The Mutaytor - 9/26/04 - LA County Fair

i started shooting mutaytor 6 months ago. bryan and I chase each other in parking lots and talk of poetry and projects. During performances he is aware of my camera. “would you STOP it!?” I say to him when we pass each other between songs as I show him an image I took of him, “stop being so damn photogenic!” I say faux-miffed to which he throws back, “only if you stop taking such damn good shots!” as his grabs his fire and jumps brattishly upstage. Hambone laughs at me as I balance precariously on nearby speakers in the wings as he bangs his drums effortlessly. Brady says he’s never off-time and has played with a lot of musicians that I love. He can play like a madman and pose sadistically for a photo. His kindness and humbleness inspire me… eric is a cross between a mechanical organ monkey cymbal-smasher and a passionate unstoppable fire whirlwind. He surprises us all with last minute props… from appearing out of no where in a highly-flammable dress to an impromptu act with a suit and briefcase. He never poses casual for a photo. He likes to show me his skeleton by pulling his face to the sides. kj never takes a bad photo… she is versatile and free.. her smile speaks wicked oceans. she likes to compliment my t&a. “nice view!” she said on the rubber bed at a party in san fran when I bent to pick up my bag. Brady shot her an amused look. “what?!” she said giggling. On Saturday I took a group photo backstage from atop bryan’s shoulders. You can see the devil vixen in her as I click the shutter. “nice tits!” she yelled. Everyone looked at her. Again, “what?!” we share a secret love of DMB and we never hug goodbye. Her radiance inspires me… jenn owns it… all of it… she gets sexier every time I shoot her. Her self-esteem inspires me..Crunchy is the sweetest woman ever. Sick business sense mixed with a soft, genuine heart. We talk of having a fondue party with her mother’s retro set. Natural colors suit her well in this day glo world. She projects love sitting low on stage with a fire blanket and wide smile. She is quick with the ‘oh shit bag’ (first aid) and is the emotional glue of mutaytor. I love her to bits and have a secret agenda of marrying her. Buck makes a killer liquid chicken breakfast and can make a mess in ten seconds flat. He has serious eyes even when he’s drunk. He never blinks when he is behind his laptop on stage. During soundcheck I walk silent up to him holding my uploading wire and he never says no. he can upload my photos, burn them to CD and continue soundcheck and I love him for it. Roo is the girl everyone warns me not to mess with but I just can’t help it. She holds me the deathgrip of her thighs as I thrash and spew big imminent doom threats that probably sound like mice on mountaintops to her, my muscle-laded pirate girl. She does my glitter before shows. On stage, I am in awe of her… her focus, stage presence and reckless precision are unreal. She flies over the crowd on a gong flailing angst and spinning fire as if in love. At home she always has a glass of ravenswood in her hand. Her talent inspires me… she is my superhero and I love her endless… Russell is quiet… he sets up his fire safety and then retreats into books. Once when I asked him what he was reading, he told me something perverted and then looked back down to his book. He has celtic tattoos and unblinking eyes. When fire is on, he does not move. He shakes his head disappointed if he feels danger is near. I would feel safe anywhere with him. Steve is always first to sweat. I met him on paynie’s roof and was impressed with all the famous people he has worked with. Like hambone, he poses well and plays with skilled passion. I like capturing him psychedelic. Lazlo is quick with a flask between songs and is getting better at the crazy faces. He works as a porn lawyer and has a bad knee. Lucky and I work together silently. His video projections enhance my images, turn them mutayted. When asked if he is gay he says he is ‘strictly dickly’. He is my visionary brother. brady smashes his cymbals so hard that they chip away and he has to turn them around. He feels music like me, from the ground up and he jumps rhythmic with each tension-filled climax, back ablaze with sweat, stage lights flickering off his metal belt. “enough with the butt shots!” he says embarrassed… He is dangerously quick with a whipchain. He never leaves the house or starts a show without first re-applying his silver nail polish. He never starts from the beginning, just layers over the old. He loves to paint shoes blue, makes me laugh endless and always surprises me… this is just a fraction of my mutaytor family… at every show, at every party, at every event, I love them all the more… the fact that my dreams are coming to fruition through what they inspire is almost secondary to how I feel about them. I share common ground and motion with these like-minded people, not just mutaytor but all my new friends, burner and others… technology is more my friend now, opportunities are presenting themselves on an almost daily basis. Vision complimented and exploded. There’s a fire poi in my head and the momentum has finally caught up…