I broke the rules. I shot two people today..two people in love. Well its Valentines Day!
Love doesn’t always look like a Calvin Klein Commercial..Love can be any shape, size, colour, age, preference but its still love.
I saw this couple & hat was that..it had to be them. I looked at my husband and said, ‘It’s them, they are my couple’..they had walked past. Holding hands, smiling, a little undecided as to where they were going..’Well go get them then!’ So I chased after them.
In case you were wondering what is my opening line, it goes a little like this….
‘Excuse me, (in my polite english tone) please don’t think me crazy but I am working on a project..’ Then I explain.
This edgy couple, fitting their own style were very cool from the off, they didn’t seem perplexed by my approach nor were they wary and just walked with me to a quiet spot so we could chat and get on with the picture..I liked them and I could tell they had a good story.
They answered in turn.
Name: Alayna
Occupation:Dental Billing.
Name: Kam Lee
Occupation: Musician with Heavy Metal Band – Death Lee
1. Where were you born and raised?
Alayna: Richmond Indiana
Very small town, small school where everyone knew everybody.
Kam Lee: ‘I was born in Hawaii, raised a lot of places all over..my father was Military and we ended up in South Florida’
‘I kinda grew up and got well know in the 80’s cause I was in the original, the band called ‘Death’ that basically cornerstoned ‘Death Metal’ I’m the original Drummer, Singer. Really well know and liked in the UK along with bands like Napalm Death. The Death Metal Scene in the UK. You’ll find out I am notorious on the scene for not being the nicest guy.’
2. Tell me a childhood memory.
Alayna: Being a very bored only child growing up in the country with neighbours that had no children. I remember getting into music when I was 18. You had to drive 2 or 3 hours to see a concert. I always got followed in stores because I was the girl in the black biker jacket. I got to know the people in the local music store and we would talk about bands and the music, the store was called Slide One.’
Kam Lee: This isn’t really sad and not that shocking, its more of a revelation and I do think about this a lot. I don’t know how many kids actually come to this but I kinda became aware of things by the time I was 7 and I remember at 7 years old looking…this could have been because I am Polynesian growing up in Miami and you start to realise dark things about things that you notice and this is a really controversial thing right now, you start to notice racism and its a big thing noticing that at 7 years old. I remember crying under my Grandmothers Piano stool, she asked why I was crying and said because people aren’t fair!’ And nobody is equal and its all a lie and I became very self aware at 7 years old and started becoming very aware of people. I put a lot of that into my music, into my lyrics, although my lyrics are more metaphoric than literal. If we all woke up one day all the same colour and we all looked the same then we would find something else, it could be a music style or the way we tied our shoes..there is always going to be something.’
3. What is your favourite season and why?
Alayna: ‘My favourite season is fall, my favourite holiday is Halloween…
Kam Lee: ‘Fall, Halloween..of course, as my birthday is on Halloween..and its when we connected.’
4. Tell me about someone you love.
Alayna: ‘Oh well of course I love Kam, we’ve been together for many years. I admire many things about his artistic’ness’ in many different ways, not just music but art, his mind, he sticks to his convictions. He’s a really good cook.’
Kam: ‘Alayna, she’s not only the love of my love but she has been my best friend and for the longest time. even before we were dating we were friends.’
5. What words of wisdom do you have for the reader about life?
Alayna: ‘Take it in your stride. Nothing ever turns out according to plan.’
Kam: ‘Lately, recently a lot of friends & peers are passing away. Life is life, its not going to be ever be good. The moments, the moments you have got to grasp. Love is not the fairytale. Take the moments, its the moments. That’s what life is, you have to take those moments cause the rest of it sucks. You have got to take those moments of happiness and embrace those. Take a second in those moments and say this is cool, enjoy that.’
6. Dreams for the future?
Alayna: ‘To be happy with Kam and we plan on getting married in a couple of years and to be happy. Life is what you make it and you have to go after happiness yourself.’
Kam: ‘That’s pretty much it. At my age I’m thinking if I could make it just another 10 years, that’d be it. Perhaps a trip too Japan. I’ve been all over the world but I haven’t been to the Orient and that is where my background is.’
I don’t know where to start when I think about this couple. Initially, for me, they just looked cool and happy together. In their own world. They didn’t attract attention..they weren’t dressed for approval or to fit a crowd, they are self pleasers, as they should be but perhaps more because they were given no choice.
They caught my attention because I seek the invisible, the quiet crowd, the genuine, whatever their appearance. Plus, they looked so in love..so close..they look like they just need each other.
Kam was cool, opinionated, I enjoyed our conversation. His colourful past, his fame and notoriety make for wonderful lines on the page and we had many points of view in common. I purposefully didn’t google Kam and find out too much about him as I wanted to just take my opinion based on our meeting today.
Alayna was a sweetheart..the strong one. The one that held them together, the glue in the relationship. I imagine this is standard when one half of the couple is well known. Being the other half of an ‘artist’ takes tenacity, patience and understanding plus true love. An artist survives and lives on the approval and validation of others, not in a narcissistic way but their art and the publics love of it, is what feeds them. Its not money or adoration its appreciation of the creativity, an artist creates in order to give feelings to another..this is a cross to bare..their partner has to carry the burden when they feel under appreciated and also be happy in the shadows when appreciation is in abundance.
Kam has a dark outlook on life, its his make up and I am sure his conditioning. We all grow up in an environment that ultimately determines who we are. I imagine life has been a difficult passage for Kam but it has resulted in a certain amount of success in his career.
I have a confession..I don’t think I have never listened to his music or will necessarily enjoy it but I will take the time straight after this blog as been posted.
What I did see though is a man, in love with a woman, about to spend a happy day in a theme park, in the sun, enjoying life. For me Kam spoke about his band..his music..his infamous lifestyle..I would like to imagine though a couple, holding hands, eating ice-cream, screaming on a roller coaster!
It doesn’t matter if you are a singer in a rock band, an administrator in a dental office..a man, woman, child..we all want is to be loved. For our art, our soul, our appearance. Thats all. Not much more. So very simple.
For all those not feeling the love today, or for those that have fallen out of love. I hope you find what it is you are looking for..’cause in the words of another well known band..’All you need is love’.
Happy Valentines Day. xxxxx
To find out more about Kam Lee: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kam_Lee
