Tag Archives: Allen & Gerritsen

Rock and Roll Photography. Visual storytelling at it’s best.


Copyright Rob Shanahan.


Copyright Rob Shanahan.

I’m going to be giving a talk at the Griffin Museum of Photography in Boston, February 16th in conjunction with their current exhibit on Rock and Roll photography.

Some of the featured photographers are: Mike Mitchell, Herb Greene, Bob Bonis, Ron Pownall, Astrid Kirschherr, Melissa Mahoney and Brian Babineau to name a few.

Many of these photographers have had a enormous impact on me.
Their enduring and powerful images have inspired me to make photography a major part of my collection.
It prompted me to write a post on Rock and Roll photography and how important it is as an art form.

Photography has brought new meaning and importance to items I have purchased over the years. Whether serving as photographic reference, or adding depth and history to the items I have.

The story and photo behind the piece I have often found is more interesting and meaningful to me than the piece itself.

They are everywhere we want to be.

Backstage and onstage.
In limos.
In the studio.
Standing in front of the stage.
Sitting in dressing rooms.
Riding the elevators.
Grabbing a bite in a restaurant…..catching moments no one would see, if not for them.

Thank you all.

The prints shown here are those of Rob Shanahan.
These two beauties are in my personal collection.

You can see more of Rob’s exceptional work on his website.

robshanahan.com

….And he’s just published a book.
I had the pleasure of finally meeting Rob in Anaheim at the NAMM show this past January just a few weeks ago where he was signing and promoting his book.

Here’s a bit more info on this super talent.

Rob is recognized as one of music’s most published photographers. He’s also Ringo Starr’s personal photographer. “Volume 1” is his first book of photographs and it features photos of such iconic musicians as Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, Keith Richards, Eddie Van Halen, Joe Walsh, Christina Aguilera, Sheila E, Tommy Lee, Dave Navarro, and many more. It includes intimate shots of the musicians not only behind the scenes, but also in the studio, onstage and backstage as well. Along with the photos is a foreword by Ringo Starr, artist quotes, and personal anecdotes shared by Shanahan.

Rob has been getting a lot of good press about his book. Check out his interview on Good Day LA and slideshow at Spin Magazine.

My room is not only filled with memorabilia, it’s filled with books on Rock and Roll Photography.


Copyright Ken Regan. Keith Richards, San Antonio, 1975. (I own the guitar strap.)


Copyright Michael Putland. The Rolling Stones 1978. (I own the shirt Keith is wearing.)


Copyright Paul Natkin. Keith Richards portrait. (I own the attitude.)

Here’s a few other wonderful prints I own.
All I need is the room to hang them.
If I stop buying prints, I could maybe build an addition.

Enjoy.

Aerosmith Guitar Hero. Dream until your dreams come true.

I met Steven Tyler for the second time years later at a fundraiser run by Denis Leary.

I met Steven Tyler for the second time years later at a fundraiser run by Denis Leary.

I’ve been in advertising now for 30 some odd years.
I pretty much remember every job I’ve ever worked on.
The good and the bad.
Thinking back there are a few that stand out.
Ones that you’ll tell friends about, you’ll share with your family, pretty much anyone that will listen.
Ones that affected you in an emotional way.
That really got to you.
It wasn’t so much the money that was made, by you or the company you worked for at the time.
Or even the success the business you worked on realized by your creativity and efforts.

But something else.

I just recently worked on that job like that.
I helped design and create a 20 page Tour Book to be packaged in with Aerosmith Guitar Hero, documenting the band’s career.

A scrapbook of their lives, and the venues they played.

Amazing.

I first saw Aerosmith at Salem State College in 1974 I believe.
I was fresh out of high school.
Dream On was all over the radio.
Radio, remember when you listened to music that way?

I got to go backstage and meet Steven Tyler in their dressing room.
My date was a woman who was by all accounts a groupie and had been following them around New England for the past year or so.
She went to the college and helped arrange their show there.
I remember babbling on to Steven how I played their debut album till I wore it out.
He smiled, chuckled, shook my hand and thanked me.
I was on cloud nine.
He was the first real rock star I had ever met.

Who knew that some 34 years later not only would I still be a crazy rabid fan, but that this band would have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, would have sold 150 million records worldwide, and would end up being called “America’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band.”

Short of designing an album cover for them, this was as good as it gets.

Here are a few of the spreads from the book.

Design by Carlos Perez of Allen & Gerritsen.
Creative Direction- Gary Greenberg of Allen & Gerritsen and Keith Garde, and Andy Martel of PAID Inc.

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