Joel Lee Brodsky (October 7, 1939 – March 1, 2007) was an American photographer, best known for his photography of musicians, particularly his iconic "Young Lion" photographs of

Jim Morrison James Douglas Morrison (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971) was an American singer, poet and songwriter who was the lead vocalist of the Rock music, rock band the Doors. Due to his wild personality, poetic lyrics, distinctive voice, unpredicta ...

. In his lifetime, he is credited with photographing over 400

album covers An album cover (also referred to as album art) is the front packaging art of a commercially released studio album or other audio recordings. The term can refer to either the printed paperboard covers typically used to package sets of and 78-r ...

. Brodsky was born in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, New York and graduated from

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...

in 1960. While working at a camera store in Brooklyn, he began a side career of photography and opened his own studio in 1964. Later Brodsky left the rock 'n' roll photography and focused on commercial work, shooting advertising campaigns for Revlon, Avon, DuPont and other companies. Since the beginning of the new century, there has been a worldwide revival of interest in Brodsky's rock 'n' roll pictures, with several exhibitions across the USA and in Europe. His artwork has been shown by the Govinda Gallery in Washington, D

the Morrison Hotel Galler

the

Stax Museum The Stax Museum of American Soul Music is a museum located in Memphis, Tennessee, at 926 East McLemore Avenue, the original location of Stax Records. Stax launched and supported the careers of artists such as Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, the Staple ...

in Memphis, the San Francisco Art Exchange

and the Snap Galleries in London, U

Partial discography

*'' The Doors (album), The Doors'',

The Doors The Doors were an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential ro ...

(1967) *'' Strange Days'', The Doors (1967) *''

Astral Weeks ''Astral Weeks'' is the second studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was recorded at Century Sound Studios in New York during September and October 1968, and released in November of the same year by Warner Bros. Rec ...

'',

Van Morrison Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards. As a teenager in t ...

(1968) *''

David Ackles David Thomas Ackles (February 20, 1937 – March 2, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter, pianist, and child actor. He recorded four albums between 1968 and 1973. Describing Ackles' style in 2003, critic Colin McElligatt wrote, "An unlikely ...

'',

(1968) *'' Doc Watson in Nashville: Good Deal!'',

Doc Watson Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson (March 3, 1923 – May 29, 2012) was an American guitarist, songwriter, and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues, and gospel music. Watson won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. W ...

(1968) *''

Nazz The Nazz was an American rock band formed in Philadelphia in 1967. The group was founded by guitarist and principal songwriter Todd Rundgren and bassist Carson Van Osten. Drummer Thom Mooney and vocalist/keyboardist Robert "Stewkey" Antoni joi ...

'',

(1968) *''

The Clown Died in Marvin Gardens ''The Clown Died in Marvin Gardens'' is the second album from Beacon Street Union, a psychedelic rock group based in Boston, Massachusetts. The album was released in 1968. The dead clown on the cover was also used previously in 1967, by Joel Br ...

'',

Beacon Street Union The Beacon Street Union was an American psychedelic rock band in the late 1960s, named for a street in their native Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The band was composed of Boston College students, singer John Lincoln Wright (September 23, ...

(1968) *''

The Soft Parade ''The Soft Parade'' is the fourth studio album by American rock band the Doors, released on July 18, 1969, by Elektra Records. Most of the album was recorded following a grueling tour during which the band was left with little time to compose n ...

'', The Doors (1969) *''

Kick Out the Jams ''Kick Out the Jams'' is the debut album by American proto-punk band MC5. It was released in February 1969, through Elektra Records. It was recorded live at Detroit's Grande Ballroom over two nights, Devil's Night and Halloween, 1968. The LP p ...

'',

MC5 MC5, also commonly called The MC5, is an American rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan, in 1963. The original line-up consisted of Rob Tyner (vocals) Wayne Kramer (guitar), Fred "Sonic" Smith (guitar), Michael Davis (bass), and Dennis ...

(1969) *''

The Stooges The Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, also known as Iggy and the Stooges, was an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave ...

'',

(1969) *''

Mr. Blues Plays Lady Soul ''Mr. Blues Plays Lady Soul'' is the sixth album led by saxophonist Hank Crawford featuring performances recorded in 1969 for the Atlantic label.Hank Crawford Bennie Ross "Hank" Crawford, Jr. (December 21, 1934 – January 29, 2009) was an American Alto saxophone, alto saxophonist, arranger and songwriter whose genres ranged from Rhythm and blues, R&B, hard bop, jazz-funk, and soul jazz. Crawford was ...

(1969) *''

Memphis Underground ''Memphis Underground'' is a 1969 album by jazz flutist Herbie Mann, that fuses the genres of jazz and rhythm and blues (R&B). While Mann and the other principal soloists (Roy Ayers, Larry Coryell and Sonny Sharrock) were leading jazz musicians, ...

'',

Herbie Mann Herbert Jay Solomon (April 16, 1930 – July 1, 2003), known by his stage name Herbie Mann, was an American jazz flute player and important early practitioner of world music. Early in his career, he also played tenor saxophone and clarinet (incl ...

(1969) *''

Muscle Shoals Nitty Gritty ''Muscle Shoals Nitty Gritty'' is a 1970 album by jazz flutist Herbie Mann. It was released on Mann's Embryo Records label, and distributed by Cotillion Records, a division of Atlantic Records. Track listing Side One #"Muscle Shoals Nitty Gri ...

'', Herbie Mann (1970) *''

McLemore Avenue ''McLemore Avenue'' is a 1970 album by Booker T. & the M.G.s, consisting entirely of mostly instrumental covers of songs from the Beatles' album ''Abbey Road'' (released only months earlier, in September 1969). The title and cover are an homag ...

'',

Booker T and the MG's Booker T. & the M.G.'s were an American instrumental R&B/funk band that was influential in shaping the sound of Southern soul and Memphis soul. The original members of the group were Booker T. Jones (organ, piano), Steve Cropper (guitar), Le ...

(1970) *'' The Isaac Hayes Movement'',

Isaac Hayes Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American singer, actor, songwriter, and composer. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwri ...

(1970) *'' ...To Be Continued'', Isaac Hayes (1970) *'' Free Your Mind... and Your Ass Will Follow'',

Funkadelic Funkadelic was an American funk rock band formed in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1968 and active until 1982. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, pioneered the funk music culture of the 1970s.John, Bush. Funkadeli ...

(1970) *''

Air The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing f ...

(1971) *'' Black Moses'', Isaac Hayes (1971) *'' Push Push'', Herbie Mann (1971) *''

Carly Simon Carly Elisabeth Simon (born June 25, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter, memoirist, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records; her 13 Top 40 U.S. hits include "Anticipation" (No. 13), " The Right Thin ...

'',

(1971) *''

Maggot Brain ''Maggot Brain'' is the third studio album by the American funk rock band Funkadelic, released by Westbound Records in July 1971. It was produced by band leader George Clinton and recorded at United Sound Systems in Detroit during late 1970 an ...

'', Funkadelic (1971) *''

What Color Is Love ''What Color Is Love'' is a 1972 studio album by American musician Terry Callier. Released by Cadet Records, it is Callier's third album and the second of a trilogy that he recorded in short succession for Cadet with producer Charles Stepney. It h ...

'',

Terry Callier Terrence Orlando "Terry" Callier (May 24, 1945 – October 27, 2012) was an American soul music, soul, Folk music, folk and jazz guitarist and singer-songwriter. Life and career Callier was born in the North Side of Chicago, Illinois, and was r ...

(1972) *''

Pleasure Pleasure refers to experience that feels good, that involves the enjoyment of something. It contrasts with pain or suffering, which are forms of feeling bad. It is closely related to value, desire and action: humans and other conscious anima ...

'',

Ohio Players Ohio Players is an American funk band, most popular in the 1970s. They are best known for their songs "Fire (Ohio Players song), Fire" and "Love Rollercoaster", and for their erotic album covers that featured nude or nearly nude women. Many of t ...

(1972) *''

Pain Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging stimuli. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, ...

'', Ohio Players (1972) *''

Tell Me This Is a Dream ''Tell Me This Is a Dream'' is the fourth studio album by American vocal group The Delfonics. It was released via Philly Groove Records in 1972. It peaked at number 123 on the Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200 chart. Track listing Charts Refe ...

'',

The Delfonics The Delfonics were an American R&B/soul vocal group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Delfonics were most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their most notable hits include "La-La (Means I Love You)", "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This ...

(1972) *'' Ecstasy'', Ohio Players (1973) *''

Kiss A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...

'',

(1974) *'' Small Change'',

Tom Waits Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on the underbelly of society and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He worked primarily in jazz during ...

(1976) *''

Phyllis Hyman Phyllis Linda Hyman (July 6, 1949 – June 30, 1995) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Hyman is best known for her music during the late 1970s through the early 1990s, some of her most notable songs were "You Know How to Love Me" ...

'',

(1977) *''

Greatest Hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...

'', The Doors (1980)

References

External links

Brodsky at Allmusic.com

The Morrison Hotel – official Brodsky galleryBrodsky at the Snap GalleriesBrodsky at the San Francisco Art Exchange
1939 births 2007 deaths Syracuse University alumni 20th-century American photographers Albums with cover art by Joel Brodsky Album-cover and concert-poster artists People from Brooklyn {{US-photographer-stub