Q. Where are you from?

A. Originally from Vancouver Canada, but I’ve lived in New York City since 1981.   I live in Soho, in Manhattan.

Q. When did you start photography?

A. I started my web site CrAZyBaBe.com in 1998 but I didn’t have any original content, so I bought a digital camera in 2000 and started taking pictures for it.

Q. Why are you an artist and when did you first become one?

A. I originally was a musician, singer songwriter, I play guitar.   I had an album out in 1979.   When I moved to NY, I started producing and recording bands as well.   Some of the people I’ve worked with are Richard Hell, Keith Richards, B52s, Red Hot Chilly Peppers, Stetsasonic, Queen Latifah, Burning Spear, Lydia Lunch.   In the late 90s I started getting pissed off with getting shafted by people who worked at record companies, so I quit.   That’s’ when I started my web site and taking pictures.

Q. What are your art influences?  

A. Mostly musicians, like Bob Dylan, Rolling Stones, Iggy Pop.   Most of my ideas for pictures come somehow from music.   Like chicks passed out in the toilet at CBGBs.

Q. What is it that inspires you to photograph a particular subject?  

A. Well I guess the “subjects” I shoot are naked girls, but I don’t really get inspired to shoot them unless I have an interesting background.   I like beautiful women, shot in disgusting surroundings.   I like the contrast.

Q. Where do you find your subject matter?  

A. The girls usually find me.   The locations are harder to finds.   Word of mouth, or sometimes I drive around looking for sleazy shitholes.  

Q. How did you develop your style?  

A. It’s just how I see stuff.   There was NO development.   The first photo shoot I ever did, right after I bought my first camera, is in my first book Crazy Babe.  

Q. What mediums do you photograph in and do you have a preference?  

A. I’ve only ever shot digital.   Wouldn’t even know how to shoot film.   These days I’m using a Canon SLR with a wide angle lens.

Q. What materials do you use to create your art?  

A. For still pictures, only a Camera and one flash.   For movies a video camera, then to edit them I use Final Cut, and for music I use Pro Tools.

Q. Could you tell us some more about your work?  

A. It’s totally spontaneous.   Sometimes I pick up the model and we drive around looking for a location, or I’ll ask her if she knows of a place to shoot.   These days, my pictures are darker and moodier then when I first started.   I’m very into shadows.

Q. Do you have any favorite artists and what have been the major influences in your art?  

A. Musicians ya, but no favorite photographers.   In fact I know very few photographers.   I just shoot ALL the time, and go with my moods.

Q. What’s your biggest accomplishment in terms of art?  

A. Having people take my dopy pictures seriously.

Q. What inspires you to create art and how do you keep motivated when things get tough?

A. That’s never happened to me.   I pretty much always feel inspired.   Some times I shoot too many days in a row and physically need a break.

Q. What other interests do you have outside of creating art?  

A. My wife and daughter.   I also shoot movies, and write and record all the music for them.   Most of them I put on my web site.

Q. Do you have any crazy art gallery moments?  

A. I guess walking into the last show I had in LA wondering if anyone would show up, and there were already 800 there when I arrived.  

Q. What’s your opinion on the art scene today?    

A. I don’t have one.   I just know my own thing.

Q. Would you say that sexy / erotic art is making an impact on the international contemporary art market?  

A. Big time, it’s what’s happening.   The internet is driving the art scene, and sex drives that.

Q. What advice would you give to an artist just starting out?  

A. I don’t give advice.   Do your own thing.

Q. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?  

A. That I have no idea, I suppose having more books out, more movies out, a LOT more photographs out.

Q. Is there anything else you’d like to say about you, your art?

A. Why me…..