BIO
the shameless yuppies. How about those all-important men in make-up and the gender benders, who suddenly came out of the wood work in their droves up and down the country? On the upside, it was without a
doubt clubland's heyday. Someone coined the term ligger for the occasion. In fact, if you had the right look and attitude, you would literally get in everywhere quicker than a disease. You'd never have
to pay for drinks -or anything else for that matter!- and you'd find yourself on the world and his wife's social mailing lists. Out every night, partying with the in-crowd ... could life get any better?
Indeed, many club kids lived a millionaire's lifestyle claiming 'artistic' dole benefit. You'd have to be A-listers these days to get this kind of privileges. The decade opened with a bang, unleashing myriad well-powdered Blitz kids and gaggles of scary-looking goths.
Clubland truly looked like a relentless celebration of youth culture, hormone-raging individuality and exacerbated multi-media creativity at every level. So much went on that you felt -hoped- the decade would
never end. When it did, words like uniformity, practicality and blandness had already become order of the day, yet again - but, thankfully, not for very long ... If a bit of a blur today, the '90s were a compelling world of chem-induced euphoria and glamour beyond the call of duty. It often felt like a throw-back, or rather a natural
progression from the outrageous '80s. London's party animals started the ball rolling and, when the club scene got supplanted by smiley culture and lost its individuality and visual appeal, it opened the
door to New York's club kids phenomenon. Soon, London felt threatened, buckled under the strain and reinvented the scene once again. A new crop of club freaks mushroomed from nowhere, while the ubiquitous
Leigh Bowery still ruled the roost. Likewise, we were spoilt for choice for club nights, even if Kinky Gerlinky's monthly mayhem beat all the competition. Hedonism, exhibitionism and voyeurism reached new
heights. Fuck me, going out was a barrel of laughs again. The last couple of years have witnessed a healthy resurgence of creativity within clubland. You would've had more laughs at a wake than going out
clubbing in the duller-than-dull early noughties. But after the long period of stagnation and almost total disinterest from all parties, punters have started making an effort again. Suddenly new blood seems
keener to make a splash and talent proves easier to be singled out underneath all the pantomime slap and glitter. I remember going out reporting/shooting at some of the best launch parties, gigs and
trend-setting clubs from Taboo, Ascencion, Anarchy, Disco 2000, Kinky to today's Kashpoint. Being very much part of the scene, it was only natural for me to make the effort to work a look when out on a job,
and not just turn up looking like a low-rent retard'd paparazzo (the ex-lorry driver type). I'm still doing it today and to stand behind, as well as in front of the camera can be the trickiest thing.
Thankfully, I'm not interested in showing off and always travel light. Which explains why I never carry tons of equipment with me, like so many snappers do only for the sake of looking 'important' (in their dreams). I also got wise after losing several cameras and flashguns over the years, in my various states of cock-a-hoop, drunken stupor.
Another point I want to raise is that I never made a fuss or hustled celebrities if photo opportunities won't forthcoming. It's all to do with respect and discretion, words that are not readily part of many people's vocabulary in this business. I value all the years I spent in clubland. Being a club kid is a privilege and great opportunity, not a
perversion or a disease confined to the brain-dead and the drug-fucked. It taught me a lot about life and gave me the self-confidence I desperately lacked growing up. Without even trying, I got to meet some of the most fantastic people on the club, fashion and music scenes in London, Paris, New York and the rest. I'm still close friends with some of them to this day, even if I try to socialise out of the scene as much as possible (for sanity's sake!).
I've had a fabulous time and I'm still having it large today, albeit in a more subdued way. I hope you enjoy looking at these amusing images. I also hope to find inspiration and keep interested for a while yet to work funny/frightening/grotesque looks whenever I'm out and about with the freaks. After all, it's all about not taking
yourself too seriously, having a laugh and isn't it always a thrill seeing your mug or being talked about in the press? - Alex Gerry
www.alexgerry.com