Phil Lynott - Tokyo 1979
After working with him a few times for the NME Phil Lynott and I became best friends and I became their Tour Photographer. In fact we got on so well that we shared a house for a few years, we went everywhere together and I went all over the World with them including numerous Tours of America, the UK, Europe and Australia. The highlight however was a trip to Japan for their first tour there in 1979. I had always wanted to go to Japan and found the place fascinating despite being unable to speak a word of Japanese. After spending a few days in Tokyo we moved on to Osaka and Nagoya which meant taking the high speed Bullet Train between towns. We were standing on the platform at the Tokyo Railway Station when a bunch of schoolboys recognized Philip and came over to ask for autographs, seeing them in the traditional school uniforms of the time I asked them to pose with Philip as there was a great contrast in the way they and Philip were dressed. Looking at this photo now their uniforms seem so formal, but back then this is how all Japanese Schoolboys dressed. I took many great photos of Philip but there is something about this photo that makes it my favourite. The clash of cultures makes it distinctive but the look on his face also captures this spirit of this great musician who left us way too soon.