Morrissey-solo
Archive

Ian Tilton, photographer (<I>Rank</I> gatefold) - website, short Q&A, prints available

posted by davidt on Friday February 22 2002, @10:00AM
Damian Morgan writes:

Ian Tilton website - Never-before-seen images of Kurt, Morrissey, Iggy Pop and many more...


Ian has photographed Morrissey in a studio situation (at Ian's home studio) and 'live' at the G-Mex in Manchester, along with consulting with Morrissey at M's flat when he lived in Altrincham, Cheshire, North West England. I asked Ian for some anecdotal stuff.... (Q&A follows):


Q. Tell me about the photo shoot for City Life Magazine (Manchester Cultural bi-weekly).
A. "It was funny actually, because we had to keep it a huge secret that Morrissey was coming 'round to the house, because, obviously, if people knew, he would get hassled on the street. My housemate Craig didn't even know, and he was a huge Smiths fan.

The doorbell rang, but it was 20 minutes before Morrissey was due, so I didn't answer the door, Craig did. He was absolutely speechless!

Anyway, we did the session, and Morrissey chose the picture that was to be the front cover for a special issue of City Life. He looked really impish on it, with a mischievous grin. There were other shots, much sexier, but Morrissey didn't want to use them. He has the transparencies still."

Q. What was it like consulting with Morrissey over the 'Rank' album cover?
A. "Myself and a journalist (John Naughton, now at Empire Magazine) went around to his flat in Altrincham. It was a beautiful flat, with huge pictures of James Dean everywhere. On a coffee table in the centre of the room was a stack of books about Dean, arranged in an odd way, I thought; in circles, like a three tiered wedding cake , with large books at the bottom and smaller ones at the top. The fact that Morrissey had arranged them this way struck me as very different. Anyway, we spent a short amount of time choosing the correct shot to use for 'Rank'. Morrissey asked my opinion, but the final choice was his. He placed great importance on aesthetics, and art, and had very definite ideas on the way things should look.

Another example of this was when John (Naughton) rather cheekily asked Morrissey if he would sign some posters he had brought along. Morrissey agreed without question. He opened a drawer to reveal an array of pastel pencils in subtle colours, and studied the posters for a while, carefully choosing which pencil to use to sign his name. His attention to detail was and is admirable."
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Ian Tilton, photographer (<I>Rank</I> gatefold) - website, short Q&A, prints available | Top | 28 comments | Search Discussion
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough:
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • This doesn't really have anything to do with this article but I wanted to know if anyone had the link for that guy's website who has those Morrissey conspiracies about aliens and Princess Di's death. Thank you.
    Dagenham Dave -- Friday February 22 2002, @10:48AM (#24980)
    (User #953 Info | http://randumbs.blogspot.com/)
  • I can't find them.
    Anonymous -- Friday February 22 2002, @10:52AM (#24982)

  • more more more (Score:1, Insightful)

    shabby website. if you have the pictures, put them up. larger thumbnails would be nice as well. i realize it is a marketing tool for ian to only have a couple up at a time but its just not that effective. i would be interested in buying a print to be certain, but nothing that exciting here.
    Anonymous -- Friday February 22 2002, @11:59AM (#24986)
  • I think the site is ace. Not shabby, you misery guts!! I'm looking forward to seeing the pics when they are uploaded, and I am gonna buy a print of the Rank gatefold.
    And I'd rather read about Ian Tilton than the fact that some no hope indie band has half-covered a Smiths song, badly.
    Good on yer Ian!!
    Anonymous -- Friday February 22 2002, @12:41PM (#24988)
  • The crowd picture from "Rank" is one of the greatest images ever in the history of pop music. Recently the photo from The Clash's "London Calling" cover was (rightly) chosen as the best pic in the history of rock or something like that, but the one from Tilton is of course much closer to my heart.
    The image is sharp and the composition really is stunning-- it vaguely reminds me of Leonardo's The Last Supper fresco.
    Congratulations Mr. Tilton. If I were there, that shirt would be mine, believe me.
    Anonymous -- Friday February 22 2002, @01:37PM (#24993)
    • Re:A masterpiece by suedehead (Score:1) Friday February 22 2002, @11:31PM
      • Re:A masterpiece by Anonymous (Score:0) Saturday February 23 2002, @01:15AM
      • Hi
        the Rank shot is definately NOT staged!! It was taken at the G-MEX centre in Manchester during 'The Festival Of The Tenth Summer', which included The Smiths along with New Order and other Manchester bands.
        I should explain, I am Ian's friend and I have set up his website (I am also a huge Moz fan as David T will testify!!).
        The never-before seen shot will be uploaded soon, when we have chosen the best ones to use, and they show Morrissey ripping his shirt off and tossing it into the crowd. Ian swung around as the audience got the shirt, and he got the shot. It was that simple.
        Damian -- Saturday February 23 2002, @08:55AM (#25014)
        (User #4459 Info | http://www.brave-music-agency.co.uk/)
        I'm not a social butterfly/just a moth/attracted to light
  • The "crowd picture from "Rank" is one of the greatest images ever in the history of pop music"? Please. Typically overblown melodramatic ignorance from a Smiths fan. It might be one of the "greatest images ever" if all you've seen are Smiths sleeves.

    The Smiths' pictures aren't even the most interesting on Ian Tilton's site, let alone in pop music. In fact, and I am a huge Smiths fan, the pictures are probably the most boring ones. The photos of Kurt, Slash, Iggy, Ian and Robert Smith are way more interesting, and the Guns 'N Roses picture by far the most sexy. Kurt's is the poignant and the most moving, really capturing the essence of Nirvana. Robert Smith's is an aesthetic treat, and Ian Brown's captures his personality wonderfully.

    The only acceptable picture of the Smiths would be the fans (the one that made it on the inner Rank sleeve) because it shows the rabidness of the fans, but Morrissey's pic is another homoerotic, boring gay in the closet, and has absolutely no personality whatsoever. No fault of the photographer, Morrissey just doesn't have the enigma, the looks or the personality to be a true rock icon.
    Anonymous -- Saturday February 23 2002, @12:17AM (#25008)
  • His house back then sounds like mine today! James Dean Pictures everywhere; My James Dean books neatly displayed (only in the order that I like them, you know, which books I think are the best). And, as far as pastels go...jeeez - I've got hundreds of those, but only because I'm an artist. No one ever asks for my autograph!
    hand in glove -- Saturday February 23 2002, @09:51AM (#25017)
    (User #827 Info)
    "Sometimes things fall apart so that better things can fall together" - Marilyn Monroe
    • Re:Wow... by Anonymous (Score:0) Saturday February 23 2002, @11:01AM
      • Re:Wow... by hand in glove (Score:1) Saturday February 23 2002, @06:54PM
  • Please upload soon, it's teasingly to post such a message then let us wait!!
    Anonymous -- Sunday February 24 2002, @01:02AM (#25034)

  • Rank Sleeve (Score:1, Insightful)

    I hope some of the people who visit this web site give the "Rank" photo some slack. As a photography major it's painfully hard to capture any sort of candid image using people as a subject matter. Never mind having one staged!! Considering, I think the "Rank" sleeve is pretty damn good!!!
    Anonymous -- Sunday February 24 2002, @05:34PM (#25055)
  • has anyone else noticed that ambitious-outsiders and morrissey-tour are both relaunching on friday? being a dyed in the wool conspirator theorist, i must say again that morrissey is behind the AO site and clearly has given some primo info to chris and also the gals over at MT. there is no question marks on the MT site. they say in plain english that there will be a new tour. they have run a great site and had essentially all access on the esteban tour. they would simply not put this info up without reason. get your typing fingers ready for friday cause the news is coming!
    Anonymous -- Monday February 25 2002, @11:00PM (#25105)

[ home | terms of service ]