Lockjaw, Ottawa, circa 1992 this image is from my first "portrait" shoot. i had taken a few off the cuff group snaps of bands for the CKCU-FM's program guide (the radio station i have volunteered at for the last 15 years), but this was the first time i went out with a band with the purpose of taking some portrait shots for the sake of taking some portrait shots.
okay, so we picked a dumb location, (Parliament Hill - the Canadian version of the US Capitol) but the shoot went well and this is one of the best band shots i have ever taken. in this one frame i managed to capture Sean's sincerity and devotion with his piercing stare (left) and Martin's hyper, yet shy, boyishness (centre). i have to apologize to Mark (right) for making his forehead look so huge, but i think this exemplifies his laid back attitude, brought on by humility, with his indifference to this shoot.
from the moment i saw Lockjaw i was blown away. one of their first shows was at a house party in their practice space a few blocks away from where i live now. i remember having to leave the show after they played because they were so good -- i didn't want any other sensory stimulation to taint the experience.
Lockjaw recorded a seven-inch at Inner Ear in DC (1992) and put out two great demos. as far as i am concerned, "new arrest report" from the 2nd demo is their best song, and it bugs me to this day that they didn't continue past that point as i think they were finally coming into their own and gelling as a band.
these three guys, and Andy (who had moved away when this photo was taken, but returned a while later to double up on the drums/percussion with Martin) deserve credit for spearheading the "math" and "emo" tags that get thrown around when talking about the Ottawa post-hardcore scene of the mid-90s. not only due to the band's musical innovation, but to their commitment to the local music scene as Sean and Mark facilitated Ottawa's "revolution summers" with the space they ran at 5 Arlington.
Andy is the only member who seriously continued in music with Okara (r.i.p.) and currently in Slow Parker. he also helps run Ottawa's most eclectic record store, Organised Sound.
link of the day
word of the dayflagrant - adj. openly disgraceful, notorious
right: "Drinking at all ages shows exhibits a flagrant disregard for both the space and the scene."
wrong: "That bouquet of daffodils is quite flagrant, though not as flagrant as the roses."
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