In The Pit – Punk Rock Photos 1981 – 1991

In The Pit – Punk Rock Photos 1981 – 1991

Alison Braun

No Plan Records

​​29 x 22 cm hard cover book  features 100 pages of photographs and flyer art of TSOL, Dead Kennedys, Bad Brains, Wasted Youth, Misfits, Social Distortion, Black Flag, 45 Grave,  Soundgarden, and more.

One of the best Punk/HC photographers of the 80s, Alison Braun, shot just about every imaginable underground band that played in Los Angeles at some point. From local heroes like Bad Religion, Social Distortion, TSOL, Dr. Know, Fear, Suicidal Tendencies,… to well known acts coming through town like the Ramones, the Misfits, Bad Brains, Discharge, Dead Kennedys, Adicts, Exploited, GBH, 7 Seconds, Agnostic Front,… to a whole bunch of smaller California bands like Sin 34, Aggression, Stalag 13, Channel 3, Battalion Of Saints, Youth Brigade, Shattered Faith and more… even Motörhead!

About the author:

My first camera, a Pentax K1000, was a gift from my father, a serious amateur photographer who showed me the qualities of light and the alchemy of darkroom techniques. We traveled to Yosemite National Park, and there among the ancient sequoia trees and waterfalls. I thought I wanted to become a landscape photographer.

When I was fourteen, I traded vast tranquil wilderness for the raw energy of punk rock in dark crowded clubs. I discovered my tribe on the Sunset Strip, and my camera transformed me from witness to participant. My 1981 photos of Wasted Youth were the first of thousands of images I would create, a personal document of a time, a place and an explosive new sound.

I swapped print photos for access to guest lists at the Whisky a Go Go, the Starwood and the Roxy, expanding my portfolio while increasing my audience. I provided photography services for Mystic Records, a small independent label in Hollywood, and I conducted band interviews and authored scene reports for local, national and international punk rock fanzines, including Maximum Rock’n’roll and We Got Power. My parents became reluctant hosts to touring musicians.

I went north after college, inspired by Seattle’s blossoming grunge scene, and partnered with a photo studio to continue my music documentation work. My image spectrum began to include portraiture and special events, and I received stock representation with Corbis and Getty Images. Current projects include a music photography memoir. My archive is scanned and available for future fans, especially the girls.