A CHANCE MEETING
This is my second YouTube video, but the first one where I’m actually talking and telling a story. I hope to get better at this and make films that are a little more professional.
I was walking around Claremont, California on a cold January day in 2011. As a fan of classic cars I crossed the road to take a photo of a parked DeLorean (as in the 'Back to the Future' car). It was then that one of the gentleman sitting on a bench asked if I were a photographer (I had a few old film cameras with me)...we got chatting and it turns out (Stephen) used to be a model in his youth. I asked if I could take a portrait shot of Stephen and also ask his friend (Ray) if I can take a few of him too. He agreed and as I was reloading the film into the camera Ray asked if I was UK (I think the accent gave it away).
He told he had played at the Royal Albert Hall many years ago...I asked if he were in a band, he replied 'MOI'...I had to think for a minute or two and then I said is that “Mothers of Invention”, Frank Zappas band. He smiled and told me that he was the one who had invited Frank into his band, but that had left before he made any money with the band.
Mother of Invention vocalist Ray Collins was the founding member of 'Mothers of Invention'. He died on Dec 24th 2012, age 76.