Bootsy Holler’s photobook is a tribute to the golden era of indie rock (flying bassists and attitude included)

Musician Calvin Johnston once said “Rock and roll is a teenage sport, meant to be played by teenagers of all ages – they could be 15, 25 or 35. It all boils down to whether they’ve got the love in their hearts, that beautiful teenage spirit.” Bootsy Holler’s new book MakIng iT- An Intimate Documentary Of Seattle’s Indie, Punk, and Post-Grunge Music Scene (published by Damiani Books) may be introduced on It’s Nice That, but she needs no introduction to the riotous world of 90s and noughties American indie rock. A place where the beautiful simplicity of guitar-based music, with its oddball characters and dedicated radio play, created a cultural, metaphorical state of the eternal teenager.

Bootsy Holler landed in Seattle just as grunge music took off, but she was intrigued by “more interesting music”, for example, Pavement, PJ Harvey, Dinosaur Jr. and the local band Sunny Day Real State, who quickly became emo legends. It was here where Bootsy began shooting photos of everyone around her – musical artists and fans alike – to capture the palpable cultural wave, a feeling in the air that made rock fans feel close and similar. A community was growing. “We were in it, and you could feel the energy in the people I was hanging with. Seattle had a vibrant and deep music scene,” says Bootsy. “I was living with a drummer and all my housemates were in his band. I would walk into small clubs and see obscure music every Tuesday and Thursday night, with them often playing.”

Seattle was most certainly the place for Booty’s photography, the largest city in Washington, which produced countless (if not the most) indie rock bands. Bootsy immediately became part of the fabric of the scene there, a place where “it was easy to become a big fish in a small pond” – in a good way. Bootsy wasn’t just a fan with a camera, she took it seriously, taking profile shots of Moby, Beck, Pearl Jam, The Posies, R.E.M and Reggie Watts alongside stunning gig photography of unchained acts like The Yeh Yeh Yehs and Blonde Redhead. The book is a goldmine of new cultures blooming, such as the ‘tweemo’ wave of Death Cab For Cutie or the moment where garage rock went mainstream.

For the nostalgia-prone, MakIng iT offers not just a trip down memory lane, but transports new indie rock fans to the heat of the moment with photos that capture the frontman of The Presidents of the United States of America soaring through the air with bass guitar in hand or unseen photos of Elliott Smith. Not just that, but MAKiNG iT offers an intimate, behind-the-scenes view of musicians – many of them women – negotiating identity and creativity in a male-dominated industry. “I always liked working with women. I can’t say taking pictures of bands paid my bills. However, the best work often came from the cool kids who trusted me and were open to collaborating for a portrait,” says Bootsy.

As a minimalist when it comes to camera tech, Bootsy made use of 35mm film and a Canon AE-1, shooting live shows and events until she got her first digital camera, a Canon 5D. “I could only afford the one lens that came with it, so I pushed that lens to its maximum with tubes and other accessories. The same applies to the 5D; when I bought the body, I could only afford one lens, which is more expensive than the body,” says Bootsy. “I went with the 24mm f/2.4; it made a significant difference for me. That lens made stunning images. It is good to start with fewer choices, as this definitely helped me develop a style.

But a major part of this book is in the title, the concept of ‘making it’. At the time, youth was king – you couldn’t squander the opportunity of being a teenager in a band otherwise you’ll find yourself in an office job! “‘Making it’ is the term you often hear people say when they are young, referring to whatever they are doing. You have to make it as a band before you’re 25,” says Bootsy. “But for me, ‘making it’ is what we are all striving for in some form or another, and the passion to keep doing ‘it’. This book is for everyone who loves music or has big dreams. For me, making it is about living on my own terms, running my own business and creating art every day.”