“Bruce Talamon captured the greatest musical artists this world has ever seen. Artists that would one day become the King of Pop or The Godfather of Soul. Singers and bands creating timeless Funk and R&B that would go on to inspire a new generation to create what we know now as hip hop. I think it must’ve been something else to experience all those acts live. I’m sure it was the competition that drove those artists to greatness. His photos feel like you could’ve, on any given night, witnessed Sly and The Family Stone, Parliament, or Chaka Khan tearing the roof off. Mic on, band tight and LIVE. The wild part is that Bruce was there for all of it and we get to see those beautiful moments because of him. Thank you Bruce.”-Bruno Mars
“Taking a photograph of a singer on stage is the easy part. The hard part is gaining the trust. I’ve always thought of my photographs as documents that went beyond screaming into a microphone. I recognize now that I used my Nikons and Leicas like movie cameras. During that period (1972-1982), my mind was trying desperately to catch up with my eyes. I wanted my pictures to move. I wanted people to see what it took, what the performer is forced to give. For me this was always more than just photography. I considered myself a visual caretaker of black folks’ history—our music...” Bruce Talamon.