You Need To Know David Melillo

(iTunes: Perfect Lie, Sheryl Crow)

This kid is only 17 years old but he can so ROCK! David Melillo is signed to Drive Thru Records. The album is coming out very soon – its called Talk is Cheap. But in the meantime you can have a listen to his stuff by going to his website (see link section of blog). Dave’s band is made up of Matt, Clark and Nate (aka Vladimir). I’d write more but really I gotta get back to getting ready for my shoot tonight. Peace out hommies.

PS - Thanks BEAME!

Equality Magazine

Equality magazine is published by HRC (human rights campaign). This photo was shot at the Gay Pride parade in Orlando. This photo was licensed to them for use in their Winter 2006 issue. See link section for more info on HRC & Equality.

To read the blog about the gay pride parade go here:
http://brookpifer.blogspot.com/2005/10/gay-pride.html

Muchas gracias COCO!!!

New Mexican Disaster Squad

(iTunes: Oh Bondage, Up Yours by Free Kitten)

Much fun was had in making these photographs. These boys rawk! They are on a lovely indie label - Jade Tree Records. Right now they're on tour all over the east coast and will be making an appearance at the legendary Social in Orlando on January 29th.

To have a further look-see and listen to NMDS check out the Crème Da La Crème link section. So go ahead and give 'em a try.

Do you believe in Magic?

(iTunes: King’s Crossing by Elliot Smith)

Busy day – busy week.

Go STEELERS!

Fellin'

(iTunes: Dreadlock Holiday, 10CC)

Meet Robert. In August 2004 he was driving a stolen car. The cops chased him, set up a roadblock on a bridge where he stopped the car and leapt off, dropping 40 feet to a patch of mud and muck. He broke his back and shattered a leg. Maybe he didn’t see Bad Boys 2 otherwise I guess he would have escaped.

In the year leading up to the incident, Robert had gotten a girl pregnant, had the girl flee the country with the baby – I have no idea why. He also endured the split up of his parents, who are drug addicts.

While in the hospital recovering from his broken back which was hard enough to get into because his parents had no health insurance for him, Robert’s dad came and stole his pain medicine for himself. Out of the hospital, Robert was working full time until he got arrested nearly a year later for said incident.

His lawyer said in so many words that because he messed with Florida Highway Patrol, and because they were pissed, he was going to get two years in prison. He signed the plea bargain right there. Tomorrow morning he goes to adult prison. Robert is 17.

Three Brooks or Three Books

(iTunes Nanny Nanny Boo Boo Junior Senior Remix, LeTigre)

Happy 2006 everyone! Man I’m so looking forward to seeing what this year has in store. Last year was pretty darn cool - personally (married the love of my life), professionally (many new and repeat clients), creatively (no explanation needed).

So with the start of the New Year how many of you make new years resolutions? A few years ago mine was to read a new book each month (and I kept that resolution). I have a great love of reading, but can’t seem to find enough time to do so. Here’s my problem, reading relaxes me. I start out in an nice sitting position, then progress to a laying on my stomach and when I roll over onto my back I know I’m a goner. On occasion I have fallen asleep mid sentence, subsequently dropping my hard cover book on my face and waking up abruptly with a bloody nose.

I can thank my parents for my love of reading. They always read to me when I was little, even if it was the same book over and over again. When I was in elementary school and the Scholastic Book Fair would come around I was the kid that would order like 7-10 books at a time. In middle school I would make extra money by writing book reports for fellow classmates. My high school curriculum was heavy in English, Literature and Journalism. Ok, and now to prove my geek status… You know the movie Never-ending Story? I wanted to be Bastian, that lucky little boy that just needed to name the princess. There is nothing like a good book that sucks you in to the point where you just don’t want to put it down.

This year I’ve decided to do the same – read at least one book per month. I’ve got THREE BOOKS on hand ready to go (Mirror Mirror by Gregory Maguire, Girl Anatomy by Rebecca Bloom and Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer) – but if anyone has suggestions or books I can borrow let me know. I’d like to read the DaVinci Code but someone suggested I read Angles & Demons first, despite the fact the A&D is not as gripping as the DC…what a conundrum.

Books rock, photography rocks and 2006 is gonna rock too!