OCCUPATION DREAMER: THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF MOSHE BRAKHA

The GRAMMY Museum presents its inaugural photography exhibit with Occupation Dreamer: The Photography of Moshe Brakha. On display through August 9, 2009, the exhibit includes dozens of photographs never-before-seen on the West Coast by world-renowned Hollywood-based photographer Moshe Brakha. Taken between 1976 and 1986, the 30 photos capture the style and promise of an innovative musical era, and feature such influential performers as Black Flag, Devo, Madonna, Elvis Costello, Beastie Boys, and many more. Regarding the exhibit, Brakha, who is currently celebrating his 40th year as a Hollywood-based advertising photographer, said, “Occupation Dreamer is how I saw myself during the 1970s and the 1980s, when I was friends and neighbors with many of the most popular punk and garage bands in Los Angeles. I knew punk music from the day it was born — it was the music of my generation, and I was fortunate enough to have played a part during this period. Many of the musicians and bands I photographed back then were penniless and unknowns — they, too, were ‘Occupation Dreamers.’ My job was to capture an era of music that was part of my soul — punk.”