Now 70 and sober, Minneapolis music scene photographer's 'passion' is back in focus

To see Paul Lundgren in action at one of the numerous local music concerts he photographs every month, you'd think the south Minneapolis native was a veteran concert photographer.

A gander at Lundgren's local concert file leaves the impression that he's been at it for decades. And while, in fact, he got his start shooting the likes of Flamingo, Simba, the Pistons and the Hypstrz at the dawn of the late '70s Twin Cities punk/new wave explosion, Lundgren stopped almost as soon he started.

"I was looking at some negatives and prints, and I just got discouraged and thought, 'These are boring. I'm just not any good at this.' So I quit. For 30 years," said Lundgren recently in the backyard of the home he shares with his wife of 33 years, Lori. "I just didn't have the passion, or the fire in the belly for it. And, also, the [joke] I've told people is that 'I was shooting more photographs than dope.' But it was better for me to clean up because the only other option was dying from it, and here I am, 70."

Several sober decades after his false start, Lundgren is one of the busiest and most valued chroniclers of the local music scene, bouncing from club to club to capture live moments several times a week.

"The first rock and roll show I shot was Iggy Pop, '77, and I lost all the negatives, but that was the first time I had an experience of going into the darkroom and seeing a print come to life, and I always enjoyed that," he said. "So that's where it started."

Seven years ago, Lundgren retired from his job as a graphic arts sales rep, where he was first introduced to photography and cameras, the quality of which he upgraded as his passion grew.

"In the '90s when I was sobering up, I just kind of stepped away from going out and all that stuff," he said. "And then in 2011, as a guy in search of a hobby, so to speak, I figured, 'Well, I've got all these old negatives and slides. I'm gonna buy a flatbed scanner that can do black and white negatives or color slides. So I did, and I posted some on Facebook, and people liked them. So that was encouraging.

"The next year I started shooting [live shows], and I posted the photos on Facebook and people liked them. So I felt like it was a good hobby to get me out more than I was going out.

"And I think where it has ended up is that in some way, I'm part of a community. I've gotten to know a lot of people. When I go places whether I'm by myself or not, there's someone I run into who enjoys my photography, and I like that."

The passion is back

After all these years, has the mild-mannered Lundgren found that fire in his belly?

"Yeah, I would say that. I don't know, I'm just living my life and I'm at this stage now," he said. "But there's moments when, sometimes it's a song someone's playing or whatever, and I'll feel it, where I've got to get out and shoot some photos and try to get that moment.

"Some of them are just a documentation, and some are, I dare say, great because they really capture a moment of someone's energy on stage and what they're dealing with. I like still photography, and these days everybody can shoot a video of a band. And I do that myself sometimes, but I still see the value of capturing that moment of someone on stage.

"Honestly, it's getting me out of the house. That's the main thing. I guess I just found something that gives me joy. Especially since I retired. And I enjoy hearing the music, too. It's not just about the photography; when I'm at a show, I'm probably paying as much attention to shooting as I am listening, but I'm OK with that. That's how I roll."

In short order over the past few years, Lundgren's photos have adorned several local music projects, including his shot of guitarist Johnny Rey on the cover of Cyn Collins' oral history book of the Twin Cities scene, "Complicated Fun," and he contributed several images of local luminaries to Mark Engebretson's documentary "Jay's Longhorn" and David Roth's documentary "Minnesota Hardcore."

"Those are 'wow' moments," he said. "Having those positive experiences were really important to me and have kind of kept me going. I don't aspire to be shooting for Rolling Stone or somebody like that. I like the local music scene, I like being a part of it, so I've just had a lot of good experiences."

The biggest difference between Lundgren now and the version who gave up photography 30 years ago?

"I know I am good at this, I am always trying to get better, and it helps to have a captive audience on social media."

Jim Walsh is a writer and songwriter from Minneapolis. He can be reached at jimwalsh086@gmail.com.