Interview: 'Photographing Morrissey: Kevin Cummins on Capturing an Icon' - The MALESTROM

Photographing Morrissey: Kevin Cummins on Capturing an Icon.

All images: ©Kevin Cummins.

Introduction:

"Manchester born photographer Kevin Cummins is responsible for some of the most defining images of musicians at work and play ever captured. Immortalising groups and artists such as Joy Division, Manic Street Preachers, David Bowie, Courtney Love and The Smiths, with his pictures allowing fans a unique window to the world of their idols.

His fantastic new book Morrissey: Alone and Palely Loitering, chronicles a ten-year period first photographing The Smiths and after their split their enigmatic young frontman Morrissey, as he transitioned into a solo artist and all-round musical icon. The book features hundreds of previously unseen images, from the beautiful chaos of Moz’s live performances to deeply intimate portrait sessions. Throughout the book, Cummins gives fascinating takes on working and travelling with the Sage of Salford and insights into his photography.

We recently sat down with Kevin to talk about how he first got into photography, the formation of that long-standing working relationship with Morrissey and what is his favourite shot of the singer."


Links to:
http://themalestrom.com/photographing-morrissey-kevin-cummins-on-capturing-an-icon/

Probably deserving of its own thread as it's an interview with him rather than just book information.
Quite a long, interesting interview.
The book is certainly worth having.
It goes well with my boxed postcards.

Regards,
FWD.

As he frequents here: Kevin, another different set of boxed postcards would be great - thanks.
Kudos for all your efforts over the years.

---

Related item:

• Kevin Cummins: "Morrissey: Alone and Palely Loitering" hardback due September 2018 - Feb. 10, 2018

 

[AztecCamera]

Reckon for a dude that has lived in Moz Angeles most of his life, Uncle Steve has stayed away from botox, dying his hair, tummy tucks and whatever else big Hollywood stars like Air Steve do to themselves. Good on ya Air Steve mate inn n nn n n nn n n n it. To the hoop ya'll.

 

[manicboy]

Love his photos and love this era of Moz. So young and innocent! Can't we just go back to 1993 and stay there forever with Moz? I reckon that it was the "peak" of Moz's quiff too! And his style too. Love those jeans, frilly shirts and Doc's. What a charmer!

 

[celibate]

looks a Linder photo, from her book Morrissey Shot, wonder why Kevin waited so long, made great pics in Japan 1991 or 1992
Still love the last released photobook 'the Smiths' by Nalinee Darmrong [still have my Linder and Jo Slee book

 

[celibate]

Love his photos and love this era of Moz. So young and innocent! Can't we just go back to 1993 and stay there forever with Moz? I reckon that it was the "peak" of Moz's quiff too! And his style too. Love those jeans, frilly shirts and Doc's. What a charmer!

he get'solder, as I, I born 1965, and was 18 in 1983, when I heard The Smiths, followed Morrissey solo till today [also this exelent webside], but he get's older, the tours and studio has definately has done damage....

 

[marred]

I didn't read it as Johnny Ray having an opinion on the subject, but maybe just stating a fact that unpalatable views are tolerated more when you're young and good looking.

I didn't read it as Johnny Ray having an opinion on the subject, but maybe just stating a fact that unpalatable views are tolerated more when you're young and good looking.

Fair enough. It's not a concept I'm familiar with.

 

[firstodie]

Only Morrissey would think of lighting a fire to achieve a certain look on a shot. He was full of impish eccentricity. Or put a cat on his head or lay in the gutter looking up at the stars - to paraphrase Oscar Wilde. He revels in absurdity.

 

[Peppermint]

Only Morrissey would think of lighting a fire to achieve a certain look on a shot. He was full of impish eccentricity. Or put a cat on his head or lay in the gutter looking up at the stars - to paraphrase Oscar Wilde. He revels in absurdity.

Agreed. I think it's like Kevin astutely says in the interview, he had a very strong sense of the visual and how to get what he wanted, right from the beginning. Like all good narcissists, he understood that how you look is everything.

 

[Johnnie Ray]

I didn't read it as Johnny Ray having an opinion on the subject, but maybe just stating a fact that unpalatable views are tolerated more when you're young and good looking.

Yes. It is more of a commentary on us, rather than the man himself. Speaking for myself, Morrissey could do NO WRONG for a very long time.

 

[Johnnie Ray]

So Morrissey looking older because of, um... age is somehow an excuse for people's intolerance of his views? Huh? That thought would never have crossed my mind in a million years. That just doubles down on the dumbness.

Have I misread your quote or something. I don't get it.

If you're really being honest with yourself, Morrissey's music was never 100% of his appeal. It is the fact that he looked like a matinee idol combined with his mysterious, enigmatic image that allowed him to transcend his incredible music. It is why he was more than just a pop star.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

‘The only other person who I think is similar in the sense that his fans have the same sort of devotion to is Ian Curtis and the stuff that people leave for him on his grave. Outside of music you get that with certain icons like Sylvia Plath or in the States with James Dean, but there aren’t that many people that attract that sort of devotion, certainly not many who are still alive. Going on tour with Oasisthere’s a mass hysteria around stuff like that, but it’s nothing like the Morrissey thing, I think it’s unique in music really.’. - K Cummins.

 

[Surface]

‘The only other person who I think is similar in the sense that his fans have the same sort of devotion to is Ian Curtis and the stuff that people leave for him on his grave. Outside of music you get that with certain icons like Sylvia Plath or in the States with James Dean, but there aren’t that many people that attract that sort of devotion, certainly not many who are still alive. Going on tour with Oasisthere’s a mass hysteria around stuff like that, but it’s nothing like the Morrissey thing, I think it’s unique in music really.’. - K Cummins.

Ian's memorial stone gets loads of visitors, I assume it will be the same for Morrissey when he's gone albeit in LA rather than Macclesfield!

https://goo.gl/images/FUwhqo

 

[marred]

If you're really being honest with yourself, Morrissey's music was never 100% of his appeal. It is the fact that he looked like a matinee idol combined with his mysterious, enigmatic image that allowed him to transcend his incredible music. It is why he was more than just a pop star.

That all sounds well and good but it has nothing to do with the point you made about accepting a person's political views because of how young and handsome they are. All it does is double down on just how stupid and superficial people can be. If all it takes is looks then how valid is their indignation in the first place? Now if that was the point you were trying to make then we're getting somewhere.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Ian's memorial stone gets loads of visitors, I assume it will be the same for Morrissey when he's gone albeit in LA rather than Macclesfield!

https://goo.gl/images/FUwhqo

Why do you think LA,? being so close to his family and all.

No comment Aztec!

 

[Surface]

Why do you think LA,? being so close to his family and all.

No comment Aztec!

He said it was his preferred option in a NME interview in 2007

https://www.nme.com/news/music/morrissey-340-1337533

 

[nicky wire's legs]

i don't wanna think about my sweetie being buried anywhere!

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

He said it was his preferred option in a NME interview in 2007

https://www.nme.com/news/music/morrissey-340-1337533

“I like Hollywood Forever. I’ve sat there for a very long time and felt quite good about it.”

So be it.

Forgot about that, thanks.

This just reinforces my belief that what Morrissey says in regards to his interests
in what happens in British politics should be taken with a grain of salt.