Pat Graham
May 23, 2007 by pat
Pat Graham is the photographer who best captured the live performances of America’s most loved & influential independent musicians during the 1990’s & early 00’s. His photos represent not just the bands but the scenes – the venues, audiences and instruments. He shows not only the public performances, but the behind-the-scenes - back stages, tour vans, hotel rooms, studios & record labels, bringing a very intimate perspective to his work.
Pat’s first book of music related photography ‘Silent Pictures’ is out now with Akashic books. ‘Silent Pictures’ features classic Modest Mouse, Ted Leo, Fugazi, The Shins, Born Against, Bikini Kill, and much more.
Order signed copies here
Book also available from Amazon
Graham began shooting in high school, in Milwaukee, WI, but soon relocated to Washington DC where he worked extensively in and around the local & national music industry for over 10 years.
Isaac Brock was one of Pat’s room-mates in his first house in DC. Isaac(aged 16) and Pat instantly connected through a love of music and photography. Isaac was a creative giant: either playing guitar or instigating photo projects for himself and Pat to work on.Isaac subsequently moved back to Issaqua and created a zine from the photos he and Pat had made in DC. Called Eggtooth it featured images of the photographic performances, with various costumes, sets, and locations and was accompanied by a story that Isaac had written.
Somewhere around that time Isaac also started the band Modest Mouse.In spring of 1997 Brock asked Pat to go on tour with Modest Mouse. Pat then toured with MM from 1997-2001 capturing 1000’s of photographs of life as a young band. Graham continued to work as a photographer- for other bands, labels, magazines - however Modest Mouse remained a steady project throughout the years.
In 2000 Pat moved his base to London, England. He co-founded contemporary Art Gallery, 96 Gillespie - dedicated to exhibiting American artists alongside their English counterparts in the UK.
Pat Graham’s photos have been published in magazines including Rolling Stone, Spin Magazine, Art Forum, NME, Dazed & Confused, VICE, Tokion, Swindle, Raygun, the Village Voice, the Washington Post, Washington City Paper, the Guardian, Punk Life, Punk Planet, Copper Press, Time Out,Guitar World, and the Chicago Reader; as well as books ‘Dance of Days’,‘Cinderella’s Big Score’, Fodor’s ‘Rock & Roll Travel Guide’, and the Dischord Illustrated Catalogue.