It’s been five years since Kathy and I bought the Junk-mag.com domain with the short-sighted intention to publish a webzine consisting mostly of my photos of our college classmates in their underwear. By the end of our first year, the people we featured each month would become campus celebrities, and we started to take advantage of the site traffic by posting more articles and written pieces alongside the pictures that everyone came to see.

Our hit count totaled the number of students enrolled at our college within 24 hours of the site going live. Within a year we had struggled to get to six digits, but with the switch from webzine to blog in 2005, more and more things started happening, I started taking party pictures in addition to everything else, and today our total all-time hit number is in the dozens of millions.

With frequent party photos, continually anticipated “Stripster” photo sets, Kathy’s “Waisted” column, my personal blog, and various contributions from other people, this site grew and grew until its ads made us significant revenue and the name alone helped us throw some amazing events with corporate sponsors. We’ve been name-checked in national newspapers and magazines, and we’ve made countless friends from the beginning ‘til now. We no longer have the time to properly keep this site going every day, so rather than fizzle out we’re going to simplify. It’s a good time to stop.

I’m still a photographer; I’ll still be taking lots of pictures and sharing them. I’ve not been taking photos at parties for several months now, save for the occasional party portrait photo set, which I still enjoy doing now and then. But mostly these days my photographic work consists of private shoots and commissioned/hired editorial and portrait work. All my work will from now on be showcased at my website, BradWalsh.com, which is being professionally redesigned and will re-launch next month to precede my next music release. I have a personal blog there already, and it will be where I post all the stories and photos that I normally post in my blog here on JunkMag. Kathy has a blog as well, and I will continue to update my blog for Misshapes.com. Also, you should add me on MySpace. Shameless.

So we’re not leaving the internet, just this website. Because it still gets so many hits from links and Google searches, we may reorganize the whole site to be less of a dead blog and more of an archive of the content that’s still here… if we get around to it. Thank you to everyone who’s been a part, whether in a photo or in the comments. Most of you are not assholes.

I wish I had the money to just drop $3000 on the lens of my dreams. It’s at the top of my Amazon wishlist, should anyone with spare thousands feel like doing me a solid. Lisa suggests I throw in a free photo shoot for whoever buys it for me. I think I’ll throw in a free week of indentured servitude while I’m at it.

Kate took us to Buffalo Exchange, which I like a whole lot more than Beacon’s Closet because clothes are arranged by type and size rather than by color, which is irritatingly pointless. I found a shirt and some jackets that I liked, but I put the jackets back when I realized that 1) I was the only one who thought they were not atrocious, and 2) I don’t even wear most of the dozen or so jackets that I already own, just the Ben Shermans and Ohio thrift store find. Actually, I have far too many clothes in general. I have two closets, a huge dresser, and two storage spaces full of clothes and shoes.

Anyway, they both scored big with feathers and velour. Christian bought the pink thing for Kate, and it’s now her “Holiday Blouse.” Christening will be this Fourth of July.

Well, shit. I did a whole lot of nothing yesterday despite having grandiose plans to clean the house top to bottom in Kathy’s absence (I can be annoying). She’s in Germany for five days. Instead I shirked work (workshirker) with Christian all day, who just returned from meeting with Uma in London about their movie. Then Mike Nouveau came to store his Vespa at my house for twelve days while he goes to Paris. I am not going to Paris or London or Germany. I am going to the Tea Lounge.

On Saturday I did, however, travel all the way to Alana’s house, which I think is located in Latin America… or maybe across the street from a meatpacker in the utmost of industrial Brooklyn and a gaggle of cackling hispanic men who take lots of group photos of each other. She and Kate and I put on the Greatest Hits of Dimitry’s Most Hilarious T-shirts and ran around in the rain throwing balls at each other.

Two songs to share. 1) Estelle’s new single “No Substitute Love,” which I really like a whole lot more than “American Boy.” Christian is in the video, too! 2) Five O’Clock Heroes’ “Who” with Agyness singing. It came out great, I really love this song. It’s been on repeat in my bedroom for a while now.

Five O’Clock Heroes – Who (feat. Agyness Deyn)

One more thing. (more…)

I’ve now surpassed 30 pairs of shoes, which is alarming to anyone who knew me before 2004, when I only ever had one pair of Payless something-or-others for daytime, and perhaps a pair of dress shoes elsewhere for graduations and Christmas. Oh man… Christmas. I wish it was Christmas right now. Also, Jes gave me the most perfect coat EVER for my birthday and I can’t wait to wear it this winter. Christmas, man. Do you know I have a box in the closet with like ten nutcrackers inside? Seriously. And an iPod playlist of 300 Christmas songs. Maybe I am a grandmother? If I were a grandmother I’d want to be Strega Nona, cooking you a tide of spaghetti with my magic pasta pot.

Anyway. 30+ pairs of shoes. Luckily I don’t often buy my shoes, but I’ve been given an array of really awesome stuff. All my shoes are pretty flashy now, either metallic or patent or rainbow or detailed. The latest I received yesterday from Converse. Simple, but I love them.

I wore them out last night to DJ. They are so comfortable, they’re one of only like three pairs of shoes I own that have any arch support. Most of my shoes, including my other Converses, are all flat-footed nightmares that are pretty to look at but are probably slowly ruining my spine. These ones are a Centennial re-issue of their Pro-Team classics, and they came with a note that said “we over here at Converse and our friend Andy Shaw [hey! I know that dude!] wanted you to be among the first to receive a pair of these special shoes.” Well well, Converse, I am happy to be among such an elite group of tastemakers! And/or always in the right place at the right time…

Are you jealous yet? No? Not at all? What’s that you say? I’m a douchebag? Well, at least with Gurj the Perv and Lawrence “DB Squared” Lewitinn I’m in good company. We can be a Pro Team of Douchebags. Strega Nona 2K8. Spaghetti monsoon coming your way, Beijing. Classic.

This is Alana preparing to crabwalk at Rockaway Beach last Saturday.

She and Lisa and I spent approximately forever traveling to the beach and two of us ended up with sunburned legs because we’re stupid, but I had a lot of fun. Especially when the three-foot seaweed was hanging out of Alana’s three-inch bikini bottom.

Last night Nancy invited some of us to the opening of former Steeler Amos Zereoue’s namesake restaurant. Having been raised in Cleveland, I am obliged to hate him simply for having been professionally associated with Pittsburgh, but when he appeared in a white suit and sunglasses indoors I was a fan. Pink cocktails and finger foods abounded. Some duck here and there. Was very nice, but very tight. Then Geneva brought us to see Liz Phair at Hiro. We only stayed for maybe eight or nine songs, but it was Kathy’s first time seeing her live, playing all older songs for the anniversary of Exile in Guyville. She still looks 22, at least under stage lights. Then I went home and directly to bed because it’s basically a nest and I never want to leave it ever again. I know it’s extraordinarily wasteful, but I think there’s nothing better than having the A/C on and being under a blanket, so I allowed myself to do it last night. With the Princess Bride.

Brad’s Birthday at the Annex
Photos by Antwan Duncan of IThinkYoureSwell
June 14, 2008

I haven’t offered a live version of any of my songs before, but I like the remixed version of my song “Do It in the Street” that I performed kind of as a surprise on Saturday at my birthday party, so here you go. It’s on my Myspace now, too.

Brad Walsh - Do It in the Street (Live)

My mom and my cousing Nicole are visiting me this weekend and I didn’t realize how much I needed that kind of family recharge. I love them so much. We three get each others’ humor so well, we don’t even have to say anything to start laughing. Christian, Kathy, Kate, Alana, Jes, Geneva, Lisa, Josh, Dimitry, George, Anna, Sarah, and Gurj really beat into my head over the last few days how unbelievably lucky I am. They are such awesome people (”awesome” less in the 80s “tubular” kind of way and more in the Biblical “I’m speechless and full of awe” kind of way). This year was the best birthday of my life. Kathy and Geneva busted their asses to make Saturday amazing for me. Christian is a living breathing walking genius who’s somehow in my life and for some reason loves me, and I don’t understand why I’m so lucky but I’m not gonna argue living a dream every day. All my friends came out to my party on Saturday and I felt overwhelmed by how amazing everyone was. And then on top of it all I got so many incredible birthday gifts. I can’t believe the things you people bought and did for me. I really can’t even wrap my head around it all. Some people who viewed the party from an outsider point of view opined that the whole thing was going to be very shallow because of the people involved as hosts, but it wasn’t (for me, anyway). I wouldn’t have asked those people to come host and hang out if I thought any of them were shallow or insincere. They are all real people, and friends of mine, and I was completely thrilled that they and everyone else came out in the pouring rain.

Sunday night I had an impromptu birthday dinner with possibly the greatest group of people ever. We ate amazing food and laughed for hours and I felt like it couldn’t get any better. Then we came back to my house and had cakes and talked and told stories and hung out. I felt really comfortable and happy and great. My friends are such an important relief from stressful things in my life. It’s so good to have these people around to just hang out and be happy and comfortable with each other. I need that so much. And also, wow, all of my friends are like a deck of Hot People Trading Cards. It’s like supermodel central in my living room every night anymore. One more time: my friends are the fucking shit.

There are a lot of people to thank for Saturday being such a big crazy awesome party: first, Geneva. Without Geneva it would have been nothing. Harold at Zygo, as usual, came through like a superhero. Alyssa and everyone at Love Brigade made super awesome gift bags beyond what I expected. I’m so thankful for having all the hosts there, everyone was wonderful: Christian, The Misshapes, Sarah, Melissa and Justin, Cameron and Romina, Antwan, Michael and Stephen, Alana and Kate. Alan Astor put on a killer show of course, and Dimitry and Peter and Mike were absolutely perfect choices for DJs. Thank you a million times to Jimmie and Derek, too, for coming. Sal was an enormous help. Delilah I called in last minute and she came through for me again, I’m really grateful. Thank you for the ginormous favors: Dana at Ben Sherman, Nikki and Brad at 24 Prince, Sarah with the Horrors stuff, and Jamie at SESAC. And last but not least, thank you to Jason at the Annex. It was my first and only choice for a venue, he took care of everything and told me not to worry, and having the party there really made it feel like home.

Mom and Nicole and I were eating omelettes at a diner this morning and decided to get matching tattoos (before we lost the nerve) of what I suppose is our family motto… (more…)

The new Misshapes site is finally live, and it looks amazing! Lots and lots of new content. Also, I have a blog there, as do other awesome people like Bunny, Ryan Pfluger, Deer Dana, and the Misshapes themselves. And you can finally see the photos from last four Misshapes at Don Hill’s from last fall, among dozens of other galleries of parties and live shows, and features and interviews with all kinds of people. Many of my photos from parties around the country are in the party galleries at the site now. Go take a look.

RSVP is closing Friday afternoon for Saturday’s party, so if you haven’t yet and you plan on coming, do so soon. Added to the lineup are two more fantastic DJs: Derek Trainwreck and Jimmie D!

This is kind of embarrassing but I had no idea that this GenArt/Acura thing I was asked to participate in was going to be such a… thing. They had me and a few other photographers contribute some work to “Capture the Night,” a gallery show traveling across the US to somehow promote the new Acura TSX. I went along with it and was happy to be included.

The launch was last week in LA and it was hosted by Molly Sims, and attended by some Hiltons and all kinds of neat recognizable ladies (and Spencer Pratt’s sister). For some reason I thought my photos would just be incorporated as background/atmosphere, but apparently our work was kind of the focus of the evening? “An exhilarating photography exhibition,” as it’s been billed, “featuring the spirit of nightlife explored through the work of emerging photographers.”

Anyway. Becki Newton from Ugly Betty was there as well, and she said some nice things about us, which doesn’t surprise me because Christian came back from meeting & dressing her in LA a couple months ago and told me how great she was. I don’t know who Cheryl Burke is but apparently she and Rashida Jones from The Office particularly liked the photo of Geneva. Wish I could have been there!

Nick and I have been meaning to schedule a shoot for almost a year (been doing a lot of those lately), and we did this one just a day before he got a large portion of his face tattooed. We shot these after the Presets show on Thursday and then it was approximately a million degrees too hot out for me to want to sit down and go through photos.

Click any of these images to see larger.

But the A/C is on tonight and so I got to it. Between the tattoos, his scars and that cigarette, I know approximately one hundred girls and dirty-minded gays for whom Nick is a late night Williamsburg dream come to life. I also believe that most of the Gawker girls will secretly love him. Next time you guys put it to a vote, can I have some choice in the nominees?

Click to see more after the jump… (more…)

The Presets were so good! Sarah and I missed the opener, Walter Meego, but I had seen them before at Ruff Club a few months ago and they were great. But we arrived right as the Presets were going on. They opened with one of my favorites from the new album, “Talk Like That,” and then did my favorite from the first, “Down Down Down.” People went nuts. Bowery was sold out, the whole floor was dancing, it was great.

Sarah and I were up front dancing for most of the show with Jenny and Elhaam, who came with JD from Le Tigre and Sia. I think this may be the only place in the world where you can go to a GA show by a band you love and practically expect that your friends are going to be bringing two other musicians that you love, and then you’re all going to be dancing to the songs you love, and it’s not going to be even a little bit awkward. The two of us went up to the way back for the last few songs to get a bird’s-eye view of the whole place. Their last bit before they left the stage was a continuous performance of “Are You the One,” “Kicking and Screaming,” and “My People.” By the end, all our jaws were on the floor, Sarah had twirled into a chair, and Jenny was probably not wearing underwear. Great fucking show.

And I wore my new gold trophy shoes, many thanks to Elizabeth! I like pretty much all the shoes by Alessandro Dell’Acqua that I’ve seen in the last few days. Maybe it’s because I am [perhaps more than] a bit gaudy… I feel like an Oscar today!

PS - nobody cares that I’ve been posting cell phone pictures in my recent blogs instead of real photos, right? It’s just a lot easier to carry my phone with me than a big camera to shows and events and stuff. Obviously I’m still posting real photos from real shoots and everything, just random bloggy stuff is coming directly from my phone.

I’ve had an exciting few days! On Tuesday night Christian and I were invited to the True Colors tour at Radio City, and we went with Geneva. Cyndi Lauper was, of course, amazing. She followed up “She Bop” with “Into the Nightlife” AND she played “When You Were Mine,” which almost made me turn inside out with excitement. The B-52’s: I knew every word from beginning to end. Old stuff, new stuff, I love them so much. The Cliks and the Indigo Girls were good too. Rosie O’Donnell and Margaret Cho were both very funny and I loved seeing them, but I just plain don’t like Regina Spektor. Tonight I am seeing the Presets at Bowery for the first time. They’re one of my favorite bands of the last few years, but I haven’t seen them live yet!

Last night was the Bravo A-List Awards taping, and I got to go with Christian. He presented something and he won something! He makes me happy. He looked very nice, but I hate trying to come up with something to wear to these things. If it were up to me I would wear a hoodie and shorts. When he did the press line on the red carpet the staff made me go with him, which I hate. Normally I slink around back and meet him at the end of it and we go in, but this time I was right in the center of the mayhem and so uncomfortable. This is why I prefer to do my interviews via e-mail. I can barely answer questions on the phone without getting verklempt; I would hate to have to go from camera to camera all the time. I don’t know how he does it.

Since some people like to skip over it, I’m just going to give a complete celebrity interaction rundown in one paragraph: I finally met Kathy Griffin, and loved every minute of it. We found ourselves in the green room talking to Rachel Zoe and Candace Bushnell while Jerry Springer watched TV in the corner. We were seated behind Anna Sui, next to Rachel Dratch, and in front of Gilles Marini. Lauren Hutton was an absolute mess, as everyone will see when the show airs on the 12th. Margaret Cho is still one of the greatest people I’ve ever met. Nikki Blonsky was very nice and looked awesome in the dress that Malan made for her. Caroline Rhea is pregnant and almost fell, and she gave Christian the ugly plastic (amazing) wristwatch that he made fun of when we sat with her at the Logo Awards. All of the Real Housewives (both coasts) were gorgeous and insane. I loved them. And, much as I hate to say it, NY Alex really looked great. Her husband Simon, however was a black sequin trainwreck. I had met most of Christian’s PR cast before, but met Kit for the first time last night and loved her. I still love Victorya. We went to a diner afterward.

Tila Tequila. Her dress. Her voice. She was like… well, you know when a kid draws a stick figure and then scribbles over it in every color and then explains “this is my person I made, and she talks like this: ‘blah blah blah!’” That was what Tila Tequila was like. A scribble that said blah blah blah.

I even have some blind items for you! WHICH member of foreign royalty in attendance boasted loudly that he was the reason we are currently all paying $4 for gas? And which straight up-and-comer related to his friend that here in America events like the Bravo awards were great because he could “hook up with anyone,” whereas in Europe everybody knows he is married?

Stephen and Michael, party hosting duo Kids With Snakes (who, incidentally, are on the bill for my birthday party on the 14th), and I have been meaning to set up a shoot for about a year now. We see each other all the time but it’s been super difficult to schedule something where all three of us (and all my equipment) could be in the same place at the same time. So last weekend it just all sort of came together at the last minute, and we shot in Stephen’s yard and apartment in Williamsburg.

They and I have something in common, which is that there are lots of people who don’t like us. Plenty have good reason (we admit it), and plenty have no reason at all. It doesn’t really matter because we all have lots of love in our lives and we have amazing times with our friends. But, you know. There’s always a special bond between respective recipients of ‘net hate. I think that’s part of why Sarah and I get along so well.

Anyway, for being photographed so often by everyone, and despite having no problem taking their clothes off outdoors, the boys are still shy in front of a camera. So it took some time to warm up, but I really love a lot of the shots we were able to get.

Click any of these images to see larger.

More after the jump… (more…)