D. Randall Blythe
D. Randall Blythe. Cambridge, MA
It was a hot July day in 2005 when a few friends and I drove from Prattville, AL to Atlanta, GA, for the now defunct, Sounds of the Underground (SOTU) tour. I had recently started listening to harder rock, hardcore, and metal, thanks to the band Thrice. I did a deep dive and consumed any band that sounded heavy and had a deep chug guitar tone. When I saw the lineup for SOTU, I immediately bought a ticket. Acts included: Every Time I Die, Unearth, DevilDriver, Norma Jean, Opeth, Throwdown, GWAR, Clutch, Poison the Well, Strapping Young Lad, High on Fire, Chaimira, A Life Once Lost, with headliner Lamb of God.
Lamb of God. Guilford, NH.
The Atlanta was in the parking lot of the Lakewood Amphitheatre, where it was hot and muggy, but we powered through. There was a little relief from all the liquids that were sprayed in the crowd during GWAR’s set and then again when the sun started setting. The crowd had been moving all day and with each band they got a little more crazy. My buddy David even got his nose busted during the Unearth set and blood started pouring from his nostrils. I was excited for Lamb of God to take the stage. I had just recently learned about them and heard they put on a killer show. I bought their latest album “Ashes of the Wake” a few months before. It was different than what I normally listened to, but it hit hard and I loved it. Finally, they took the stage and the crowd went nuts. I had a newfound appreciation for them as the frontman Randy was able to control the crowd the whole set like I’d never seen before. All in all, it was an incredible show!
D. Randall Blythe. Boston, MA
Fast forward to September, 2016. I had just been hired by Leica and moved to Boston. I was put in charge of the @leicastoreboston Instagram page, and I started scouring the Leica hashtags to learn more about the Leica customer base and fans. As I was scrolling through Instagram, I came across the handle @drandallblythe. The name kept popping up in the hashtags, and I was drawn to it because of the photos of Chino Moreno performing on stage with Deftones and a backstage photo of Doyle from Misfits, both at Riot Fest in Chicago. I messaged the the account asking to share some of the images, and he responded with an “Absolutely! Please do!” He then let me know that he would be in Boston in October touring with the New Orleans metal band Eyehategod. At the time I was thinking that he was touring photographer and had no idea I was chatting with the same guy I saw dominate the stage in Atlanta 11 years earlier.
Eyehategod featuring Randy Blythe. Brighton Music Hall. Boston, MA.
It was Wednesday, October 12th, and I was off work that day. I took the Orange Line from my place in Jamaica Plain to Leica Store Boston and picked up a camera. I went with the Leica X-U because I didn’t know what to expect from the show. It was a small venue and I knew I could get that camera in due to it not having a removable lens as most venues don’t allow “professional cameras” (cameras with removable lenses) inside without a photo pass. Plus the X-U is waterproof and shockproof so it would be able to handle being in the middle of a pit at a metal show. I jumped on the Green Line at the Arlington Street station and started making my way to the venue. On my way I thought I should look up more photos from @drandallblythe so I could have something to chat with him about other than cameras. I typed the Instagram handle into Google and the first thing that popped up was a Wikipedia for Lamb of God. Still not putting 2 and 2 together I checked the spelling and even typed it again. That’s when I realized I had been chatting with Randy Blythe, the vocalist for Lamb of God. I felt stupid, nervous, and excited all at the same time.
Eyehategod featuring Randy Blythe. Brighton Music Hall. Boston, MA.
I got to the venue and purchased a ticket. When I walked back outside and saw Brian Patton, the guitarist for Eyehategod, I told him who I was and I worked for Leica. He laughed and said something like “Randy won’t shut up about those cameras!” Randy was filling in on vocals due to the band’s singer being ill and wasn’t able to tour. Thankfully the singer has since recovered. Brian went inside and a few minutes later a tall lanky guy with dreads and Leica Monochrom around his neck walked out. I introduced myself and one of the first things he asked was where I was from. I told him Montgomery, Alabama and he responded with something like “Thank God! It’s good to chat with a fellow southern boy up here!” As we walked around the neighborhood, it was hard for me to believe this was the same guy. In 2005 I saw him run around like a madman on stage, while this guy acted way more chill. He leisurely walked around focused on taking photos, asked questions about Leica’s camera line, and looked for a place to buy tea before his set. We walked around for about an hour before heading back to the venue. When we got back Randy went backstage and I watched the band Discharge melt the audiences faces. Once Eyehategod took the stage it didn’t take long to see the same guy I saw a decade before. He was running around the stage looking like an ape possesed posturing to defend his turf from predators. It was glorious!
I’ve met a lot of really cool people, especially when I moved to Boston and started working with Leica. The brand attracts creatives from all walks of life. Randy is one of those people, and I feel very fortunate to call him a friend. Since we met in 2016, I’ve been to four of his bands shows. Two in Boston, one in New Hampshire, and the most recent in Reno, Nevada with my buddy Abdul. It’s always fun to hang out before and after sets talking cameras and just life in general. He’s introduced me to many other creatives. Musicians like Alex Skolnick (Testament, Alex Skolnick Trio) and Greg Puciato (Dillinger Escape Plan, The Black Queen). He’s also introduced me to the incredible photographers Jeremy Saffer, Tom Couture, and Kevin Wilson. I’ve also had a couple brief run in’s backstage with members from Slayer and Anthrax.
Outside of music, Randy is also an accomplished photographer and author. His photography exhibition “A Longer View” was featured at Leica Gallery Boston in 2018 and Leica Store DC earlier this year. In 2018 Randy made a couple of trips to Boston to sign prints at his printers print lab, Digital Silver Imaging, and for his opening at Leica Gallery Boston. Anytime Randy was in town I made sure to find something to do, which usually involved a lot of walking, taking photos, and eating delicious food. Mostly juicy soup dumplings in Chinatown. During one of these trips I told Randy a story my partner at the time told me. She was a historical interpreter and told me a story from Colonial and Revolutionary days about the Resurrection Men. People who would dig up freshly buried bodies and sell them to medical schools so they could learn more about the human anatomy. When I told Randy that story he said “I’m going to make that a song.” Sure enough in early 2020, he sent me lyrics to a new song he wrote called “Resurrection Man,” which can be found on Lamb of God’s latest self titled album.
One of the most memorable trips I’ve taken was when Randy and I drove to Provincetown, MA. to visit one of our favorite photographers, Constantine Manos. Costa grew up in South Carolina and is the son of Greek immigrants. I was immediately drawn to his work when I saw the photos he shot in Daufuskie Island, SC. and “Greek Portfolio” is my favorite photobook. Costa drove us from his house over to his studio and on the way let us know we were in for a treat because it was “Bear Week” in Provincetown! Provincetown has long been a favorite destination for LGBTQ+ due to the city’s celebration of individuality and freedom of expression. It was incredible to get a glimpse into Costa’s world at his studio with all the cabinets and drawers filled with photos over several decades. Costa dropped us off at Far Land Provisions and suggested the Pilgrim Lake sandwich which we promptly ordered once we arrived. After hours of walking around the city taking photos and making a quick stop at Spiritus Pizza, the place that started Anthony Bourdain’s career, we drove back to Boston. Of course no trip to the Cape would be complete without stopping off at a lighthouse and having a nice fresh lobster.
D. Randall Blythe. Provincetown, MA.
Randy has lived more lives than most of us ever will. He’s toured the world, written a published memoir about his time in a Czech prison, has multiple gold records, and showcased his photographs in multiple galleries. Though what I appreciate most about Randy is that he stays humble and shares the knowledge he’s learned through life experiences, reading, and talking to people from all walks of life with anyone who will listen. He teaches me something new every time we talk or hang out together. I recently posted a blog article to The Leica Camera Blog highlighting photos Randy shot with the Leica Q2 Monochrom while out on tour this summer, which can be found here. I highly recommend reading his book “Dark Days.” You can buy it from your favorite local bookstore or buy a signed copy from Fountain Bookstore. I’d also recommend seeing Lamb of God, even if you don’t think you’re a fan of metal. There are also a few podcasts Randy has recently been on like "One Life One Chance" with Toby Morse, "The Daily Stoic" with Ryan Holiday, and “The Jasta Show” with Jamey Jasta. Give them a listen next time you have a long drive or need to do chores around the house.