Broadzilla are a band based in Detroit. I got a phone call from American Artist, a company in California, saying the band will be doing a small gig in Manchester, would I go along to capture them in action and if there is a chance – can I get some portraits of them too.
Oldham Street in Manchester is right in the heart of our music district. I asked the lead vocalist and guitarist, Rachel May, to step over me while I was lying on the pavement. I wanted her hair falling forward and to capture the intensity of her amazing eyes. This image was shot on film for Rachel’s promotional pictures publicizing the band. The BBC also used it to support their review of Broadzilla.
Karen McBride has a love affair with rock’n‘roll that started the first time she witnessed Elvis on TV as a child.
Following a degree in archaeology she developed an extensive collection of Aerial Photography covering the Archaeological landscape of the Shetland and Orkney Isles. Later Karen’s work turned towards her greatest love – music.
Karen prides herself on paying as much attention to unsigned bands as she does touring with Scissor Sisters, and shooting stadium bands like Robbie Williams and Oasis. Her clients include many big named artists, record labels and music venues. Her pictures can be regularly seen on the BBC Manchester website, In the City, Designer Magazine and The Tube.
Her work has found it’s way into Status Quo’s ‘RIFFS’ world tour book, countless other publications ranging from CD covers to posters and Giant Billboards in the US for The House of Blues, also T Mobile’s Tour Log book for the Robbie Williams Close Encounter Tour 2006, for which she was official Photographer. Most recently, her pictures of Scotty Moore, Elvis Presley’s Guitarist, Friend and first Manager can be found in the ‘International Musicians Museum’ in Nashville and in the Graceland Magazine ‘Elvis International’. Karen is also a regular in Professional Photographer magazine.
Karen has just finished a month long exhibition at the Greenroom in Manchester’s prestigious Creative district, and is writing her first book. She is also debuting as creative director in her first Music Video with Ben Glover and the Earls.
It was in 1990 that Karen began her music photography, documenting her brothers band the 22 Strings, and after building up an impressive portfolio and not one to rush things she went pro 9 years later.
Photographer since 1999, EPUK member since 2007.
See more work by Karen McBride
