Punk rock video shoot

Black Flag shoot at the Target Video warehouse, 678 So. Van Ness, SF, CA 
c. 1980

Now, here's a typical shot.  Joe's shooting Black Flag in the studio.  That's Chuck Dukowski on the left then Joe, then Mike Fox of the Tools, Sal Paradise of Code of Honor, Greg Gardiner and some kid I don't remember.  Oh, and Henry Rollins up center with Greg Ginn just behind him.  Black Flag shoots were a blast.  Especially swift, the band would jam up in the van, play a gig, stay up and talk about shooting a video, maybe sleep, but probably just drink and cavort. The next day we'd shoot the band.  They'd jump back in the van and drive back to LA.  Real hit-and-run stuff.  Now, actually, we knew when they were coming in advance but that was about it.  They were very by-the-seat-of-you-pants guys, but always right on the dime when you turned on the cameras.  We taped them many times with just about every singer they had. They were and are just the nicest, greatest guys.  I know they have had their arguments or whatever with each other, and that I'm sorry to hear about, but they were always cool with us. 

I guess it was with Black Flag that the Teen Idles first showed up at the warehouse.  Another group of nice guys.  Joe put them to work to earn their keep or something like that.  They ended up building my loft space in the warehouse.  All they wanted from me was Coca-Colas. Go figure.  They could have asked me for anything and I would have given it, so happy was I to have a loft!  They stayed in town for a while I think and probably played a show or two.  That was how it was in SF, come to town, someone will put you up, put you to work and give you a show.  I am know it was the same in LA, but the Target warehouse wasn't just a party   house, it was like a community center where everyone worked as well as played.