With Michael Jackson's death, there's been a lot of focus on the legendary Hitsville USA... Motown's Studio A where the Jackson 5 created some incredible music. It's an amazing place to go for any music fan.
But there's an overlooked gem in the Motor City's musical landscape. United Sound Systems Recording Studio - in Detroit's New Center area - should be a museum as Detroit's first major recording studio. It opened in 1933. It's the location where John Lee Hooker recorded his first song, "Boogie Chillen" in 1948. In 1959, Berry Gordy Jr. recorded the first Motown Records song here before opening his own studio in his home. Others who recorded here include Jackie Wilson, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Parliament Funkadelic, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stevie Wonder and The Rolling Stones. Its windows were boarded up a decade ago to fight off neighborhood vandals but United Sound is still in use as a recording studio for local hip hop artists to this day.
25th Anniversary Balloonfest
Howell, Michigan
6/26/09
to see the whole set, click here
Not a good photograph at all, but a great story in how I got to capture the King of Pop on film...
During a live broadcast from an awards show in Las Vegas, word came down suddenly that MJ was on his way down to our room to grant us a three-minute interview. We had no idea he was in the building but within minutes, the room was shut down by security like something I haven't seen outside of President Obama. An entourage of 40 people walked in and chaos ensued. So many people were in the room trying to get a piece of the King of Pop - I knew our interview wasn't going to happen. The record label rep asked for a microphone and MJ stood on a chair to address everyone in the room. Cameras were forbidden and they turned the lights down so nobody could take a photo as he removed his mask. I shook his (gloved) hand as he walked by and stood ten feet away as he addressed the room. I snuck this one pic when security wasn't looking. I never got to interview him but I still got the bizarre Jacko experience!
I'm not a huge Michael Jackson but I like some of his older music and it was cool to see a living pop legend. MJ was an original. His talent changed the face of pop music and pop culture, much like Sinatra and The Beatles before him. Everyone who came after him could not deny being influenced in some way. His career and life unraveled in the past 15 years but his music is as relevant now as it was the day it was pressed on vinyl.
Michigan and Trumbull is missing an old friend as crews demolished the last of Tiger Stadium this week. The Stadium once was filled with the roars of baseball fans cheering but has been host to wrecking balls and dump trucks for the past few weeks. The last remaining portion of the stadium's upper deck collapsed at 2:30 p.m. on June 22nd. Baseball has been played in this historic spot since the late 19th century. Now it will be another empty lot of bricks, broken bottles and high grass. What is America's fascination with knocking down historical architecture just because it's old?
This photo is two-years-old but with another 96 degree day yesterday, I thought it fit perfectly.
Chris Chelios, 47, is the oldest active player in the NHL. He’s won the Norris Trophy as top defenseman thrice over his 25 seasons there. He’s played in more NHL playoffs than any other player in history and in more games overall than any current league player. He won an NCAA championship in college and Olympic medals and world tournaments playing for Team USA. This season, Chelios almost won his second Stanley Cup in a row and fourth overall. Alas, the Wings need to make room for their salary cap and Cheli spent most of this season injured and slow. He vows to continue playing somewhere else and vows to continue calling Detroit home as his family will continue living here.
He was always gracious in allowing me to photograph him during practices and games, although he would show his temper when the team was losing and once took his frustration out with his hockey stick on my zoom lens. Trailing by three points, he was not in the mood to be photographed. But other than those rare moments, he was a great ambassador for Detroit and an amazing player. Thanks for ten great years on Detroit ice, Chris!
I've been trying to make it to one game for each series. The Wings have been offering a great escape for the struggling people of Metro Detroit. The playoffs are always electric and this year is no different as we swept the Blue Jackets and then fought the Ducks. Now, we are facing the Chicago Blackhawks. Next stop: Stanley Cup!
5/20/09.
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© 2009 radiospike photography
all rights reserved
Native to Southwest Mexico, he is smaller than a golf ball... and would hardly sit still for a quick portrait!
a vacation pic from April :)
Flower Day
Eastern Market, Detroit
Movement 2008
Detroit's Electronic Music Festival
I have a new collection of my images on display in Farmington Hills at COSI. It's on the Northwest corner of 12 Mile & Halsted Rd and all of the photographs were taken in Michigan. The exhibit will be up for about six months so stop by and buy me a cup of coffee since it's across the street from my work! They are open 9a-9p and I'll probably do an installation in their Southfield location soon if I can get some free time to prep some photos.
Google Map it:
37652 Twelve Mile Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48331
All images on the website are available for your home or office including fine art, Red Wings, Pistons, Barack Obama, Detroit and more. Check them out!
Go to this website: http://radiospike.exposuremanager.com/
Use coupon code: springclean
20% off your entire order! Offer good on prints (all sizes), cards and gifts.
No minimum order. No limits or restrictions. Expires April 24, 2009.
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Lee Plaza Hotel is an excellent example of Art Deco architecture of the 1920s. It rivaled the Book-Cadillac Hotel and Statler Hotel for architectural notice; a soaring 15-story building done in orange glazed brick, capped with an impressive chatequsque roof in copper. The beautiful roof isn't there anymore. Since the early 1990s, all of the artwork, wiring, fixtures and valuable material has been removed illegally by scavengers. In fact, Lee Plaza made national news back in 2002 when terra cotta lion sculptures scrapped from its exterior turned up on a Chicago condominium complex. They have been returned to the city after efforts made by the FBI, but an estimated $2 million worth of damage was caused. Lee Plaza now lays in complete ruins but may just see new life: In January 2009, its owner (the City Housing Commission) was looking to work with a viable developer to build the financing necessary to revive the property. In the case that the numbers could be made to work, the agency would part with the building for $1.
I wanted to get in and photograph the beauty of the decay before the building is rehabbed or, more likely, demolished.
© 2009 radiospike photography
All rights reserved.
Do not use image without prior written permission.
Taken by Spike, March 2008
He weighs 1,150 lbs.
When do you begin to question the glass tunnel that you are standing in?
Underwater exploration at the Detroit Zoo's Arctic Ring of Life
...with Fox 2's Deena Centofanti at Gus O'Connor's Irish Pub in downtown Rochester. It was a loooong, fun day!
Philadelphia Flyers at Detroit Red Wings
March 17, 2009 (St. Patrick's Day game)
Detroit won 3-2
Philly hasn't won in Detroit in over 20 years.
© 2009 radiospike photography
all rights reserved - do not use without permission
Contact me for licensing or publushing.
http://www.scouttufankjian.com
What a treat! I got to spend some time chatting with Scout, the only independent photographer to cover the Obama campaign from start to finish... and one of eight people who were in that press corps for the full two year ride! Scout took over one million pictures during the two-year campaign capturing each moment as Barack Obama went from long-shot candidate to President of the United States. The Armenian-American photojournalist lives in Brooklyn and worked photographing the conflict in the Middle East for four years before joining the Obama campaign. Her images have been published in every major newspaper and magazine, including Newsweek, Time, The New York Times, People, Esquire, Essence, Rolling Stone, The Times of London, etc. She was so open about her technique and fun stories from the road. It was a great Friday night!
It was a fun winter break at Boyne Mountain. My girls learned how to ski and we also enjoyed a dogsled ride through the woods of Nothern Michigan.
Yup, I got a new camera. I am REALLY looking forward to giving this thing a work-out. I've been really busy lately and have only taken the new 5D Mark II on one shoot. But I have some fun family adventures coming up in April to capture.
My daughter Natalie asked if she could take a photograph with my new camera. I think she did a pretty interesting job with compensation... totally catching the moment when I first took my new "baby" out of the box. It was on auto settings, obviously, but yes... my seven-year-old took this photo!
I've (finally) posted the photographs I took last week at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It was a challenge to shoot with an unfamiliar, borrowed camera as mine was in the shop. But I made the best of 90 minutes.
You can see the whole set here.
I know there's so much to talk about: Tuesday's beautiful inauguration showed that more people likely feel that they have a stake in their country than ever before. On the other hand, my friends and neighbors are struggling to keep the lights on in their own homes. Here in Michigan, unemployment is now at 12.6% and climbing. And even on the less serious side, there have been many things I've wanted to blog about from U2's new album to the Oscar nominations. But I just can't find time for regular updates with my busy schedule and "to-do list" of big projects.
So here's my new thing for 2009 to which I know I can commit: I will use this page as a photography blog. I'll continuously blog a sample of the latest images I shoot. It takes less time and it will encourage me to get out and use my new camera!!!
(Canon 5D Mark II for all you shutterbug nerds)
So check back often as I get back on the horse and start posting regularly! Look, I've already posted some below!
my major motion picture debut
Originally uploaded by radiospike photography
I took this shot of Dan at Houghton Lake last year. Nobody caught my jump on film... I must have jumped too high for the cameras!
;)
Anyone familiar with the annual Michigan winter tradition, I'll see ya at Limberlost Bar this weekend!
President Barack Obama at the Detroit Economic Club luncheon, May 7, 2007. It was his first Michigan stop since announcing his candidacy for President so I just had to be there. And I might have been his only supporter in the room as he introduced his tough energy plan to a bunch of American auto industry leaders who did not like his plans for fuel standards.
This is the most popular Obama image that I have taken. It has been viewed over 43,000 times by search engines.
History was made and I watched from my couch. I passed on two inauguration tickets due to conflicts and difficulty of travel arrangements. I wish I could have been in that crowd of 1.8 million as Barack Obama was sworn into office. But nonetheless, I was among friends and we popped champagne corks knowing that we helped to change the direction of our country.
© 2009 radiospike photography
do not use any images from this page without permission.
all rights reserved.
...and Larry and baby makes three!
I took this photograph December 29th in beautiful downtown Nutley, NJ.
two days before New Year's Eve... then I got the hell out of there before Ryan Seacrest dropped his balls.
