Category: Rock Bands

Blast From the Past……………….. Styx

Rock Bands

Because the weather is so shitty and I couldn’t get out to shoot.I decided to look through some of my slides from when I was first learning photography.
I started in 73 with a one year course and haven’t stopped yet!
The film was contrasty and mostly underexposed. I had very simple equipment back then. I was shooting a Pentax Spotmatic,and using 200 ASA Ectachrome.I think I was using a 50mm lens and the advantage about that is those lens are pretty fast! I think it was a f1.2.
Those were the days!
I have thousands of slides that no body has ever seen or knows about! I was interested in the scene of the day and used it as a opportunity to learn about photography.
The basic problem with shooting concerts back than is the film. It wasn’t sensitive enough ! They didn’t have any 400 ASA back than. As it was the 200 was grainy enough!!
Todays equipment is so easy to use and produces excellent results! I wish I had than what I do now. I could of taken some fantastic shots!

This is the band STYX and if my memory serves me,I’d say this is Tommy Shaw when he was much younger. I think I shot this in 78 or so?
They were on their”Grand Illusions” Tour.
Hair style sure has changed!

RUSH

Rock Bands

I think I shot RUSH in 76 in Lakefield Ontario. In the summer.
I think it was their “2112 “Tour !
Max Webster was backing them up. I couldn’t afford two rolls of film,so I used the one roll I had on just Rush! I wish I had shot some of Max Webster!
Hindsight.

This fellow’s name is Alex Lifeson. A very young Alex Lifeson!

Tragic Story of Ron Tabak

Rock Bands

This is the lead singer of Prism,Ron Tabak.
I was sad to hear of his untimely death in 84.
It was Christmas and a member of the band (Allan Harlow) had invited him over for Christmas dinner. Harlow lived in Kitsilano & Ron lived in Surrey. Ron decided to get some exorcise and rode his bicycle over to his to Al Harlow’s house. However, it was the time of year when the roads were slippery. He didn’t wear a helmet or have a light on. A car must of struck him, knocking him to the ground. He was taken to the hospital. He became abusive and aggressive towards the police, was arrested and put in jail. He was found unconscious in his cell.He died the following day
He had a blood clot which had made him aggressive towards the police. He never regained consciousness and passed away on December 26th,1984.
It was sad and unnecessary.

The Rock world lost a fantastic singer on Dec 25th/84.
(I forget exactly when I shot this concert? So am guessing?)

Update : from Tina Anderson November 9th,2015 –
Thank you for your reply. I could add more detail to your story if you wish.
Ron was hit by a car while riding his motorcycle down Kingsway around the 2700 block on Christmas Eve. He was taken to Burnaby General Hospital, where he became loud and was swearing. Police apparently ran his name and found traffic violations so he was taken to jail. He was found unconscious in his cell and taken back to Burnaby General. From what I read in news articles after his death, it said Burnaby General didn’t have a brain scan machine so he was sent to Vancouver General Hospital. An operation was done to remove a blood clot, but the damage was too severe. He was kept on life support to harvest his organs, and was officially pronounced dead on December 26th 1984. His grave marker says he passed on December 25th, but he was technically brain dead and on life support until the next day. He was 31 when he passed away. The picture I’ve enclosed was from what would have been his 60th birthday, September 25th, 2013.

20151109-unnamed(photo credit T.Anderson)

Update : from Tina Anderson March 10,2019

In the articles I’ve read about this, Al said that he offered to pick Ron up and bring him to his house on Christmas Eve, but Ron wanted to ride his bike and get some exercise. Can’t get exercise riding a motorcycle. Every news story I read said he was riding a bicycle.