Stiv Bators (1949-1990) of The Dead Boys at the Hot Club, 12/19/77. David Carroll’s Hot Club opened with live jazz in the summer of 1977. A much-publicized new wave series began on Monday night, October 10, and the first punk attraction booked were New York via Ohio band The Dead Boys. A more perfect act could not have launched the series: Their tightly-played, aggressive-yet-tuneful songs were forcefully spat out by ever-theatrical front man Stiv Bators. Before their eagerly-awaited show, the group made an appearance at Center City’s Platters, Ltd. Record store. I shot both the in-store and the Hot Club show, with photos of each appearing in the Temple University News. However, maddeningly, I somehow lost the negatives of this historic day’s events within the week!

When The Dead Boys returned to the Hot Club two months later, I arrived early to give copies of the newspaper to Stiv, who was sitting backstage with an attractive female friend. After telling him the sad fate of my photos of their first Philly visit, Stiv said, “You want to take a good picture? Come with me…” He then guided me and his friend to the dressing room bathroom, and began removing all of his clothes. I was caught off guard, but kept my cool enough to take several posed shots in the shower, both with and without the female friend (who remained fully dressed). This shot was my favorite.