The magazine of the photo-essay
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Stephen Fry. British actor, writer and film maker
by Alec Byrne
Proud Gallery
8th December 2017 - 28th January 2018
Proud Central. 32 John Adam Street, London. WC2N 6BP
www.proud.co.uk
London Rock: The Unseen Archive by Alec Byrne will launch at Proud Central this
December, bringing together a collection of previously unseen photographs from
Byrne’s rediscovered archive. The exhibition coincides with the UK launch of the
photographer’s exclusive collector’s book, containing essays and pictures which
detail the many faces that defined British rock n’ roll.
Photographer Alec Byrne came to prominence working in London during the 60s
and 70s, putting a spotlight on the young musicians who were at the forefront of
London’s music evolution. The foundations of Rock n’ Roll music grew from its jazz
and blues roots in the United States, placing emphasis on musicianship, live
performance and ideologies of musical authenticity. Byrne’s work celebrates the passion and grit of the musicians who
worked within these parameters, idols who he sometimes befriended, but often chased with his camera and inquisitive
eye.
Byrne’s career began at the age of 17 when he was put under contract to capture live acts for the NME. He was
interested in photographing the emerging stars of British music during an unrivalled period of musical history, describing
his schedule as, “The Who on Thursday, The Rolling Stones on Saturday, Led Zeppelin on Monday — just incredible’. From
Mick Jagger’s explosive live performances to tender portraits of a young David Bowie, Byrne worked with a wide range of
musicians, revealing their distinctive characteristics in each shot. His intuitive approach was of a rock n’ roll mind-set,
favouring candid photography over a studio setting. Byrne’s desire to capture the most powerful imagery saw him
battling to the front of crowds and racing home from performances to develop his work through the night.
Following Byrne’s concerns for the growing commercial obstructions within the music industry, he retired from music
photography, keeping what was left of his archive in his Los Angeles garage. After almost four decades in storage,
surviving a studio fire, a flood and an earthquake, a selection of his negatives were introduced to the world in an
acclaimed one-night exhibition in LA. Since then, Byrne's work has been featured in the 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
induction ceremony, exhibited at the South by Southwest music festival, and accepted into the National Portrait
Gallery in London.
This exclusive photographic exhibition on display at Proud Central will be accompanied by Alec Byrne’s comprehensive
book London Rock: The Unseen Archive, distributed by Ebury Publishing.
Mick Jagger.
Aretha Franklin.
Bob Marley.
David Bowie.
Iggy Pop.
Jimi Hendrix.
Mark Bolan.
Mick and Jimi.
Rock n Roll Circus.
T-Rex. Lyceum.