In Pete Smith's own wprds, " It was mid sixties London. I was a young art student and part time roady with Alexis Korner when his friend John Mayall asked, “Pete, you’ve got a camera, come and shoot our record sleeve”. The Album was “Crusade”; my first job as a music photographer. A few months later I worked with John again. This time on “Bare Wires”.
My passion for music and photography lead to a string of album and touring assignments. Through the following decades I shot dozens of album covers many of which I also designed and art directed. Some of the earlier ones are still to be seen as reissues on CD and vinyl. I was born and educated in Norfolk. After a short spell at art school in Norwich I found a place studying painting and print making at The City and Guilds School of Art in Kennington, London. By the mid 60s camera and darkroom replaced pencil and paints, record sleeves become the canvas, music festivals my domain.
An overland journey to India in the early 1970s led to an exhibition at The Photographers Gallery London. Music and then theatre remained the core input to my photography and portraiture. Film was added through a long association with The NFT covering The Guardian Lectures, events and film festivals. The 90s saw a resurgence of my music photography; stage sets of The Stones during the Steele Wheels tour, and The Wall in Berlin.
The National Portrait Gallery have acquired a few of my pictures. My portrait of Angus McBean accompanied the recent retrospective of that photographer at The NPG. From the start of my photographic career I was encouraged and inspired by my friend and photographic mentor Lewis Morley, creator of the iconic Christine Keeler/Chair photograph.
I heard The Rolling Stones were doing a gig at the Roundhouse. I didn’t have ticket or pass. Waving my camera I blagged my way in
The Jimi Hendrix Experience performing at the Woburn Music Festival in July 1968
Cream onstage at the Windsor Jazz & Blues Festival in the Summer, 1967
Florence Welch performing onstage at the Latitude Festival in July 2010
Frank Zappa captured in a hotel in Sussex in June 1970, holding the artwork for the latest Mothers of Invention album
I heard The Rolling Stones were doing a gig at the Roundhouse. I didn’t have ticket or pass. Waving my camera I blagged my way in
I heard The Rolling Stones were doing a gig at the Roundhouse. I didn’t have ticket or pass. Waving my camera I blagged my way in
Contact sheet of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers photographed at Hyde Park, London in 1991
Limited edition screen print of a mugshot of Prince created by artist David Studwell
Stunning image of Amy Winehouse taken in a North London launderette during a photo shoot in winter 2004.
Underwater photo of Krist Novoselic in a LA swimming pool whilst on a Nirvana publicty shoot
Björk Guðmundsdóttir, (born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk is an Icelandic singer-songwriter.
Bob Marley was a Jamaican reggae singer, songwriter, musician, & guitarist who achieved international fame & acclaim.
David Bowie was a leading figure in popular music for over five decades & regarded by critics & musicians as a true innovator.
Jeff Beck is one of rock’s most respected and dynamic instrumentalists. He is widely regarded as a “guitarist’s guitarist”.
Here are the very latest prints we have added to our collection. We hope you love them as much as we do.
The USA has given us many of the world's greatest music artists - we celebrate the best of the best
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
During his 30 year career Jake Chessum has shot defining images of musicians such as Amy Winehouse, Jay Z, The Beastie Boys & David Bowie.
