PATTERNS AND TONES

14 bands in 25 years...  That pretty much sums up what Chris Barfield has been up to in the past few decades. From his first band in 1989 playing bass with The Tommyknockers to playing lead guitar today in Casino 66, Chris has always been keen to the scene and has added to it his immeasurable talent. His love for Fuzz, Surf, Psych, Mod, Garage, Pop-Punk, Bubblegum and Goof Rock is evident in this impressive roster of the many California bands he has been in over the years. 1989 played bass in The Tommyknockers with Rich Coffee 1990 played bass in The Headhunters with Rich Coffee and Rudi Protrudi 1990-1992 played bass in The Fuzztones with Rudi Protrudi 1991-1992 played bass in a side project called Link Protudi and The Jaymen 1993-1994 played guitar in The Finks with Jake Cavaliere 1994-1995 played guitar in The Huntington Cads with Steve Hill 1995-2005 played bass in The Go-Nuts  with Mel Bergman and Deke Dickerson 1998-1999 played bass in Ramonatures with Mel...

The Bay Area  instrumental   combo Jumbo Shrimp, led by the seminal Rock n' Roller - Klaus Flouride , provided just the right amount of surf mixed with a bit of hoe down, spy n' spaghetti western to make you want to listen to their  7 song CD  "Thingie"  over and over again. Released in 1997 on  Flouride Treatment Records, "Thingie" is a thing of beauty. Crafted by a roster  of über talented musicians who put their own spin on surf instrumental music, while covering several tunes that when written, were no closer to the beach than the south plains of Lubbock, Texas. Who could possibly pull off a surf version of a Weezer song , sliding a sprinkle of Morricone into another, while balancing   a spy movie soundtrack in under 30 minutes of listening pleasure?  Klaus Flouride and  East Bay Ray  can, that's who! Managed by the Tiki King himself,  Otto von Stroheim , Jumbo Shrimp was a band that although were ...

"Lounge Kat No. 1" Spending New Years Eve at Danny Elfman 's beach house in Malibu was a perfect way to start the New Century. I had recently relocated from Northern to Southern California and to spend such a pivotal moment in history there, was truly a gift after the rough year I had just gone through. My friend worked for Danny and had invited me as her guest to ring in the new millennium. The excitement of that monumental New Year's Eve filled the air. Danny even played a rare piece of music, just as the clock struck midnight, that my Grandmother Julia, a trained opera singer from Morsasco , used to sing. Synchronicity was in the air... It was a turning point in my life and I was determined to start a new photographic series based on whatever I shot on New Years Day 2000. New Life, New Year, New Century! Fortuitously, masks were strewn around the outdoor patio and as people began to wake from their slumber, they slowly entered the su...

The Bob Baker Marionette Theater was born in 1960 and is considered the longest running puppet theater in America. With an inventory of over 3,000 puppets he has created over the years,  Mr. Baker continues to entertain and delight his audience for over 50 years.  What makes Mr. Baker's marionettes literally stand out is that he brought them down from the stage and into the audience! With the puppeteer dressed in black, they make the strings dance and weave, bringing the marionettes to life right in front of your eyes. What could be more magical? Currently in its 54th season, the theater company continues with " Fun with Strings! " which runs every Saturday and Sunday at 2:30pm. The puppet show, featuring Jack Frost, the Snow Queen, Chili Dog, The Balloon Clown and over 100 additional marionettes Mr. Baker has created, is "a wondrous journey with many magical stops along the way"! Bob Baker began to create toy marionettes in 1945 while still a student ...

My first attempt at shooting a string of moving pictures came to fruition at the beginning of this year in the form of a movie trailer titled "The Feline Feeling" . Directed and Produced by the amazing duo of Elvia Lahman and Hannah Metz who are co-owners of the lovely vintage clothing store in Pasadena called The Loved One , this trailer is a vehicle to showcase their new line of vintage inspired lingerie. When I was asked to be the Director of Photography for this project, I threw my hat into the ring, picked up my trusty Nikon D800 and channeled my inner Russ Meyer , Doris Wishman and Roger Corman . Shooting started at The Monty Bar in downtown Los Angeles, and was a perfect start to an amazing weekend. Yes, this was shot in two days! I thought I would select some of my favorite stills from the film and share them with you. Working with the crew and actors was a wonderful experience. As a still photographer, I am a solitary creature creating, directing and ligh...