Rare Who Snapshots to be published.....Mirror.co.uk - My 60s snapshots

["O'Neal, Kevin W." <Kevin.ONeal@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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My 60s snapshots Aug 25 2003


NEVER-BEFORE SEEN PICS OF STARS

By Fiona Cummins, Ms Showbiz


HE watched The Who's Keith Moon smash down a door with a fire axe.

And he heard George Harrison's startling dressing-room performance of the
Beatles classic I Feel Fine.

Now photographer Brian Bignell has revealed his astonishing private collection
of some of the giants of 1960s rock and pop. His pictures - until recently
gathering dust in the loft of his home in Burnham, Essex - give a fascinating
insight into what went on behind the scenes when the top bands took to the
road. Brian says: "Everyone was really friendly. It wasn't like celebrities
today, who are surrounded by minders and travel on luxury tour coaches."

He rubbed shoulders with the Hollies, the Small Faces and the Rolling Stones.
But Beatle George's impromptu performance in 1963 is one of his favourite
memories.

"He was just fooling around, but it was electrifying," he says. "The hairs
stood up on the back of my neck."

Keith Moon's special brand of mayhem also impressed Brian. He says: "Keith
came downstairs with a towel round him, but his dressing-room was locked. He
disappeared for a few moments and then came back wielding a fire axe and took
it to the door."

Now Brian, 57, plans a book of his pictures as a reminder of an amazing era.

NIPPY: "This shot of Wilson Pickett was taken when he'd just arrived in
England on tour. It was in winter and he was feeling the coldSTROLL MODEL: I
took this picture of Tom Jones at the New Musical Express poll winner's'
concert at Wembley in 1965. I spotted Tom walking past and asked him if he''d
mind posing for a photograph. He said: "No problem at all'", and that was
that"AN EXPERIENCE: "I took this frame of Jimi Hendrix, centre, at the
Finsbury Park Astoria in North London in 1967. We hadn't set it up beforehand
- I just asked him if we could do some pictures and we did them in the
manager's office"GOOD TIMES ROLLING: "This one of the Stones was taken at the
Finsbury Park Astoria while the band was on a tour in 1965. They were having a
drink and relaxing soon after coming off stage. In front, from left, are Bill
Wyman, the late Brian Jones and Mick Jagger, with Charlie Watts and Keith
Richards behind"OX" TAILED: "I snapped John Entwistle at a venue in Sheffield.
He was holding his jacket up because it was raining - not to shield himself
from the cameras, like celebrities do todayKIND DATE: "I took this photograph
of Cilla Black at an another NME poll winner's' concert in the late '60s. She
was really friendly and nice - most of the stars were in those daysNICE GUY: "
Van Morrison when he was still a member of the group 'Them'TEA-HEE: I spotted
Cliff Richard drinking a cuppa in the canteen at WembleyBOYISH: Scott Walker
arrived

for a magazine shoot"SERIOUS: John Lennon came into our studio in the West
EndNATURAL: "I photographed Dave Davies in a dressing room during the KinKS''
1965 tour. I like this one because it''s not too posed"