Modern Rocks Gallery to Present Exhibition and First Solo Show for Rock 'n' Roll Photographer Ed Caraeff in October

Modern Rocks Gallery has announced a brand new exhibition and the first solo show for photographer Ed Caraeff opening Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 at the East Austin gallery, located at 916 Springdale Road, Canopy, Building 3 Austin, Texas 78702. As a photographer and art director, Ed Caraeff has worked with, photographed, designed or art directed hundreds of album covers, his work has appeared on four covers of Rolling Stone and hangs in the permanent collection of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His photography archive includes Jimi Hendrix (most notably the famous shot of Hendrix setting fire to his Fender Stratocaster guitar while performing at the 1967 Monterey International Pop Music Festival, for which Caraeff was awarded the Kodak Certificate of Excellence at only 17 years old), Jim Morrison, Iggy Pop and The Stooges, Elton John, Carly Simon, Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, Tom Waits, Tim Buckley, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan and Marvin Gaye. The Oct. 6 exhibit features photographs taken by Caraeff when he was a 15 year-old attending high school in Southern California and would mark the beginning of his fifteen year career as a rock 'n' roll photographer. The opening event will feature a life-size cutout of Dolly Parton from one of Caraeff's album covers he shot for her 1977 release "Here You Come Again" making a great photo op for attendees. The Opening Reception will be from 7 - 10 p.m., is open to the public and is a great way to kick off Austin City Limits Music Festival Weekend One, starting Friday, Oct. 7. Refreshments will be provided by Mark Shilling, CEO at Susto, who'll be pouring a special themed cocktail he's creating just for the event. Ed Caraeff will be in attendance. For more information on Modern Rocks Gallery, please see here. For more information on Ed Caraeff, please see here and here.

"I first met Ed a few years ago after being introduced by a friend from an associate gallery in London," said Modern Rocks Gallery Owner Steven Walker. "Ed came to the gallery for a chat while visiting Austin, and from then on, we've been representing his fantastic archive, selling numerous prints to private collectors and interior designers alike. His stunning collection really seemed to resonate with my clients, so I jumped at the chance to host Ed's first solo gallery show."

"I never knew photography could be a job choice," said Ed Caraeff. "After a whirlwind 15-year career in Hollywood, all negatives, transparencies and prints were put in storage. The unseen Rock 'n Roll Archive. It's now time for their first exhibit."

While touring as the guitarist for Modern English, Modern Rocks Gallery Owner Steven Walker found himself documenting life on the road and thus discovered his love of photography. Following his touring days, Walker managed a highly successful gallery in London's exclusive Chelsea neighborhood dealing with top international interior designers and continued to pursue his love of rock photography shooting bands around his hometown of London. Walker soon became a published photographer and amassed a wealth of experience in the world of rock 'n' roll, gallery management and rock photography. He had fallen in love with Austin while touring so it only made sense to combine his love for photography and Austin upon moving to the Live Music Capital of the World. Modern Rocks Gallery is the unique marriage of his life loves.

ABOUT MODERN ROCKS GALLERY:

Modern Rocks Gallery in East Austin presents a curated collection of fine art rock n roll photography, with signed limited edition, museum-quality prints from award winning photographers, artists and designers. The prints come directly from the photographers themselves, with a philosophy to accord recognition to the art of rock photography and to help maintain the rights of its practitioners. The gallery features works from legendary rock photographers such as Terry O'Neill, Lynn Goldsmith, Gered Mankowitz, Allan Tannenbaum, Norman Seeff, Masayoshi Sukita, Brian Duffy, Alec Byrne and Jill Furmanovsky to name but a few. For more information on Modern Rocks Gallery, please see here.

ABOUT ED CARAEFF:

While attending high school in Southern California, fifteen-year-old Ed Caraeff began a career in rock 'n' roll photography that kept him working constantly for fifteen years, art directing, photographing and designing hundreds of record album packages, books, tour jets, billboards on the Sunset Strip, photographing concerts - front row and backstage - and traveling the world on other people's dime.

He worked most notably with Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Frank Zappa, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Three Dog Night, Iggy Pop and the Stooges, Elton John, Carly Simon, Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, Tom Waits, Tim Buckley, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Neil Diamond, Cheech & Chong, The Bee Gees, Steppenwolf, Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye and Steely Dan.

His work has appeared on four covers of Rolling Stone and hangs in the permanent collection of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was awarded the Kodak Certificate of Excellence, celebrating his iconic photograph of Jimi Hendrix burning his guitar at the Monterey International Pop Festival, naming it the most famous rock 'n' roll photograph ever taken. The photo originally appeared on the cover of the "Greatest Live Performances" issue of Rolling Stone magazine in 1987, colorized by Rolling Stone. Later, Caraeff created his own colorized image, a version that did not alter the original guitar flame.

In 1980, after leaving California for New York City, Caraeff answered an "Executive Chef Wanted" ad in the Sunday New York Times. After two interviews and with no prior restaurant experience, he was given the job to open a large Tex-Mex restaurant on East 48th Street in NYC, thus launching a nearly thirty-year career as a hands-on executive chef and restaurant co-owner.

During this time, as a single parent feeding his two sons in NYC, Caraeff published The Gourmet Cabbie: New York Street Smart Eats and as the Gourmet Cabbie, "Chef Eddie J.", appeared three times live on air with Regis Philbin on WABC-TV, the morning show.

He worked as an executive chef in New York City, Santa Cruz, California and on two islands in Hawaii. In 1990, he returned to Southern California and opened the first of two Newsroom Cafes.

Due to recent health issues, the births of two grandchildren, and the deaths of many close friends, Caraeff realized a sense of urgency that motivated him to undergo a complete lifestyle change. He decided to sell all of his possessions, including his home, and now travels 24/7 in a vintage VW Westfalia Camper Vanagon on his Bucket List Trip across America, visiting old friends and family, stopping to soak at natural hot springs; meeting new people along the way. As of 2022, there is currently a film project in the works about Caraeff's life, more details to be announced. You can follow Ed on Instagram @thebucketlisttrip

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