Iain McKell: Photographing Subculture – Vivienne Westwood, Boy George; Billy Idol and New Romantics
Iain McKell(Vivienne Westwood, Boy George, Billy Idol)
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Photographer Iain McKell joins Steve Blame to discuss the New Romantics—and the intimate portraits he made of a scene whose characters would help shape 1980s music, fashion and culture.
Discussing his book The New Romantics, Iain recalls discovering London’s emerging club scene and deciding to become a full-time photographer. Inspired by Irving Penn, he invited its striking personalities into a portrait setting, creating a different encounter from photographing them on the dance floor.
He shares memories of Vivienne Westwood, Billy Idol and Perri Lister, Martin Kemp, Chris Sullivan and Boy George, alongside photographs that remained in his archive for decades.
The conversation also explores his childhood in Weymouth, his fascination with youth tribes, the influence of Diane Arbus, and why a portrait reveals something about the photographer as well as the person in front of the lens.
00:00 Introducing Iain McKell and The New Romantics
00:55 Beginning the conversation
01:19 Childhood in Cyprus and Weymouth
03:39 Early fascination with subcultures and art
06:25 Boarding school, skinheads and identity
08:34 Independence and youth tribes
10:24 Discovering photography at art college
13:02 Learning to look, frame and compose
14:15 Diane Arbus and finding a photographic voice
16:57 Belonging, seaside photography and moving to London
20:22 Discovering a Bowie night and a new scene
21:17 Deciding to photograph the emerging movement
23:14 Taking the portraits beyond the nightclub
24:25 Choosing subjects before they became icons
25:12 Photographing Vivienne Westwood
28:43 Rediscovering the portrait used on the book’s cover
31:28 Billy Idol, Perri Lister and an intimate sitting
33:49 Martin Kemp and the New Romantic label
35:50 John “Mole” Baker
36:42 Haysi Fantayzee and photographing a warehouse party at dawn
38:33 Stephen Linard and the scene’s fashion
39:53 Chris Sullivan and choosing the book cover
42:38 Boy George, Vogue and Sue Clowes
44:28 The book and where to find it
45:40 Closing reflections
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