THE LOST ROCK & ROLL NEGATIVES
OF MICHAEL FRIEDMAN
THE LOST ROCK & ROLL NEGATIVES
CLICK ON IMAGES FOR PURCHASE
All fine art featured on display at The Music Room's on-site galleria, or online, is available for purchase unless otherwise noted.
THE HISTORY
Lost in storage, the negatives for these incredible photos of legendary musicians were recently discovered in Michael Friedman’s attic.
Friedman was an avid photographer when he worked in the music business in the 60’s and 70’s as a manager and producer. He had the opportunity to befriend, work with, and photograph, iconic musical artists including Janis Joplin, The Band, Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge, Todd Rundgren, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, James Cotton & the Rolling Stones.
The collection, including new never seen before images, is now on exhibit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for 4-6 months. The entire collection will be also be archived as "The Michael Friedman Collection".
A collection of 60 photographs were exhibited in the spring and summer of 2018 at the California Heritage Museum in Santa Monica, California.
ABOUT MICHAEL FRIEDMAN
Friedman's career in the music industry began in 1967 at the New York City-based PR agency Ivor Associates when he was 24 years old. At the time, Ivor's clients included The Mamas and the Pappas, Herman’s Hermits, Glen Campbell, and The Bee Gees, among others. While at Ivor, Friedman transitioned to management and music production when he and partner John Kurland signed an unknown band from Philadelphia called Nazz, whose leader was Todd Rundgren.
In 1968, Friedman went to work with the legendary music business manager Albert Grossman, best known for managing Bob Dylan. Friedman helped run Grossman’s management firm (ABGM) in NY and brought Todd Rundgren along with him. Among the other notable artists Friedman worked with at ABGM were Bob Dylan, The Band, Janis Joplin, Paul Butterfield, Odetta, Ian and Sylvia, Ritchie Havens, Peter Paul and Mary, James Cotton, Todd Rundgren, Professor Longhair, Tom Rush, and Gordon Lightfoot. At the time, Albert Grossman Management was considered the premier music management company in the US.
By 1970, Friedman had moved to Woodstock, NY, to work on the early stages of Grossman’s Bearsville Records and Bearsville Studios. He subsequently joined Bert Block in Connecticut, managing Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge.
1980, Friedman joined Arista Records to work with Clive Davis as his executive assistant. He and Davis worked closely on various projects, including heading up the formation of Arista's music video department. Friedman's first two projects under the newly established division included "Dionne Warwick: Live in Las Vegas,” and the 1980 production of “The Kinks: One for the Road," filmed at the Providence Civic Center,