British photographer Barrie Wentzell shot some amazing photos for Melody Maker between 1965 and 1975, capturing many of the biggest rock and pop acts from this extraordinary period of music.
Barrie has snapped the likes of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton, along with Louis Armstrong, Aretha Franklin, Count Basie, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and more.
Many of these photos can now be seen in a book called Should’ve Been There. You can see more about this collection of photos and stories on Barrie’s website: Barrie Wentzell. Take a look around the site, especially his Portfolio page.
More about Should’ve Been There in this video:
As Pete Townsend comments in his introduction: “This feels so much like my story as well as yours as a photographer, and it reminds me what we have lost. This book should make it clear that you were always a great man to have around with a camera. You made so many grumpy people smile. You made so many smiley people laugh. Your heart is always in the right place: the image.”
To order: Rufus Stone Limited Editions
Find songs to enjoy by artists of this period: Bang a Gong song finder
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