The Rolling Stones eventually became synonymous with rock and roll stardom, known for their distinctive image and decades of music. However, like every legendary band, they started somewhere, often with little money or recognition. Early photographs from this formative period offer a fascinating glimpse into their beginnings. Photographer Philip Townsend had the unique opportunity to capture the band right at the start, including taking the very first group photograph of the Rolling Stones together in 1962.
The Photographer and a Chance Meeting
Philip Townsend was a photographer known for documenting London’s vibrant “Swinging Sixties” scene and its notable figures. His path to photographing the Rolling Stones began with a fortunate, chance encounter in Monte Carlo. There, he met a young, ambitious teenager named Andrew Loog Oldham, who would soon become the band’s influential first manager. Townsend later recalled Oldham confidently stating his plan: “I’m going to go back to England, I’m going to find a rock and roll band and I’m going to turn them into the greatest rock and roll band in the world.” Oldham didn’t yet know who the band would be, but he promised Townsend the opportunity to photograph them once he found them.
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The Very First Photo (1962)
Andrew Loog Oldham indeed found his band in the newly formed Rolling Stones. Philip Townsend then connected with the group in London in 1962 to take their initial pictures. According to Townsend’s accounts, the band members at this stage were struggling – broke, hungry, and actively looking for a recording contract. He remembered buying the young musicians some barbecued chicken during their first meeting. For what became the first-ever group photo taken of the Rolling Stones, Townsend positioned the five members together in the middle of Ifield Road, near a “no parking” sign. These early images capture the band raw and unstyled, before fame arrived.
Early London Photoshoots
After that initial session, Townsend took more photographs of the fledgling band. He recounted ferrying the members around London in his Ford Capri Mark I. He noted the logistical challenge: “which was quite difficult because it was only a four seater,” making for a cramped ride with five band members. During these excursions, he photographed them at various spots around the city, documenting their look and presence as they were just beginning to make their way onto the London music scene.
These photographs by Philip Townsend from 1962 and the period immediately following offer a rare look at the Rolling Stones before they became international superstars. They show the band members – the early lineup typically including Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Bill Wyman, and Charlie Watts – looking exceptionally young, described by Townsend as “five fresh faced lads.” The photos capture a moment in time before the development of their later, more rebellious image and before the full explosion of British rock onto the world stage. They provide candid or simply posed snapshots of the group’s dynamics and individual appearances at the very outset of their long career.
