“I hung out with the bad boys. I didn’t hang out with Journey and Styx and REO Speedwagon. I hung out with Van Halen and Mötley Crüe and Guns N’ Roses, Ratt, Poison. The bad boys.” — Neil ‘ZLOZ‘ Zlozower
“I’ve never spoken to Wolfgang, never met Wolfgang. I’ve basically never had any contact at all.” – ZLOZ
“The worst photo shoot I ever did in my life was Nirvana.” — ZLOZ
LOS ANGELES – So there I was, gazing at the awesome splendor of old Rock photos, when my cell phone startled me back to reality.
It is Neil Zlozower, probably the most famous Rock photographer in history, and you can hear the excitement in his voice.
This man has seen it all in a career that has spanned 50 years and has included countless album covers, exclusive access, magazine spreads and maybe even a few backstage shots that remain unpublishable. Yet today Zlozower is as enthusiastic as ever, pumped about his new book, “Ed By Zloz,” a 384-page full-color masterpiece that chronicles the world’s greatest guitarist shot by the world’s greatest photographer – a must-buy if ever there was one.
Naturally, the conversation evolves into all things Rock, and Mr. Zlozower pulls no punches in this sumptuous Metal Sludge exclusive.
METAL SLUDGE: What is rule No. 1 to be a great photographer?
NEIL ZLOZOWER: Well, most photographers think they’re the greatest in the world, but it’s much more important to be a great business person. I don’t care who you are, it doesn’t matter how great a photographer you are, it matters if you’re a great businessman or a great business woman.
METAL SLUDGE: You’ve shot every great Rock star ever. Who was your favorite, and who was a pain in the ass?
Well, I get along with everybody. I’ve had a lot of favorites. David Lee Roth is great. Steve Vai is great. Joe Satriani is great. Poison was great. Guns N’ Roses was great. I never had a problem with anybody.
The worst photo shoot I ever did in my life was Nirvana.
METAL SLUDGE: Who holds the record for the most drugs and drinks in one photo session?
Probably me.
METAL SLUDGE: All right, who came in second?
I remember I did a photo shoot with this one guy. After the photo shoot was done, we hung around, and he was doing massive amounts of blow. The next day, I walked into the makeup room, and there was blow all over the place. There was probably more blow lying around than they had done the day before.
Look, I hung out with the bad boys. I didn’t hang out with Journey and Styx and REO Speedwagon. I hung out with Van Halen and Mötley Crüe and Guns N’ Roses, Ratt, Poison. The bad boys. Let’s just say there were always fun times to be had.
METAL SLUDGE: Awesome, man. Awesome stuff. Take us back to your first assignment.
The first one I really remember is my partner and I shooting Cannonball Adderley at the Troubadour, one of his live albums. That was probably in like 1971 or 1972. I was like 17 years old and got paid $500 to do that, which was a lot of money in those days.
METAL SLUDGE: I agree. So you’ve got this new Van Halen book. Did Wolfgang show any reaction?
I’ve never spoken to Wolfgang, never met Wolfgang. I’ve basically never had any contact at all.
METAL SLUDGE: What young band shocked you by making it big after you thought there is no way after shooting them?
Kiss.
METAL SLUDGE: Kiss, really? Good one. Ever have an affair with a rock star?
First of all, I’m not gay, and most of the people I’ve shot have been guys.
METAL SLUDGE: I know. You’re going to have to dig deep on this one.
None really. Not that I can remember. There were a few I always had the hots for like Lorraine Lewis back in the day.
METAL SLUDGE: Me, too. And that includes today.
Yeah, well that never happened.
METAL SLUDGE: Me neither – and that includes today!
I think the Asian guitarist in Paradise Kitty is pretty hot.
Editor’s Note: Hisako Ozawa is the guitarist Neil is referring to from Paradise Kitty.
METAL SLUDGE: Give three pieces of advice to an aspiring photographer.
1, If you ever plan on making a living shooting photos, forget it. Get into another profession.
2, If you really want to give it a stab, you have to do something totally different than all the other people who think they’re photographers because everybody does the same thing now. Be unique.
And 3, you have to be passionate. You have to have that drive to be the very best – which I had at one time like 50 years ago. But right now you couldn’t even get me to pick up a camera.
METAL SLUDGE: Did you ever hate the photo that the band loved most or vice versa?
All the time.
METAL SLUDGE: Ever see a band break up before your very eyes?
I was at a shoot for the Runaways when they broke up. I mean, I’ve seen tons and tons of fights and arguments but I don’t think any other groups have disbanded during a photo shoot, never had someone walk out and say, “See ya later.”
METAL SLUDGE: Who paid you the most and who stiffed you?
You know what? The biggest three were Slipknot, Kiss and, believe it or not, Steel Panther.
METAL SLUDGE: Anyone stiff you?
All the time but not for a long time. They know better. The last guy who stiffed me, I forgot his name but he did a lot of work with Tommy Bolin. It was some guy who hired me to shoot some kid band. Most people know better than to stiff me.
METAL SLUDGE: Thoughts on photojournalists that settle for phone photos?
All I can say is, if you gave 90 percent of these photographers a real film camera, I would say 80 percent couldn’t even load the film into the camera.
METAL SLUDGE: You’re probably right.
I don’t even consider those people photographers. There’s no thinking involved anymore. The camera does the thinking. I don’t want the camera to do the thinking. I want to do the thinking.
METAL SLUDGE: Ever had an artist get mad at you?
No.
METAL SLUDGE: Without naming the band – unless you want to – describe the most wild, hedonistic backstage action you’ve ever seen?
I would say Van Halen, but I can’t go into detail.
METAL SLUDGE: Who is your best musician friend?
Me and Mike Tramp (from White Lion) go back, and me and Joey Allen (from Warrant) are great friends, and me and (guitarist) Eric Sardinas. Also Miljenko Matijevic from Steelheart.
METAL SLUDGE: Interesting. These are not the biggest stars in the world.
The biggest stars in the world always have people kissing their ass, but at one time, David Lee Roth was one of my closest friends in the world, but I don’t know about Dave anymore. The David Lee Roth that I knew is not the same Dave anymore in this day and age.
METAL SLUDGE: Do you hate being removed after three songs from the photo pit?
I never had to do that but nowadays they make you shoot from the soundboard most of the time anyway.
METAL SLUDGE: Thoughts on 10,000 cell phone cameras all filming at once?
First of all, I rarely go to shows anymore. But like I said, most photographers don’t know what they’re doing. They’re just trying to capture the moment. They just want to post pictures and say: “Look at me. I’m here.” They’re posting it on Facebook before the song even ends. That stuff doesn’t even enter my mind. It doesn’t even register.
METAL SLUDGE: Kiss used to have us sign a huge booklet of rules forfeiting our photo rights at live shows, but then Gene Simmons posted my LA Daily News story and photos on the Kiss official site without crediting me. It’s still up. Believe me?
Yes, I believe that. You know what? Gene and Paul Stanley are two unique characters. I just kind of turn the other cheek with the things that they do. But you know what, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer, you can add those two as two of my best friends.
METAL SLUDGE: Any old titty photos from the crowd?
I’ve got lots of old photos from back at the hotel, forget the photos from the crowd.
METAL SLUDGE: Have you ever been hit by a flying bottle of piss or anything as bad?
No, but flying objects and other stuff, or people just trying to climb into the photo pit.
METAL SLUDGE: And finally, it sounds like you’ve had a lot of fun in your life. Have you had some good times through the years?
You know what, if I died tomorrow, I would still have a big smile on my face. But I’m a little different than most photographers.
ZLOZ @ Website – Facebook – Instagram – Store – Books – Prints –
Gerry Gittelson can be reached at gerryg123@hotmail.com.
