Drake's Radio, Ep. 4 by Kevin Davies
By Drake's
Jul 13, 2022
Portrait photographer Kevin Davies reflects on a long career of snapping musical icons, curating a playlist of songs by the artists he has photographed, in the order he photographed them.
"As with most people, music has been a big part of my life since my teenage years. Being a photographer, I've been lucky enough to meet and photograph a wide variety of artists: some heroes (Bowie), some upcoming artists (Soul II Soul), some enduring legends (Roy Orbison, who sadly passed away a few weeks after we met), and, of course, a few divas (Grace Jones, the ultimate diva, but so worth it!).
"In my career there's never really been a dull moment. I flew to New York for the day to shoot Public Enemy, who took me to the Williamsburg Bridge in their white transit van. I waited 12 hours for Shane McGowan, and three days for Frankie Knuckles (he wasn't in Chicago when I arrived). Lou Reed demanded complete silence. I photographed Patti Smith for two different clients on the same day (result!). Phoenix pretended to be tourists in Paris, their home city. Amy Winehouse set off the school fire alarm. Barry White was wearing a full length leather coat despite his hotel room being like a sauna (for his voice).
"So, my playlist is a collection of songs by artists who have not only shaped my musical tastes, but that I've been lucky enough to 'snap.' I've sequenced the songs in the order I met and photographed each person."
- Kevin Davies
