What a Refreshing Change...

Usually photographing a band involves nothing but hassle, unpleasant gorrilla types and the obligatory rights grab wanting you to sign over your life's work and a kidney for the pleasure of wanting to give them some exposure in the newspapers. Having dealt with this, you usually have the first three songs to get what you need before being unceremoniously slung out on the street. Some 'big' artists like you to foxtrot after one! They are normally the sort that keep a crowd, who have paid handsomely to stand in a cold open air stadium, waiting for an hour or so after the support act have finished before deciding they can be bothered to turn up.

Imagine my surprise when I arrived at Holkham Hall in Norfolk to shoot a feature for the Daily Mail on old school rockers, Status Quo.  I had been asked to photograph the two leading band members,Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi around the theme of touring on a bus and their attitude couldn't be more different.

Upon arriving I was given an 'Access all Areas' pass and told to wander where I liked.  This I am not used to! After the writer had finished her stuff, I got to work.... trying to get something serious looking proved difficult. 

These guys liked to give a photographer the run around!

Actually the feature pics where tied up in about 20 minutes. No prima-donna's here. Even with all the mucking around they were very easy to work with, after all, they must have done this a million times before.

The PR asked if was going to shoot the concert, and if I wanted to photograph the whole gig including from the stage. I soon got some more memory cards from the car!

I'd always quite fancied going to a Quo gig; they are a British Institution, much like Beefeaters and wet summers, so this proved to be one of my better commissions of late made all the easier by their hospitality. 

Maybe this is why they have been around for so long. Some other so called stars should take note.

Licence photographs here.