BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM - REVIEW

 

In the early- to mid-1960s Manchester was a popular music centre that was second only to London. It was also where amateur photographer and music fan Brian Smith combined his two passions, capturing images of the many American artists who visited the United Kingdom. Among the local clubs these artists played, and where Brian would attend with his camera, were The Free Trade Hall, The Oasis, The Princess Club and The Twisted Wheel Club. Brian would soon become one of the latter clubs inner circle, around the same time that DJ Roger Eagle started promoting his R&B All-Nighters in 1963. Brian's photographs soon started appearing in Eagle's R&B Scene magazine. 

Brian Smith

For years his photographs were limited to Manchester's local scene and it would be several more before his work would reach a wider audience, thanks in the main to the advent of CDs and accompanying artwork/booklets.

I have known Brian Smith for more than thirty years and first had contact with him in the late-1990s when I was running the Johnny Cash Fanzine, The Man in Black. He was kind enough to allow me to use his photographs of Johnny Cash at Manchester's Astoria Irish Club in October 1963 in my magazine.

Johnny Cash

We have stayed in contact ever since and he has been a great supporter of my work on Johnny Cash and other artists. I am so pleased that a small portion of his incredible work has finally been bought together in a new book, Boom Boom Boom Boom - The American Rhythm And Blues Photographs Of Brian Smith.

A foreword by ex-Manfred Mann vocalist Paul Jones opens the book and is followed by a preface written by Simon Robinson of the books publishers, Easy On The Eyes Books, which gives some detail on how much work was involved in putting the book together.

A detailed look at the career of Brian Smith makes very interesting reading with background to his life and career along with several interesting quotes from him. Talking about how skiffle led to his love of the blues he says, "Lonnie Donegan was a major milestone for me. Essentially I was a rock 'n' roller in the fifties, although Donegan, Barber and Muddy were developing my other tastes alongside this. My first blues albums were Muddy At Newport and Howling Wolf which I bought in 1961,62. I very much came to blues via Rock n' Roll and Donegan."

Today everyone takes photos at concerts on their mobile phones but back in the 1960s things were very different. Brian recalls a Dusty Springfield TV show where he took a photo with flash and it affected Dusty's performance and they had to do a retake.... "The producer came out and said, 'Would the gentleman who took the photograph please come and have a word with us afterwards?'. I was petrified! I thought I was going to have my camera confiscated so I just put it under my coat and snuck out! Later I thought if I had taken my bollocking I may even have got my photograph, and this did influence me to 'ask first' next time." There are many more great stories to read.

These early sections of the book are accompanied by some great images including many of Brian with artists including Little Richard, Karl Denver, Chuck Berry and Carl Perkins. Brian ran the Official Carl Perkins Fan Club and this sits next to a newspaper ad for the club and his photos, a nice touch. However, my favourite photo is of Brian at a table playing cards with Cousin Pleasant, Otis Spann and Muddy Waters.

There are also many items of memorabilia including magazine covers (Hit Parade and R&B Scene), adverts for shows, newspaper cuttings and, of interest to me as a photographer, an advert for an Ilford Sportsman 35mm Camera... a bargain at £11-19-6!

We now come to the main part of the book and what a feast we are treated to. Within the following 150...plus pages there are more than 200 photos, mostly high quality considering the conditions under which the photos were taken and the camera technology of the time.

There are so many artists and wonderful photos to enjoy, too many to cover here so I will just pick out a few of my own personal favourites and leave you, the reader, to enjoy the rest.

In May 1964 Chuck Berry toured the UK and there are photos from shows at The Odeon, Bolton and City Hall, Sheffield. Along with images of Chuck on stage are some great backstage shots.

Blues musician and songwriter J. B. Lenoir's appearance at the fourth American Folk-Blues Festival at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester in 1965 is covered with some stunning photos while Little Richard's May 1964 Oasis Club appearance is covered with more great images. 

J. B. Lenoir, Chuck Berry & Little Richard

Backstage images of Jimmy Reed at the Twisted Wheel in November 1964 include one of him with guitar in hand and harmonica in mouth, one of many favourites in this book.

Blues legends Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Sonny Boy Williamson, Howling Wolf, Memphis Slim and T-Bone Walker are all featured as are many UK artists who were heavily-influenced by the artists mentioned above, including The Rolling Stones, Alex Harvey, The Spencer Davis Group, Long John Baldry and Rod Stewart.

Carl Perkins appearances on TV in 1964 are covered with some backstage shots and two years later he is shown with June Carter and Johnny Cash during Cash's first UK tour.

Big Joe Turner

While most of the photos are in good old black & white, which I personally feel works better for these photos, there are a few colour images including this great backstage image of Big Joe Turner, 'Boss of the Blues'.

The text that appears alongside each artist featured gives background to the photos, where and when they were taken, some of Brian's own memories and much more. There are also many pieces of memorabilia illustrated from the time... album sleeves, TV listings, tour ads, concert tickets and much more. All fascinating stuff.

Muddy Waters

The final few pages are devoted to Brian's own look back at his career along with more photos of 'Brian And The Stars', including Bo Diddley, Sonny Boy Williamson, Helen Shapiro, Johnny Cash, Duane Eddy and Gary US Bonds. A comprehensive index of the text and photographs brings this fantastic book to a close.  

This is my kind of book and I thoroughly enjoyed looking through the pages and it should be in the collection of any fan of American Rhythm & Blues Music. If I was giving out stars in my review it would receive five!

With thanks to Brian Smith for the amazing photos and Simon Robinson and Ann Warburton (EASYONTHEEYESBOOKS) for providing a review copy of the book.