“The Bollocks” A Private Reception for Dennis Morris at Known Gallery

Photo by Billy Bennight for The Los Angeles Beat

I joined Dawn Laureen and Taquila Mockingbird for one of the more marvelous retrospectives of the legendary photographer of The Sex Pistols, Dennis Morris, at Known Gallery for a private reception and celebration to kick off “The BOLLOCKS” exhibition. I’m sure everyone knows of the Punk era’s most impactful and controversial musical groups, The Sex Pistols. Dennis Morris is one of the key documenters of The Sex Pistols from that now distant page in history. Of course, you’ve seen some of these images before, how could you not, with the impact of the Punk revolution in the seventies and far beyond! There are some really amazing images you haven’t seen in this exhibition at Known Gallery and they are as vital now as they were then. These new unseen images of the Sex Pistols are as stirring and wondrous as the images you are familiar with, that you’ve seen in publication over the decades. Morris’ photos are as immediate and as powerful as if they had been shot yesterday: It’s really a must see collection!

Dawn Laureen was good enough to introduce me to Dennis Morris and we struck up a bit of a conversation over of all things, Moby. We both love Moby because he’s such a good subject to photograph. Another topic that was touched upon while we were chatting was his band The Basement 5. A truly amazing band that never got its due. I told him of the time I and my best friend had a pool side interviewed with Duran Duran at the Chateau Marmont. My friend, Duff, asked if they ever considered a direction similar to the Basement 5. Roger Taylor was a bit startled by the question and was quick to say that wasn’t a direction that Duran Duran would be going in. Dennis reaction to my statement was a knowing chuckle, as we both laughed, about the discomfort that Roger was thinking about when considering the hard driving Punk sound of Basement 5.

Soon Billy Idol arrived to kick up the energy at the packed house. Beside. Dawn Laureen and Taquila Mockingbird, Rodney Bingenheimer and Steve Fishman were in attendance for the full on Punk festival! Billy was generous with photo opts and was more than happy to mingle with fans and music insiders as they swirled around him. The evening was a grand expression of music solidarity and a still vibrant countercultural lifestyle. Lots of stories were traded off and a perfect situation to celebrate a great band and a very talented photographer.

Known Gallery can be found at 441 North Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036. Their hours are Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 7pm and Sunday from noon to 6pm.