John Crooms on Archiving Atlanta's Black Music Nightlife

Veteran photographer and documentarian John Crooms joins hosts DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray to examine over three decades of capturing Atlanta's Black music nightlife and underground culture. The conversation traces Crooms' transition from film to digital media, his focus on documenting underground house music scenes over hip-hop, and the inspiration he drew from New York's Paradise Garage era. Crooms details his "A Great Day in Atlanta" group portrait project collaboration and explains how the city's independent radio stations and record shops formed the cultural infrastructure for Black creative expression.

The Breakdown

• Documenting Underground House Music vs. Commercial Hip-Hop: Crooms explains his decision to prioritize underground house music events over hip-hop venues to avoid industry door politics and capture authentic community connections].
• Transitioning from Analog Negatives to Digital Archives: A look at the technical and logistical evolution of club photography from 1990s film negatives to digital files, along with the impact of smartphones on party culture].
• The Legacy of "A Great Day in Atlanta": The origins of the recurring decennial portrait documenting Atlanta's DJs, poets, and creatives, inspired by historical group photography and local community gatherings.
• Atlanta's Independent Music Infrastructure: How college radio stations like WCLK, WRFG, and Album 88 alongside record stores such as Earwax and Mood's Music sustained the city's Black music scene.

Guest Bio

John Crooms is an Atlanta-based photographer and historian who has chronicled the city's art, music, and cultural scene since the 1990s. Often referred to as "Everybody's Favorite Photographer", Crooms focuses on visual storytelling, preserving cultural memory, and documenting creative movements across the South.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.crooms

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jcrooms69/

Chapter Markers

00:00 Intro Theme

00:04 Welcome to the Episode

02:42 Introducing John Crooms

02:56 A Personal Thank You from Jay Ray

05:17 Quick Transition

05:19 Advice for New Photographers

07:11 Birthday Reflections & Legacy

09:46 Transition

09:53 Three Decades Behind the Lens: Analog to Digital

11:40 How Phones Changed the Party Experience

13:24 Rediscovering Lost Moments in the Archive

16:29 Why House Music Over Hip-Hop

20:08 Transition

20:17 The Power and Responsibility of a Photographer

23:43 Name Recognition at the Door

25:20 Following the DJ: Choosing Where to Be

27:59 Quick Transition

28:01 Paradise Garage & Musical Roots

34:26 Hip-Hop's Fashion & Fetish Crossover

38:17 Quick Transition

38:19 A Great Day in Atlanta

42:55 Atlanta's Music Infrastructure

47:34 Where to Find John & Farewell

52:19 Outro Theme

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