Here’s a little interview i did with photographer David Porter (aka Jacques L’Affrique) that appears in this weeks Brag magazine. It was difficult to prepare for because i’d never heard of him before and couldn’t find much information about him apart from a brief period in the 1970’s which is documented in his show Unreal Rock at Carriageworks.  It turned out there was a reason he dropped off the photography scene.

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David Porter, working under the pseudonym Jacques L’Affrique, lived and photographed Melbourne’s booze and weed fueled rock’n’roll scene in the early 70’s.

From the thousands of negatives in his archives a collection of about 100 black and white photographs has been assembled and is exhibiting now at Carriageworks.

Speaking from his Blue Mountains home, David muses on the carefree 1970’s, reveals his distaste for rock music, and the regret he holds for walking away from photography.

What can we expect to see in the show?

There’ll be photographs of iconic rock people from the 70’s; Billy Thorpe, Daddy Cool, Chicago, Elton John, Molly Meldrum, Germaine Greer, Manfred Mann…  And just a general assortment of what was happening at the time. A lot of photos of people just being themselves and taking part in the action.

In the 70’s it was very easygoing, you could light up a joint and no one gave a stuff. People would have great big seven paper joints, VB was almost the currency, and the wonderful Gough Whitlam was in power.

Do you think the photos present a romanticised version of the 70’s?

I think pictures tell the truth. They’re black and white. And i believe the ultimate photographic image is still black and white. Because it relies and shadow, detail, contrast, not on colours. And i print them all myself.

Did you get into photography because of the music?

It wasn’t the music. I don’t even like rock music! I’ve always liked jazz more. I just went there to take the photographs. Rock’s never really got me. I guess The Beatles are okay, and Neil Young. But i never really liked rock albums.

Tell me about Jacques L’Affrique. Why the nom de plume?

There was a bit of a conflict of interest because i was shooting for one paper then selling it to another paper, so someone suggested i use another name – Jack Africa. And to make it more ‘continental’ we decided on Jacques L’Affrique.

Do you still practice photography today?

No. I did a really dumb thing. I suddenly went bizarre, crazy and idiotic and went and lived in the country and did a Diploma of Education. I don’t know what it was. I wanted to get out of Melbourne i suppose.  I was drinking too much actually. Photography at the time was a very alcohol intense profession. We used to drink a hell of a lot. And i was smoking too much dope. So i got out of it a bit.

And i never went back fully. But i’ve still got all the negatives. But it’s a pity, it’s a very big mistake of my life. I still regret it incredibly. I was getting some good work with agencies.

So the photography was too tied up with the drinking and drugs to continue?

I went through a strange patch, I was married and i just walked out on my wife which was really bad. I moved to the country and started teaching.

Did you befriend the artists you were photographing?

Yes, i knew all those people. You used to go backstage and it was a very relaxing time. You’d go backstage and have a drink with the guys, which is when you’d get the best photographs.

It was much easier back then. I remember at the Elton John concert i actually got up on stage and took a photograph of Elton John’s shoes underneath the piano. No one stopped me. There was no press privileges. You just got up on stage and took the photograph.

Unreal Rock: The photographs of Jacques L’Affrique is on show now at Carriageworks foyer. 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh NSW.
10am – 5pm Monday to Friday, 9am – 1pm Saturday (closed Sunday). Until 26th June.