July – October 2005

I was very busy in the Fall of 2005 promoting my new book “John Lennon, The New York Years” and didn’t have time to update my webpages. Here are some of the photos I’ve made in the last few months.

Aug 5 - NYC - America's sweetheart, Martha Quinn of MTV's early days is now a DJ for Sirius Radio. For her press photo we spent a nice summer day walking around her old Lower East Side neighborhood.

Aug 14 - NYC - Yoko Ono joined the cast onstage at the opening of the musical play "Lennon" on Broadway.

Sept 26 - NYC - Joey Carey and J.J. Beck made a film called "Greasy Riders" about using vegetable oil as fuel. They drove a "Grease Car" across the U.S. interviewing people, including Yoko Ono, for their film.

Aug 30 - NYC - My son, Kris Gruen spent the summer working in New York on his new CD "Lullaby School".

Sept 17 - Rutherford, CA - Mumm Napa Fine Art Photography Gallery, in connection with the Morrison Hotel Gallery, opened an exhibition of Rock & Roll photography with a group of photographers rarely seen together. Above from left next to me is Jim Marshall, Ethan Russel, Baron Wolman, Michael Zagaris, and Henry Diltz.

Oct 4 - NYC - Social Distortion played at the Nokia Theater in Times Square. Saying hello to Mike Ness backstage are Sylvain Sylvain, Mike, Joan Jett, Jesse Malin and Steve Conte.

July 13 - NYC - Hilly Krystal and his daughter Lisa at the party for Hilly's photo book of the history of CBGB. They are fighting to keep the space they've used for the last 32 years but may have to move come October.

Danny Fields and Seymour Stein remember the happy times they had coming to CBGB and celebrate that it's still a great place for fun.

Aug 31 - NYC - Little Steven Van Zant organized a concert in Washington Square Park to call attention to the fate of CBGB's. Here's Little Steven with Public Enemy, who played as part of the benefit.

Little Steven greets Debbie Harry at the CBGB benefit concert before Blondie performed.

Sept 1 - East Rutherford, NJ - Green Day poses backstage just before going on at Giants Stadium in September.

Giants Stadium was the largest show Green Day had played in the U.S to date. They are working on a new album and I can't wait till they're playing live again.

Jesse Malin tells Green Day's Billy Joe Armstrong how much he enjoyed their Giants Stadium show.

July 11 - NYC - Don Hill and Michael Schmidt congratulate Bebe Buell on her birthday at Marquee club in NYC

Sept 13 - NYC - The Rolling Stones rock out at Madison Square Garden. It seems like they prove that "bigger is better".

Sept 21 - NYC - The Sex Slaves played at Don Hill's and they are my new favorite band. They have been playing all over the country to promote their new album "Bite Your Tongue". Catch them if you can.

Oct 7 - NYC - When my book "John Lennon, The New York Years" was released in October I gave a reading at Barnes and Noble in Chelsea and a slide talk at City University of New York.

Oct 19 - Paris - "John Lennon: Unfinished Music", a comprehensive exhibition about his life, music, and art is at Cité de la Musique in Paris. I was there at the opening in October when Yoko Ono greeted the guests.

Oct 21 - Vermont - I just have to share the fact that I am now a grandfather. My son Kris and his partner Jaiel announced the birth of their daughter Jasmine in October.

Oct 23 - NYC - Ryan Adams and Jesse Malin were among the friends who celebrated my 60th birthday at a party in the New York loft of Giorgio Gomelsky, above on the right.

Giorgio is an inspiration for so many musicians and artists and loves the avant garde. For the party he arranged to have performances by a Rock & Roll ventriloquist and a Mexican Rock Star singing and acoustic set. It was a great party!