Punks on film: How Murray Bowles captured “the physical expression of drama”

Since the dawn of the smartphone era, everybody has carried a camera with them at all times. If anything, there are too many photos and videos being recorded at concerts. We all know the annoyance of being distracted from the music by outstretched arms holding up glowing screens in front of the stage. During the early years of the Bay Area punk scene, however, there was usually only one person with a camera documenting the action – Murray Bowles. Back when this aggressively self-marginalized genre was relegated to sweaty basements, decrepit warehouses, and outdoor wastelands, Murray could consistently be found in the mosh pit, snapping photos of the glorious chaos erupting around him. As the scene’s popularity grew, buoyed by local institutions like all-ages club 924 Gilman and Maximumnrocknroll magazine, Murray’s images became the defining visual documentation of a punk rock renaissance. He was even immortalized (in cartoon form) on the cover of Green Day’s “Dookie,” the biggest selling punk album of all time. “Hail Murray: The Bay Area Punk Photography of Murray Bowles, 1982-1995” (Last Gasp) is the first book to compile his explosive photographic catalogue and pay tribute to the man behind the lens. This episode features an interview with Anna Brown, a lifelong friend of Murray who compiled this posthumous retrospective. https://lastgasp.com/products/hail-murray Don’t forget to follow the East Bay Yesterday Substack for updates on events, boat tours, exhibits, and other local history news. https://substack.com/@eastbayyesterday Donate to keep this show alive: https://www.patreon.com/eastbayyesterday