Here’s a weird one.
Okay, so many of you probably remember some recent and not-so-recent posts I’ve devoted to photographer Drew Carolan’s book, “Matinee,” about the the New York hardore scene in the early-to-mid 80’s. I discussed it most recently here, but my first invocation of came from a video Drew had put together. You can see that video here (and below, if you don’t feel like clicking).
In any case, one of the characters Drew captured in his photographs was this, at the time, this comparatively little kid from Staten Island who was introduced into the NYHC community by his older sibling. For this purposes of this narrative, I’m going to respectuflly re-purpose Drew’s images here. That little kid is, today, one Anderson Slade.
Sometime after that, you might remember a long, laborious series of posts in 2016 wherein I became obsessed with pinpointing the exact location of a photograph of NYC’s own endearingly slovenly scumrock/post-hardcore band, The Lunachicks. In the process of that quest, I was put in touch with the photographer responsible that image, an affably patient guy named Joe Dillworth. After explaining my ridiculous obsession with his enigmatic photograph, he gamely sent me the contact sheet of the entire shoot. Among the shots in that shoot was a shot of Lunachicks bassist Syd “Squid” Silver. To Squid’s right, however, there appeared a figure on a bicycle that looked strikingly familiar. Sure enough, that is Anderson Slade.
It’s actually not that surprising that Slade, the same little kid from Drew’s pics should be seen fraternizing with the Lunachicks. Lunachick guitarist Gina Volpe was, herself, one of Drew’s subjects.That’s her on the far right of the punk trio (i.e. not the gentleman sitting down).
Anyway, the coincidences didn’t stop there. Earlier this week, a gentleman named Ruben posted a screen grab from “Vampire’s Kiss,” the arguably abortive 1988 Nicholas Cage vampire movie on the Facebook group Manhattan Before 1990. The screengrab featured a fleeting shot of Cage’s protagonist exiting a shop that used to operate on West 19th street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues called Magickal Childe. Being a big fan of Magickal Childe, I posted my own photograph of the place, which you may remember from my previous posts about the place, notably this one and this one. Here’s that photo now.
In short order, another member of the group reached out to me to say that he was putting together a documentary film about Magickal Childe, and would I mind if he used my photo. To buffer his request, he mentioned that we had a mutual friend in common, that being photographer Drew Carolan. This filmmaker wanting to use my Magickal Childe photo was none other than -- WAIT FOR IT -- Anderson Slade.
I said ‘sure,’ of course – I’m more than happy to help. I then shot him the link to my Lunachicks post featuring the shot of him and Squid from the Lunachicks.
…and verily MINDS WERE BLOWN!!!!
Anyway, keep your eyes open for news about an impending documentary about Magickal Childe. Go out and buy Drew Carolan’s book “Matinee.” Be sure to listen for Joe Dillworth’s new band, Cavern of Anti-Matter. And please keep reading Flaming Pablum.
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