Murray Bowles is recognized as one of the finest artists of all time. For more than four decades, he frequented punk shows at ramshackle makeshift venues throughout Northern California, especially the East Bay, fronting up-and-coming bands. To hone his technical skills, he developed and mastered a photography style known as the “Hail Mary,” later known as the “Hail Murray”: one arm stretched above his head, bodies still jostling in the fray, instantly capturing the essence and energy of the show in all its hectic glory. Yes, his practice time gave him skills. But it was his love for the East Bay punk scene—a love that never waned and only deepened as he photographed generations of punks—that truly transformed his technical skills into an art form that transcended concert photography.
How lucky we are, then, to have the opportunity to review Bowles’ masterful, entertaining photographs in Hail Murray!: The Bay Area Punk Photography of Murray Bowles 1982-1995, Last Gasp Newly published in San Franciscoorchestrated by Powers’ old friend Anna Brown.
Brown, who collaborated with Powers on the book before his death in 2019, spent five years pro bono combing through thousands of Murray negatives. For years, she and Murray had wanted to write a book that would capture and forever encapsulate the scene they both loved so dearly. After Murray’s death, Brown said she wanted to see the idea come to fruition as a tribute to the man who gave so much to the punk scene.
“It’s hard to explain what Murray means to us. He’s not an outsider, a voyeur, or a funny uncle; he’s just one of us,” Brown said. “[He was] A true friend for all ages scenarios. That’s why he has such incredible access to everything – his presence is everywhere. Everyone trusts him. “
This is the trust of musicians and audiences. In fact, both groups would clamor during the show every week, flipping through the photos Powers brought in and selling them for a quarter of the price—just enough to cover the cost of developing the film. Appearing in a Bowers photo is considered a rite of passage, a sign that you’ve actually become part of the family.
It’s hard to explain what Murray means to us. He’s not an outsider, a voyeur, or a funny uncle; he’s just one of us. “
——Anna Brown
The collective energy of the entire scene radiates from every photo of Murray. You could almost smell the sweat and feel the heat of the musicians and people laughing and waving in the pit. You can see the joy, the pain, that unique teenage state on a lot of people’s faces. I feel very excited as I turn these pages. If you weren’t there, you really, really wished you were.
Paul Curran helped Brown design the book for free for several months. Curran played in several bands in the East Bay punk scene, including Crimpshrine, and did graphic design for Maximumrocknroll, a monthly fanzine for the underground punk scene, which regularly featured Murray’s photos. “Everyone here felt that Murray was an extremely important figure for us,” Curran said. “I wanted to help because he meant so much to a lot of us.”
Curran added that one of the most fun aspects of designing the book was looking through the photos and noticing the disconnect between typical 1980s punk stereotypes. The reality of the community was completely different, instead of being predominantly white people wearing spikes and leather. “It’s amazing to look back and see so many photos of women and people of color, all of us there, just having a great time,” Curran said. “Murray was there to capture everything.”
Green Day offered to pay for the printing, and Brown said their generosity, along with the time and energy of other East Bay punk musicians and music lovers, helped her produce the book she felt Murray deserved. It tells the story of the lasting mark that Powers left on those who immortalized him in art: so many people stepped forward to ensure that Powers, who had long and faithfully lived on the other side of the camera, had his proper moment in the spotlight.
Photo captions and reminiscences of Murray Powers are provided below by books editor Anna Brown and musician and author Aaron Kometbus.
