Jumping for joy ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

So many good things happened at the weekend (and I don't just mean in the FA cup!) that I'm surprised I can get my head through the door this morning ..

Out of the blue, I received a message on Facebook saying "I'm LOVING seeing your work, absolutely fantastic. So inspiring .." and then an email came in saying "I always enjoy your bloggy ramblings." (Here's the next one, Simon!) As if that wasn't enough, I was contacted by a Scottish chap who's started reading my first book 'Page 99, by Joe Bancroft', having been sent it by a friend who'd read it on the Gold Coast in Australia. From Brisbane to John o' Groats, no less ..

Speaking of long journeys, today's photograph is one of the Kodachrome slides I've scanned as I move towards making a new travel-photography book. Can't wait to announce its launch ..

 

 

Calm down ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 23rd and it's 85 degrees in the shade. At least it was, on Miami Beach, back in 1997. This shot came to light as I delved into more of my Kodachrome slides, with the aim of adding a travel photography title to my collection of photography books.

As I write, Storm Jocelyn is hurtling its way towards the UK, mere minutes (it would appear) since the country was battered by Storm Isha, the tenth named storm this season. It seems to me the UK is actually living under one constant storm, so might it just be simpler to name the calm periods in between instead? You know, the quieter moments between all the wind and rain? Calm Albert, anybody? Calm Betty, Calm Charles, Calm Dave? Just a thought. Back to my Kodachrome ..  

Muscling in ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I thought I'd muscle in on the fact that Gladiators is back on UK television tonight. The news had me diving into my archive for pictures of two of the 'originals', who I photographed for PR companies back in the 1990s ..

Wolf, at the top, was opening a ride at Staffordshire's Alton Towers Theme Park, and Rhino was promoting .. er, something to do with very strong cable ties! They're called Michael and Mark in 'real life' ..

It was on this day ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've never been good at football photography, so it's no surprise that I only have one stand-out memory of ever covering the 'beautiful game'. When I was eighteen years old, just three months into my first ever job as a press photographer, I was sent down to London's White Hart Lane to photograph Altrincham v Spurs in the third round of the FA Cup. The date was January 10th, 1979. Forty-five years ago today. It was cold and my camera gear was basic, but I managed to (very nearly) catch the goal that earnt Altrincham a one-all draw and a lucrative replay at their Moss Lane ground. After the match, I headed for the changing rooms and took this lovely shot of goal-scorer Jeff Johnson enjoying his 15 minutes of fame. I achieved a little fame myself when my photographs appeared in the Manchester Evening News the following day. My boss had 'borrowed' my photographs and sold them to our rival. I think he gave me twenty-five quid for my efforts ..  

Blow your own tuba ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There's this bloke in Switzerland - let's call him Adam, English bloke, been there for years. Anyway, he goes and orders all seven of the books in my photo series, doesn't he? Sort of a Christmas present to himself. So I sent him a message, asking what he thought, and he sent back this ..

"Just finished all your books. I can now pronounce you officially as the L.S.Lowry of Salford and environs of the 1970s and ‘80s. Really enjoyed them. (PS - I’m a great fan of Lowry)."

Which made me rather happy, and so I thought I'd share it with you, just to let you know what you're missing ..

 

 

Time to face the New Year ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 It's time to face the New Year and, if I have one resolution, it is to read more, as was the plan when we moved to France. I'd spend afternoons - I imagined - in the sun (or by the woodburner!) making my leisurely way through heaps and heaps of books, catching up on titles I'd not yet read and re-reading some of my favourites from the past. Fat chance! I never seem to get a chance. There's always something to do, even if it's something as pointless as writing a blog that gets seen by seven people ..  

In with the new ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On New Year's Eve, in days gone by, there'd only be one thing on my mind as I drove into work that morning. Was it a revue of the year just gone? Or my resolutions for the next? Hell no, I'd be wondering where I was going to be when the clock struck twelve. At home, alone? (Sod that!) In a Manchester nightclub, for which I'd have had to buy a ticket at some outrageous mark-up and spend a fortune on a taxi home (if I could find one)? Or at a house party in some far-flung corner of either Manchester or Warrington, almost impossible to reach as the night buses went onto limited service?..

Well, nine times out of ten it would have been the house-party. The journalists I worked with were always good at throwing a bash, and so a night in a crowded pub and a race back in time to bring in the New Year was my general mode of celebration. They must have been good nights, because I can't remember any of them. All I know is that I'd get home about ten the next morning and, in what became a tradition, throw U2's 'New Year's Day' on my turntable as the first record of the year. Forty years on, I think I'll just play the record! I hope you have a great night, and I'll catch you in the new year ..

Stars on 45 ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't pay much attention to the pop charts anymore. Haven't for years, not with all the bloody rubbish they call music these days (© My Dad 1977). But when I was a lad I followed like a hawk the competition to be the Christmas Number One. Remember those days? When everyone from Cliff Richard to The Damned squeezed out a Christmas single. I for one bought many of their offerings, right from Slade's 'Merry Christmas Everybody' in 1973 (And I'll confess to owning Steeleye Span's 'Gaudete' and Elton John's 'Cold as Christmas in the middle of July'). But, with a week to go until the Big Day, it's time to pull out my four real favourites, the singles I put on the turntable every year. And Number One this Christmas? Kate Bush's 'December will be magic again'. It's magic! Click here to hear it. It's beautiful. You're welcome ..

Well, that's nice ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was ego-boost on toast for breakfast this morning, as another review came in for my book 'Page 99, by Joe Bancroft'. An unsolicited testimonial as they say and, seeing as this blog is all about me, darlings, I'm going to print it in full ..

"Thank you Martin O'Neill, for the laughter, tears and moments of nostalgia from my era. Music and cars! What an enjoyable read. Really recommend Page 99."

So now, all you have to do is order a copy too! Click here and let me know what you think ..

 

Buy, buy, buy ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In keeping with the true spirit of Christmas - ie: blatant and unabashed commercialism - my picture today is a graph from my Amazon account, showing my book sales for the month of December. I'm so delighted the month's off to such a great start. There's obviously a lot of Christmas shopping going on out there. My only question is this .. where is 'other'? If you're from 'other' can you please let me know ..

Ps: You want the links to the books? Certainly! My photo-books are here, and my illustrated children's books are here and here. 'Page 99, by Joe Bancroft' is here, 'Snaps' is here and 'Tofalofalos' is here. 

And that's the end of the commercial break ..

Goodbye, Denny ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Denny Laine must be the most famous man I'd never heard of. I think I owned a Wings LP but was certainly never into the Moody Blues, so when I was commissioned to take some portraits of him I had to ask around to find out who he was. He died today, and I immediately thought back to that 90's photo-shoot ..

Ok! Magazine asked me meet him at some swanky pad up in Lancashire. This was back in the days of colour transparency film, shot on a Mamiya RZ67, and it was just me, him and a guitar. We had fun, as you can see, and I got a lovely spread in the magazine a few weeks later. Rest in peace, Denny, and thank you for some lovely photographs. But Mull of Kintyre? I can't forgive you for that one. Sorry ..

Goodbye, Elliott ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I was fifteen years old, I borrowed a book from our school library .. and never gave it back! The book was 'Photographs and Anti-photographs', by a photographer called Elliott Erwitt, and he became the first major influence in my blossoming life as a photographer. The humour in his work was something I'd never considered before, and I've loved his work from that day to this. I couldn't believe it when, in 2006, I actually got to meet him in the flesh. He was giving a talk in Bradford, at what used to be known as the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television, and I should have actually still been in Seattle on the day, but cut short my trip to fly back and listen to it. Imagine my delight when, arriving at the museum, Elliott pulled up in a taxi at almost the same moment and shook my hand. "Where do I go?" he asked, thinking I was a member of staff waiting to greet him. "Ah no," I stuttered, "I'm just a fan. In fact, could you sign this, please?" I handed him my copy of his book and he broke into a smile as he took it. "Oh my," he said. "I haven't seen this for a while." He signed a page, posed for our 'selfie' and went off to give his talk ..

Today, he died, after ninety-five years on the planet. A 'good innings', as they say, and I like to think he called it a day with that wry smile still upon his face. So goodbye, Elliott, and thank you. It's true to say you steered the whole direction of my photography ..

I just hope my school doesn't want the book back ..

Any preference ..?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've been to a couple of good photography exhibitions lately, and have it on good authority that the photographer involved in one of them shot over 20,000 rolls of film! Like OMG, it's no wonder he ended up with enough shots to fill a gallery ..

I very rarely shot more than one image of any of my shots. They really were 'one-offs' in the best sense of the word. But, looking back through my negatives, I see that, now and again, I did shoot more than one image at a scene. Today's photographs are an example. Doddington Lane, in Salford, circa 1978. Two versions, and I can't decide which I like better. Any preference ..?

Ho ho ho ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas comes but once a year, and when it does it seems to arrive earlier and earlier every time. Our supermarkets have been full of chocolate, toys and whiskey since about the third of September and, as today's photo shows, I'm starting to see decorated houses when I'm out and about on my bike. Now, an internet radio station that I tune in to has started to play only Christmas songs .. 

So, since you ask, I'll tell you what I want for Christmas. I want people to buy my books and for a major gallery to stage a massive retrospective of my work. Thank God then, that I've got Bill Jay to put things into perspective. (Bill was a renowned writer on photography and his books are always worth getting stuck into if you've any interest in the subject). He said "Photographers have enough to worry about, like calculating the odds (about the same as being struck by lightning whilst accepting the cheque from a major lottery win) of ever receiving a major museum exhibition, or any other national recognition for their work."

So it looks like socks and a woolly scarf again this year ..

 

For the record ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm showing you a photograph of my 1978 'music-centre' as a way of illustrating today's story. One of my fave ways of playing records has always been via 'Lucky Dip', whereupon I close my eyes and pull a random LP from my collection. I then have to play it, even if only for a minute or two, as it's a great way to rediscover long-lost music. The record chosen yesterday was 'Spring Session M' by LA band Missing Persons, which came out in 1982 and features the delightfully named Dale Bozzio as lead singer. (Zappa fans may recognise the name, as she sang on his 'Joe's Garage' records in 1979). Anyway, I enjoyed the music so much I went online to see if they'd done anything else. Reader, their first release in 35 years came out .. yesterday!

And now I'm off to buy a lottery ticket ..

 

Wednesday 14th March 1979

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've found an old diary. I am 18 years old and just five months into my new life as a press photographer. The date is Wednesday 14th March 1979 ..

We can see that I had a driving lesson at 2pm and worked from 9.30 to 5.30. (As an aside, I wrote recently about the flexibility of press photography and look at this .. I had to keep a record of my own working hours! I see I worked 54 hours that week and claimed expenses for three dinners and two teas!) I recorded the fact that I bought a new note-book (I could claim for them on expenses, too) and reminded myself to ask Gill about the band Squeeze (I presume we went to see them!) I also made a note to phone Chris Sievey and Steve Murray. Chris was lead singer of The Freshies, who I'd photographed at Bowdon Vale Youth Club on February 28th. I remember we arranged a photo-shoot and spent a fun few hours mucking about around Sale. (Chris went on to become Frank Sidebottom). Steve Murray was lead singer with The Fast Cars, who played the same venue on March 7th, and he and the band are still going strong to this day ..

There's another entry, too. Joy Division at St. Luke's. I've no idea why I wrote St. Luke's instead of Bowdon Vale - perhaps there was a church youth group associated with the club - but I certainly know what happened after that .. 

And we're off ..

 

 

 

 

Lovely to have pictures on walls again, even if it is only in our local library. My exhibition 'Martin de Manchester' opened on Friday night and will last for three months. Rather amusingly, it was visited yesterday by a journalist for one of the daily newspapers around here. He had a quick gander at the work, photographed a little introduction I'd written up then took four shots of me. A quick scribble in the visitors' book and he was gone. No questions, no chat, nothing! I can't wait to see the article ..

Of course, a lot of you won't be able to get to see the show, but don't worry! You can always get hold of any of the six books I've now self-published on Amazon. A tenner each, and full of wonderful pictures from the late 70s and early 80s. Order here or start dropping hints for Christmas ..

Here comes the sun!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There's only one antidote to all the rain this autumn. Sunshine! Sunshine and a funky post-punk energy-burst from those cheeky throb-merchants Department S. (You remember Department S don't you? Is Vic there? their unique machine-gun twanger from 1981?) Well they're back, and so are glowing sunlit skies and the fireball of heat and happiness that already seems a distant memory now we're in November. Four of my photographs have been used as the covers of the new Department S singles - yes, actual vinyl! - being launched soon by my good friend Phil Thompson (Lead guitarist, lead vocals, song-writer and self-styled "hardest working man in post-punk", who can also be found playing in The Rezillos - Top of the Pops - and The Vapors - Turning Japanese .. )

Anyway, the records - and much more - are available here .. 

Bet that's warmed you up ..

 

One in, one out ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I took down some photographs of mine that have been on display in our library all summer. And then I put up some more that'll be there until the end of January. I have to say, it made me feel very special. I've never replaced one exhibition with another before! And even though we're only talking about our little local bibliothèque, I think it's wonderful that they've invited me to have another show ..

The summer offering was 'Florescence', a collection of my flower photographs. Bright colours filled the walls for months. By contrast, my next showing 'Martin de Manchester' is a collection of my black and white street photography from the late 70s and early 80s. There's an opening event tomorrow evening and then it's open to the public from Saturday. I hope you can get down to see it ..

 

As it happens ..

 

 

 

 

 

I know we all think we have 'the best job in the world', but I think you're pretty damned close to it with press photography. The variety and opportunity, the complete lack of routine, the travel, the celebrities. I knew I had it made when, on my first day as a professional snapper, I had to photograph the captain of Manchester United. The captain! Oh yes, it doesn't get better than that ..

And the point being? Well, there is no point, actually. I just needed a bit of pre-amble to allow me to show you today's photographs. A lot of you may have seen the new TV programme 'The Reckoning', featuring comedian Steve Coogan as Jimmy Savile. In my role as a press photographer I got to photograph them both (regardless of what happened later!)

Told you it was a good job. Just saying ..