PICTURE THIS: A PUBLIC IMAGE

A collection of previously unseen photographs taken in LA venues from 1978-1980. The photographs were taken by Spike, who grew up in a world shadowed by murders, prohibition-era legends, and backroom dealings. He started taking photos of celebrities, but then became interested in the punk scene after being introduced to The Clash's 'Give Em Enough Rope'. Spike spent most nights haunting the dive bars in West Hollywood and the Sunset Strip, photographing punk bands. He also worked with other photographers and took photos of bands like The Specials, Madness, and PiL. Spike's lifelong love affair with punk began in 1978 and has continued to this day. He has worked as a chef, a catering chef, and has been involved in progressive leftist activism and the direct-action anarchist movement. He is currently living in Brighton and running monthly Garageland shows at various venues in the city and London.