In 1978 Neil Young was working on a Saturday at the Mabuhay Gardens in San Francisco, California. He was there recording the band Devo for his upcoming film, “Rush Never Sleeps”. I was there representing Rolling Stone, attempting to get a portrait of Neil for the Magazine. As I pride myself as not being like the paparazzi, I always made a point to ask permission when trying to get pictures. So, as Neil and his crew took a break in the alley behind the club, I approached the group and asked Neil directly,
“Hello, my name is Chester Simpson and I am a photographer for Rolling Stone’s Magazine. I was wondering if I could get a portrait of you?”
As expected, Neil simply replied,
"Sorry, no photos."
Neil was known for not letting anyone take his portrait, so this didn’t surprise me too much. I knew I would have to find a different approach, so I asked him a question,
"Neil, did you see the blow job machine inside the Mabuhay Garden?"
I figured this would peek anyone’s interested who hadn’t previously seen it, and of course he replied,
“What blow job machine?”
"It’s near the men's bathroom in the club."
To which he asked me to show him.
I directed Neil inside the club and took him to the location of the blow job machine.
The blow job machine was a hologram with flashing lights that said, “Blow Job 25 cents.” Neil turned to me, asking for a quarter, which of course I had. I took a single quarter out of my pocket and handed it over.
To activate the machine, you needed to hold onto the two handles and put a quarter in the machine; then the hologram would light up. The hologram showed a penis with a
hand slowly stroking back and forth as it got erect. Finally, you saw the lips of a young lady going down on the penis, putting it in her mouth, and stroking it back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. After some time, the penis orgasmed all over the young woman's face, and the lights went dark, letting you know the show was over.
With his face all lit up with joy, Neil turned to me, again asking for a quarter. I obliged and gave him yet another quarter out of my pocket as he started the machine up again.
At this point I thought I’d ask,
“Do you mind if I take a picture of you playing the machine?”
To which he responding,
“Sure!”
I snapped a few pictures of him playing with the blow job machine, but I really wasn’t satisfied. As the second play through was coming to an end, I asked again,
“Hey Neil, how about you pose next to the machine and let me get a shot.”
Again, he said no photos, but I tried to remind him of the fun he was just having,
“Neil, have you ever had a portrait taken beside a blow job machine?”
Of course he said no, declaring he would allow me to take the portrait next to the machine.
After I got the pictures, he went smiling outside of the club and laughingly told his film crew about the blow job machine. I thanked him for posing and ran to the nearest pay phone around the corner and called Karen Mullarkey, the photo editor at Rolling Stone magazine.
I asked her if she’d like a photo of Neil Young beside a Blow Job machine for Random Notes? Which she eagerly responded yes to.
I processed the film and delivered the print two days later, and it was published in Rolling Stone on June 13, 1978.
I later heard rumors that Neil purchased the blow job machine and had it up in his home.