British photographer Muir Vidler’s series Rebels Without A Pause was born out of a chance encounter. While working as a staff photographer for a gay scene magazine, he met Adrian Delgoffe, a man in his early 60’s, wearing leather pants and harness, dancing alone at a club. Instead of sitting at home, falling asleep in front of the TV, like most men that age were likely doing at that precise moment, Delgoffe was out, enjoying life, on his own terms. The scene sparked an idea. There are people out there, if you look hard enough, who defy stereotypes. Those who don’t let their age define who they are, what they wear or how they act. Vidler began actively seeking out these aging rebels and mavericks for a portrait series that celebrates their life and vitality.
As it turns out, not one of the encounter’s Vidler had with his subjects could be classified as ‘ordinary’. Soon after he met Delgoffe at the club, he visited him at home for a portrait shoot, where he happily played dress up in different fetish gear for the camera. The two later went to the skate park, after learning that Delgoffe is an avid skateboarder, for more portraits. Vidler began frequenting alternative bars and clubs around London, trying to strike up conversations with people he found interesting. Many of these impromptu meetings led to intimate portraits shoots later on.
Each subject has their own unique story and history. Paul ‘Elvis’ Chan used to own Gracelands Palace Chinese Restaurant on the Old Kent Rd in Peckham, which is known as the ‘Las Vegas of London’. He used to perform there most nights, but the Elvis lifestyle took it’s toll on him, so now he’s retired and the restaurant is closed down.
Vilder met Sid Ellis at the infamous FIST club in London. As Vidler recalls, “the club was full of amazing people to photograph, but it wasn’t the kind of place you could just walk up to someone, tap on the shoulder and ask him if he wanted to meet up to shoot a portrait. But after a bit of confusing, shouted conversation with Sid we managed to arrange something, so I turned up at his house a few days later to shoot a portrait in his garden.”