That's life ..

Don't worry, I'm not coming over all maudlin here, but I wanted to talk today about death! It was actually going to be the subject of yesterday's blog, after the sad demise of Rik Mayall but, ironically, it's become even more poignant now that I've left it one more day 'cos .. my Uncle died last night. That's him in the middle, with my Dad on the right. I just marked the 5th anniversary of Dad's death a couple of weeks ago, and I'm pretty sure the chap on the left's dead too. I know the lady at the back is 'cos that's my aunt!.. 

It's funny, looking at 100 year old photographs from the First World War and thinking .. gosh, they were real people, living their lives .. because that's just become the role of this photograph, with the passing of a mere 36 years. Real people, living their lives, having a night out at the infamous Talk of the North in Eccles, and shot by a pimply 18 year old who only wanted to be a photographer! A young lad just two years out of school and now two weeks away from the first ever school reunion he's ever been to. And that's where another poignant moment comes because, after a question was posted up onto Facebook, it's become apparent that, 38 years on from leaving school, quite a few of my old school chums have already 'bitten the dust'! Drugs, cancer, life's bad luck! What a shame.
The shout has gone out for any old prints of those poor unfortunates but, with so many of today's 'social' photographs being taken on a phone, how on earth will people today view their past life?.. 

RIP, boys ... 

©Martin O'Neill 2014 

Oh, it's a long time...

.. from May to September, and it's been quite a few days since my last blog, too! Apologies to both my readers! Real life has been getting the way again, you see, and I've been busy, busy, busy with all that Wedding and work stuff! Got to fit time in for a haircut, too, as I'm being interviewed for an online community website next Monday! They've picked up on my old shots of The Talk of the North nightclub in Eccles, and want to expand it into a piece about all the other Salford - slash - music - slash press photography I've been involved with in the town over the years! I have to say that the negatives I'm still finding in my 'long-lost box of tricks' is amazing me, and I'm thrilled to see I had such a good eye for a shot even as a teenager.

Hey, it's my blog! I can be as big-headed as I like!

Is this the way to ... ?

Apologies! This is turning into 'Famous Clubs' Front Doors of Our Time',  as I can't resist showing you this next photograph of an old nightspot entry (Is that rude?)
This is The Talk of The North, in sunny Eccles, and look who was headlining...Tony Christie, his name up in, er, nine inch plastic letters! This would be from about 1977, and it's from my series Don't Miss That (Book available for a damn good price!)

I met a couple of my Blog Readers today! Actually, they're good friends who just happened to let drop that they read my ramblings on a regular basis. That was heartening to hear, especially as they said they really liked the stuff I write! Thank you, guys, and the coffee's on you, next time!

Frantically cleaning all my gear in readiness for tomorrow's Wedding, as I was shooting the new website images for a Cheshire Riding School yesterday, and everything got covered in a, well let's say, fine brown dust.
Gulp! I wonder what that could be?

The Talk of the North..

..is Football, today! Manchester United AND City are both up for cups, and I for one am quite happy to supprt BOTH teams today. Come on, Manchester!

Of course, the 'other' Talk of the North was the old cabaret club in Eccles, that saw the likes of Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey perform in the old days.  This was a shot I did of its sign from the top of a bus, probably on my way into Manchester for another crazy Saturday night! It features in my book Don't Miss This, a collection of b/w shots taken on my trusty Olympus XA!