The Look Book

Pete Kress, Bouncer, with Seamus, his Pit Bull

"I just keeps it real."

By Amy Larocca
Published Sep 18, 2005

(Photo: Jake Chessum)

Do you like being a bouncer?
It’s a job. I work at Sin-é on Attorney Street, and it’s pretty low-key there. But at other places, I’ve had fights, people slapping their girlfriends, all that stuff. I don’t really get angry, I just tell them they’ve got to cut it out. I’m also a photographer.

How would you describe your style?
Rico Suave?
An all-American can’t-do attitude?
I think if someone could encapsulate your style in a phrase—well, I don’t know how I’d feel about that person. I just keeps it real.

Where do you shop?
Pop’s Popular Clothing in beautiful Greenpoint, Brooklyn, or Iceberg Army-Navy. I like work clothes and Army surplus because they’re sturdy. I don’t like cheap clothes that you wear for a couple months and then they’re all messed up.

How many tattoos do you have?
I never really counted. I started getting them before it was even legal. You’d have to go up to some dude’s apartment. Some are designs that I like. Some are representative of events, like anniversaries or trips that I’ve taken.

What kind of pictures do you take?
I see a lot of crazy shit, so I started carrying a camera ’cause I’m always like, No one’s going to believe this. If I see crazy people carrying pig carcasses on Stanton Street, which I did, I take their picture.

What made you get a pit bull?
I was thinking about a German shepherd. But when I saw this guy on Petfinder, he was just so adorable. He’s not aggressive, but a lot of people think pit bulls are super-mean. People are definitely more hesitant about approaching me than they would be if I had a teacup poodle.

What do you think about CBGB’s closing?
It should stay open as a historical landmark, but CBGB hasn’t been relevant in twenty years.

Where do you think punk lives now?
I really don’t think it exists anymore. It’s about as relevant as kids dressing up as hippies.