Previously undisclosed.

In the absence of any live music and in the spirit of reflection, I thought you might enjoy a sneaky peak into the Tracey Welch back catalogue. With any commissioned work, only a small fraction of the images make it into publication. These pictures were taken on two of my shoots for Q.

Sleaford Mods 31.10.14 Nottingham Rock city

Sleaford Mods were playing a gig in Nottingham when I met them and as soon as I arrived I thought – this is going to go well. Jason and Andrew were brilliant, and as an added bonus I grabbed a quick shot with John Bradbury, then drummer with the Specials and also lovely. There’s an added poignancy here as, very sadly, John died just a year later.

Sleaford Mods 31.10.14 Nottingham Rock city

Sleaford Mods 31.10.14 Nottingham Rock city

Sleaford Mods 31.10.14 Nottingham Rock city

I photographed Glass Animals back stage at the Albert Hall in Manchester. I arrived in the afternoon for a portrait shoot. After that we did sound check and some chill out time pictures, then I went back later for the gig. They were super easy to shoot, very chilled. I love this overhead shot of writer Dave Everley, chatting to the band.

Glass Animals 18th March 2017 Manchester

A year or two later, I went to shoot a job at Leeds Reading for Festival Republic. Glass Animals were on the neighbouring NME stage, so I popped back stage to say hello. Like the lovely boys they are, they greeted me really warmly – “Hey – how’re you doing?”.

I guess that’s what I’ve been missing the most these last few months, that sense of community you get in the world of live music. Hope everyone, from the bands to the road crews and the venues is hanging in there and before too long, we’ll be back in business, and back in the groove.

Glass Animals 18th March 2017 Manchester

Glass Animals 18th March 2017 Manchester