The endless hotels, the sleep warping time zones – it’s no wonder so many musicians end up getting into mischief while out on the road. While some of Stevie Nicks‘ Fleetwood Mac bandmates did fall foul of the money + boredom equation, Nicks found an escape in the form of photography. During recording sessions for her current album 24 Karat Gold – Songs From the Vault with Dave Stewart, Nicks lifted the lid on a shoebox of Polaroid memories which took the singer back to her time touring with the band, and reignited a long-held desire to share her photographic talent with a wider audience.
Nicks recalls how insomnia and isolation led her to begin experimenting with photography, and especially self-portraits (that’s the old name for selfies, kids), in which she was able to fulfil all the major roles – camera operator, lighting technician, make-up artist and wardrobe supervisor. Using a handheld trigger acquired on the road, she would shoot dozens of images each night, sending an assistant out to buy more film in any given city at all hours. With a Fleetwood Mac full reunion tour in the offing, Morrison Hotel Gallery is holding a selling exhibition of Nicks’ favourites, taken between 1975 and 1987, at its New York and Los Angeles venues. Peter Blachley, Morrison Hotel Gallery co-owner, says: “Stevie Nicks offers a deeply intimate and revealing side to herself in this exhibition. Her choice of set and colour combined with a fascinating creative imagination documents a very special time in the history of music.” The last word, though, should go to the artist herself. “For every love affair I had, there are pictures.”
* Visit the Morrison Hotel Gallery website for exhibition dates and information on purchasing prints – Stevie Nicks’ site also has details of a photobook/album bundle that is now available to order. The Morrison Hotel Gallery Nolita, New York will be showing the polaroids between 10-11 October, Morrison Hotel Gallery SoHo 13-31 October, and their Los Angeles outpost 12-21 October.
The Key
© Stevie Nicks/Morrison Hotel Gallery
Mabel
© Stevie Nicks/Morrison Hotel Gallery
Trouble
© Stevie Nicks/Morrison Hotel Gallery
24 Karat Gold
© Stevie Nicks/Morrison Hotel Gallery
Love
© Stevie Nicks/Morrison Hotel Gallery
