Iconic images of David Bowie, Elton John and more to go on show in new music photography exhibition at Portsmouth Music Experience

Icons of Rock: Portrait and Performance features the work of renowned music photographer Barrie Wentzell and will be in the guildhall’s Portsmouth Music Experience from January 30 to June 30. The exhibition will bring together 14 of Barrie’s photographs from the ’60s and ’70s for the first time, offering a rare opportunity for music and photography fans to see some of Barrie’s works in person.

The exhibition has been arranged by a lifetime fan and follower of Barrie’s work, Nigel Grundy, curator of the PME, who was also a music photographer during the 1960s.

Barrie spent one of music’s most important decades as chief photographer for British music weekly, Melody Maker. From 1965 until 1975 he photographed many musicians who would become legends and household names, including Louis Armstrong, Aretha Franklin, Count Basie, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, as well as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and many more.

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In 1975 Barrie gave up music photography and moved to the Isle of Wight, eventually settling in Canada. Barrie said: ‘Before I moved to Toronto I spent seven years living on the Isle of Wight, so this area of the country holds special memories for me. When Nigel approached me about exhibiting at the Portsmouth Music Experience, it felt like the right time to display some of the most widely recognised images from my time at Melody Maker on their home turf. I hope that people enjoy seeing them as much as I enjoyed taking them.’

Nigel added: ‘It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with Barrie on creating this exhibition and we’re both very excited to see these images go on display. Before Barrie joined Melody Maker, music papers used stock photography supplied by record labels, meaning they tended to carry the same photographs. Barrie undoubtedly changed the face of music photography, and his congenial personality gave him unrestricted access to artists and bands, allowing him to capture some of music’s most famous images.’

A souvenir programme will be available to buy. The PME is open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm.