The Roxy,  Hollywood CA – 1987

Studio Shots – Summer 1987

Rated X

The Roxy,  Hollywood CA – 1987

Studio Shots – Summer 1987

Talk about FUN bands. These guys were so awesome to work with, I should have paid them for the privilege of photographing and hanging out with them! The Original Rated X was a band that I photographed many times and was one of the first bands I shot in a studio, which was basically a HUGE storage locker in Rosemead, east of L.A., and the band often rehearsed there. They had carpet on the walls to soundproof the place. I guess it worked, they were loud! Just look at them — they LOOK loud, they demanded attention, and their guitarist (I think his name was Chris), he was beautiful! I remember thinking he could model. He was tall and sleek and the camera loved him. I never had to tell these guys to warm up to the camera.

What charisma! I remember photographing them at my house and my mom got home from work to find a bunch of long-haired dudes crowded around our entryway mirror putting on lipstick and hairspray! She was pretty good about it. She just came over to me and whispered “How long are your characters going to be here?” Remember, that’s what mom called most of my subjects.

After a couple of years, I don’t know what happened to them. As I moved on, I lost touch with the guys. Last I heard, by the late ’80s, they got in a fight over the name with another Rated X that came on the scene. Hell, there’s only room for ONE Rated X on the stirp, which is why I call them the Original Rated X. In my world they were the one and only!