Celebs behind the lens: New exhibition reveals photographs by the likes of Rod Stewart and Noel Gallagher
By Sarah Tetteh
Rock’n’roll fans rejoiced when Oasis brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher announced they were getting back together for an epic tour after years of feuding.
They have seemingly buried the hatchet after a very public fall-out. So behind all the bravado and bolshy behaviour, on Liam’s part anyway, what are the famous brothers really like behind the lens?
In a new London exhibition Noel Gallagher will give fans extraordinary insight into his life for the first time ever in never-before-seen photographs he has shot showing snapshots of his world and travels.
The Champagne Supernova star has shared the snaps to go on auction for the incredible Unseen exhibition, alongside photos taken by music’s biggest stars including Sir Rod Stewart, Blondie, Nick Cave, Bill Wyman, Matt Helders, Joan Armatrading and more to raise money for mental health charity Mental Aid.
The exhibition is the brainchild of London father and son duo Tony McGee and Max McGee, who launched Mental Aid charity alongside fellow father and son duo Michael Goodall. Originally from Pimlico, South Londoner Tony shed some incredible insight on life with the legends he shot in his heyday.
He revealed what the world’s biggest stars were really like, when they turned the lens on him, and held his very powerful camera.
Tony explained how the stunning shot from Noel Gallagher of a woman’s arm in India came about.
“I’ve long realised as a photographer that musicians are very gifted photographers also, but they keep it very buried. That’s because of course they are using another device, like a drum or guitar, they are at one with their music. So I thought, why not explore the deeper kind of mind that creates music and creates photography as well?
“I think there’s a real similarity between the two. If you go to create a picture a spontaneous picture, you’ve still got to be in the zone, it becomes your picture when you’re in the zone. I’ve been in the studio with many great musicians over the years. Bowie for example, he adjusted to the environment, then let his mind absorb all the help he had around him.
“Embracing the landscape like you would embrace music. So a phototgrapher would do a very similar thing. He went to the dessert, he would stand his son on the edge of a rock , which is what the other Noel Gallagher photo is, it’s his son on the edge of a rock.
“Or, he may wonder through a market and see just a detail of a hand and it’s all very humble and poetic, but it’s quite rough and rock’n’roll as well. It’s very strong. It’s a collision of music and photography, it’s unique.”
Surely for such an important charity, getting legendary celebrities to take part was a no brainer. Or was it?
Max said: “It’s really exciting. What was interesting is these musicians perform on stage for millions of people, but I think there was some hesitation just on the basis of if it would be good enough and if it was justified. That was really interesting, somebody with so much fame, so much success would have that level of self-doubt, and that conflict in their mind about donating a photograph. The concept was the photo can be anything you want.”
Sure enough, fans will see a different side to Noel that they see on stage: “I was really shocked to see Noel’s photography and the quality of them. It’s definitely an Unseen side of him. They are so unique and I think they will bid the highest. Sir Rod Stewart sent in a photo of his family sitting around the table. Really powerful, and a side to him not many people get to see.”
Tony opened up about other stars who had surprised him, just like Noel had. He said: “This show is unique, there’s not one exhibition that has celebrated a musician and photography. Their photography is hidden, and we are trying to bring it to light.
When I was working with David Bowie, he would pick up my camera and take pictures of anything randomly. He would use any camera he fancied. Whether it had film in it or had a polaroid instant prints on it. In the exhibition there is actually a photo he took of me, photography really helps to create music, and that’s a fact.
Sex Pistols’ John Lydon would always do that, going way back. He would pick up my camera, put it around his neck and walk around the room with it. Because he felt very entitled and rich with a beautiful Nikon camera around his neck with a strap. I loved it, I celebrated that. Johnny was putting DNA all over my camera and blessing it really. When I worked with George Michael and Wham, they were forever around my tripod. George was brilliant, at the age of 17, they had just created Wham!”
Max, who has followed his dad’s footsteps as a creative, and is also an award-winning filmmaker, gave his take on musicians whose work has been immortalized through these photographs.
Max said: “The whole concept of Unseen is the idea that it’s kind of double entendre. A lot of mental health problems are unseen, so of course these photographs are unseen.
“It’s an unseen perspective of really well-known famous individuals such as Noel Gallagher, we all know him for his amazing music, but to see the amazing photographs of the woman on the bus in India, and his son in the dessert, it really is just amazing. With Unseen we are seeing a different perspective of the artists themselves, a more human side which is really lovely. “
Tony opened up about growing up in Pimlico and how the whole music, fashion and photography landscape has evolved over the decades. “I was a young kid, growing up in Pimlico, very into fashion, and I loved music so much.
“In the same way Bowie went on stage in the Ziggy Stardust suit, he understood fashion. Roxy music, I’m proud that they are in this show, they are serious heroes of mine, they were triggered by the fashion.
“The idea was sitting in my head for years. I’ve been a working photographer since I was 16, so that’s 54 years. We bought our records in Brixton, and we loved South London because of the food. We could go up to the West End, it was great. Growing up in Pimlico as kids, it was a time, we had a magical time. No violence, and everything was cheap as chips. You could buy a pair of Levis (jeans) for £5.
“We are both now in the image making business, Max is directing, and I’m producing and we’re making some brilliant photography.”
Max said: “Working with my dad is certainly not something I take for granted. It’s a great privilege. He has all these years of experience, and when you bring that together with the newer take, I guess from my perspective is a pretty deadly combo. It’s good fun, we have a film company and I wrote a film and directed it, and it won an award in a festival. To be recognized globally is brilliant. “
Speaking about why Mental Aid is so important, he said: “It’s a charity event, what we want to do with the money raised, the big thing for us, is creating outreach and awareness for donor support. The big thing for us is funding workshops, outreach programs to raise awareness of mental health. At the moment resources are limited or stigmatized, so we want to put Mental Aid on the map as a charity.
“It’s been going for the past five years, with Supported Living Services, providing accommodation for people and giving them the help they need.”
Tony added when he went to visit: “It’s beautiful homes, beautiful rooms, it’s dignified, people are not barked at. There’s a very fine line between Mental health and homelessness. So the point of the show is for people to look up and consider what’s going on right now.
“So our event on November 28th is a celebration of Mental Aid. We will have past examples of people who have been treated by Mental Aid and how much their lives have improved. It’s important to create a safe space for everyone who needs it. We aim to go to US with this show too.”
Tony added: “Special thanks to Lily and the team for all their hard work, and of course, Alan who is a legend. We can’t wait for everyone to see the photos. You’ll be blown away.”
People can bid for shots from the Unseen exhibition from this link here: https://auction.mental-aid.org/
Pictured top: Indian Lady by Noel Gallagher (Picture: Noel Gallagher)