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MOJO's Greatest Pics: The Who, 2006
11:41 AM GMT 21/12/2007
"I was always a Who fan," says Ross Halfin. "I became a photographer to shoot the Who."
Halfin's relationship with the Twickenham Growlers, the 'Orrible 'Oo, is one that gets him places that other photographers cannot reach, like backstage at October '06's massive American shows. And his knowledge of their moods is the best weapon in his armoury.
"When a show's not going well, you can see it in Pete's eyes. "He'll *turn, then the 'Manic Pete' appears, and that's when he'll break a guitar - when he's angry."
Like most rock bands, The Who hate being photographed. Unlike most rock bands, The Who really, *really hate being photographed.
"They're miserable," says Halfin. "They'll whinge and moan and try to intimidate you. You have to remember that they stopped doing photographs pretty much once they got successful. It's not what they're in music to do.
"I remember watching Townshend having this set-to with a photographer. It was a Rolling Stone cover and Pete suggested doing it in front of a wall of amps - "The Who on tour". The photographer was going "What about my art?" And Townshend picked him up by the lapels and said, "Listen, I'm not interested in you or your 'art'. Fuck off.' So they blew off a Rolling Stone cover just because the photographer pissed them off!"
Halfin's latest Who shoot for MOJO saw the band climb atop Madison Square Garden, pose in front of a US flag and Pete Townshend revisit his poised-guitar-slash pose from the legendary Maximum R&B poster that advertised their 1965 Marquee Club residency. At other times, Halfin stalked the band backstage in New York and Boston, capturing intimate moments - including a topless Daltrey - and overexcited celebrities including Alec Baldwin ("I only shot him 'cos I fancied his girlfriend") and Paul Bettany.
"The trick," says Halfin of his right-place/right-time aesthetic, "is never to be intimidated. If a band intimidates you, *they're taking the pictures, not you."
Interview by: Danny Eccleston
To browse Ross's 2006 Who shots, click HERE.
To see more pictures by Ross, or read his scurrilous blog, visit www.rosshalfin.com
Posted by Ross_Bennett at 11:41 AM GMT 21/12/2007
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