“Unseen” photographs taken by and featuring rock stars including Oasis’s Noel Gallagher, Rolling Stones frontman Sir Mick Jagger and Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry are to go on sale in order to raise funds for a mental health charity.
Put together by music photographer Tony McGee; his son, Max McGee; Michael Goodall and his son, Joe Goodall, the auction of rare photographs of musicians, called Unseen, will take place at London’s Iconic Images Gallery on November 28, with proceeds going directly to the Mental Aid charity.
Other stars to feature in the photographs, and have their work on sale, include members of the Arctic Monkeys, Sir Rod Stewart, former Stones bassist Bill Wyman, Nick Cave, Joan Armatrading, Pet Shop Boys singer Neil Tennant, Fleetwood Mac’s Mick Fleetwood and Suggs from Madness.
Speaking about the exhibition, McGee said: “It was a photograph that David Bowie took of me in my studio in 1984, when I was shooting photos for his Let’s Dance tour, that inspired the concept of musician photographers.
“Every artist in whichever medium has a story to tell and a photograph is often one of the best ways to tell it. I founded Mental Aid with my son, Max, alongside Michael and Joe Goodall, to encourage creativity as a form of healing and to spread awareness of those suffering from mental illness.”
Titled Indian Lady, Gallagher’s picture shows the hand of a woman sitting on a bus, while an image taken by Wyman shows Sir Mick perched on a chair in the studio with headphones on.
Thunderbird At CBGBs by Blondie guitarist Chris Stein shows singer Harry sitting on the bonnet of a Ford Thunderbird, while a snap by Arctic Monkeys’ drummer Matt Helders shows a silhouette of lead singer Alex Turner backstage.
Other photos include pictures of the artists’ dogs, homes and soft toys.
