The goal probably seemed simple enough to a young Darren Balch.
"I wanted to photograph every major rock band in the world."
Never mind that he lived in rural Eastern Washington, about as far as you could get from the glitzy rock capitals of L.A. and New York without actually leaving the country. Never mind that he had no formal training, no bankroll and no connection to the Byzantine and bizarre concert world.
Damned if Darren didn't do exactly what he set out to do.
Over two decades he shot Van Halen, Nirvana, James Brown, Pantera, Alice in Chains, U2, The Scorpions, Robert Cray and Pearl Jam - just to name a select few. In Sacramento he photographed skinny-longhaired kids billing themselves as City Kidd. Those kids became Tesla and soon were rockin the arenas just like Darren was. In upstate New York he was elbow-to-elbow with tens of thousands of his closest friends to document Woodstock 1999.
He shot bands you've never heard of in dives you've never been to - bands like The Idiots, Sweaty Nipples, Charivari and Euphoria in places like The Cavern, Shakers and Outback Jacks - and he had just as much fun as when he photographed U2 in the Tacoma Dome. "It's all the same - it's exactly the same rush, Darren explained.
That's not to say Darren didn't make sacrifices for his passion. It's just that when he realized what he wanted to do, "there's nothing else that matters, relationships, jobs, education." Darren's being too hard on himself.
Let's consider:
Relationships: Darren's infectious enthusiasm and good will endeared him to hundreds if not thousands of folks who still consider him a friend, from the high-and-mighty who finally agreed to let him photograph the bands to the ticket-takers at the turnstile.
Jobs: Darren worked harder than most folks ever do - and it certainly wasn't for the money. "There was no money," he says. "It was a roll of quarters and a map to the candy machine most nights."
Education: Darren's traveled the world as an Air Force Airborne Weather Technician, air sampling nuclear debris (a hitch he agreed to, by the way, to help finance his rock and roll fantasy).
"The word was 'no' for a number of years," he recalls. "It took me three years of bugging people, really politely." Finally, somebody asked the aforementioned Bill Graham himself if the kid with the camera could shoot some photos at a show he was promoting. Graham agreed, but he made sure Darren had paid for his ticket.
But as all bands (except the Rolling Stones) find out, eventually the last tour ends. Darren's retired from the rock-and-roll photographer life. "You can put... I'm done," he explains.
Darren has his memories and we have this book highlighting the best photos from the craziest concerts and the wildest parties. Pop open a beer and enjoy the ride.
Chris Grygiel, 2007