Guy discovers super rare 35mm photos he took of Bowie, Lou Reed, Freddie Mercury and The Jam in NYC in the 70s

Unseen Snaps Of Legendary Rock N’ Roll Acts Of The ’70s!


Spending a huge portion of his formative years living in New York City attending to gigs. Ed Rosenbaum was 17 in 1977, a time where the greatest city on the planet was on the verge of economic implosion, and social distress, countless crimes, and poverty seeped through every corner in the city.

But it was also an opportune moment, a cultural melting pot. Street art was rising, and music scenes were taking over fiercely. Hip-hop was blooming in the Bronx, and punk was revolting through the city downtown.

David Bowie, Madison Square Garden, 1978
David Bowie, Madison Square Garden, 1978

A punter from the NYC found a bunch of old 35mm snaps he took of Bowie, Lou Reed, Freddie Mercury and The Jam in the 1970s.

During that time, Ed Rosenbaum, a 17-year-old kid, Brooklyn-born started using Panamax he got from his brother-in-law and brought it in every show he went to shoot the biggest rock ‘n’ roll acts of the late 1970s. He saw the likes of David Bowie, Elvis Costello, Blondie, AC/DC, Queen, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, The Jam, Blue Oyster Cult, and more and roll venues like CBGB and The Palladium and Madison Square Garden.

For over 30 years, the photographs he took have never seen the light of the day. These photos sat in storage. This was until recently when he showed the pictures to a student at New York University, who in turn told Esopus Magazine editor Tod Lippy about them.

Now Rosenbaum incredible photos are now being exhibit as a collection called Golden Years a forthcoming 56-page book published by Esopus. Check these amazing photos down below.

Freddie Mercury, Madison Square Garden, 1977

 

The Jam, CBGB, 1978

 

Peter Gabriel, The Palladium, 1978

 

Lou Reed, Capitol Theater, 1978

 

Blue Öyster Cult, The Palladium, 1979