Aside from her music and the good time we had collaborating with photos, I love that she has a deep passion and interest for WWII aircraft (endearingly obsessed with the Spitfire) and military history. And if you take a moment, youāll notice she reads and writes poetry, and is drawn to old cities. Sheās an old soul indeed.
With the intrigue of timing, I was on my flight home from this trip, from Paris, when I found a documentary about the Spitfire notably included on the flight with its 90th anniversary being celebratedā¦
I had jotted down a quote from the film, āsheās a lady in the air but a bitch on the groundā, said a woman pilot from those years.
This post has film and a quick live peek.
We were SO stoked to be able to film at the Natural History Museum Los Angeles for this one. The new video for āGarbage in the Sandā is now on YouTube!
Filmed by @robinlaananen
I donāt remember how I found the artist, Heartworms, but Iām happy I did. Initially, it was as though the goth teenager inside was stirred, along with memories of when I began photographing artists and shooting at basement punk shows using my 35mm loaded with black and white film. Never color. After first moving to Seattle in my early twenties, I remember being hired to photograph Bauhaus playing at the Paramount Theatre. Iāve always enjoyed the theatrical drama conjured by gothic bands. And donāt get me started about my history with āpunkā, sprouting during the āskater yearsā.
And, one consistent sentiment felt through my years as a freelance photographer is the marvel of having the opportunity to photograph artists I actually like, and that hasnāt gone away. I know it never will.
While taking my time getting to London last month, I stayed in Southampton for a few days, and I drove to one of my favorite coastal towns, Brighton, to meet up with Jojo (aka Heartworms) for an impromptu portrait session outside the Dome, while they toured with Sleaford Mods. She was absolutely delightful, and we had such a fun time shooting, using the surroundings as backdrops, props, something to interact with.
Before their set and wanting to take a moment with the always charming seaside town, I found an adorable vegetarian restaurant outlined with floor to ceiling windows, furnished with lush plants, everywhere. I watched the rain as the streets went from moody gray to night.
I wouldnāt think Sleaford Mods fans would be easy to win over, but Heartworms did. Their show was exactly what I wanted; dark, full of energy, captivating. I look forward to seeing them again, and who knows where that will be. Thatās part of the fun.
Though a fleeting flash of nostalgia is what grabbed me, she has such a strong individual talent, an expression of how she sees the world, and that is what grew my curiosity. So, if youāre not familiar, time to take a dive into the world of Heartworms. š¤
Iāve been addicted to lagree for about five years now (how I unprofessionally describe lagree is being a mutation of pilates and harder). When Iām not on tour or taking a road trip somewhere on the planet, I will go 7 days a week. I even find classes while on tour. Obsessed.
At the beginning of the year, my favorite local studio, Motivate, does a 6-week long contest ā whoever takes the most classes in that period wins. In 2022, I was set to win based on the chart hanging on the wall where weād stick stars by our names, like when we were kids.
But who the f**k is this Stevie who is neck and neck? (I can be competitive with some things, like a game of pool, so I wasnāt going to miss a day). One afternoon, I had a shoot in West Hollywood and forgot I had a later class, I raced across town, even stopped and bought workout gear, changed my pants in the car. I made it in time. We both won that year. And then we met and exchanged notes, she had gone above and beyond not to miss a class too.
Weāve been friends ever since, sheās even a lagree instructor now. And, as you can probably tell with the photos, sheās a model, and I have so much fun photographing her. I enjoy shooting fashion when I get a chance, and sheās one of my favorites. āŗļø
We spent a night out in Palm Springs recently, as I wanted that beautiful evening and morning light of Joshua Tree, along with the surrounding forest. One of my favorite things is when people get together for the sole purpose of being creative. I canāt think of many things better than that.
Los Angelenos, if you want to take one of her classes, she teaches mostly in Highland Park. @motivatestudios
I have realized I posted the final show, skipping the second show, in Umea, Sweden.
The sun came out that day, so I took the rental to explore the town of Umea. The last time I had been was for Dennis and Hildaās wedding in 2023. I feel Iāll have to share a sample of the North of Sweden soon.
This is the day when the band played a matinee show for kids only, where Iād see kids crowd surf for the first time (trepidation soon replaced by excitement and the inability to not go for more).
This second to last show is when Dennis wore red, Mats Gustafsson would join them onstage with his saxophone to play The Stoogesā āLooseā, and Mattias Alkberg would join to sing Anti-Cimexās āVictims of a Bombraidā alongside Dennis. It was another night when family from all generations, and friends from all over the world, would be present.
The hotel was within the same building of the shows, so the memorable times would begin at breakfast in the hotel restaurant. It felt like camp. Tables by the buffet full of band members mixed with fans, a sea of black hardcore shirts and Refused paraphernalia. Had it been camp, I wouldāve chosen to stay longer than the four days.
When the band closed out their surpisingly longer than anticipated tour of 2012, for that final show in Australia Dennis brought me on stage, to publically thank me for spending the year with them. He said I made everything so easy. I remember feeling choked up (and stage shy as I am). The truth is, they made my job easy. And they would continue to do so for the next 13 years. The fact that they became my Swedish family only made me want to work harder to assure theyād only remember having fun, of playing the shows.
On that final night in Umea, Dennis would thank me again, and with feeling all the feels, I couldnāt do anything but smile and quickly make my way by David, hiding behind Magnusā cab. I could say so much about them and all the experiences we shared, but, for now, I will leave it with saying that it was my absolute pleasure to share this time with them, and I will continue to feel grateful for my Swedish family. And miss them, naturally, also an understatement. ā¤ļø
Youth Code, Sweden, December 2025.
We shared bus space (and vegan snacks) in March 2020, when they supported Refused for what would prove to be a strange tour with an even stranger ending. But I liked these two from the first show.
Their shows are intense, and they kept all the attention from the start. Not only was I totally into their shows with that sweet spot of an industrial and hardcore hybrid, but they are such kind people. I have a decent amount of industrial in my years, so I do wish I had seen them play with Skinny Puppy. š¤ Face melting and vegan, Iām into it.
I still remember that long ādeadheadā bus ride from Minneapolis, making a stop somewhere in the middle of nowhere for a night at the movies. When we reached Portland, thatās when we knew the pandemic was real. The tour would not be one Iād forget.
So.. I was so happy when I heard theyād not only be playing some of Refusedās final shows in Sweden but also hanging out for the duration. The nights Youth Code didnāt play, Ryan would join Final Exit on stage and Sara would join Refused.
Though they also live in Los Angeles (as I do, technically), I saw more of them while in Sweden. But, since weāve been reunited.. āŗļø
