The Way Back: skateboarding and rocking through the 80s and 90s
Photos and memories courtesy of Scott Perryman
I grew up in Tidewater. We were on the other side, the western edge of Hampton Roads. The sand of the beach seemed unreachable as a kid without the freedom of transportation. The Midtown tunnel was like a stargate to and from a near-magical oasis on a couple of blocks of Hampton Blvd. Riding a skateboard with a spiked hairdo on High Street in Portsmouth was enough to get your ass kicked in rhythm to Sweet Home Alabama. It wasn't a particularly rough place, just kind of simple-minded back then.
The first punk rock show I went to was The FU's at Dominic’s in 1983. I can't remember how we knew to go there but we found it. From then on I tried to go to as many shows as possible. I got my first camera around that time and have mostly taken pictures of people, bands, and skateboarding.
For most of the 1990s was working as a Photo Assistant based out Miami Beach with another Hardcore Norfolk Ex-Pat, Craig Miller. I owe Craig all the thanks for bringing me into an industry that has made me a living for nearly 30 years.
Nowadays, I live in Baltimore and work in the Film Industry. I occasionally do a photo assignment but I still hesitate to call myself a photographer. I still see live music regularly and still prefer seeing a show in a bar over a large venue.
Note: click the thumbnails and the little white dot at the bottom of the photos to view larger photos and full captions.
