’Scuse Me While I Kiss the Sky - Rock Photography of the 1960s

Today, we discuss some of the most recognized images of rock-n-roll history and those that made them.

Our first guest is photographer Amelia Davis, who is the owner of Jim Marshall LLC, the living archive of the prolific photographer Jim Marshall, most known for his images of jazz and rock musicians of the 1950s through the 1970s. If you are familiar with photos of Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Johnny Cash, or the Allman Brothers Band, then you are certain to know his work. Marshall not only covered the Monterrey and Altamont festivals, but was the only photographer invited by the Beatles to cover their final concert. Marshall also documented the Civil Rights movement and the Haight-Ashbury scene in San Francisco.

With Davis, we discuss how she came to be the proprietor of the archive and how she protects and manages the collection. We also talk about Marshall, the man, and why he was seemingly able to photograph “everyone” in that era.  Davis is also part of the production team behind the new film "Show Me the Picture: The Story of Jim Marshall,”  which is well worth seeing to get a better understanding of Marshall’s motley personality and his incredible body of work.

After our chat with Davis, we welcome photographer Elliott Landy, who is currently producing a book of his images on the seminal rock group, The Band. Landy was the official photographer of the famed Woodstock music festival and responsible for unforgettable images of Van Morrison and Bob Dylan, among others. Elliot is running a Kickstarter campaign to create Contacting the Band, which will take a deep dive into the thousands of photos he took of the group in concert and around their homes, in Woodstock, NY. We encourage you to check the Kickstarter link above and enjoy this episode.

Guests: Amelia Davis and Elliott Landy

Photograph © Jim Marshall Photography LLC