Oasis photographer shares behind the scenes shots from the band’s Be Here Now cover shoot
It was the album that arguably introduced the curtain down on Brit Pop, that short-lived second the place jangly, aspirational indie music dominated airwaves throughout the UK.
But for these of us with elephant like reminiscences it’s can also be 25 lengthy years – or, considerably depressingly, 1 / 4 of a century – since Oasis launched their third album, Be Here Now.
On twenty first August 1997, lengthy earlier than the arrival of streaming providers and digital downloads, followers flocked to native document outlets for a replica of the album, already engaged by its distinctive cover artwork – an homage to the late, nice Keith Moon.
Here we go: Oasis star Liam Gallagher poses for a photograph in behind the scenes snaps taken from the set of their now infamous Be Here Now cover shoot at Stocks House in Tring, Hertfordshire
Inspired by a legendary story about the late Who drummer driving his Rolls Royce right into a swimming pool, photographer Michael Spencer Jones was employed to shoot the cover in the sprawling grounds of Stocks House in leafy Hertfordshire.
The point of interest would in fact be the automotive, an compulsory Rolls, submerged beneath the water of its out of doors pool – a logo of the band’s standing as one in every of the greatest band’s in the world.
But he could be unaware of the chaos that might guarantee as he ready for what ought to have been an easy day’s work at the 182-acre Georgian property on April sixteenth, 1997.
Sharing behind the scenes shots from what he readily describes as a ‘chaotic’ shoot, Spencer Jones admits a mix of phrase of mouth and extreme consuming turned it right into a nightmare.
Centre-piece: The point of interest of the shoot could be an compulsory Rolls Royce, submerged beneath the water of its out of doors pool – a logo of the band’s standing as one in every of the greatest band’s in the world
Graft: A crane and a submerged platform have been used to ease the luxurious automotive in the sprawling Georgian property’s pool
Left a bit: Members of the manufacturing group regarded on as the car was gently eased in direction of the pool forward of the shoot
‘Whether or not Keith Moon drove a Rolls Royce, a Lincoln Continental, a Chrysler Wimbledon or certainly another automotive for that matter right into a swimming pool and whether or not or not the pool had water in it at the time does not likely matter,’ Spencer Jones recalled.
‘The level is that no matter the situation, it was a lavish assertion of rock’n’roll extra, and was subsequently an amazing foundation for an album cover.’
But the shoot quickly went awry as information of the riotous band’s presence in the normally sleepy English village began to unfold, prompting rabid followers to congregate exterior Stocks House – the former dwelling of Victor Lowness, Executive Director for Playboy journal.
Spencer Jones recalled: ‘Word of Oasis “got out” and what ought to have been a closed and personal shoot turned a public one. As it turned darkish the chaos descended with an increasing number of folks getting on to the set together with resort friends, resort employees, folks from the native village, the press, firemen, policeman and many others.
Don’t thoughts me: Liam is pictured having fun with a beer between shots on the Hertfordshire set of photographer Michael Spencer Jones’ Be Here Now cover shoot
Safety first: Fencing surrounded the pool previous to the shoot, which Michael Spencer Jones admits rapidly descended into chaos
Banter: Liam and Noel let their hair down alongside the purple moped that might later be immortalised on the album’s cover
Let’s discuss:Liam chats on a brick-like cell phone whereas ready to be known as for an additional shot on the Hertfordshire set
Hard at work: A crane is seen lifting the white Rolls Royce earlier than depositing it in the out of doors pool of Stocks House
‘At one level I used to be discovering it troublesome to get close to the digicam; additionally by this time lots of people together with the band have been starting to really feel the results of the alcohol that they’d been consuming throughout the day.’
He added: ‘As this was all occurring an previous 78rpm document that Liam had introduced with him relationship from the 1930’s was taking part in on the previous gramophone seen to the proper of the shot.’
Originally the cover was going to be an evening time shot however by night time time the shoot had descended into chaos.
‘The cover to Be Here Now was initially going to be an evening time shot. So taking shots throughout the day was a again up plan. It was a really lengthy shoot. The daytime session went properly however come night time the whole lot simply descended into absolute chaos.
‘It’s nice to re-visit a few of the shots and particularly the night time time model which I’ve restored for the twenty fifth anniversary.’
Going, going, gone: The automotive slowly sinks beneath the floor the place it sat on a specifically put in platform
Cigarettes and alcohol: Liam enjoys a smoke on set. Spencer Jones admits the band quickly turned inebriated after consuming all day at the Georgian property
Nightmare: The shoot quickly went awry as information of the riotous band’s presence in the normally sleepy English village began to unfold, prompting rabid followers to congregate exterior Stocks House
Memories: ‘The daytime session went properly however come night time the whole lot simply descended into absolute chaos,’ Spencer Jones recalled
A deluxe version of Be Here Now was launched on nineteenth August to honour the album’s milestone twenty fifth anniversary, together with a silver-coloured double heavyweight LP, a double image disc and cassette.
The 12 monitor album, which incorporates the hit single D’You Know What I Mean?, acquired widespread acclaim following its authentic launch, promoting greater than one million copies that year and topping the charts in 15 completely different international locations.
The full set of behind the scenes portraits can be found through www.spellboundgalleries.com.
Previously: Originally the cover was going to be an evening time shot however by night time time the shoot had descended into chaos
There it’s: Be Here Now, which incorporates the hit single D’You Know What I Mean?, acquired widespread acclaim following its authentic launch, promoting greater than one million copies that year and topping the charts in 15 completely different international locations
