Sherry LaVars Captures Some Musical Moments

My friend Sherry is a photographer for the CCTimes and I'm always glad to see her work. But of course, I like seeing her even more because she's a great lady and one of my first friends from undergrad film school. Tangent: what makes a great friend? Honesty, humor and love. Back to our subject: that's Sher.

So Sherry photographed Lady GaGa at the Mezzanine in San Francisco last week. Sher and I are pretty old-school so we're baffled by the explosive emergence of this young upstart from NYC. What is her sudden appeal across the Internets? Is it the latex bodysuits? The bubble costume? The Warholian wigs? The...music? It sounds like standard dance fare from the mid-90s with techno elements thrown about. Maybe the young'uns just want to dance. Nothing wrong with that. Maybe it's the Liz Phair/David Bowie/Elton John-like piano ballads. (I'm making a "confused" face now). Whatever it is, she is HOT (at the moment). More power to her.






Then, as if that weren't exciting ENOUGH. Sherry caught some Chrissie Hynde moments at the Fillmore. Now, Chrissie Hynde's music has not thrilled me in many years, but I still find her voice powerful, hypnotic and amazing. I wish she'd get her hands on some really fantastic compositions because she is in a special singing class all by herself. Definitely one of the best voices in rock, since the dawn of time (that would be mid-1950s when it all started). She's a huge part of rock history, with her stint in England, hanging out with all the punks and her band The Pretenders and their terrible demise (and reunion, of sorts), her relationship with Ray Davies and beyond. Very, very cool lady. I would like to cook her a vegan dinner.