Following the release of last year’s Meet Me in the Bathroom documentary (which featured a number of her photos and footage), photographer Piper Ferguson shared with us some behind-the-scenes moments from The Strokes’ early days chronicled in the film and the book it was based on. But that was just the tip of the iceberg—today Ferguson is sharing that she has a full hardcover photo book arriving this fall, featuring 272 pages of band photos from over the years with a foreword by The Smiths’ legendary guitarist Johnny Marr.
Indie, Seen is set to arrive November 7 via Weldon Owen, and promises a “stunning photography collection jam-packed with intimate snapshots, late-night club gigs, and exclusive portraits” dating back to the late-’90s when Ferguson first began taking photos. This includes her first portrait sessions with artists like Joe Strummer and Richard Ashcroft, festival performances at Coachella, intimate portraits of Interpol, The Strokes, Coldplay, Beck, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and much more.
Ahead of the book’s release date, Ferguson answered a handful of our questions about what we can expect. Check out the book cover, some photo highlights, and find her answers below—you can also pre-order Indie, Seen here.
What inspired you to make the book at this point in time?
I’ve been wanting to do a book of my photography for what feels like forever—it's been on my bucket list for probably over 15 years now. I absolutely love photography books! It’s how I learned photography, and I have a big collection of them here at my home by many of the greats including William Eggleston, Rankin, Mick Rock, Danny Clinch, Annie Liebovitz, Guy Bourdin, Ellen Von Unwerth, and David Bailey. I just got the new Depeche Mode Anton Corjbin book and it’s impeccable. Back when people used printed portfolios, I would take my book out to show clients or friends and sometimes they would say things like, “How can I buy one of these for myself to have as a coffee table book? You should do a book so I can have one!”
Interpol
Originally I planned to do something that was my “best of” photos, everyone from Tom Petty to Merle Haggard to Billy Idol. But then during the pandemic I worked with Pulse films, sending my photos and video footage for Meet Me in the Bathroom. I spent months going through my images, watching and digitizing hours and hours of footage I’d shot. Then, with so many indie bands doing reunion tours, anniversaries, and festivals together, the 20-year mark of that time (which feels like it went by in a heartbeat) felt like a good time to explore my own personal archives. My entire book isn’t all from that time period, but a good portion of it is.
Joe Strummer
How did the publishing deal come about?
I want to share the story of how I got my book deal for anyone who might feel hesitant to approach people to do a project like this. I had one publisher in mind who I wanted to work with and when I reached out and they weren’t interested. I felt lost so I went to Vroman’s in Pasadena and sat in the aisle of the music photography section and saw the book The Decade That Rocked by Mark Weiss. I thought, “That’s amazing!” He shot everyone in metal through the years. I was scrolling on Amazon and saw it come up in the top 100 and noticed his publisher was Insight Editions/Weldon Owen. I tracked down the founder of the company on LinkedIn and dropped a link to my book proposal with zero expectations. The next day they asked me to do a book with them! So don’t hold back on reaching out to people about something you want to do—you have nothing to lose and you might just get what you want!
Johnny Marr
How challenging was it to condense and edit your years of work into this?
It was sooo challenging to edit this book down from all the photos I’ve taken of indie bands over the years because there were just too many to squeeze into one book of 272 pages. I can’t tell you how many times I said to Bryn Walls, my designer, “This is so hard!” I had to cut things I love and who mean so much to me because it filled up in a flash. I kept thinking, that's it? I'm so sorry to anyone we edited out because I want this book to feel inclusive to everyone who was there and who makes important music on an independent level. Indie music is based on feeling like you’re a part of something special and different like it did and does to me. Thankfully the indie and punk rock spirit is alive and well so I plan to make more books.
Pavement
Iron & Wine
Who have been some of your favorite subjects to photograph?
To start, Greg Lee of Hepcat! I know Hepcat isn’t necessarily defined as “indie rock,” but they are on Tim Armstrong’s indie label through Epitaph, Hellcat Records, and those cats basically defined the indie record label model as far as I’m concerned. Greg and Hepcat are a band I met in the late ’80s because I was obsessed with ska!
I shot this [the photo below] across the street from my apartment in Los Feliz in probably 1998 on slide film. I love that Greg didn’t come over for a photo shoot that day, he just showed up—because that’s how he rolled, looking fly all the time, living the life. Music isn’t something he changes into when it’s time to go on stage, he lives the life fully at all times and means it. I love artists like him the most.
How rewarding is this to have this come to life?
It’s very rewarding to see this book come to life because it’s something I’ve wanted to do for so long, and having the publishing deal is what helped me put it over the finish line. There’s nothing like deadlines from your team to keep you pushing to make tough decisions and get it done. Being a freelancer, I always thought I knew how to work hard, but once I embarked on this project I realized that I had so much more in me than I ever thought possible. It’s not to say I made Dune or something, but I was thankfully able to take the time I needed and be pushed to work on something to completion, which is the real prize in the end. Something I get to share with my musical family and celebrate! Not only me and my work, but everyone who loves indie music and shows up for it.
I hope this book means something to people who were/are part of the scene, the movement, and didn’t give up on what we love. With so much disappointing news [these days], I hope this is something to encourage people take a time-out and remember the crazy nights dancing to these artists as something to be celebrated.
Beck
The Strokes
The Rapture
Cate LeBon
Primal Scream
Peaches
Evan Dando
KT Tunstall
Isaac Brock, Modest Mouse
Piper Ferguson
