David James and son Seven, atop the Los Feliz Club Apartments with Vermont Ave in the background. The Onyx Cafe was located on the spot (bright-strobe) in the photo behind them. This 'spot' now is occupied by Figaro Cafe.
I just happened to be in a state of mind, this afternoon, where you ponder on people who have in some way been a factor in getting other people's butt in gear (mine included). one of them is steve allan griffin. s.a. is the one person everyone knows, that doesn't boast on how many poetry books he has written, how many theatrical poetry performances he's done, nor even the accolades of him being a prolific hollywood actor. s.a. is in fact very approachable, personable and entertaining to be with. i remember sometime in 1997 at the ONYX, i asked him if he had an extra copy of his "twisted cadillac" poetry book, because i left behind the original one he gave me on some plane bound back to los angeles. he says drop my place later and i'll see if i do have an extra one. anyways, i did get one and didn't realized (until today) that the book was autographed with a line that reads: Paul -- we will always have the stars. we will always have air. we will always have the ONYX. S.A. now, with a line like that, how much more groovy can you get! peace out steve. -- paul
frank reiber at his favorite spot at the cafe doing the puffing on a cubano fatty and working on his third cappucino. we happened to be neighbors for 5 years on the same 3rd floor at the Los Feliz Club Apartments (managed by another Onyx regular and friend - Carl Schuster).
my buddy ralph manning and his daughter, evelyn rose on the courtyard of my old digs in valley village (block north of studio city). we had great memorable days of starting morning CNC (Haas) class at a nearby machining trade school in north hollywood, with coffee at starbucks on riverside drive and later after school, at the starbucks along ventura blvd. ralph gave me a call after a yearlong silence. he's been pre-occupied heavily, with work and raising a family.
there were a handful of photographers that i've acquainted myself with at the onyx cafe. they were "good", and I endearly loved their works, and style. One of them is Dean Fidelman with his images of Olivia (her body was painted in silver). Dean, so I hear, is a pro-rock climber, that he actually has this rock somewhere out there, named after him. Amy Darsa is another, i pretty much love her photography design of Michael Whitmore's CD's, of course, Whitmore's music was the bomb! There was Michael Jackson, yep, this dude named Michael Jackson. Michael was a regular at the cafe for a brief period and took off for the mid-west somewhere and haven't heard from him since. of course, there is Hank T. Ripper of Nat King Kong (band). Dave Bogoian, another photographer/friend, is in constant touch with Hank. Hank is currently working on his B.F.A or rather M.F.A. somewhere in the mid-west. I remember Hank invited me to his pad on Rodney and all we did was talk about photography all afternoon. Hank was so receptive to my claim that, it was me who actually originated "CROSS PROCESSING" back in the 80's. cross processing is exposing slide film (meant for E-6 processing), of course over exposing the film (thru the lens) a bit, then deliberately processing this film in C-41 chemicals, then printing, whatever the outcome of the film is, onto regular print photopaper (now were talking ep-2 process). what's the big deal, when now you can achieve this effect digitally?
i 've decided to include some digital photos to balance out the mood of this photoblog.
just look at it and accept it for what it is and nothing more. whoa, now i just might get tempted to include some photos of r/c cars or even stuff that motorhead friends
send me. nah. i'll still stick to the original deal. i'm still working on the closure of this photoblog so i can move on with newer stuff, like maybe cooking. the wife and i, loves rachel ray on the "food network" channel. so i won't keep my dedicated viewers (and i know there are a few) hanging, i've got plenty of "onyx" negs that needs to be edited, like m.l.o. and the "grupo de gago", dukie flyswater of the "haunted garage" and other favorite "regular" subjects that i've photographed while living above the cafe.
"I don't care about making photography an art," said Mr. Steichen. "I want to make good photographs. I'd like to know who first got it in his head that dreaminess and mist is art.
Take things as they are; take good photographs and the ART WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF."
the PHOTO GALLERY containing photographs taken at the Onyx Café is work in progress, most of these scanned negatives were recently unearthed. since i've benefitted a great deal from the onyx cafe(free coffee, etc.), it's now payback time to mr. john leech and to every soul i hung out with, with my photographs. enjoy!!!
the Onyx Café was more than just an institutional cafe to most of the regulars and myself. it was a "state of mind" without the aid of any mind altering pill. it was a place where you can actually feel how "timeless" the place was. it was a conglomerated convergence of people from all walks of life. from hollywood celebs to suitcase-geared travelling bohemians introducing themselves, and being welcomed (and not interrupting any intellectual arguments). it was the crossroads to every major city on this planet. it was happening! day and night, into day again. amidst the aroma of the coffee lingering in the air, there was also, all kinds of drama. but we will not go there. you can never complain about the taste of espressos and cappuccinos served here, nor how the architectural facade of the place appeared, nor even how people looked or dressed. people come here for the same one thing that everyone else is seeking --- and it's not just the java. it is.. NIRVANA. yep. and the whole crowd was experiencing it collectively.
