Alan Messer has been photographing musicians for five decades.
His career started at sixteen on December 4th, 1967, working from Dezo Hoffmann's London studio as a freelance and as a staff photographer for the Record Mirror, pop magazine.
During the seventies, Alan was the resident Old Grey Whistle Test photographer (BBC TV), toured briefly with Iggy Pop and Deep Purple and photographed many visiting touring American bands and artists, either in his London studio or on the road. Excited by America and it's music, Alan moved to Nashville in 1978 to open a studio. An amazing opportunity to photograph the country music scene unfolded, as his British style of photography attracted musicians, record companies and legendary artists like, Johnny Cash.
During the ’80's, Alan Messer’s career soared as a prolific primary Nashville photographer, often shooting a session or an album cover every day. Some of those sessions were in his studio or in Austin, Texas with Stevie Ray Vaughan, Willie Nelson or Joe Ely.
Alan, an acclaimed photographer, has hundreds of albums and CD's to his credit and a Grammy for album packaging photography/design. Some musicians photographed, are: John Lennon, George Harrison, Keith Richards, Rolling Stones, Small Faces, Iggy Pop, David Bowie, The Who, Diana Ross, Deep Purple, Elton John, Bill Haley, Bob Marley, Jim Morrison, James Brown, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Kris Kristofferson, Steve Earle, Tanya Tucker, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lucinda Williams, Merle Haggard, Bill Monroe, Dwight Yoakam, Joe Ely, ....
Alan always carries a camera. Currently, he is working on his archives, documentary and books. Every picture has a story.
Contact sheet of The Beatles taken at the press reception for the screening of their Yellow Submarine film in July 1968.
David Bowie performing a kick whilst onstage at the Spectrum, Philadelphia in April 1978.
Rod Stewart onstage with The Faces at the Lewisham Odeon in November 1974.
George Harrison celebrating the opening of Apple Tailoring at Club Dell'Aretusa in Chelsea in 1968.
John Lennon at the pre-opening party at Club Dell’Aretusa for Apple Tailoring in the King's Road, Chelsea in May 1968.
John Prine captured during the Cowboy Jack Clement's Show in November 2019.
John Prime backstage at The Station Inn, Nashville before performing with Jimmy Rooney's Irregulars in 2019.
Johnny Cash posing outside his log cabin, that became Cash Cabin Studio, where he later recorded some of the American Recording albums.
Johnny Cash captured by Alan Messer at his home in Hendersonville, Tennessee in 1988
Keith Richards photographed backstage during the Rolling Stones 'Voodoo Lounge' tour in 1994.
Underwater photo of Krist Novoselic in a LA swimming pool whilst on a Nirvana publicty shoot
Stunning image of Amy Winehouse taken in a North London launderette during a photo shoot in winter 2004.
Relaxing backstage at Abbey Road Studios during the recording of debut album 'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn'
Exclusive David Bowie print specially created by The Postman for Rockarchive, based on a photograph taken by Dave Hogan at Live Aid in 1985
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Here are the very latest prints we have added to our collection. We hope you love them as much as we do.
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
Browse our collection of popular graphic art prints including iconic images by Storm Thorgerson and stunning work by contemporary artists.
Our contact sheet print collection is a rare opportunity to look back at the hidden moments surrounding some of rocks most iconic images.
