POST-PUNK PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION

Mersey Paradise is a special collection of 30 post-punk photographs, curated by eminent British photographer, Kevin Cummins. It was originally exhibited at The Hard Day’s Night Gallery in Liverpool five years ago - this will be the first time the collection will be displayed outside this city.

Mersey Paradise documents the hugely influential careers of a selection of Liverpool’s finest bands spanning the past forty years, from Echo & the Bunnymen to Half Man Half Biscuit.

Having vividly captured the public and private profiles of the original members of The Crucial Three (Pete Wylie, Julian Cope and Ian McCulloch) Kevin went on to document the rise and rise of the key performers from the city’s post-punk era up until present day, which he presents in a series of thirty stunning hand-finished prints.

The exhibition features familiar and previously unseen images capturing the changing faces of Julian Cope and Ian McCulloch whilst also delivering the spectacle of a youthful Holly Johnson from Frankie Goes to Hollywood in his previous guise as bass player for Big in Japan and ever bizarre Pete Burns in his youthful outlandish form, to name but a few. Other intimate portraits of featured artists include Pete Wylie, OMD, Half Man Half Biscuit, Wah!, Margi Clarke and Jayne Casey.

“The Liverpool scene was really vibrant in the late 70s, early 80s. It learned a lot from the success of Manchester and fought back in an attempt to regain its place as Music Capital of Britain.The Liverpool bands always had a cool charm and confidence – which I think comes across in these images.” Kevin Cummins.

The exhibition in Manchester runs till 31st of October.

For more information and directions to the gallery visit www.manchesterphotographic.com

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