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MARK WEISS - WEISSGUY
It was the seventies, I had just moved into a new neighborhood
in NJ. I was a 14 year old kid knocking on doors to houses with unkept lawns;
offering to cut them for $5.00 a week. I made a deal with a neighbor to
mow his lawn for the entire season and in exchange he would give me a camera.
At the end of the summer the deal was done ; my first 35 mm Bell & Howell
Canon camera. My dad set me up with equipment for developing film and i
turned our bathroom into a darkroom. I began shooting friends and family
for the first few months. It was exciting to see images appear from just
some chemicals and water. I needed more action to shoot; my older brother
Jay, who was racing motor cross, was my next subject . A couple of years
later I started tagging along with my brother to concerts. "Sly and
the Family Stone" at Raceway park was my first show. My interest in
rock and roll photography began August 9th 1974 at Roosevelt Stadium at
a Crosby Stills Nash and Young concert. That night David Crosby made an
announcement of Nixon's resignation. I ran into someone I knew making his
way to the front of the stage with his camera in one hand, and a hot girl
in another. I knew at that show thats what i wanted to do. From that point
on, whenever I went to a show I did what ever it took to get close to the
stage. I sneaked my cameras in, stuffing them in my boots. I also paid off
security guards at venues to get into the first ten rows. I was 16 and photographing
rock icons to be; LED ZEPPELIN, KISS, QUEEN, BOWIE ........
I had to start somewhere! I would shoot the first night
of the show, stay up all night developing and printing hundreds of photos.
I began selling them on the street after the concerts for one dollar per
print. The money I earned built me a darkroom in the back of my garage.
In 1977, KISS played a five night stint in New York City. I was arrested
outside of Madison Square Garden selling photos of KISS and spent the
night in jail. My peddling days were over.
The next day, I walked into CIRCUS magazine the leading Rock n' Roll
publication at the time. With my portfolio in hand, the timing was right
- the art director was off deadline and welcomed me into his office. Within
months, I submitted photos from an Aerosmith show; which became my first
published work; a centerfold featuring Steven Tyler (June 1978). I was
hired as the staff photographer for CIRCUS magazine, shooting their covers
and features. While working with CIRCUS, I quickly developed relationships
with top rock bands and managers.
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