Punk 365: La Luz de Jesus Gallery

ByMark Vallen

La Luz de Jesus Gallery in Hollywood hosts a Photo Exhibit, Book Signing and Live Performance for Punk 365, the latest book from music writer Holly George-Warren. With a foreword by L’enfant terrible Richard Hell, the encyclopedic volume traces punk from forerunners like the Velvet Underground and the Stooges, on through originators like the Ramones, Sex Pistols and the Clash, to the punk explosion that occurred in Los Angeles with bands like X, the Germs, and the Screamers. The text is supported by photographs from those intrepid souls who dared to take a camera into the maelstrom; Bob Gruen, Roberta Bayley, Jill Furmanovsky, and Jenny Lens.

Photo by Jenny Lens
“X.” Photo by Jenny Lens 1979 ©. Lens snapped this shot of Exene Cervenka and John Doe of the band X, during a performance at the Stardust Ballroom, August 30, 1979. Captured in the audience is yours truly – I’m wearing the red bandana at the far right of the photo.

LA photographer Jenny Lens has twenty four photos published in Punk 365, one of which will be on view at the Hollywood exhibit, her snapshot of LA’s most famous punk band, X. Shot during a raucous live performance at LA’s Stardust Ballroom in 1979, Lens’ photo also happened to captured me in the audience… ah, wild youth!

This special event will also include a live performance by Tony Kinman’s newest outfit, Los Trendy. If you were around in the late 70s you might recall that brothers Chip and Tony Kinman founded the Dils. One of the very first political punk bands to emerge from the US, the Dils opened for the Clash during that band’s debut US tour. The Book Signing, Photo Exhibit, and Live performance will take place on Sunday, Nov. 18, 2007, from 4 – 8 pm. La Luz de Jesus gallery is located at 4633 Hollywood Blvd.

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