Rolling Stones in focus as Wyman turns 80
BILL WYMAN, probably the world’s oldest performing rock star, will celebrate his 80th birthday with an exhibition devoted to his photography. The retrospective entitled
will include many behind-the-scenes photographs taken by Wyman which have never been seen before.
The Rolling Stones’ bass player was a keen amateur photographer who took up the hobby aged 11. The musician was given his first camera by his uncle, who had swapped his wartime cigarette ration for it.
Yet it wasn’t until 1966 that Wyman started taking photography seriously.
The exhibition at the Proud Chelsea gallery contains Wyman’s personal favourites, including one of a young Jerry Hall, the supermodel and onetime partner of Sir Mick Jagger.
The gallery described the photographs as “intimate” and “deeply candid” and depicted a lifestyle often far-removed from the typical image of a rock band, with Wyman preferring to take photos without the knowledge of his subjects.
“I prefer to keep out of the way and capture candid photographs that are unstaged and natural,” he said.
He added that he was fascinated by photography because it “captured historical moments for me to look back on.”
Wyman, who is the oldest of the Rolling Stones, no longer tours with the band but is due to perform at a birthday celebration in London later this month.
He is the first of the great era of British rock stars, that includes Jagger and Sir Paul McCartney, to reach the milestone of turning 80.
In March, he announced in a message to fans that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer but that he was expected to make a full recovery because it had been detected early. Despite the illness, he announced in June he would be headlining BluesFest London on Oct 28. The birthday line-up includes guest support from Sir Bob Geldof and Mark Knopfler, among others.