Joe Stevens

Joe Stevens

Actor

Joe Stevens (born July 25, 1938 in New York City), known for a time in England by the nickname "Captain Snaps," is an American photographer who specialized in taking photographs of musicians and rock bands such as David Bowie, the Sex Pistols, and The Clash. Early in his career, Stevens worked as a coffee house manager in New York City and took publicity photos of musicians performing at the Playhouse Cafe. He was encouraged to pursue photography by rock photographer Jim Marshall. Stevens did not have any formal training in photography and served for a time as the road manager for The Lovin' Spoonful. He realized he "had an eye" for photography. Some of Stevens' photos have been considered iconic. One is of Paul McCartney ducking into the arms of his wife Linda during the couple's arrest for marijuana possession on Aug. 10, 1972 after a Wings concert in Gothenburg, Sweden. Stevens was Wings' official tour photographer. In January 1978 Stevens photographed the Sex Pistols on their only American tour. When the group broke up in San Francisco, Stevens helped lead singer Johnny Rotten (John Lydon) fly to New York City, where Rotten stayed in the photographer's New York apartment before returning to London. Musician Peter Gabriel also visited the apartment. Stevens photographed Gabriel covered with soap suds in his bathtub. In 2011, Stevens told an entertainment publication that he sees himself as a chronicler of history. In 2015, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth said that Stevens "was really the bridge between New York and London... He was really significant in the whole history that was developing in new music at that time." Stevens lives in Exeter, New Hampshire.
Joe Stevens (born July 25, 1938 in New York City), known for a time in England by the nickname "Captain Snaps," is an American photographer who specialized in taking photographs of musicians and rock bands such as David Bowie, the Sex Pistols, and The Clash. Early in his career, Stevens worked as a coffee house manager in New York City and took publicity photos of musicians performing at the Playhouse Cafe. He was encouraged to pursue photography by rock photographer Jim Marshall. Stevens did not have any formal training in photography and served for a time as the road manager for The Lovin' Spoonful. He realized he "had an eye" for photography. Some of Stevens' photos have been considered iconic. One is of Paul McCartney ducking into the arms of his wife Linda during the couple's arrest for marijuana possession on Aug. 10, 1972 after a Wings concert in Gothenburg, Sweden. Stevens was Wings' official tour photographer. In January 1978 Stevens photographed the Sex Pistols on their only American tour. When the group broke up in San Francisco, Stevens helped lead singer Johnny Rotten (John Lydon) fly to New York City, where Rotten stayed in the photographer's New York apartment before returning to London. Musician Peter Gabriel also visited the apartment. Stevens photographed Gabriel covered with soap suds in his bathtub. In 2011, Stevens told an entertainment publication that he sees himself as a chronicler of history. In 2015, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth said that Stevens "was really the bridge between New York and London... He was really significant in the whole history that was developing in new music at that time." Stevens lives in Exeter, New Hampshire.