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| Ten Thousand Motels |
Bill Wyman's view of the world
Former Stones bassist prepares show of photos
By Todd Leopold
CNN
Thursday, June 1, 2006;
http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/05/31/bill.wyman/
CNN) -- In 1965 -- the year of "Satisfaction" -- the Rolling Stones were finally starting to make some rock-star money. The members of the group purchased houses, cars and started investing in their individual passions.
Bill Wyman bought a camera and a complete set of lenses.
Photography wasn't a new hobby for Wyman, the Stones' bassist until the mid-'90s. He was actually a photographer before he was a musician, an enthusiast who started with his uncle's box camera just after World War II. But life with the Stones gave him the money, and the time, to truly indulge in the pastime.
He's been snapping away for more than 40 years now.
Click: There are Marc and Vava Chagall, Wyman's neighbors from the south of France.
Click: There's Mick Jagger, admiring Keith Richards' new python-skin boots at the 1968 "Rock and Roll Circus."
Click: There's former Jagger squeeze Jerry Hall, the hint of a smile on her defiant face, casually smoking a cigarette.
Click: There's a slightly haunted Nicky Hopkins, the famed session pianist, framed in the light of an airplane window.
Wyman, now 69, sees similarities between being a photographer and being a bassist.
"When you're playing bass in the Stones, you have to be quite intuitive," he says in a phone interview from his home in England. Photography takes similar initiative: "You have to have an eye for the good shot," he says.
'It's an incredibly boring lifestyle'
Some of Wyman's best shots will be on display at the San Francisco Art Exchange beginning June 9, in an exhibit put together with London-based Raj Prem Fine Art Photography. Wyman says he sorted through more than 22,000 negatives, slides and Polaroids before narrowing the group down to about 150 images.
The works include candids of the Rolling Stones -- on- and offstage -- other bands and musicians, Wyman friends such as the Chagalls and landscapes taken on his travels all over the world.
What's fascinating about many of the shots, particularly those of musicians, is how intimate they are. The rock 'n' roll life can be exciting, but it's also full of down time -- sound checks, airports, dinner on the run, quiet pensiveness in the ride to the show. Wyman kept his camera handy and chronicled all of it.
"It's an incredibly boring lifestyle, or it was then [in the 1960s] when you couldn't go out because of the fans," he says. "When the mad fan thing was going on ... once you got deposited in your hotel room you were there until you left the next day to go to the next place, or to go to the gig. And then you came back to that room and all there was to do was watch TV, unless you met a pretty young lady somewhere," he adds with a chuckle. "So the camera came in very, very useful."
The Stones have also been in the viewfinders of some of the world's most notable photographers, including Terry O'Neill, Ethan Russell, David Bailey and Gered Mankowitz. (The latter took the striking cover shot for 1967's "Between the Buttons.") Indeed, O'Neill -- whose work ranges from portraits of the queen to profiles of rock stars -- has been a great supporter of Wyman's work over the years, and helped prompt him to set up the exhibition.
Wyman has watched the photographers watch the Stones, picking up bits of expertise. But, he adds, he's strictly an amateur.
"I've never tried to be a professional photographer," he says. "I was an amateur who just tried to get a few good shots."
The photogenic Charlie Watts
Wyman's learned from many photographers, including Gered Mankowitz, who took the "Between the Buttons" cover photo.WYMAN'S TOOLS
About that camera Bill Wyman purchased in 1965: It's a Nikkormat, a 35-millimeter classic.
Wyman's owned several different cameras over the years -- "I still have every camera I've ever bought," he says -- but always comes back to his first love.
"I've tried others -- I used a Hasselblad for awhile, and I got some nice pictures of Sweden in the winter and like that," he says. "But I love that Nikkormat. It does exactly what I want." Wyman's had plenty of opportunities. He's particularly pleased with a 1966 shot of the late Brian Jones sitting in the back of a car, viewed in the reflection of a rear-view mirror. "That's a great one," says Wyman.
Though Jagger and Richards tend to be the most-pictured Stones in magazines -- Jagger always ready with a prancing pose, cigarette-equipped Richards lovingly wrapped around his guitar -- Wyman prefers to snap his old rhythm-section colleague, drummer Charlie Watts.
"He was the one who was the most unfazed when you take pictures of him," says Wyman. "Others will say, 'Don't take a picture of me [now],' but Charlie would never do that. ... Charlie would always be my favorite subject, because he never minded what you did. Whatever pose or position he was in, he was very photogenic. And whatever hat or wig he's wearing, it always looks like it fits."
Wyman, who grew up working-class in south London, is grateful for the luxuries his music career brought him. Besides his photography, he's written several books (including "Rolling with the Stones," a 2002 history of the band), been in the restaurant business, indulged in his fascination with archaeology and raised "three beautiful daughters." Not to mention the music, which he's still playing with his current band, the Rhythm Kings.
"My life has been full of variety," he says, "so to do something with the photographs, after 40 years ... I'm thrilled to bits with it."
He stays on the lookout for the next shot. You never know where it's going to be, he says.
After all, on a 1982 around-the-world trip (where, he says impishly in reference to a certain guitarist's mishap, "I didn't climb a tree [for coconuts] -- I let other people do it"), he traveled to the Australian outback and got some "fantastic pictures." As he rode down some dirt roads near Alice Springs, his guide spotted a rare wedge-tailed eagle.
"I said 'Stop! Stop!' and grabbed my camera. ... And as I took the picture, he flew away," he says. "But I got the shot."
[Edited by Ten Thousand Motels] |
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| MrPleasant |
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| Soldatti |
Free time in your hands Bill, isn't it? |
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| wintersway |
his only view on the world should be that he is the biggest
moron in the world for quitting the stones, view that one bill |
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| corgi37 |
Fuck, the guy's a thrillseeker, no doubt about it. |
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| Maxlugar |
Wyman reveals more greatness while the haters plink away, aimlessly |
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| MissJaneDoe |
quote:
wintersway wrote:
his only view on the world should be that he is the biggest
moron in the world for quitting the stones, view that one bill
I for one don't think he's a moron. He felt that it was time to stop. How many years had he been touring? He didn't want to be onstage playing the same damn songs for forty years. He decided to take the time to pursue other interests. I'm glad he did; I think his books were really interesting. |
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| Saint Sway |
I cant wait to buy Wymans photo book!! Gonna be some amazing stuff in it. Very cool of him to put this out.
Wyman is cool as shit.
he signed his last book for me. Great guy. Beyond nice. |
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| gimmekeef |
Still needs The Stones to hype his latest effort though..I personally dont begrudge anyone retiring as he did. |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
quote:
gimmekeef wrote:
Still needs The Stones to hype his latest effort though..
That's OK. He paid his dues.
Besides he did screw more chicks than Mick,  , that should count for SOMETHING! |
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| Maxlugar |
Finally some sanity regarding "The Wyman".
I love you all. ALL!
Bill "The Little Hands That Could" Wyman appreciates all your support.
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| Joey |
" Bill "The Little Hands That Could" Wyman appreciates all your support."
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| gimmekeef |
quote:
Ten Thousand Motels wrote:
That's OK. He paid his dues.
Besides he did screw more chicks than Mick, , that should count for SOMETHING!
Dont you mean "chicklets"?.....Think Bill was last seen outside a high school...waiting for his wife to finish classes....And yes he did pay his dues.... |
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| Maxlugar |
[quote]Joey wrote: Some D- List material.
Dear sir,
May you wake up to find Mick Jagger driving a cherry picker through your rectum.
Your Pal,
Maxy |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
quote:
gimmekeef wrote:
Dont you mean "chicklets"?.....Think Bill was last seen outside a high school...waiting for his wife to finish classes....And yes he did pay his dues....
Maybe. But you have to remember the times. Back in the 60's and 70's they were all screwing underage girls....every fucking one of them, the rock stars, the promoters, the roadies, etc. all of them.
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
STRAY CAT BLUES
(M. Jagger/K. Richards)
Ah...
Yeah, I got some tail
I hear the click-clack of your feet on the stairs
I know you're no scare-eyed honey.
There'll be a feast if you just come upstairs
But it's no hanging matter
It's no capital crime
I can see that you're fifteen years old
No I don't want your I.D.
I can see that you're so far from home
But that's no hanging matter
It's no capital crime
Oh yeah, you're a strange stray cat
Oh yeah, don'tcha scratch like that
Oh yeah, you're a strange stray cat
I Bet, bet your mama don't know you scream like that
I bet your mother don't know you can spit like that.
You look so weird and so lost from home
But you don't really miss your mother
Don't look so scared I'm not no mad-brained bear
But it's no hanging matter
It's no capital crime
Oh, yeah
Woo!
I bet your mama don't know that you scatch like that
I bet she don't know you can bite like that.
You say you got a girlfriend, that she's wilder than you
Why don't you bring her upstairs
If she's so wild then she can join in too
It's no hanging matter
It's no capital crime
Oh yeah, you're a strange stray cat
Oh yeah, don'tcha scratch like that
Oh yeah, you're a strange stray cat
I bet you mama don't know you can bite like that
I'll bet she never saw you scratch my back
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| gimmekeef |
quote:
Ten Thousand Motels wrote:
Maybe. But you have to remember the times. Back in the 60's and 70's they were all screwing underage girls....every fucking one of them, the rock stars, the promoters, the roadies, etc. all of them.
I agree...but didnt Bill carry this on into the 90's with Randy Mandy?.......anyway time to move on....How are the other 9999 Hotels doing? |
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| Saint Sway |
people that senselessly bash Wyman have no respect for the dope basslines in Stray Cat Blues, Monkey Man, Shes So Cold, CYHMK, IYCRM.... the list is endless.
Wyman was also SOLID every single night onstage. You can only also say that about Charlie. The rest have been fucked up and have fucked up far too many times to count.
also like Charlie, the fame of being a Stone never went to his head. Very level headed and grounded dude. Which is an accomplishment in itself considering the ridiculous world he lived in. |
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| Joey |
quote:
Maxlugar wrote:
Dear sir,
May you wake up to find Mick Jagger driving a cherry picker through your rectum.
Your Pal,
Maxy
You make Joey sad .
For My Maxy ........hope this makes you feel better :
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
quote:
gimmekeef wrote:
I agree...but didnt Bill carry this on into the 90's with Randy Mandy?.......
Yes. Pushing his luck a bit. It's a different world now. Bill was lucky in a way. If he had got involved with her 5 years later than he did, it might have involved some serious jail time. But nowadays you have some cases where an 18 year old boy fools around with a 17 year old girl and does a lifetime as a "sex offender".
[Edited by Ten Thousand Motels] |
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| wintersway |
quote:
Saint Sway wrote:
people that senselessly bash Wyman have no respect for the dope basslines in Stray Cat Blues, Monkey Man, Shes So Cold, CYHMK, IYCRM.... the list is endless.
Wyman was also SOLID every single night onstage. You can only also say that about Charlie. The rest have been fucked up and have fucked up far too many times to count.
also like Charlie, the fame of being a Stone never went to his head. Very level headed and grounded dude. Which is an accomplishment in itself considering the ridiculous world he lived in.
the only problem is that keith played bass on all those tunes, lol |
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| Joey |
" May you wake up to find Mick Jagger driving a cherry picker through your rectum. "
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| Maxlugar |
[quote]Joey wrote:
" May you wake up to find Mick Jagger driving a cherry picker through your rectum. "
I'm sorry, did you just back up and reply to me AGAIN after taking a few hours to think it over? D-List stuff right there old pal. Is your feeding tube loose? Because that is just weak! |
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| Some Guy |
quote:
Maxlugar wrote:
[quote]Joey wrote:
" May you wake up to find Mick Jagger driving a cherry picker through your rectum. "
I'm sorry, did you just back up and reply to me AGAIN after taking a few hours to think it over? D-List stuff right there old pal. Is your feeding tube loose? Because that is just weak!
joey debating response 3:30pm est |
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| nankerphelge |
Qwik recap:
Wyman reflexively slags the Stones pretty much every tour yet:
(1) No one person on the planet would know him if not for his being a Stone;
(2) He made millions in the band;
(3) He has made plenty of $$ on his books about the Stones;
(4) Bill "the shutterbug" will now make $$ on his old pictures of the Stones.
He may have been part of the greatest R&R band at one time.
Now, he is just a sad old man. |
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| monkey_man |
quote:
Ten Thousand Motels wrote:
STRAY CAT BLUES
(M. Jagger/K. Richards)
I can see that you're fifteen years old
No I don't want your I.D.
Jagger is such a pussy these days. . .when he sang this song at Roseland he changed the "15 yrs old" to "18 years old"!!! |
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| gimmekeef |
That about sums it up..yes... |
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| Joey |
" D-List stuff right there old pal. Is your feeding tube loose? Because that is just weak! "
*** SIGH ****
................
[cc:ss]
[Edited by Joey] |
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| Some Guy |
joey is caramelizing. |
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| Joey |
quote:
Some Guy wrote:
joey is caramelizing.
The Joey is on FIRE Today
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