Snapshots of punk era on display for one night only
Punk portraits by two NME photographers, including Welshman Chalkie Davies, are going on show in Cardiff for one night only. Karen Price finds out about the display
IT’S 40 years since the punk era exploded onto the scene when bands like The Sex Pistols stormed the charts and people began sporting brightly-coloured mohawks.
And at the heart of it was two photographers who worked for music bible the NME – Welshman Chalkie Davies and Denis O’Regan.
Now their candid black and white portraits are being shown at venues across the UK, including Cardiff, as part of a major UK tour to celebrate the anniversary when punk shook up the world.
But Welsh fans will have just one night to see the display – The Fine Art Of Punk & New Wave – which will be shown at a makeshift gallery in a car showroom.
The Cardiff Sinclair Volkswagen showroom on East Tyndall Street will be transformed into an art gallery on Tuesday, February 20.
Organised by music exhibition specialists Off Beat Lounge, the display provides a definitive visual record of the punk and new wave periods.
1977 saw the full punk explosion, with debut albums from The Damned, The Clash, The Sex Pistols, The Jam and Elvis Costello to name but a few. Meanwhile, Blondie, The Ramones and Iggy Pop all arrived from America.
Davies – who is from Sully and showed his work at National Museum Cardiff two years ago – joined the NME as a staff photographer in 1975 and worked there until 1979, where he shot numerous covers and features, as well as touring with Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello and Thin Lizzy, for who he shot the sleeve of Live and Dangerous.
He once said: “I collected rock stars like other people collect stamps.”
Always wanting to be a studio photographer, he gave up touring in 1980 and moved permanently into the studio, specialising in black and white portraiture. He shot dozens of record covers for many artists including The Specials, The Pretenders, The Who, Pete Townshend, Elvis Costello, David Bowie, David Gilmour and Robert Plant.
Now living in New York, he was nick-named “Reg” by Duran Duran, “Scoop” by Bob Geldof, and, on one occasion, “Yob” by Keith Richards.
Meanwhile, as part of his work, O’Regan once flew Concorde from Paris-New York and back in 24 hours, enjoyed dinner for two in Japan with Joni Mitchell, survived a 140mph car crash in Sweden in Phil Lynott’s Mercedes, been jailed in Costa Rica, picnicked with David Bowie in Australia and jammed with Bob Geldof in Italy.
He’s partied with Prince at Paisley Park in Minnesota, and with Queen in a German brothel. He’s argued with Bob Marley in Jamaica (they made up), been kissed by Pete Townsend on the lips (he hasn’t forgiven that one), survived floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and monsoons...
O’Regan, who lives in London, was the official photographer at Live Aid.
Now, the pair are looking forward to meeting music fans and talking about their work during the tour, although it has not yet been announced which of them will be appearing in Cardiff.
Featuring a Q&A session, the event will take visitors back to arguably the most rebellious period ever seen in the music business and will highlight raucous live performances and whacky off-stage moments and provide a glimpse into the austere times that gave birth to punk and new wave.
Off Beat Lounge founder, Mark Overton, said: “I was 15 years old in 1977, and left school the next year. By the time I started my first job, punk was over, and new wave bands like the Jam and Blondie were established. These are genres that split the nation, mostly based on age.”
All events will run from 7.30pm to 9pm for standard admission tickets, with VIP ticket holders gaining access from 6.30pm for a Q&A and private viewing.
Tickets are available at www.offbeatlounge.co.uk/artofpunk