Commonwealth Club Of California Podcast

Ethan Russell is a multi-Grammy nominated photographer and director, and was the tour photographer for The Rolling Stones on the 69 Let it Bleed tour. Russell was almost literally on the last chopper out of the Sixties when he was airlifted with The Rolling Stones from Altamont in the far East Bay of San Francisco. These moments and many more fill the pages of Russell's recently released career retrospective Best Seat in the House, a 200+ page coffee table photography book. The beautiful book includes rare and iconic images of The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Who, The Doors, The Eagles, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, James Taylor, Steve Winwood and many, many more. Russell's photographs are about history----his own, that of his subjects, and the music industry. Russell's photographs show us rock and roll as it grows into a bigger and bigger business through the increased number of managers and handlers. It is a story of particular relevance to San Francisco—and to anyone who cares about rock and roll. Please joi