American vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, Knebworth, England, 1982.

Ray, Knebworth, England, 1982.

American jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd, Knebworth, England, 1982.

American jazz tenor saxophonist Illinois Jacquet, Knebworth, England, 1981.

American jazz/fusion guitarist Al di Meola, Los Angeles, 1993.

Percy Heath of the Modern Jazz Quartet, Knebworth, England, 1982.

English jazz trumpet player Humphrey Lyttleton, Royal Albert Hall, London, 1981.

American jazz singer Sarah Vaughan, Knebworth, England, 1981.

English sax player Barbara Thompson, Royal Albert Hall, London, 1982. This is the lady who, with her husband Jon Hiseman, wrote and performed the theme tune to the TV series "A touch of Frost".

C'est Barbara qui, avec son mari Jon Hiseman, est l'auteur et l'interprète de la musique de la série télévisée "L'inspecteur Frost".

English jazz saxophonist Art Themen, Royal Albert Hall, London, 1983.

Ella Fitzgerald, Knebworth, England, 1981.

American jazz/swing clarinetist Benny Goodman, Knebworth, England, 1982.

American jazz baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, Knebworth, England, 1982.

Gerry Mulligan backstage, Knebworth, England, 1982.

American pianist Dave Brubeck backstage at the Knebworth Jazz Festival, England, 1982.

American jazz pianist Kirk Lightsey, Knebworth, England, 1982. I love the "feel" of this picture.

Irish blues guitarist Rory Gallagher, Rainbow, London, 1980.

American blues guitarist BB King in his dressing room after a gig at the Royal Festival Hall, London, 1984. My favorite bluesman!

English legendary blues-rock guitarist Peter Green during his first concert after many years in retirement. Guildford, England, 1998.

Another blues legend - Muddy Waters, just nine months before his death. Knebworth, England, 1982.

This and the next 9 pictures were all taken with my small Brownie Starlet... Here, I shot the Jimi Hendrix Experience on the balcony of a cinema in the Paris suburb of Issy-les-Moulineaux, where they were recording a TV programme with other British bands. I actually asked them to come out in the daylight and I took just one picture! 11 May 1967.

Jimi Hendrix in his dressing room at the Paris Olympia, 9 October 1967. This was my second meeting with the man but the third time I saw him on stage - the first was in a small club in Colombes, 15 minutes' walk from my home, in March 1967.

Jimi on stage at Olympia, Paris, 9 October 1967.

On 29 January 1968, Jimi posed for me in the artists' bar of the Paris Olympia after another concert. He was a true gentleman, very kind and not at all big-headed. Earlier, before going on stage, he had politely looked at the pictures I'd taken of him three months earlier, even though I was a nobody with a cheap camera...

Before the January 1968 concert, Jimi tunes his guitars (including the famous painted Gibson Flying-V) in his Olympia dressing room.

Another one of Jimi warming up before the January 1968 concert, this time with his Fender Stratocaster. I was very lucky - at the time, backstage passes didn't exist (at least not in France), in fact I had no right to be there but security was non-existent apart from a couple of bouncers at the artists' entrance... How things have changed!

Again in the artists' bar of the Paris Olympia, after a Rolling Stones concert in April 1967. Mick, of course, but also Johnny Hallyday (whom I detest in a big way), his then wife Sylvie Vartan and Richard Anthony, the latter both big stars at the time.

Une belle brochette... même si je déteste la pop française, et particulièrement Johnny, qui a bâti sa carrière sur des versions françaises complètement nulles de succès anglo-américains!

A big smile from Frank Zappa at the Bath rock festival, England, June 1970.

Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention at the Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music, England, June 1970.

What was I doing on the stage, still with my little Brownie Starlet and no backstage pass? From the festival ground, I climbed over the two barriers in front of the stage when no-one was looking, then on to the roof of the white van which can be seen in the picture, and from there straight on to the stage. I still can't believe no-one stopped me... I spent the rest of the day (a Sunday) and the evening backstage, dropped a tab of acid at some point, danced with a couple of other people on the stage when Jefferson Airplane was on, caught an early morning train back to London and made it on time to start work at 9 am in Gloucester Place...

British band The Yardbirds in 1967 outside that club in Colombes, which hosted some great bands and where I went most weekends. On the right is one Jimmy Page, who went on to find fame with Led Zeppelin. Once again, I asked the band to come outside for a photo and they graciously obliged.

American singer Marvin Gaye, Bingley Hall, Birmingham, England, 1976.

British drummer Ian Pace, normally with Deep Purple but here backing guitarist Gary Moore at the 1982 Reading rock festival.

General view of a spectacular Jean-Michel Jarre concert at La Défense, Paris on 14 July (Bastille Day) 1990. On this occasion I was a fully accredited photographer!

A view of Jean-Michel Jarre's pyramidal stage at La Défense, Paris on 14 July 1990.

Jean-Michel Jarre's "laser harp". I have it on good authority that this instrument is only a gimmick and is not really operational...

David Gilmour at a private gig in London, 1988.

Breton musician & singer Alan Stivell at the July Wakes Festival in Chorley, Lancashire, England in 1976.

American folk singer Pete Seeger at the Royal Festival Hall, London in 1985.

American funk/jazz singer Chaka Khan at a private gig in London in 1981.

Chuck Berry and daughter Ingrid, Knebworth, England, 1981.

The Who's bass guitarist John Entwistle at the British Music Fair, London in 1994.

English blues & rock guitarist Gary Moore at the 1982 Reading rock festival.

Eric Clapton and his Armani suit at the Royal Albert Hall, London in 1988.

Mark Knopfler, special guest at the Eric Clapton concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London in 1988.

Irish rock band Thin Lizzy at the Reading rock festival in 1977.

Guitar legend Hank Marvin performing with the Shadows at the Royal Albert Hall, London in 1978.

Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi of Status Quo, Birmingham NEC Arena, England, 1982.

Andy Bown and Rick Parfitt of Status Quo at the British Music Fair, London in 1993.

American guitarist/songwriter Jeff Baxter, best known for his stints with Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers, posing for a Roland promotional picture at the Roland UK premises in London in 1988.

Brian May of Queen visiting the International Frankfurt Music Fair in 1995. Bumped into him again in the airport's departure lounge as we were on the same plane back to London.
Apart from being a true gentleman, Brian has a PhD in astrophysics and an asteroid is named after him. However, he has declared that he'd rather be remembered for his animal rights work than for his music or science. Full marks!

English singer/songwriter Kate Bush at the Melody Maker Awards in London, 1980.

A hairy Phil Collins, then drummer & lead vocalist with Genesis, at the Melody Maker Awards in London, 1980.

Ian Anderson, lead singer, flautist and guitarist with Jethro Tull, at the Royal Albert Hall in 1979.

English bluesman/multi-instrumentalist John Mayall performing at The Venue, London in 1979.

A young Nigel Kennedy in rehearsal at the Royal Albert Hall, London in 1984.

Australian classical guitarist John Williams in rehearsal at the Royal Albert Hall, London in 1981.

English classical cellist Julian Lloyd Webber at the Royal Albert Hall, London in 1982.

Yehudi Menuhin with pupils at the Royal College of Music, London in 1977.

Yehudi Menuhin performing with the William Ellis School Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall, London in 1977.

American conductor Leonard Slatkin at the Royal Albert Hall, London in 1998.

Sir Edward Heath (UK Prime Minister 1970-1974) conducting the English Chamber Orchestra during a recording at Abbey Road Studios, London in 1977.

American tennis star and rock fan John McEnroe (left) playing at a private gig at the Hard Rock Café, London in 1991. There was another similar gig the following year at the same venue. This is the only picture where McEnroe is not sticking his tongue out, as he always does when playing the guitar - infuriating for the photographer!

Another tennis star cum rock fan - Australian player Pat Cash. At the same gig (Hard Rock Café, London, 1991) were other top tennis people such as Vitas Gerulaitis, Mats Wilander and Steffi Graf. Sadly, I have no interest whatsoever in the game!