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| VoodooChileInWOnderl |
Now that the greatest exhibition in the Stones history "Rolling Stones 40x20 is going to be held on September 20 through October 26 at Govinda Gallery in Washington DC, other project launched on the other side of the pond with another photographers, with less authors, some common to both exhibitions, and in a narrow period of time, 1962-1971 THE DECCA YEARS
The Stones poses
by Fiona Morrow
Forty years on, The Rolling Stones - sad to say - can't disguise the fact they're a bunch of skinny, wrinkly old men with long hair. Sorry, but it's true - old Mick even graced the cover of SAGA magazine last year.
But what do they care? Back when rock'n'roll was the new religion, the Stones injected a fabulously vulgar swathe of style and sex into an industry buttoned up almost as tight as The Beatles' Nehru collars. They were pouting, arrogant purveyors of souped-up blues, revelling in their so-ugly-we're-beautiful faces. The camera was bound to love them.
If the 1960s were all about the rise of the upstart, the Stones were perfectly poised to lead the pack, and they were savvy enough to recognise that - alongside the music - image was everything. It was their manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, who commissioned fellow upstart David Bailey to take the band's picture for the cover of their second album 12x5 and, a year and three LPs later, recruited the cheaper Gered Mankowitz to continue creating the band's iconic status.
With their 40th anniversary and another world tour, which kicked off last night in Boston, the Stones were bound to find themselves plastered on the walls of a gallery or two. This exhibition covers the period between 1962 and 1971: glorious years in both career and image terms. Mankowitz's classic covers are included, as is Dominique Tarl�'s collection taken during the recording of Exile On Main Street, and there is even a bizarre bunch of pics (by Jerry Schatzberg) with the band in drag. Atlas Gallery claims this to be the most important exhibition of the band ever to be mounted, something Proud Galleries, who have a Stones exhibition of their own planned, will no doubt hope to challenge; all good news for fans.
Runs until Oct 31, Atlas Gallery, 49 Dorset Street W1, Mon to Fri 10am to 6pm, Sat 11am to 5pm, free. Tel: 020 7224 4192. www.atlasgallery.com Tube: Baker Street
 
[Edited by VoodooChileInWOnderl] |
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