Joe Stevens

Joe Stevens (born July 25, 1938 in New York),[1] also known under the nickname "Captain Snaps",[2] is an American photographer who specializes in taking photographs of rock bands and musicians like David Bowie, the Sex Pistols, and The Clash.[3][4] Earlier in his life Stevens worked as a coffee house manager in New York City and began taking photographs of musicians with the encouragement of rock photographer Jim Marshall.[5]

Stevens did not have any formal training with photography and served for a time as a road manager for The Lovin' Spoonful. He realized he "had an eye" for photography.[1] Some of Stevens' photos have been considered iconic in nature.[6][7] One was of "Paul [McCartney] burying his head in the bosom of a distressed Linda" during the McCartneys' arrest for marijuana possession on Aug. 10, 1972 after a Wings concert in Gothenburg, Sweden.[8] Stevens was Wings' tour photographer.

In January 1978 Stevens photographed the Sex Pistols on their American tour. When the group disbanded suddenly in San Francisco, Stevens let lead singer Johnny Rotten (John Lydon) stay in his New York City apartment.[9] Musician Peter Gabriel later visited Stevens, who photographed Gabriel covered with soap suds in the bathtub.[10] In 2011, Stevens told an entertainment publication that he sees himself as a chronicler of history.[11]

Stevens lives near Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Stevens, Jenny. "Joe Stevens’ best photograph: David Bowie chats to a Paris station porter". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  2. ↑ Dahlen, Chris. "Picture This: Whatever Happened to Captain Snaps?". Pitchfork. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  3. ↑ Broussard, Rick. "Rock Music Photographer Joe Stevens". NH Magazine. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  4. ↑ Salewicz, Chris (2008). Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer. MacMillan. ISBN 9781466821620. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  5. ↑ Hislop, Christopher (20 January 2013). "Hot shots: Joe Stevens reflects on his time photographing David Bowie". Seacoast Online. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  6. ↑ Kanner, Matt. "Shooting the Pistols". The Sound. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  7. ↑ Hislop, Christopher. "London calling: Fans of the Clash, head to Sonny's Tavern, where the rockers hang out". Seacoast Online. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  8. ↑ Doyle, Tom (2013). Man on the Run: Paul McCartney in the 1970s. Ballantine. ISBN 978-0804179140. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  9. ↑ Lydon, John (2014). Anger Is an Energy: My Life Uncensored. Simon & Schuster, p. 177. ISBN 978-1471137198.
  10. ↑ "Pictures: A look at images, not just the rockers," Adam Coughlin, The Hippo, Nov. 3, 2011
  11. ↑ Coughlin, Hippo

External links