‘HE JUST HAS THAT SPARK’
‘A Moment in Time’ documents star Gerry Cinnamon’s rise to fame
ANEW photo book marking Castlemilk superstar Gerry Cinnamon’s rise to fame is set to be released later this year.
‘A Moment In Time: A Photographic Story on the Rise of Gerry Cinnamon’ has been complied by veteran photographer Brian Anderson, who was gifted time with the ‘She’s A Belter’ hitmaker over a period of a year and a half as his ascent to stardom began.
Brian, who has 30 years experience in photography, said: “I met Gerry through a mutual friend and from the moment I met him, I knew he was going to be massive.
“He just has that spark.”
The book takes a look at his rise from a gig in 2016 at Glasgow’s 02 ABC to taking the main stage as headliner at one of Scotland’s biggest festivals in 2019.
Brian said: “This was in a time where Gerry was known in Castlemilk and was starting to get bigger gigs in Glasgow but no one could’ve predicted how quickly he made it to the headline stage at TRNSMT.
“It was such an incredible time and I would compare it to the photographers that got pictures of Bowie early in his career.”
The impressive images show Gerry relaxing backstage before gigs in some candid shots, as well as relishing in the energy of the crowd at live performances.
Brian said: “People love him up on stage but he really is quite a shy guy.
“He doesn’t love getting his picture taken so it meant a lot that he trusted me.
“I had to tell him to just act like I’m not here, I prefer shooting like that rather than posed pictures. “I liked to think of it being a ‘fly on the wall’ kind of moment, and that comes into the theme of the book.
“The book follows Gerry’s career the same way I followed him.” Brian’s interest in Gerry as a subject came as he described the singer-songwriter as “one of a kind.”
He said: “I genuinely don’t think that we have seen anyone like him before. “The way that he has risen through the ranks and become so well known on a national level in such a short amount of time, and it’s working-class communities that have lifted him to that point.
“The only other act I would compare it to would be Oasis coming through from performing in the schemes in Manchester.” Brian was also given a boost after music executive Alan McGee, famed for discovering Oasis in Glasgow’s King Tut’s in the 1990s, provided a foreword to the book. Brian said: “I completely agree with Alan when he says that there is something in Gerry that people saw in Oasis back in the 90s.
“There is something really special about seeing an ordinary guy make it big. “For people from working-class areas, there is a big backing to people who go on and do as well as Gerry has done so far. “I can’t wait to see what he has up his sleeve next after Covid is over.”
Gerry was recently forced to postpone his gig at Hampden Park, which would have marked his biggest headline show to date. The move came as thousands of live event venues and live shows remain halted due to coronavirus restrictions.
Brian said: “I feel like we were just getting to see the best of Gerry when everything happened and everything stopped.
“But I don’t think anyone has forgotten about him or the love for him has died down at all.
“He is one of those acts that live with people for years to come.
“We saw it was Oasis in the 90s, The Libertines in the 2000s and now Gerry.”
Brian has said that Gerry has given the book the thumbs up, something which is a result of their great relationship.
He said: “It takes a lot of time to gain trust when working with someone like a music artist, so it meant a lot when Gerry and his team said that they liked the book.
“For someone who doesn’t do a lot of interviews or anything like that, it feels special that I was given that time to spend with him before this incredible thing happened.”
To pre-order ‘A Moment In Time: A Photographic Story on the Rise of Gerry Cinnamon’, you can visit brian-anderson-publishing. co.uk/.