HTF were very pleased to be invited to go see The Rolling Stone and Bob Dylan exhibition at The British Music Experience this week as not only are these two legendary bands some of the most inspirational members of the music industry, but because the museum in itself is probably the most impressive modern museum in the country.
The museum opened three years back in 2009 and stands as the only real interactive museum in the UK. Formulated with galleries, learning zones, a music studio, dance area and a live music venue, this incredible place is somewhere where music lovers can absorb and appreciate all British musicians, from all genres, in one building located in the O2. Visitors of the BME can also purchase ‘Smart Tickets’ which allow you to download content from the museum and play it back later online, genius idea!
This week, the BME inducted two new exhibits of unseen photographs into the already sterling museum. The ‘Rip This Joint: The Rolling Stones 1972. Photographs by Jim marshall’ exhibit featuring a collection of photographs of The Rolling Stones by the renowned photographer Jim Marshall, who sadly passed away in 2010 at the age of 74, but he left behind some of the most timeless images for us all to appreciate, and with that his work and his memory will never be forgotten.
The collection shown in the exhibition was images that were recently released in the book ‘The Rolling Stones 1972’. These strong, collection of photographs really capture the band in the best form. Behind these images you see the band writing music, laughing, joking, playing live and generally being the Stones. These photographs give the fans a real insight into the bands character, documenting their success throughout their monumental tour in 1972. Jim Marshall was given a unique and personal glimpse of the band on the road, and through this you can not only see the band at the top of their game, but Marshall’s as well.
Curator of the BME, Paul Lilley says it best: “Marshall’s pictures perfectly capture the hedonism of the greatest rock ‘n roll band in history at the height of their majesty, pushing into new musical, cultural and commercial territory. The 1972 tour set the benchmark for the juggernaut rock tours of the 70s – the music, the drama and the media circus.”
Next door, is the ‘Daniel Kramer: photographs of Bob Dylan’ curated by the Los Angeles-based GRAMMY Museum,which features over 50 of the most awe inspiring images of Bob Dylan ever taken. Rolling Stone Magazine called Kramer “the photographer most associated with Dylan” and through these images you can really understand why they say that. As you look into the images and look into the eyes of Dylan, you see a man who’s shy and timid, but has a quirky character. You wouldn’t have thought, looking at these images, that one man could have made such an impact on the music industry.
Kramer makes Dylan look like a normal human being trying to make his way as a musician, not a celebrity, and that is what makes a good photographer. On the tour in which these photographs were taken in 1964-65, Dylan was just rising to fame. And within these ‘behind the scene’ images you get a real insight of what Dylan must have been like in these vital stages of his career.
Lilley says this on the exhibit: “Through Kramer’s photographs we see Dylan, folk music and a generation undergoing a transformation. It represents a kind of ‘coming of age’ for a new generation, a new articulation for the youth of America at that time.”
To all music lovers, whether you’re a rock ‘n roller or a pop diva, you cannot deny the sheer magnitude these two legends have on our music today. Within the walls of this exhibit, you come away feeling like you know the bands on a personal level. You get to grips with their personalities and witness their characters. But not only that, but you get to know the photographers who captured our favourite artists on a personal level too. And for that reason, we would recommend you all to check them out at the British Music Experience while you still can. These exhibits will be available for public viewing until February 3rd, 2013. Tickets cost just £12 for adults, £6 concessions and £8 for students.
Click here to get your tickets now.
Reviewer: Louisa Smith
Photographer: Lois Honeywill
