Rolling Stone Australia — July 2017

Photographs by The1poi n t8 RollingStoneAus.com | Rolling Stone | 19

MY STYLE

B

enjaminbookeropenedfor

JackWhiteandbecameafestival

breakout around the release of his

2014 blues-punk debut LP. After a long

tour,hevisitedMexicoCity.“Itwaslife-chang-

ing,”hesaysofthemonthlongtrip,whichin-

formed his new album,Witness.Bookerkeeps

trip mementos at his L.A. home, from a Charles

Bukowski T-shirt to a wood-carved tiger mask

he bought from a woman who “must have been

100 years old”. Meanwhile, Booker’s move from

NewOrleanstoEchoPark,whereherelocated

to be near his girlfriend, has changed his look:

“Ihadafunkierstyle–crazypolka-dotshirts,”

hesays.“IguessnowI’minarelaxed,back-to-

basics kind of phase.” PATRICK DOYLE

Benjamin

Booker’s L.A.

Punk Chic

QFrom Blues to Bukow

1.Booker at his apartment.2.

he bought at a Mexico City m

while on vacation.3.Seven-inch

record he bought on tour: “If you’re

from Florida, this is how everyone

feels.”4.HatfromaLife Aquatic

store he found in Korea.5.Bukowski

T-shirt.6.Frantz Fanon’sThe

Wretched of the Earth: “It’s about

colonisation and the effect that it

has on the colonised.”7.One of

Booker’s pins: “It’s true. There’s a

little bit of evil in all of my favourite

bands.”8.His pedal setup.9.His red

Les Paul.10.Print by Black Panther

artist Emory Douglas.11.Crosley

record player.

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