POP: Exciting new book to showcase Brian Griffin’s enigmatic excellence
//© Brian Griffin//
I have written an essay for POP, the forthcoming book showcasing the great British photographer Brian Griffin’s engagement with music.
Between 1978 and 1983 this was conducted in partnership with the late Barney Bubbles; their collaboration, which ended with Bubbles’ death, is the subject of my text. This will appear in POP along with a running conversation between Griffin and music writer Terry Rawlings and hundreds of images spanning Griffin’s work with such musicians and performers as Kate Bush, Elvis Costello, Depeche Mode, Echo & The Bunnymen and Iggy Pop.
//© Brian Griffin//
Griffin has sent me these photographs, which were produced for his bookwork © 1978. This was designed by Bubbles, who had selected one as the front cover of Devo’s six track 12″ B Stiff the previous year.
//© Brian Griffin//
The model for this photo-session was a gentleman called Mark Anders, who worked in offices below the premises of Radar Records in Parker Street in central London’s Covent Garden. Bubbles was in-house art-director for the independent label, sharing a floor with his friend, music manager Jake Riviera, assistant Cynthia Lole and publicist Glen Colson.
“The table in the photograph was Barney’s drawing board and the props were all bought from a medical supplies in Wigmore Street, apart from the egg; I have no idea where that came from!” says Griffin.
//This appeared as the front cover of B Stiff, the 1977 six tracker by Devo released appropriately on Stiff Record and designmed by Barney Bubbles. © Brian Griffin//
Over recent years there have been waves of exhibitions and books about music photography, most of which do not merit too much attention in my opinion.
POP is different; Griffin is an artist who cut his teeth on the UK business magazine Management Today, not in the rock press. As a result, he consistently cast the visual identity of music in inventive and often quizzical ways.
POP is being published via Kickstarter pledges. Support not only this worthy endeavour but also one of our most cherishable image-makers here.