BRIAN SETZER PARTNERS WITH ICONIC LOS ANGELES PHOTOGRAPHER EDWARD COLVER TO RELEASE SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION, NUMBERED AND SIGNED PRINTS

 

Iconic guitarist, songwriter and vocalist BRIAN SETZER has announced a partnership with Edward Colver-the legendary Los Angeles photographer known as “The Eye of LA Punk”–for a special limited edition, numbered and signed printing of two photos which captured SETZER during his first Los Angeles performance with his acclaimed rockabilly trio, the Stray Cats.

The idea for the collaboration was sparked by Colver approaching SETZER with a couple of energetic black/white shots that he took of SETZER performing with the Stray Cats at their very first show in Los Angeles at The Roxy in 1980 (pictured above and below). Now these two exceptional photos will be printed on 11/14″ 100% cotton rag archival paper in pigment ink, and will be autographed by both SETZER and Colver in pencil; this marks the first time SETZER or Colver have done any type of collaboration like this. There will be 100 limited edition numbered copies of each photo (200 total) to be sold for $800 each and can be purchased HERE.

“I love this picture by Edward–Stray Cats 1980,” says SETZER about the vertical photo (above). “I’m holding the guitar like a rifle pointing at the audience. That’s how we felt at the time.  Take no prisoners!” Of the horizontal photo (below), SETZER recalls, “It looks like even during a hot sweaty gig, I took time to get the solo right!”

Photographer Edward Colver says: “For The Stray Cats’ first Los Angeles gig in 1980, I was there with my camera. I shot 29 frames of a 36 exposure roll of Kodak Tri-X black & white film. These two frames of Brian Setzer are from that night. One is quite well-known, the other relatively unseen.” He adds: “Their show was amazing, with talent, musicianship and charisma to burn.  Also evident that evening was a great understanding of American music.  I’m honored for this collaboration with a multiple Grammy-winning American music icon.”

SETZER recently released ROCKABILLY RIOT!: ALL ORIGINAL, a straight-ahead rockabilly album from start to finish with 12 new songs featuring Setzer’s trademark twang and fretboard fire, on Surfdog Records. Last October (2014), SETZER earned the distinct honor of being asked by the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C.to donate a replica guitar evocative of his original 1959 Gretsch 6120 “Stray Cat” guitar, joining an elite collection of musical instruments at the museum including John Coltrane’s saxophone, Dizzy Gillespie’s trumpet, Prince’s Yellow Cloud electric guitar and the Van Halen “Frank 2” guitar played and made famous by Eddie Van Halen.

Iconic guitarist, songwriter, vocalist and 3-time Grammy-award-winner, is a “Musician’s Musician” credited with continually taking chances with innovative and daring musical styles, while single-handedly resurrecting two forgotten genres of music (rockabilly in the ’80’s and swing in the ’90’s). Along the way, he has scored chart-topping hits, sold 13 million records and received the Orville H. Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award throughout his decorated career as founder/leader of the Stray Cats, his 18-piece Brian Setzer Orchestra, and as a solo artist. He is consistently cited as one of the world’s greatest living guitarists, and has a best-selling, extensive line of elite Gretsch signature model guitars bearing his name. Brian appeared in the 1987 film, La Bamba, portraying rockabilly pioneer Eddie Cochran. In 2002, Brian earned the privilege of being one of the few musicians to be animated in an episode of “The Simpsons,” alongside Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Tom Petty. That same year, Setzer was personally requested to induct Chet Atkins into the 17^th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2014, SETZER received the distinct honor of being asked by the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. to donate a replica of his original 1959 Gretsch 6120 “Stray Cat” guitar, joining an elite collection of musical instruments at the museum including Dizzy Gillespie’s trumpet and John Coltrane’s saxophone.

Edward has created 20^th Century Icons with his photos. Colver is best known for his early punk photos. The moments he captured on film will live on as icons not only because of the vision of the photos themselves, but because they eloquently document the birth of punk music, fashion, art and lifestyle in Los Angeles. Edward has defined punk photography and continues to leave his mark on music. He has been shooting photographs for over 35 years and never ran an ad, never solicited work, never published his phone number and uses funeral sympathy cards with his information stamped on them for “business cards.” For more information, visit: edwardcolver.com.

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