Bob Gruen
Bob Gruen, born in New York in 1945, is one of the most respected and well-known photographers in rock and roll. He has captured the music scene for forty years in photographs that have gained worldwide recognition.He began photographing rock stars with Bob Dylan and served as John Lennon’s personal photographer during his time in New York City.
As chief photographer for Rock Scene Magazine in the 70s, Bob specialized in behind the scenes photo features. He toured extensive with major rock acts such as Led Zeppelin, The Who, David Bowie, Tina Turner, Elton John, Aerosmith, Kiss and Alice Cooper as well as with the emerging punk and new wave bands including the New York Dolls, Sex Pistols, Clash, Ramones, Patti Smith Group and Blondie. As an active freelancer for other magazines like Cream, Melody Maker and Rolling Stone among others.
Bob’s photographs have appeared on the covers and filled the pages of many of these seminal publications capturing the whole scene; on stage, offstage, on tour, at parties, at play, at home and relaxing.
His unassuming behind-the-lens figure embedded himself with rock bands so deeply that in some cases he was regarded as a virtual member.
Selected Work
Exhibitions by Bob Gruen
Documentary
Rock´n Roll Exposed
The Photography
of Bob Gruen
By Don Letts
From Led Zeppelin to The Rolling Stones, Elvis to Madonna, Bob Dylan to Bob Marley, John Lennon to Johnny Rotten, Bob Gruen has captured half a century of music through the eye of a lens. In this landmark documentary, Grammy award-winning filmmaker Don Letts reveals the stories behind some of the most famous rock 'n' roll photographs of all time. 'Rock 'N' Roll Exposed' features interviews with Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry, Yoko Ono, Alice Cooper, Billie Joe Armstrong and many more.
Play Full Video
The Vintage Photographs of Bob Gruen were presented
at Morris Museumin New Jersey - New York in June -2019
Books
The Vintage Archive
The Music Photo Gallery is pleased to announce its upcoming participation in Photo London 2019 - on of the most important inter- national photography event, a world-class photography fair and a catalyst for London’s dynamic photography community - which will take place from May-15th to May-19th at the Somerset House, London, UK.
From the capital’s major museums, to its auction houses, galleries large and small, right into the burgeoning creative communities in the East End and South London, Photo London harnesses the city’s outstanding creative talent and brings together the world’s leading photographers, curators, exhibitors, dealers and the public to celebrate photography, the medium of our time.
Among the leading selected galleries worldwide, The Music Photo Gallery will be featuring Rock Seen: Vintage Photographs by Bob Gruen at the booth F12 - Main section. This show presents a selection of Bob’s rarely seen vintage prints chronicling the music scene from the 1960s and 70s until the present. Starting with a rare image of Bob Dylan going electric at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965 to touring with Ike and Tina Turner in 1971 and then on to the early days at CBGB and Max’s Kansas City where he made classic images of Blondie, The Ramones, The New York Dolls, Suicide, DEVO, Television and Lou Reed, Bob has captured some of the most memorable photographs of rock and roll’s icons and iconoclasts.
Alongside to the photographs that capture the raw edge of rock, the show also includes touching photographs of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who Bob worked with closely as their personal photographer from 1972 until Lennon’s death. He captured not only their working life but many private moments as well. His iconic image of John Lennon wearing a New York City T-Shirt is part of the permanent collection of The National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Yoko Ono writes that “Bobs magical photos ... present a kaleidoscope of John’[s]...New York Period. It is beautiful, clear, and truthful. I know, I was there.”
As chief photographer for Rock Scene magazine and an active freelancer for magazines like Creem, Melody Maker and Rolling Stone, Bob’s photographs have appeared on the covers and filled the pages of many of these seminal publications; capturing the whole scene, on stage, offstage, on tour, at parties, at play, at home and relaxing. It’s all here, the look, the feel, the magic that’s Rock and Roll.
The selected works for the show ventures beyond the New York rock and punk scene with an extensive look at Bob’s photographs of seminal bands from the first wave of British punk. The show includes incredible images of the Sex Pistols and The Clash who brought an aggressive attitude and new rebellious image to the rock scene.
Bob’s image of Sid Vicious with Hot Dog is in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery London. Bob became friends with The Clash, toured with the band and even played a Cavalry Charge on bugle to open shows at Hammersmith Odeon and their shows at Bonds in Times Square. There are portraits and candid shots of Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Topper Headon and images of The Clash performing live. There are some of Bob’s classic images of The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin performing in stadiums filled with audiences who witnessed the attitude, passion and raw energy of artists like Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page who’s names are synonymous with rock and roll.
Bob Gruen´s Vintage Archive
Selected Press
His Photos Are Proof: He’s With the Band
Oct. 12, 2011
Beatlemania at Bob Gruen show
By PageSix.com Staff July 8, 2013
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Capturing Culture for future generations
Bob Gruen tocó la trompeta en The Clash
y retrató a la realeza del rock
Rock Seen: Vintage Photographs by Bob Gruen
8 pictures / 8 short Videos telling the making of
Lennon, Led zeppelin and The Sex Pistols in pictures
Rock & Roll Photographer Bob Gruen:
A Legend’s Encounters from John Lennon to Keith Richards,
Gruen’s lens captured heir spirit and charisma.
Photographer Bob Gruen shows photos, and tells stories,
from a lifetime in rock
Bob Gruen goes behind the lens
