ARTICLES. Some articles written on the Nottingham music scene, music in general and other rock and roll trivia.
It is not that uncommon in the 2020’s to see a band member take a photo of the crowd on their phone. Sometimes during the gig or often at the end. When did this practice start? Probably as phones have become the everyday appliance they are. Here is a photo of the Nottingham group Bored Marsh at Rough Trade on Sept 27th 2024 by lead singer Joe Need. A selfie as we would say.
Undoubtedly a few musicians who are photographers must have taken photo’s of a gig or crowd in the past and if I was to dig deep enough I might find a few good examples. Ringo was a photographer with a good pedigree and maybe he did. Who knows!
Remember, this is “band members” taking a photo of the crowd not just any old photographer so, I’m going to offer a photo from 1971 as a “first”. As I say, it might not be the first, but we have to start somewhere. Not only is it interesting in its own right it also is connected to my main topic “Notts Groups”. The photo was taken by our very own Alvin Lee of Ten Years After and he used it for the inside cover of the open out sleeve of “Rock & Roll Music To The World” the seventh studio album the band released in 1972. It is credited on the sleeve.
YouTube comments can be a surprisingly good place for the odd nugget of information and lost memories and a couple I spotted concern this photo. Colleen Davis made two comments.
2009 “Thanks for putting this up. That is me many years ago hanging on the stage near the middle with the brown hair. This was in Houston, Texas. This is still my favorite band. I have the album too, this is the inside of the record album. You made my day. Alvin Lee Rocks“.
2018 “This picture was taken in Houston Texas in 1972. I am the one with the orange shirt, near center hanging on the stage. One girl in front was named Linda from Port Arthur. My best friend was far in the back somewhere, Nancy. Alvin Lee took the picture“.
Another person Conrad Lin maintained that it was a different gig but Colleen corrected him and because she can see herself clearly in the photo I think she must be correct and Conrad mistaken.
Ten Years After played Texas many times at many different venues and although Colleen says it was in 1972 I think the photo was possibly taken on 12th August 1971 at the Hofheinz Pavilion, Houston, Texas. Procul Harum and Donnie Sanders were in support. They played the same venue in November 1972 but that would be to probably late for the release of the album.