We are Sailing…
…well pushing the boat out anyway!
To celebrate the recent and very successful launch of SMILER retro, Andy Darcy and Yve Paige have decided to not only include the usual fantastic bang up to date photographs of Rod, but many rare or unseen retro photographs in our 2013 SMILER calendar as well.
This year SMILER is extremely proud to have on board some amazing photographers and special guests.
We have pictures from the personal collection of producer Bill Martin, who is one of the UK’s most acclaimed songwriters. He has been awarded 3 Ivor Novellos, including one as Songwriter of the Year. He was the first British Songwriter to write a Eurovision Song Contest winner for the UK with āPuppet On A Stringā and is one of the few British Songwriters to have Number 1’s in many countries in the world – Europe, Russia, India, Japan, Australia, USA and Canada.
Bill also produced the album āScotland, Scotlandā that included Rod’s duet with his hero Denis Law.
Other photographers who have let use their work include:
Philip Morris the inimitable Australian rock photographer who today boasts one of the most extensive photo archive library of Australian rock music. His career soared in the 70’s when he was a contributor to all the major music magazines in Australia, including āRAMā and āJuke.ā During this time he shot almost every international band touring the country including the Faces, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Paul McCartney among the list.
Chris Foster, who moved to New Yorkās Long Island from London, where he has been a professional photographer all his working life. His early career was spent aiming his camera at up-and-coming rock stars in the late 1960’s, some of whom are now mega-stars and still performing: Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis and Bo Didley. He documented the fledgling careers of Rod, David Bowie, Elton John and Tina Turner in their UK concerts with enduring images. One photo of Elton John appears on the sleeve of the single Saturday Nightās Alright (For Fighting) and the Yellow Brick Road album. Another, of a young Rod, was chosen for the cover of the Gold CD, released in 2005.
Theresa K who is best known for her vintage punk rock photo website, punkturns30.blogspot.co.uk and some legendary record covers.
Theresa is an active, working photographer who continues to create record covers and fill editorial pages and exhibition halls. Theresa documents life in a gritty documentary style. While rock n roll still remains a favourite subject.
Allan Warren who is an English society-photographer, writer and former actor. His work encompasses works of many celebrities during the late 1960s, 70s and into the 80s, such as members of the British Royal Family, influential politicians and artists in both music and literature as well as some of the most important people in Hollywood at their time. His first major assignment was when his friend Mickey Deans asked him to cover his wedding to Judy Garland, which marked the beginning of Warren’s work as a professional photographer. Allan also took the brilliant shot of Rod that is featured on our calendar cover.
We also have pictures from Aberdeen in Scotland, when Rod opened Bruceās Record store in 1974 and when he turned up as a surprise guest at Dam Park Stadium, Ayr Scotland, in a “Goaldiggers” Old Scotland vs Old England Charity match in the same year, plus a couple more surprises and as we couldnāt fit all this in our usual A4 size, we have doubled in size to A3!!
Printed on 200gsm silk art board with a 300gsm laminated cover the calendar is stunning. You will not want to miss this yearās calendar, stocks are strictly limited so hurry and get your orders in
And if you entered our Rod themed T-shirt competition there is a good chance you will have been included in Yveās special free fans poster page that we have also gloss laminated as we are sure anyone who is on it will want to keep it!
One of our SMILER photographers Jim Pietryga also has one of his Vegas photographs featured on our cover.
The calendar will be will be exclusively revealed and available to buy at the SMILER party in Milton Keynes, October 13th 2012, along with the brand new SMILER retro pin badge.
Both items will be available to buy in the merchandise section on the SMILER website after the party weekend.
