April 1987: This is one of those totally unexpected “right place, right time” kind of things. I was at my 12th or 13th Big Audio Dynamite (BAD) show — I had seen them several places in California as well as two shows in Boston, and then was there for a few in the series of five sold-out shows at the Irving Plaza in NYC.
One night after the show, everyone was backstage in this big room (looked to me sort of like a lodge meeting room) and at some point the crowd parted, leaving the celebs on one side of the room, and the normal boring people on the other. One side took photos of the other — but I’m not tellin’ which was which.
From left to right: Greg Roberts (BAD), Dave Stewart (Eurythmics), Don Letts (BAD), David Bowie, Jimmy Cliff, Mick Jones (BAD/Clash), Dan Donovan (BAD – in white hat), Paul Simenon (Clash).
And again, with Mike D of the Beastie Boys walking across in front of everyone…
And the passes that got me there (from 2 different nights):
And for more from this artist…
5 Responses
I promoted those B.A.D. shows at Irving Plaza. There were 16 of them and I arranged for that group shot to be taken. That photo was stolen from me some years later. Even though I believe your image was photo shopped in to that image, I would really appreciate knowing where you got it from/.
I was in there in the room as well. A friend’s band had opened for them in Boston and we all hung out with them in Boston and went with them to NYC after that for the week of shows. Went out to clubs as well after the shows a couple of nights. Those pictures are the second to the last night and I remember talking to most of them. Even better, for the actual show that night, was with the sound guy where there were about 5-6 chairs set up. Near the end Bowie, Frampton and DAS all came up to listen/hang out. DAS had an early camcorder and asked if he could stand on the seat I was sitting on for a better angle for the shot. Frampton was super chill as well. About 10 minutes before Bowie came out Coco Schab came out and sat next to me. We talked for awhile and passed beers around. Bowie came out and sat on the other side of her. After 15ish minutes she got up and went somewhere and I talked to Bowie a bit. Unreal to remember it all. Seems like yesterday.