360 Dad. His newest obsession at the time

Last date modified says 7-7-2002

He got this mirrored lens attachment for his Sony Mavica and was trying to get the picture to rotate smoothly with the soft-wear that came with it. He was inspired by the 360 views of apartments and houses that had just become popular. Later pictures show he did figure out how to completely remove himself from the photos when taking them. But, I like these better. 

See how you can just see his hand in the above shot? This is at a Mooneyes event I think...

It never occurred to me till just now...but this is where I get my burst work ethic from, and my need to pick things apart till I understand them...he got this lens and would not put it down till it was mastered, he then rarely touched it. He gave it to me to sell on eBay for him about, a month before he died...I never did list it...lazy girl....

...and he loved to steal your money

I found a picture of you...

"The powers that be, 

That force us to live like we do.
Bring me to my knees,
When I see what they've done to you." 

~The Pretenders, Back on the Chain Gang

Into the Ether

I am just gonna go ahead and say this, as this space has remained dark for so long I just have to say it.

September 28th, 2011 my Daddy, Jim Cassatta, passed into eternity.

For those of you that only know my dad due to this blog and are just hearing of this: I apologize for it taking a whole month for the news to reach you. I have been speechless.  Stunned. Sad.

I have one more story that never got posted for you, lots more photos, information on what kind of service we have (this has not already happened and will happen when we are able, dad's passing was sudden and we are all still collecting ourselves from the shock.) So, watch this space.

I miss you so much daddy, I love you so much. Rest in Peace. It is my greatest wish that you finally found peace.

By Stephan.Com

Corrections and updates

Hello, welcome back to the wacky world of Jim Cassatta!

I am sorry I haven't been back to post in a bit, it's the holidaze, I've been drinking, you've been out of town, you know how it goes. Hope everyone had a happy Hanukkah, a peaceful Solstice, a merry Christmas, a joyous Festivus, a great Boxing Day, a fabulous Kwanzaa, and are revving up for a very happy New Year! Phew! That's a lot of holidays, did I cover everyone? I hope so.


I will make up for lost posts due to scrambling for rent by giving you one long post now, while I am locked out of my work website due to...maintenance? I have no idea really...but it makes me nervous. I digress.

Anyhow! I got a great Christmas present from dad: photos! I am still scanning (it wasn't a ton, but I have had a lot of computer problems of late that can't be repaired with anything but money and I don't have any of that till  my boyfriend gets some more work. Someone give my boyfriend some work. I like knowing I'll have rent, it's, comforting.) but here's an idea of what went on Dec 9th when dad started sorting out the loot:

Fun!

There were a coupla small boxes that I somehow missed when we moved! It was so exciting! Incidentally, the boyfriend also read us the news that Jim Morrison had just been posthumously pardoned for indecent exposure in Miami; so you know the whole day was blessed by the Rock Gods.  ;)

He went through the negatives while I scanned my ass off. Not the rock photos however, although the room was all a twitter about those, we were far more excited about personal photos. Many, many of my older sister (some really great ones from when she was just a few days old!), and especially those of my mother, a few black and white close ups of her in her youth. It was amazing. 

Sorry they are mostly blurry, light was low and...I was lazy. Note the drawing of dad in the lower right of the above picture. What a great piece of what I like to call "fan art". Haha! 

SO, I hope to get many of those scanned and up here in the next coupla weeks, keep your eye out as they trickle in. Till then, here's another Iggy Pop to hold you over:

Taken at the same time as the first one:

In the living room of the house in Venice, about 1974.

Neither one has the dad approved copy write and font, but I am now without photo-shop, the script one was for my other blog, blah, blah, blah, I am disorganized but mean well. Deal with it. 

I bring this up cause I have a correction to make: it was vitamins. Iggy Pop came to the door of the house in Venice to ask for vitamins, not painkillers. I am so sorry Mr. Pop that I painted you in such a shady color, I know now you were only worried about your health and nothing dubious was afoot. 

I have a confession to make. I work long hours, enjoy wine, and sometimes those things don't help in recalling  all the details of dad's stories. I have heard them many times and am sorry I forgot one as important as vitamins over aspirin, but, this thing is a work in progress and we're working out the kinks as we go. 

SO! 

Eric Wonderman was sitting in the living room, Iggy Pop knocked on the door and asked if dad had any vitamins. Dad said, yes, they are in the bathroom. Iggy Pop entered, found the bathroom, took the vitamins and asked if there was any beer. Dad said no, sorry, at this point in life he was no longer drinking. There was however a liqor store right across the street. So Iggy asked if dad had $1.35. Sadly, dad could not help here either. Iggy then turned to Eric and asked if he had the $1.35 for beer (it was only a dollar thirty five for beer! Crazy.) he didn't have it either. Iggy left. Dad looked at Eric in confusion, Eric asked if he knew who that was, dad said no. Eric informed him that it was, in fact, Iggy Pop and thus begins the whole sordid affair. Iggy and dad would be friends for a few years after and he is the person I have the most photos and goodies of. More to come! 

I also have to update the photo I posted of dad sitting on his Imagemaker camera bag, he photoshopped it for me himself and I am quite delayed in posting it.

It really does look rather nice doesn't it? I may have him shop all the photos for the blog now. What do you think dad? 

~Sydney 

Titles and Passes

The title of the blog is due entirely to this slide containing Dad's self-imposed moniker:


He even had it screened on his camera bag:



Although he started as a journalistic photographer in Chicago in the late 1960's, shooting thousands of photos that were dropped off, by the roll, at the Chicago Sun Times , including many of the chaotic and world changing 1968 Chicago Democratic National Convention. He was now living in sunny Southern California, making images, of his own creation, containing his wife, daughter, roommate Iggy Pop,  psychedelic drag queen group The Cockettes, friends in music and art.

My dad has always had a way with people, they either love him or hate him. He soon had quite a collection of backstage passes to see some of his favorite people play.



This pass accompanies the previous post photo of Edgar Winter, I believe.













This one is my favorite. Other than Alice Cooper being my fave of the bands offered, I just think this is the coolest pass. It's round!

Edgar Winter

Hi!

Wow, almost a month without a post huh? I kinda suck. It's been...busy to say the least. So, I am aiming for a post a week, what's your favorite day of the week? We'll make that post day. If I had to pick I would automatically say Friday, but those don't mean so much when you work all the time. We'll still shoot for Friday and I will try to get you a few extra this week to make up for the false start. I mean well. I really do.

I lost my photo-shop over the weekend, I have a copy, just have to re-install, but till then I am just going to go ahead an add the photos that have already appeared on my other blog, even though they don't have the Jim Cassatta approved watermark ;).

Below! Behold the great Edgar Winter! Most likely playing his famous and amazing Frankenstein! I have no back story on this one yet, but as Dad fill in the details I will update. I believe this is from a show at the San Diego Sports Arena August 16, 1974.

This whole thing is a work in progress, posts will be updated as needed when input from dad is received. Sometimes that can take awhile. Thank you for your patience and interest you guys rock!

-Sydney