Martin Booth

In 1977, London was having every photographer in the world around the Roxy Club, Kings Road and music venues snapping bands for music weeklies and foreign magazines reporting on the punk explosion. So thank god for photographers like Martin Booth, who captured just as vibrant a scene in Birmingham, mixing candid punk fan shots and bands onstage.

Martin Booth (that’s him below then and now!) 1977 in Birmingham, a magical explosion of creative energy takes place.  Me, a sheltered 20-year-old at the School of Photography, Birmingham Polytechnic.   Making Punk my own liberation journey, spending every night possible with my camera in Barbarellas or Rebeccas as the new bands came through.  

My favourite image (see top of page):  Backstage at Barbarellas, Patti Belle; a Priestess of Punk in a white blood-spattered shirt (her design).  Aloof, glamorous, unapproachable, drink in hand, talking to Mulligan later of Fashion (red leather jacket), just in frame.  A 6×6 TLR camera and colour film for a change that night.  A snatched image summing up for me the adventure and immediacy of the time.

Below right, punk fan at the infamous Barbarellas, and below left, Andy Wickett from TV Eye onstage at Rebecca’s by Martin Booth.

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