For over ten years Barrie Wentzell worked as the exclusive chief photographer for legendary music publication 'Melody Maker'. He photographed one of the most important decades in the history of popular music, shooting many unknown musicians who went on to be global superstars. Celebrated artists such as Bob Dylan, Louis Armstrong, Aretha Franklin, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and rock and roll icons such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton all have their place in Barrie Wentzell's vast archive.
Barrie's career began at a photo studio in Belgravia in the the early 1960s. It was then, upon meeting his soon to become mentor, photojournalist Maurice Newcombe, that he became inspired to pursue a photographic career of his own and he started working in the area of music. In 1965 he had a chance encounter with the young Diana Ross and the image he captured of this yet-to-be global icon became a riveting front cover of Melody Maker and caught the attention of Bob Houston, the assistant editor at the time. And so the journey began ...
2017 saw the release of the film 'Melody Makers' in which Barrie Barrie tells the story of the rise and fall of the magazine, which marked the end to a style of rock n' roll journalism that no longer exit's today.
We are proud to offer a selection of Barrie's fantastic images for sale
A rather pensive Jimi Hendrix captured in his manager's, Mike Jeffreys, office in 1968
Bob Dylan relaxing and having a pint during the recordings for his BBC concert at BBC Studios in June 1965
John Lennon & Yoko Ono in the kitchen of their home in Tittenhurst Park Ascot, UK in 1971, taken after an on-site press interview.
Iconic shot of Jimi Hendrix, 1969, in his flat on Brook Street, Mayfair, London, during an interview for Melody Maker
Jimi Hendrix onstage during his legendary performance at the Woburn Music Festival in 1968
Jimi Hendrix after performing on Lulu's TV show in London in January 1969
Contact sheet of David Bowie images taken during an interview in London, 1972. One of the images was used on the cover of Melody Maker
At Brian Epstein's house in London during the launch party for The Beatles album 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'.
The Beatles outside Brian Epstein's home in Belgravia, London during the launch party for 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band' in 1967
The ’Bopping Imp’ as we used to call him in his acoustic days, becomes the ’Electric Warrior’.
Bob Dylan rehearsing for the recording of his BBC In Concert show at BBC Studios, Shepherds Bush in London in June 1965
Barrie Wentzell shoots the back cover for Cat Stevens album 'Tea for the Tillerman' on Primrose Hill, London.
Amy Winehouse captured in the corridor of the Union Chapel - "She seemed particularly happy that night and made references to a loved one "
Blondie headlined at The Palladium, NYC as part of their 1st U.S. Tour. Robert Gordon and Link Wray opened for them.
Noel and Liam take a break from recording in a pub near Abbey Road. The atmosphere between them had been tense in the preceding weeks
Nirvana were an American rock music band formed by Kurt Cobain & Krist Novoselic, they were considered the 'flagship band' of Generation X.
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group are one of the world's best-selling music artists of all time.
Jimi Hendrix was an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter & arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music.
The Jam were an English punk rock/mod revival band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. They were formed in Woking, Surrey.
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