Scott Wood Band Photography
What is it about derelict buildings and band photography? It's a common thread as old as rock and roll itself. Abandoned buildings posses a magnetism. Perhaps they remind us of our impermanence on the planet, the strength of nature to claim everything back, that we are essentially a short lived, insignificant speck of little importance in the grand history of our planet. The futility of material possessions and the death and decay of everything in the end. Perhaps it's just that natures endless march makes things look gnarly and cool. In all my derelict post industrial wanderings I have noted the presence two distinct types of people who frequent such places. The first being the most noticeable, the lowest common denominator; vagrants, junkies and arsonists. These folk love a derelict building, it's a place to hide, to destroy stuff and to act with the violent and ignorant abandon that in normal society would see you incarcerated. The second bunch of folk tend to be like me, creative folk looking for inspiration a black canvas to create on or somewhere to consider the grand philosophical questions. In fact we are lucky in Scotland that a lot of these places have become amazing graffiti spots with very, very accomplished works of art adorning their crumbling walls. Take a trip Cardross cemenary if you want to see some exceptional examples of this.The derelict building of choice in this shoot is the Torpedo testing station at Arrochar. The whole Loch Long area has lots of intimidating and imposing industrial structures, the home of the UKs nuclear arsenal it's history is chequered, disturbing and clandestine. Although this area is of immense natural beauty - see these pictures for proof of that, http://somhairle.co.uk/photography/beinn-narnain-ime-the-cobbler - it bears the scars of harbouring humanities most destructive weapons. In fact the surrounding hills have lots of industrial remnants with the extensive hydro electric and water supply infrastructure that was built in the 1940's and 50's. The story of the hydro is just as interesting as that of the naval base. Many men died blasting tunnels up in those hills and by all accounts the camps were hives of excess and iniquity. I can highly recommend reading the 'hydro boys' by Emma Wood if you are interested. Though it is unfortunate that this area of great natural beauty has been ravaged by the industrial whims of humanity, it does lend it an extra level of epic to the place.So elongated rants about civil defence and infrastructure are not really the point of this post. It's about photos of a band. The Scott Wood Band specifically, a fine band, with a rocking edge. I have also designed the cover for the bands debut Album 'Upsurge' and as soon as I get a copy I'll put a post up and maybe try and concentrate on the subject at hand. Truthfully when I was wandering round this place all I could think about was the apocalypse. Lately with the apparent death of democracy, the unstoppable rise of elitist greed and the cries from Mother Earth herself begging a reprieve from humanities insatiable consumption; I can't help but think - in the words Private Frazer of Dad's Army - 'We're DOOOOOOMED'. Still love, music and art still make life worth living! It's an irony that with all the weapons of mass destruction it looks like we will end ourselves through our uncontrollable taste for consumer electronics, low cost, long distance travel, cheap processed food and an inability to just stop for a minute look around and count our fucking blessings, for the birds and the bees, the flowers, the rain, the clouds in the sky and the dirty, dirty earth.So as you can see, my visit to this place has stirred up quite a bit in my mind, maybe this is the draw of the derelict building in band photography. Maybe I'm just a mentalist, whatever I hope you like the pictures...