Capturing Covid on Film
An interview with photographer Jamie Lee Curtis Taete. Also, a bunch of Bandcamp recommendations.
So much bad art is going to come out of all this. Don’t get me wrong, some good art will inevitably come out of it too. But the art that will get the most attention/funding will be cringey garbaggio. I have visions of major cities funding art shows called shit like Six Feet Together that’s just a bunch of mediocre photos of people hugging with American flag masks on or whatever, the kind of trash meant to appeal to people who think art is a wall hanging you buy at Target that says shit like Life Is A Journey.
It is very difficult to be creative at a time like this. Being locked inside, seeing the same four walls all day, feeling crippled by economic and professional anxiety, is not exactly healthy for the imagination. Even some of the most creative artists I know are struggling right now. Conversely, some people have really stepped up and are integrating the madness of this moment into their work. One of those people is my friend Jamie Lee Curtis Taete.
Jamie is an LA-based writer and photographer whose work dives headfirst into the gaudy crevices of American culture. As a Brit, he examines this country with the same morbid curiosity of a martian sent down from outer space. He has captured the overlooked underbellies of alien conventions, young conservative parties, and gatherings of porn superfans. Even something as banal as Christmas becomes eerily peculiar in the bright light of his flash.
The age of Covid, which has brought out the weirdest / ugliest / saddest / dumbest / scariest / most deranged sides of Americans, has been a boom time for his work. You may have seen one of his photos depicting an angry, astroturfed protestor outside Baskin Robbins floating around the internet recently. So, I thought today I’d talk to Jamie about trying to capture these strange, unprecedented times through the medium of photography.
I’ve seen so many people talking about how hard it is to stay focused enough to make art right now. I don’t want to say you’re capitalizing on this moment, but you definitely seem to be making it work to your advantage.
Jamie Lee Curtis Taete: Oh, thank you. I guess the reason for that is because I don’t have any work now. [Laughs] Everything got cancelled, so the hours I was usually spending ghostwriting to earn money to survive are now spent wandering around, looking for things to take pictures of.
What’s your daily process like?
I don’t know if I have a process. I think, like most people, I start my day thinking, “Yeah, today’s gonna be a productive day and I’m gonna take a walk for three hours and find some stuff to photograph and then I’m gonna send out a bunch of pitches and then I’m gonna get some writing done for a couple of hours and then read.” And then I actually just look at my phone for nine hours and do nothing. On a rare good day where I actually do something, I’ve been trying to go to places where I might find good photos. Lately I’ve been going to a lot of the Re-Open protests and a lot of tourist sites around LA, which I was going to a lot before all this, but obviously they look completely different now.
You’ve covered LA for a long time. How does the city feel different now?
I think it depends where you go. There are certain parts of LA which are shockingly normal. When I went to Huntington Beach the other day to take pictures of the Trump rally, I was surprised by how normal it was. Even the souvenir store was still open and the beach was full of people. The rest of LA just feels, I guess, spooky? It’s definitely less apocalyptic than it was a month ago. I feel like people have sort of gotten used to it now. It’s still weird walking around, because everyone’s so paranoid of one another. I’m still not used to seeing people and then having to walk into traffic to avoid getting too close to them.
Do you feel like you’re putting yourself at risk, especially if you go to something like the Re-Open rallies where people are really obstinate about not being protective?
Well, I’m a really, really anxious person, which I think is now working in my favor. I’ve been feverishly disinfecting and washing and scrubbing my hands and using hand sanitizer. With the rallies, it’s a little different because the people there aren’t taking it seriously. If I’m at Target or something and I need to speak to someone, I think we both understand that we need to keep our space and keep the conversation brief. Whereas at these rallies, like, when I was at one the other day, I was squatting down taking a picture of something and somebody charged over to me to start asking what I was doing. They didn’t have a mask on and they were standing over me and shouting a bit, so that’s definitely terrifying. I’ve been disinfecting every 20 minutes since that happened.
Your photography captures this weird, tacky side of American culture. Has that intensified during Covid? What are you looking for when you go out to shoot?
I guess the thing I’m looking for now is the thing I’ve always been looking for. I guess I’d describe it as life under late capitalism—the weird things that this crazy capitalist moment is making us do and the ways it’s making us express ourselves. I’m drawn to the Trump rallies, or the Re-Open rallies which are also Trump rallies, because it’s that kind of weird mix of things in my sweet spot, where it’s something very serious meeting something very silly.
I feel like your stuff has an observational quality of somebody looking from the outside in. Does being from another country help you as an observer of American culture?
I think maybe it does. When I’m back home in England, I feel like I take way less pictures. I’m not sure how much of that is being completely used to the weird little idiosyncrasies of British life or how much fucking weirder America is than the UK. It’s way more suited to my aesthetic. But yeah, there’s a lot more things that I find amusing or interesting that my boyfriend, who is from the US, doesn’t even notice or care about.
The photo you took in front of the Baskin Robbins, what was the backstory there?
That was one of the Re-Open rallies in Huntington Beach. The backstory is that I kind of tried to take that photo a few times because the rally was happening at a crossroads where there are a bunch of retail chain stores. So I have similar pictures outside the Billabong store, outside a BJ’s Brewhouse, but I went with that one because there was something so frivolous about Baskin Robbins. I can’t think of a less essential business. The Baskin Robbins behind her was actually open and I think she was drinking a milkshake as she was shouting. The picture blew up, it went everywhere, I didn’t make any money off it. [Laughs]
How’d that feel?
I guess it was cool to have a picture that people connected with, and it’s always great to see a picture turn into a meme. Some of them are really funny. But I didn’t make any money off it. So, at a time when I’ve lost so much work, that was a bummer. I don’t think I gained any Instagram followers or anything. I got nothing from it. Oh, actually, no. Samantha Bee’s people gave me $400 for it. Every other place that used it found a way of getting around paying me.
As a nerd, I have to ask you what gear you’re using when photographing.
I am using a Sony A7iii, mostly. I also have a little point and shoot as well, the Canon G5x.
Welp, that actually makes the headline of this post a lie, since Jamie is shooting digitally and not on film but oh well, not changing it now! Follow Jamie on Instagram. Hire Jamie!
A Bunch of Bandcamp Recommendations
Also, it is Thursday night as I write this but I’m scheduling this email to go out on Friday morning. As always, I hope the earth is still standing by then. If our planet manages to hang in there, then that means today is Bandcamp fee-waiving day, during which all sales on Bandcamp go directly to the artists without having any percentages taken out. Furthermore, a number of indie labels are also bypassing their cuts and giving artists 100% of today’s sales, so your money counts double. Those labels include Polyvinyl, Saddle Creek, Sargent House, Sub Pop, Topshelf, and more.
And so, here are a few semi-newish things I’d recommend off the top of my head if you have a few bucks to spare and are open to taking music recommendations from a man who has been listening to the Valley Girl soundtrack on repeat all week. (And, as always, if you also feel like giving a few bucks to the person who recommended said music via this newsletter, I will knock down the price of a premium subscription today. Say, 30% off, how’s that?)
Man Man - Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between
Man Man’s new album (long name, don’t feel like typing it again) is out today. I recently did a Rank Your Records interview with Ryan Kattner. He also made a 46-minute Red Hot Chili Peppers remix this week that seems to have disappeared from Youtube nearly instantly. At least copyright lawyers get to keep their jobs during the economic collapse, I guess. (Also, I didn’t really give a listen to his side project/supergroup Mister Heavenly until I had to prep for that interview but their two records are full of fun little indie rock hooks.)
Mike Krol - Power Chords
I saw one of those Twitter prompts floating around recently that asked “name four albums you can listen to all the way through.” I did not participate because not only do I hate these normie uses of Twitter (sorry but Twitter is for coming as close to threatening the lives of elected officials without violating the Terms of Service as possible), I think we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel with the questions. Name an album you can listen to all the way through? Jesus. But OK, fine, an album I enjoy the entirety of: Mike Krol’s Power Chords is one of the most recent additions to that list. Perhaps a perfect power pop album? I think: yes.
The Smarthearts - On the Line
Hey speaking of power pop, here’s more of it, from the guitarist of Sheer Mag.
Midwife - Forever
The first line of the second song on this self-described “heaven metal” album is: “Anyone can fall in love. Anyone can play guitar.” [cut to me in my underwear butchering Built to Spill riffs alone in my bedroom] …Even me?!?!??!
Don’t Stop Now, A Collection of Covers
Augusta Koch of Gladie put together a third installment of Don’t Stop Now, a collection of covers, out today. FORTY FOUR SONGS on this. Covers of Green Day, Smashing Pumpkins, M83, John Prine, Kate Bush, etc. by all yer faves.
Mikey Erg - Bon Voyage
Mikey describes this EP, out today, as his “love letter to pop punk,” which is like Jack White calling something a love letter to dumbass fedoras. Does that make sense? It’s getting late and probably not. It’s Mikey Erg. Just buy it.
Emma Ruth Rundle - On Dark Horses
The last show I saw before the world was put on hold was Emma Ruth Rundle opening for a metal band of like 12 dudes. I can’t remember their name right now but oh well. Anyway, maybe I’m clinging to this record for some sense of normalcy. Join me in my clinging! Cling! Cling! Cling!
The Hold Steady - Live in London 3-9-19
The Hold Steady recorded a few shows in the UK right before lockdown and are releasing them on Bandcamp. The band is donating a portion of the proceeds to the staff at those venues. At 26 songs, you get a good bang for your buck. With that many tracks, you probably hear Craig tell 100 stories about sharing a cigarette with a woman named Gladys at a Tuscaloosa dive bar or whatever these guys are singing about.
Pelican - Live at the Grog Shop
Pelican has something like 400 live albums on Bandcamp. Every time they release another one, which they did this month, I think: Did we really need another live Pelican album? Twenty minutes later I am gleefully nodding along to it. Because yes, we did. Or at least I did. It’s the only thing I can work along to without distraction! Fuck lyrics!
Laura Stevenson - “After Those Who Mean It”
I will post any new Laura Stevenson song, no questions asked. And so, here is a new one that came out today. And don’t forget about “Time Bandits,” which feels like the perfect song for this moment. Also, check out her thread about Spotify’s dumbshit DONATE button if you want even more motivation to buy her track on Bandcamp.
Chris Farren - Born Hot
Ummm hello it was Chris’ BIRTHDAY this week, you are legally obligated to buy his album. Already bought it? Buy it again! (Here’s the birthday card I drew him, from memory.)
Sam Russo - Back to the Party
Perfect wistfully-looking-out-the-window-on-a-rainy-day, thinking-bout-emotions-we-used-to-feel music.
OBROTHER- You and I
New OBRO out today. You know, like Muse but not so lame.
You & I - The Curtain Falls
The title of the OBROTHER album led me to wonder if the late 90s New Jersey band You & I had their stuff on Bandcamp and boy do they. Four releases. This is by no stretch of the word “new,” but I haven’t listened to this in years and will now be revisiting. Revisit with me.
Ratboys - Printer’s Devil
It’s already been said by many, but Ratboys’ new album is really very good. Here’s a little interview I did with them in what seems like another world.
Frances Quinlan - Likewise
Frances from Hop Along’s solo album. Not sure anymore needs to be said!
And here are a few heavier recommendations and if I’m being honest my eyes are getting very tired and I am running out of steam on these descriptions. Look I camn barbley evne spellj anymro so here’s a dump of them…
Infant Island - Sepulcher
Frail Body - A Brief Memoriam
Tired and Trustless - Noise Funeral
Life Support - Die Like a Man
Portrayal of Guilt / Slow Fire Pistol
In Wolves Clothing - It Eats Itself
Cold Brats
Deaf Club - Contemporary Sickness
Love in the Time of Email
Also, in personal news, and probably the only good news I’ve gotten or even heard about in months: Substack, the platform I use to run REPLY ALT, recently did a very generous thing and offered small grants for their writers. I applied and, to my amazement, won one. As did another friend. Amazing how simple it was, especially considering tomorrow is the first of the month and I still haven’t received my stimulus check but on the upside it doesn’t seem the government has any plans to help us any further!
Anyway, this is not so much a brag as it is me showing appreciation for Substack. Getting by as a writer is not easy. I still wouldn’t even say I’m really doing it. But Substack seems to genuinely prioritize getting their users paid and are incredibly friendly/helpful. I feel obligated to pay my good fortune forward, so if any writer/media/creative types have any questions about signing up, shoot me an email and I will do my best to answer any questions you might have. (Even though it’s fairly intuitive, except that they don’t let you embed Bandcamp links which would have been helpful for emails like this one!)
OK see ya next week.
Dan.
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