ginger Baker was a little cool to the idea, but said that he was
most comfortable
at home and that I could shoot there. Eric Clapton was the most
personable of the group and we immediately struck up a friendship
and he invited me to
spend the next weekend at his home, where we could relax and do
some informal shots.
The next day after putting together a peasant's lunch (bread,
cheese and wine) I took Rick and his Lady to his park and shot
some pleasant pictures of him in this outdoor location. The
following day I rented a limousine and picked up Steve Winwood
for our trip out to the country. It was a long drive and on the
way Steve began to relax and after I gained his confidence he
told me why this location was so special to him. Steve said that
his secret location was enchanted, Enchanted, I said. Steve then
related a story indicating that these particular woods were
believed to be inhabited by Elves and Gnomes for hundreds of
years dating back before the Druids. I asked him if he had ever
seen any of these creatures? He would not give me a direct
answer, but stated that, If you believe, you will see.
Steve told our driver where to leave the highway and we drove
into the woods quite a distance until the car could go no
farther. Steve told the driver that we would be a while and then
he took me on a two mile hike into the dense woods. When we
finally arrived I must admit that it was definitely an enchanted
story book location, and a likely spot where Bilbo Baggins might
well set up housekeeping. We were both exhausted after our long
walk and sat down on a rock under a shady tree and rested. I
loaded my camera and Steven meditated for about twenty minutes. I
then shot several rolls of film of a very reverent musician.
Later after I returned to my studio and developed the film; I
found myself examining every frame very carefully, looking for
tiny eyes peeping out from behind tree trunks and branches.
My next subject was Ginger Baker. Chris Blackwell said he wanted
to accompany me when it came time to shoot Ginger. So Chris drove
me out to Ginger,s house in the early afternoon. It was located
in a rural section of London with lots of open spaces and dirt
roads. On the drive out to Ginger's house, Chris gave me a
warning. He told me that Ginger will always try and test someone
that he does not know. I said, What kind of test? Chris was not
sure, but indicated that Ginger will always say or do something
unexpected and your reaction will determine whether he accepts
you as a friend or not.
When we arrived at Ginger's house we found him in the driveway
putting the finishing touches on a wax job on his new sports car,
A Jensen Interceptor.
It was low, sleek, silver gray, with leather straps that held the
bonnet (hood) down. I took some picture of Ginger standing next
to his pride and joy and when I was finished, he asked me if I
wanted to go for a ride. I said, Sure, thinking I could get some
shots of him behind the wheel with his hair blowing in the wind.
The passenger seat was cramped for my 6 foot 2 inch size, but I
managed to scrunch down so that I could get a wide angle shot
looking up at Ginger from the floor boards.
Soon we were cruising down a narrow dirt country road and I was
getting my shots of Ginger behind the wheel with his red hair
blowing in the wind. At
seventy miles an hour Ginger looked down and gave me an evil
smile, and mashed the accelerator to the floor. The speedometer
quickly climbed to 80, 90, 100, 110 and still climbing. The
countryside was just a blur out the window. This was too fast for
a freeway, but we were on a rutty dirt road. Ginger looked at me
as if to say, Had enough? I lowered my camera and said, Is this
as fast as it will go? Ginger gave me a warm smile and took his
foot off of the accelerator. I had passed the test.
When we arrived back at the house, he invited me in for tea and
biscuits. Ginger was an avid wood carver and he showed me his
artistic collection of mostly abstract carvings. The English
release of their album featured a young nude girl holding a
chrome plated jet airplane that Ginger had carved. We sipped tea
and ate biscuits as ginger sat in his lounge chair and told
stories. At one point his infant daughter escaped the nursery and
entered the room. She quickly scrambled up Ginger?s leg and
perched herself on his knee. Thinking that he might like a shot
with his daughter I took a picture.
We spent a pleasant afternoon with Ginger and his family and then
Chris and I excused ourselves and left. Weeks later when I was
making prints form this
session I printed the shot of Ginger and his daughter. After it
was developed and floating in the fixer I found I could not keep
form starring at it. There was just something about this shot
that I found so unexpectedly fascinating. The juxtaposition of
this evil looking hard rock drummer?s face, next to such an
adorable young angelic child was so captivating that I could not
take my eyes off of it. To this day I still think that this is
one of the most compelling images I ever captures as a rock
photographer.
Friday night we were all back at Morgan Studios listening to the
final mix of "Can't Find My Way Home", "Presence
of the Lord" and "Sea of Joy." There
was a little bickering about some minor details of each song, but
all agreed that a good compromise had been reached and the
engineer was given permission to send the tapes off for vinyl
pressings. The last bit of business had been concluded by 3:30 AM
and Eric Clapton asked me if I wanted
to drive home with him for our weekend photo session. I agreed,
but we needed to stop by the hotel to pick up my equipment and a
change of clothes.
By 4 AM we were on our way to Eric's newly acquired estate in the
exclusive community of Hurtwood Edge.
It was still quite dark when we arrived at his estate, but
nevertheless I was overcome with the beauty and majesty of the
residence. Due to the late
hour I was taken to my room where I slept in a beautifully carved
Victorian four posted canopied bed. The next morning we had a
delightful brunch on an
outdoor terrace overlooking the garden and six acres of woodland.
After we ate, Eric took me on a tour of the interior of the
estate. I soon lost count
of bedrooms, baths, dens and libraries. I had never been in such
a magnificent home and I said ?If you don?t mind me asking, but
do you come from a wealthy family or did you purchase this estate
by making love to guitar strings with your fingers. Eric gave a
little laugh and raised his hand, wiggled his fingers and
said,Just with these.
The rest of that day we spent in one of the dens enjoying
pleasant conversations. After dinner we were back in the den;
Eric lit jasmine incense and played some of his favorite albums
for me. He also shared some of his solo (experimental) guitar
music which we listened to with headphones. Later that evening
Eric excused himself and then came back after a short time with a
wooden box containing a 500mm telephoto lens. He said that he
purchased it in Japan while on tour and wanted me to have it. I
was overwhelmed and could hardly find the words to express my
surprise and appreciation for such an unexpected and generous
gift. Eric said that he had bought it on an impulse and would
probably never use it and that it would be more useful to me.
The next day Eric took me on a tour of the grounds. The back of
the property had four brick pathways that branched out from the
estate like spokes on a
semicircle. Eric said that because he had only been in the house
for a couple of weeks he had not yet explored this particular
pathway, so we were exploring it for the first time. As we were
walking along engrossed in conversation Eric nearly walked into a
low hanging tree branch blocking our way. I asked him to hook his
arm around the branch and I shot several photos of him on this
yet unexplored walkway. As we walked along Eric asked me
several questions about Jimi Hendrix's personality. I told him
that they had a lot in common. Besides their talent as guitarist
I said that they both shared a quiet modesty and a respect for
all life, and a spiritual sensitivity.
As our journey continued I noticed a break in the raised curb
that paralleled the walkway. There was another branching path,
but it was blocked by a thick overgrowth of bushes. Our curiosity
was peaked, so we muscled our way through the shrubbery and soon
found ourselves in a large vine covered
wrought iron dome. The whole interior was lit with dappled
sunlight, giving it almost a mystical or magical feeling. There
were several curved wrought
iron benches lining the inside. We sat down quietly and took in
the ambience. After a while Eric looked at me and said ?If I had
known this was here I would have paid twice as much for the
estate. We stayed there for over an hour talking and absorbing
the transcendental quality of this unexpected discovery.
After recording the album, the band made its live debut in Hyde
Park, London; a crowd estimated at 100,000 - 150,000 watch for
free. At Mr. Blackwells request I extended my stay to shoot this
concert. Although they were all experienced performers this
coupling had never played before a live audience before. They got
off to a shaky start, but soon settled in to the experienced
professionals they were.
The US debut started at Madison Square Garden, NY. This was the
start of a sell-out two-month US stadium tour, once called ?one
of the tackiest rock
circuses of all time?, which earns a fortune, yet convinces band
members that Blind Faith is musically unsatisfying. Winwood later
describes the tour as vulgar, crude, disgusting and lacking in
integrity. I did not accompany the US tour, but my experience in
London with the band was quite pleasant. I could tell from my
time in the studio with the group that there was a tiff between
Eric and Ginger and that may have been the underpinnings of the
band?s break up. I was not surprised when Eric Clapton went on to
become a huge superstar, next to Jimi Hendrix he was the most
talented, sensitive, kind and spiritually aware musician I have
ever known.
Copyright © by Ron Raffaelli 2002
COPYRIGHT © 2003 PROPERTY OF MOBIUS GALLERY~ALL RIGHTS RESERVED~
ALL PHOTOGRAPHY COPYRIGHT © 1969 BY RON RAFFAELLI~ALL RIGHTS RESERVED~