I am delighted to share a recent interview that I conducted with the renowned French rock and metal photographer, Bertrand Alary. Since beginning his career in the early 1980s, Bertrand has photographed a wide range of musicians, his photographs having been published in leading music magazines across the globe. Amongst these musicians was Rory, so when I spoke to Bertrand, I was particularly interested to find out more about their meetings over the years. The interview is published in full below. As it took place in French, I have translated into English. I am also extremely grateful to Bertrand for allowing me to use several of the lovely photographs he took of Rory in Paris in 1990, which I include below.

1. Can you give us a general overview of your career in the music/photography industry? How did you start?

I started in 1980; thanks to KCP’s press attaché, and my photos began to appear in the press in 1983 (first in “ENFER” magazine, then “Metal Attack”, “Hard Rock”, “Hard Force”, “Hard & Heavy”, “Best”, “Rock & Folk”, and many other foreign magazines such as “Kerrang” in the UK, “Metal Edge” in the USA, “Metal Hammer” in Germany, “Aarschock” in Holland, “Pop Rocky” in Switzerland, “Bizz” in Brazil, “Burrn” and”In rock” in Japan,  etc.). I also have photos published on record covers, posters and in books.

2. Can you tell us specifically about some of the Rory gigs you attended and took photos or photo shoots you did with Rory? What was it like seeing him perform live?

I saw Rory several times. My favourite was at the Bataclan in 1992… a long concert where he was in really good shape and the sound was great. I also did another session there in the afternoon, after his soundcheck).

3. Were you a fan of Rory’s music before photographing him? What do you like the most about his music?

My favorite period is when he was playing in Taste, his first band, his debut, because this music was the beginnings of hard rock, like many groups in the late 60s and early 70s. But his solo career in blues rock is also impressive.

4. Is it true that the photos you took in 1990 in Paris were going to be used for the Fresh Evidence album?

It was indeed planned, for the back cover, but others were finally chosen, in the end, by his management.

5. What was it like meeting Rory? What were your lasting impressions of him?

He was always very approachable and very friendly. He never had a big head and was very accommodating.

6. Apart from Rory, what other artists have you photographed?

Thousands (without lying) in all genres and varieties, song, pop, rock… but especially in metal. (which remains my favourite type of music).

7. In your opinion, what is the highlight of your career?

Maybe the publication of my book at the end of 2020 “METAL: 40 ans de musique puissante”. Rory appears there, on the letter G page! (As well as 400 other groups on 328 pages, and in 666 photos; with texts by Jean-Pierre Tabouret, a preface by Nono from Trust and an afterword by Rudolf Schenker from Scorpions. It’s a kind of illustrated dictionary (so from A to Z)

If you would like to find out more about Bertrand’s wonderful book, then please visit his website http://www.bertrandalary.fr/