Dave Faulkner playing with The Victims at their final show, Hernando\u2019s Hideaway, Hay Street, East Perth, 17 June 1978. <\/p>\n
David McComb among the crowd at the Victims final show, Hernando\u2019s Hideaway, Hay Street, East Perth, 17 June 1978. (Sourced via SLWA.)<\/p>\n
The Victims final show, Hernando\u2019s Hideaway, Hay Street, East Perth, 17 June 1978. (L-R) Dave Cardwell (bass), James Baker (drums), Dave Faulkner (guitar) (Sourced via SLWA.)<\/p>\n
Baxter began a diploma in graphic design at Central TAFE in 1976, where he first learnt the basics of developing black and white film and printing photography. <\/p>\n
\u201cAfter initially working in advertising agencies I finally decided to just focus on being a photographer and embracing learning all there was to know. The bands started around 1976 and I managed to stumble upon the New Wave and document that time with my Nikon camera,\u201d Baxter tells us.<\/p>\n
\u201cBack then in the \u201970s as a student, I was always looking for the unexpected \u2013 and the idea of photography as art, for example hand colouring black and white prints and cross processing slide film for different effects was something different.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Manikins, 1979. (L-R) Robbit Porritt, Mark Betts, Dave Faulkner, Neil Fernandes, Ken Seymour.<\/p>\n
James Baker playing drums for The Scientists, performing at the Governor Broome Hotel, Northbridge, 1979-1980. The Governor Broome Hotel was located where the State Theatre Centre of WA now is located, on the corner of Roe and William Streets.<\/p>\n
The Elks performing at the Charles Hotel, North Perth, Western Australia, 1980. (Sourced via SLWA.)<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a teenager and beyond I was like a sponge! Absorbing everything happening in music and the fashion scene in the UK. I remember the turning point from reggae and blues bands to getting back to basics with UK bands like The Jam and The Clash to name a few.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHere in Perth, my friends and I were witnessing the Perth scene \u2013 and because of our isolation here in the west it spawned so many unique bands\u2026 Original in every way, singing about the Australian landscape and in the Australian punk and New Wave style. The Triffids and The Manikins were examples of that original music coming from the west.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou could almost smell the Australian heat.\u201d<\/p>\n
Baxter wasn\u2019t just behind the lens \u2013 he also took to the stage as a vocalist and keyboardist in the original line up of electro post-punk band The Plants, pictured below in 1979. <\/p>\n
The Plants, 1979. (L-R) Tony Roncevich, Phil Berry, Norm Peters, Dave Berry, Patrick Shaw, Rob Baxter. (Sourced via SLWA.)<\/p>\n
Rob Baxter and James Baker at the launch of Baxter\u2019s Perth Rock Photography Exhibition at the Photo Gallery of Western Australia, Northbridge, 2000.<\/p>\n
Still out and about photographing charity gigs and fashion events around town, highlights from Baxter\u2019s years documenting Perth\u2019s punk scene have been curated as part of his new, self-published book, Photographs from Perth\u2019s Rock & Punk Scene 1970\u2019s & 80\u2019s. The book is available for purchase at Planet Books, located in Mount Lawley, Northbridge, Cottesloe and online<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cMy photos over the years have appeared in various books and magazines as well as in film. The WA State Library in 2021 collated my photos and made them available to the public as part of Perth\u2019s art history, but it has always been a dream of mine to publish a collection of my photos in a book and the day has finally arrived,\u201d Baxter explained when the book was announced earlier this year. <\/p>\n Subscribe to our free newsletter!<\/p>\n \u201cIt was now or never, as Elvis said back then,\u201d he elaborated this week. <\/p>\n \u201cI always had a plan to publish one day a book of Perth rock, punk, fashion, and people of that time \u2013 so I\u2019m glad it\u2019s finally out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s self published mainly because I wanted to do it my own way without being told what to do. I\u2019m happy with how it\u2019s turned out and if it\u2019s the only book I do then that\u2019s OK.\u201d<\/p>\nTeeny Weenys performing at Adrian\u2019s Nightclub, Nedlands, 1980. (L-R) Caz Parker (bass), Phillip Galbraith (drums), Jill Yates (vocals), Lindsay Quan (guitar). (Sourced via SLWA.) <\/p>\n
Robbie Porritt of the Manikins and members of the crowd onstage at Blazes Nightclub, North Perth, 27 July 1979. (Sourced via SLWA.) <\/p>\n
The Manikins performing at the Broadway Tavern, Nedlands, 1978. (L-R) Ken Seymour (bass), Robbie Porritt (vocals), Mark Betts (drums), Neil Fernandes (guitar). (Sourced via SLWA.) <\/p>\n