Inception:Conception - photographs by Bill Schwab

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Inception:Conception

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bill_schwab

Gone Fishing #wycamplake #emmetcountymichigan #tak

Gone Fishing #wycamplake #emmetcountymichigan #takeabreak

Instagram post 17888929948529591

Instagram post 17888929948529591

It was a drizzly October 14th of 1984, the Detroit

It was a drizzly October 14th of 1984, the Detroit Tigers have just clinched the World Series and I am outside the stadium minutes away from my first experience with a riot baton. Thousands of people have already gathered in anticipation and, understandably, the celebration is wild and the people streaming out of the stadium are only adding to the chaos. The Detroit police are unprepared and in an attempt to disperse the massive crowd, they have begun a brutal march with horses, shields and batons. On the other side of their line with the revelers are several police cars and as soon as the crowd realizes they are unattended, they turn their attention to destroying the vehicles, several of which were later burned. I’m photographing the destruction of one of the cars and all of a sudden a cop beating a kid with a blackjack (that he denied having until my pictures came out) literally fell out of the crowd at my feet. The cop was viciously beating the kid and, knowing I only had one more frame on the roll, I waited to get the best shot I could of the action. I then discovered I had one frame left and made the final exposure of the savaged car (which was later flipped and burned) I then headed toward the police line where I was eventually given a few strokes of a riot baton from a big cop without a badge.

The next day, I submitted the images and my story to the Detroit Free Press where it was discovered that I had a picture of the only arrest of the night (even though I saw many dragged into the stadium by cops). The subject of my photo was named Nick LaBate and he was being charged with the arson of the police car even though I know I had proof he was taken away before it was flipped and burned. I was contacted by his lawyer and eventually went to court where I testified with my negatives and the pictures showing the sequence of the photographs that proved his innocence of the charge against him. It was an incredible moment when the judge dismissed the case. intimidation toward me from the Detroit police and I learned a lot about the ability of some of them to lie and smear people to protect themselves, but I’ll save it for now. #scenesfrombillslife #detroit #riots

I've photographed a lot of people and we're all ju

I've photographed a lot of people and we're all just...people, but sometimes the fanboy in me takes over and I marvel at the tiny degrees of separation to major influences on our culture that I get myself into. For instance, this guy. This is Eric Burdon of the Animals and War. Not only were this guy's vocals one of the songs in the soundtrack of the lives of millions. He was great friends and confidant of Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon and more. How do you not think of these things when in the presence of someone like this, let alone be his relief from boredom at yet another gig?

It's April 14, 1989 and Eric Burdon, long past the prime of his career, is performing a gig at Detroit's St. Andrews Hall. There is always a long wait between load-in, set-up, soundcheck and then the actual show and it can be mind numbing. Most artists spend this time in a hotel watching TV or something. However, Eric is hanging out upstairs in the Robbie Burns room of the hall by himself. Hoping for just such an opportunity, I've come early in the day and I peek my head in, apologize for the interruption and as easy as that begin a fascinating conversation that turns into a very cool hang. All culminating in his comfort with allowing me to photograph him over the time we spent together. And later, after telling many great stories and making my day, he got onstage and totally blew away the small crowd as if it was a stadium gig from the old days. Eric recently had his 79th birthday and is still out there working the stage. #ericburdon #scenesfrombillslife #blackandwhite #filmphotography #film #detroit #theanimals

It's March of 1992 and I've had the strangest frie

It's March of 1992 and I've had the strangest friendship develop with Dee Dee Ramone (shades) who I first met at the Limelight in New York a couple years earlier with Joey Ramone. Not surprisingly, Dee Dee loved music and had moved to the Detroit area after kicking and would hang at a club not far from my house run by Jim Lessnau called Sully's. All the greats played there and there will be more stories to come from Sully's. We met again backstage in Detroit in early 1992 and after being somewhat snubbed at an event I photographed, I was able to get a shot of him into Rolling Stone. It was quite a coup for him and he was so happy. We became friends and would hang out from time to time, see music and he would sometimes come over or call me at night and talk on and on. He was trying so hard to stay clean and told me he was very afraid of dying. He was only 40 at the time, but good friends of his, Johnny Thunders and Stiv Baters had already passed and he was afraid he would be soon. It was amazing hearing stories from him and I once asked why me of all people. His answer in his heavy Dee Dee accent was, "Because you're normal people and I need normal people in my life." For a couple years, I did some photography for him as well and these were the first studio images ever shot of his band "Chinese Dragons". I get requests for these every couple of years as they are very rare and I've not yet allowed them to be published other than whatever Dee Dee did with them himself. They were shot in the room he was living in near my house at the Travelodge on Michigan Avenue in Dearborn, Michigan. As with many odd friendships, we drifted apart and he ended up moving out to Los Angeles where just about 10 years after these were shot, he passed on due to an overdose. Extremely sad knowing how afraid he was to go, yet the power of that drug pulled him back in. #scenesfrombillslife #deedeeramone #chinesedragons #detroit #ramones #blackandwhite #filmphotography #film #rockandroll

It's 1985, it is springtime in Mt. Pleasant, Michi

It's 1985, it is springtime in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan and I am hanging with my friend, Rob Kabeary who is back from Boston for a spell. We are all done with school now, but it is home and a hard place to leave. The Mountain Town (flat as a pancake) is where I had my first home and family away from my home and family. Many of the relationships I began here continue to this day and Rob was a big part of my life back then. We shared a love of the Grateful Dead and spent a lot of time traveling around to shows from Minnesota to New York among many other things. It was a blast, but as with all good things, it began to fade away and we all went in our different directions. Rob became a great bread man and started several popular bakeries culminating in Bread, his most successful shop, in Durango, Colorado. Employing many and serving everyone from locals to hollywood stars, a little over a year ago he came into work complaining of a headache and went into his office to shake it off... This is the way he lives now in my mind. #scenesfrombillslife #film #blackandwhite #friends #tribute

July of 1988 and my good friend, Dave Boutette (on

July of 1988 and my good friend, Dave Boutette (on right) and I have escaped the heat of Detroit and joined Andy Nehra (on left playing my Epiphone) and his brother Mike and friends in Grand Haven, Michigan. A glimpse of a time in between The Replacements and Nirvana when it seemed everyone I knew was in a band. Andy of Detroit’s Second Self and Dave of the now legendary Junk Monkeys. Not much more here other than a sweet memory of a relaxed and care free time. #scenesfrombillslife #junkmonkeys #blackandwhite #film @daveboutette

Coming soon! Ask a question in my story. Thanks! L

Coming soon! Ask a question in my story. Thanks! Let’s have some fun!

It was 25 years ago... May 13, 1995 and I was aske

It was 25 years ago... May 13, 1995 and I was asked by my friend who was promoting the show to photograph the legendary Patti Smith as she emerged from a long retirement. This was at The Magic Bag in Ferndale, Michigan. Her first full performance in many years and everyone was on edge. It wasn't long after this that she went off on me in front of the crowd for taking too many pictures. "Stieglitz only needed to take ONE Picture!!", she bellowed through the microphone at me. It got rowdy and needless to say, I was crushed at being scolded in front of so many by one of my musical heroes. After telling my friend I wasn't coming back the second night for more, I went home with my tail between my legs. The next day I get a call from my friend telling me I don't want to miss it and I should come back for the second night. Reluctantly I pack up my gear and return only to be ushered to Patti's dressing room where she sat me down, praised me on the images, apologized and told me to thicken my skin cause it wasn't easy being an artist. She was right. I'm not Stieglitz and I will never forget that night. #scenesfrombillslife #blackandwhite #film #flimisnotdead #filmphotography #music #livemusic #musicallegend #pattismith @thisispattismith

It's beautiful day in May, 1985 and I am upstairs

It's beautiful day in May, 1985 and I am upstairs at the Trumbull Theater in Detroit with my very good friend, Lloyd Thomas. A painter by artistic focus, but it was he that was the true work of art. A sweet and gentle soul underneath a hard living exterior, he was all a twenty something with a thirst for experience could want. Detroit's own Charles Bukowski. Twenty-three years my senior, Lloyd was one of my first photography professors at Central Michigan University, but I can't say he ever taught me much about photography. However, what I learned from Lloyd about life was immeasurable. Good and bad, but always valuable. We spent loads and loads of time exploring the forgotten bars and characters of Detroit and hung with some wild people. I could tell you endless stories about Lloyd and our associations, but I''l spare you. Those of you that knew him know what I mean. But what I will say is that I ended up having to distance myself to get on with a relatively normal life. He lived hard and the association started taking it's toll. We kept contact until he passed, but it was never the same and I'll always regret not seeing him that one last time. #mentor #friend #artist #portrait #bwphotography #film #tribute #scenesfrombillslife

Digging deep into the archives today… it was the

Digging deep into the archives today… it was the summer of 1979 and I had ridden from Detroit to Grand Rapids Michigan in the open bed of a pickup truck to spend some time at the home of my friend Lenny at the house he shared with his brother in Hudsonville, Michigan. It was no picnic getting there, but the times were always good. On the left is my old friend and artist extraordinaire, Jerome Quenneville. Next is Sue, whose last name escapes me. Then yours truly and on the right is my oldest friend in the world, Len Beyers. I was only 19 years old and I’m so glad I set up my old Olympus OM-1 for this one. #1979 #oldfriends #archives #bwfilm #film #scenesfrombillslife

More from the archives... It was the 1993 Lalapalo

More from the archives... It was the 1993 Lalapalooza stop at Milan Dragway in Michigan. The one with Alice in Chains, Dinosaur Jr. and Rage Against the Machine among others. It was a scorching hot July day and huge storms were passing through nearly taking out the stage. I was finding shelter backstage among the trucks when this young woman floated in on the breeze and asked me to photograph her. She then floated away and disappeared into the maze of trucks. If anyone knows who she is, tell her the pictures are ready. Anyway.. I always liked film sequences of three and this was a good one. #lalapalooza #scenesfrombillslife #blackandwhite #film #filmisnotdead #youth #scenesfrombillslife

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