Sonic Editions

For decades, Andy Willsher has been at the forefront of music photography, documenting some of the most legendary figures in the industry. His ability to capture raw energy, fleeting moments, and the true essence of an artist has made his work instantly recognisable. From intimate portraits to electrifying live performances, Willsher has photographed everyone from Thom Yorke to Morrissey, leaving an indelible mark on music photography.

src="https://www.soniceditions.com/library/pete-doherty-AEEX-976x1220.jpg" alt="" width="976" height="1220" /> SE: You have photographed legendary musicians, capturing them in intimate and authentic moments. Can you share what initially drew you to become a photographer?

AW: I initially was drawn into photography whilst at school when my late grandad gave me a book about Safari’s. At school on a Wednesday afternoon they had a photography class that involved black and white developing and printing and i was kind of hooked from that point. I also had a couple of friends at school and we each bought a copy of the weekly music magazines, i bought the NME and they bought Melody Maker and Sounds and i used to study all the photos in there and became obsessed with Anton Corbijn and Pennie Smith’s work.

SE: Your black and white portraits are incredibly evocative, what draws you to this style of photography?

AW: It’s probably down to Anton and Pennie’s work to be honest and looking at their images constantly whilst reading the music magazines at school. I always think of black and white images as being iconic and timeless so i’ve always been drawn to black and white more than colour.

SE: You've photographed some of the most iconic figures in music and culture. Can you share a standout moment or story from one of these shoots? AW: I’ve definitely been lucky to have photographed some of the most iconic figures in music and maybe even in the world. One story that particularly stands out is photographing Razorlight with Nelson Mandela at a festival in Norway. I was with the band at the Isle of Wight festival the previous day and we missed out flight to Norway and also missed the big group photo with all the other bands and Nelson. Thankfully we got there and also managed to persuade Nelson to pose with the band which turned out to be very humbling. SE: When you’re shooting, do you prefer to plan every detail, or do you enjoy letting spontaneous moments shape the final result?

AW: I’ve always been more drawn to the documentary side of photography and trying to capture moments that i don’t know are going to happen rather than setting up shots.

SE: Out of all your images on Sonic Editions, which one is your favourite and why?

I’d say the photo of Thom Yorke holding the ice cream which was shots at Milton Keynes Bowl when the band supported REM. Bizarrely the band were struggling to get a lot of press attention. They needed some new press shots and i suggested to Thom to go for a wander in the field in the afternoon in amongst a massive crowd on a very hot day and pose with an ice cream and he was totally up for smearing it over his face.

SE: What inspires you when selecting your subjects or approaching a new project? Do you have a particular creative process you follow?

AW: To be honest it’s down to who I get approached by to take photos of and what fits in with their campaign rather than me selecting on who i’m going to work with.

SE: Do you have a favourite camera to shoot with? AW: At the moment i’m solely shooting with SONY cameras for stills and for video, a long time ago I used to shoot with Mamiya and Bronica medium format cameras and i always feel like it would be good to re-visit those days for a shoot.

S: If you could photograph anyone from the past or present who you haven’t yet worked with, who would it be, and why?

AW: I was fortunate enough to shoot David Bowie at Glastonbury in 2000 and also saw him a couple of other times at Milton Keynes Bowl and also Cambridge Corn Exchange for Tin Machine and he was a massive influence on me whilst growing up, he was always someone i wanted to photograph in person and never got the chance.

Check out Andy Willsher's gallery here.