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There is a Light That Never Goes Out

A photographic celebration of Manchester's rock music history

 

Manchester is a city inextricably linked to its musical heritage.

When our Oasis DNA exhibition finished showing at Manchester Central Library in 2017, the idea of a Manchester rock exhibition seemed a natural follow up. So in collaboration with writer, Jon Savage and help from the Manchester Digital Music Archive last year we pulled together a unique collection of over 90 photographs to display at the library.

We decided to concentrate on showing gritty images of those bands and musicians whose music is so deeply rooted in Manchester, one cannot imagine rock music or the city itself being the same without their contribution. Many of these are the bands and musicians that formed in the wake of punk, at a time when Manchester’s music scene was expanding in a unique and inimitable way. The exhibition featured shots of Joy Division, Oasis, Buzzcocks, The Smiths & Stone Roses, to name a few, by many of the UK’s most talented music photographers, including Manchester based, Kevin Cummins, Paul Slattery, Pennie Smith & Jill Furmanovsky.

In addition a number of photographers have contributed more contemporary images of the Manchester scene, giving an overall picture of Manchester’s music heritage from the mid-1970’s right up to the present day.

Our display at the library was a huge success and seen by over 38,000 visitors. So great was the local acclaim and pride in the exhibition that we want it to remain in and belong to the city, as a legacy for current and future generations to enjoy.

The exhibition has recently been re-displayed at The Market, a food market and exhibition space at the University of Manchester where it can once again be enjoyed by the people of Manchester, students and visitors.

You can visit the exhibition at:

The Market
University Place
University of Manchester
176 Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9PL

8.00am-4.30pm Monday - Friday

 

 

Joy Division (JD002KC)

Joy Division

Classic early shot of Joy Division rehearsing at the TJ Davidson's Rehearsal Rooms in August 1979

Prices from £1,800.00
print
Oasis (OA001STDO)

Oasis

Oasis pictured at Jodrell Bank Observatory, Cheshire in June 1994

Prices from £166.67
print
Joy Division (JD001LR)

Joy Division

Ian Curtis of Joy Division performing at the Paradiso, Amsterdam in January 1980 wearing his famous 'The Sound and the Fury' t-shirt.

Prices from £281.25
print
Smiths, The (SM001GL)

The Smiths

Morrissey wields a protestor’s placard bearing the title of The Smiths anarchic ‘Queen is Dead’ tour and album in Manchester,1986

Prices from £221.25
print
Joy Division (JD001JF)

Joy Division

Joy Division backstage before a gig at the YMCA London (supported by Monochrome Set) in August 1979.

Prices from £2,500.00
print
Johnny Marr (SM002RIMA)

Johnny Marr

Johnny Marr onstage with The Smiths at the GLC's Jobs For Change free music festival in the summer of 1984.

Prices from £208.33
print
James (JAMES001STDO)

James

James on a photo shoot in Manchester in June 1990

Prices from £166.67
print
Happy Mondays (HAPPY001HB)

Happy Mondays

Shaun Ryder from the Happy Mondays relaxing at Factory Records, Manchester in 1992

Prices from £166.67
print
Joy Division (JD001KC)

Joy Division

Iconic shot of Joy Division walking in the snow near Manchester Cathedral in 1979

Prices from £1,800.00
print
Joy Division (JD003KC)

Joy Division

Ian Curtis taking a break during rehearsal at the TJ Davidson's Rehearsal Room, Manchester in August 1979

Prices from £1,800.00
print
Smiths, The (SM001SWRI)

The Smiths

The image of The Smiths outside Salford Lads' Club that graces the inner sleeve of their classic album The Queen is Dead

Prices from £150.00
print
Joy Division (JD004KC)

Joy Division

Ian Curtis during Joy Division rehearsal in Manchester in August 1979

Prices from £1,800.00
print
New Order (NEW001JF)

New Order

New Order relaxing in a hotel room near Kings Cross, London in 1984

Prices from £295.00
print
Smiths, The (SM002SWRI)

The Smiths

Iconic Strangeways Road sign from the back of the ‘Strangeways, Here We Come’ album shot in 1987.

Prices from £150.00
print
Joy Division (JD002JF)

Joy Division

Contact sheet of Joy Division backstage at the YMCA, London in August 1979

Prices from £333.33
print
Buzzcocks (BUZZ002JF)

Buzzcocks

Punk group Buzzcocks captured under a Manchester street sign in August 1977

Prices from £295.00
print
Buzzcocks (BUZZ001JF)

Buzzcocks

Buzzcocks captured in a public library whilst on a press session in Manchester in August 1977.

Prices from £295.00
print
Oasis (OA044JF)

Oasis

Noel & Liam Gallagher from Oasis backstage before performing onstage at Wembley Stadium in July 2000

Prices from £295.00
print
Oasis (OA051JF)

Oasis

Noel Gallagher tuning his guitar on the floor of Studio Two, Abbey Road Studios during the recording sessions for Be Here Now in 1996

Prices from £295.00
print
Oasis (OA045JF)

Oasis

Taken during the Oasis 'Definitely Maybe' Tour in Detroit, USA in 1995

Prices from £295.00
print
Oasis (OAMR001JF)

Oasis

Noel recalls "Maine Road was where we all used to go as kids. So I was standing there, trying to make sure I never forgot this moment"

Prices from £2,000.00
print
Morrissey (SM003RIMA)

Morrissey

Morrissey performing at the GLC's 'Jobs for a Change' Festival on London's South Bank

Prices from £208.33
print
Happy Mondays (HAPPY001STDO)

Happy Mondays

Happy Mondays messing about in Clerkenwell, London in 1986

Prices from £166.67
print
Joy Division (JD005KC)

Joy Division

Joy Division on the Princess Parkway in Hulme, Manchester in January 1979 taken by Kevin Cummins.

Prices from £1,800.00
print
New Order (NEW001HB)

New Order

New Order's Bernard Sumner at home in Altrincham in 1995 during a photo shoot commissioned by The Sunday Times.

Prices from £166.67
print
New Order (NEW001STDO)

New Order

New Order in Rome whilst on the video shoot for their song 'Regret'

Prices from £166.67
print
Tony Wilson (WILS001HB)

Tony Wilson

The Hacienda 10th Birthday party in 1992. Tony Wilson ride the dodgems as the Hacienda was decked out like a fairground

Prices from £166.67
print
Electronic (ELEC001STDO)

Electronic

Johnny Marr & Bernard Sumner from Electronic on a photoshoot in London in December 1991

Prices from £166.67
print
A Guy Called Gerald (GUY001PJW)

A Guy Called Gerald

A Guy Called Gerald & Graham Massey from 808 State play live from Victoria Baths, Manchester during Tony Wilson's Other Side of Midnight Gig

Prices from £208.33
print
Smiths, The (SM002KC)

The Smiths

Early image of The Smiths on a shoot in 1983 on the outskirts of Manchester

Prices from £1,800.00
print

Featured Prints

Red Hot Chili Peppers (CP001MA)

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Contact sheet of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers photographed at Hyde Park, London in 1991

Prices from £295.00
print
Screen print of Prince created by artist David Studwell

Prince

Limited edition screen print of a mugshot of Prince created by artist David Studwell

Prices from £300.00
print
Amy Winehouse sat on a bench in a North London laundrette in 2004 photograpghed by Jake Chessum

Amy Winehouse

Stunning image of Amy Winehouse taken in a North London launderette during a photo shoot in winter 2004.

Prices from £595.00
print
Oasis (OAMR001JF)

Oasis

Noel recalls "Maine Road was where we all used to go as kids. So I was standing there, trying to make sure I never forgot this moment"

Prices from £2,000.00
print
Nirvana (NV011WEDD)

Nirvana

Underwater photo of Krist Novoselic in a LA swimming pool whilst on a Nirvana publicty shoot

Prices from £650.00
print
David Bowie (DB001POST)

David Bowie

Exclusive David Bowie print specially created by The Postman for Rockarchive, based on a photograph taken by Dave Hogan at Live Aid in 1985

Prices from £291.67
print

Featured Artists

Björk

Björk

Björk Guðmundsdóttir, (born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk is an Icelandic singer-songwriter.

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Jeff Beck

Jeff Beck

Jeff Beck is one of rock’s most respected and dynamic instrumentalists. He is widely regarded as a “guitarist’s guitarist”.

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Queen

Queen

Queen are a British rock band credited with making significant contributions to such genres as hard rock & heavy metal, among others.

artist
David Bowie

David Bowie

David Bowie was a leading figure in popular music for over five decades & regarded by critics & musicians as a true innovator.

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Oasis

Oasis

Oasis was an English rock music band formed in Manchester in 1991, to date the band has sold over 70 million records worldwide.

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Bob Marley (and the Wailers)

Bob Marley (and the Wailers)

Bob Marley was a Jamaican reggae singer, songwriter, musician, & guitarist who achieved international fame & acclaim.

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Featured Collections

***New Arrivals***

***New Arrivals***

Here are the very latest prints we have added to our collection. We hope you love them as much as we do.

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Born In The USA

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Contact Sheets Print Collection

Contact Sheets Print Collection

Our contact sheet print collection is a rare opportunity to look back at the hidden moments surrounding some of rocks most iconic images.

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Graphic Art Print Collection

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Alternative artwork by Storm Thorgerson for Pink Floyd's Division Bell

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Album covers can define a band almost as much as the music itself. Now you can put this great art on your wall as well as your turntable

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Jill Furmanovsky Collection

Jill Furmanovsky Collection

Jill Furmanovsky is one of the greatest ever rock & roll photographers with a huge archive of iconic shots of the world's best music artists

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