Mark Ridlen was a dear friend and a tireless champion of the Dallas underground music scene since the late 70's. This photo was taken on October 22, 2024 on the grounds of at a Hare Krishna Temple in Dallas. He passed away after a long battle with cancer in the early hours of November 17th, 2024, less than a month later. RIP dear friend.

This is my cousin Soli Ozel. He is a highly esteemed professor of International Relations at Kadir Has University in Istanbul, a fellow at the Robert Bosch Academy, and a columnist for the Turkish daily Habertürk. He's also a nice guy. Istanbul, Turkey, April 2024.

This is my cousin Jak Ozel, Soli Ozel's younger brother, who runs an import/export business. Izmir, Turkey, March 2024.

My relative Besim Amado, photographed inside the synogue where my parents were married in Izmir, Turkey. He was indispensable during my visit to Izmir, being my translator, tour guide, sometimes chauffeur and travel advisor. Besim speaks several languages and has traveled to 58 countries. Izmir, Turkey, March 2024.

Berkeley, California, February 1999.

This was a strange gig. Grimple with Bobby Joe Ebola and the Children McNuggets playing Ashkenaz, a venue that was known for its radical leftism and hosting world beat music and Grateful Dead Night. Berkeley, California.

Berkeley, California.

The band Exit Wound perform at an eviction party at 626 56th Street, Oakland, California, September 1999. Melanie Chavarria, the lead singer, tragically lost her battle with cancer a few years later.

Exit Wound performing at an eviction party. L-R Melanie Chavarria, Jason, Jake Skate. Oakland, California, September 1999.

L-R Brian Koehler (aka Johnny Carcinogenic), Jason Moran and Thomas Lipps. Oakland, California, September 1999.

Thomas Lipps on front porch stairs, 626 56th Street, Oakland, California, September 1999.

626 56th Street, Oakland, California, September 1999.

Two punk warriors battle it out with styrofoam weapons during a matinee all-ages free show at 924 Gilman. Berkeley, California, March 1998.

Two young people with their dog hanging out outside 924 Gilman. Berkeley, California, March 1998.

Selina in front of 626 56th Street, Oakland, California, September 1999.

Fury wagon, Oakland, California, September 1999.

What was odd about this show was that it was at Ashkenaz, a venue better known for world beat and Grateful Dead Night, and yet the lineup was three punk bands: Grimple, Bobby Joe Ebola and the Children McNuggets, and a band called Fetish, which my friend Emmet Cadigan managed. Berkeley, California, March 28 1999.

Berkeley, California, March 28 1999.

Carl played with a band called Dead And Gone, which is a great name for a punk band. Oakland, California, October 31 1999.

Oakland, California, October 31 1999.

This was a big event at Gilman, with Penelope Houston, frontwoman for the Avengers, playing her old punk songs with a younger set of musicians. The line to get in went down Gilman Street, and the place was packed. Berkeley, California, February 1999.

Dude was nuts. I was up front with a wide angle on my camera, and at one point, Ajax swung the base of the mic stand at me, missing my skull by inches. I want to say it was maybe a few weeks after I photographed this gig, Pig Iron got banned from playing at a popular underground warehouse venue after Ajax threw a beer bottle up at a light, causing the bulb to shatter and the resulting broken glass to rain down on the people below. San Francisco, California, February 1999.

One cool thing about Pig Iron, other than the fact that they rocked, was that they had a keyboardist/theremin player. San Francisco, California, February 1999.

The guitarist on the right is Jon Sumrall, who moved to Oakland from Arkansas (and lived with my friend Casey Nolan), and was in a band called Econochrist. A lot of people loved Pig Iron, but just try to find any mention of them on the internet. I've tried, and, as of this writing, the only Pig Iron that shows up is a British band from the 70's. San Francisco, California, February 1999.