A MUSIC photographer who has toured with the likes of Queen, Oasis, and The Rolling Stones is bringing his 'Rock Stars Don't Smile' show to Barnoldswick this weekend.

Danny Clifford, described as 'the most famous music photographer you've never heard of', will be talking about his 40 year career, sharing some of his iconic images and answering questions at Barnoldswick Music and Arts Centre on Sunday (June 9) afternoon - an added performance after the Saturday night show sold out.

Danny was just 20 years old when in the late 1970s he became Bob Dylan's official photographer; and over the next 40 years, he developed close working relationships with Queen, The Who, The Rolling Stones and Amy Winehouse, amongst others. The stories he has amassed over the years are just as vivid, colourful and dramatic as his images.

Of the countless shots taken on and offstage, behind the scenes and during historic performances, his 'evening with ' talk, "Rock Stars Don't Smile", allows audiences a glimpse into his archive of millions of pictures and the stories behind the photographs. Danny's images are held in the highest esteem by artists and fans alike; they are rarely exhibited and are highly collectible.

The self confessed 'chancer' will describe how he blagged his way onto a Bob Dylan tour and had a career photographing rock stars; and how it all began with being thrown out of a Lou Reed gig at Finsbury Park's Rainbow Theatre for taking photographs.

He would go on to snap everyone from Bob Dylan to Queen and the Rolling Stones, but it was those snatched shots of Reed in 1974 that sealed his fate as a rock'n'roll photographer.

"I've still got the negs, the focus was horrible but the exposure was right," he says.

"I went along with friends and smuggled in my camera. I saw the stage door open and snuck backstage, walking down the corridor, Lou Reed opened his dressing room door and threw a beer bottle at someone. He was really out of it, so I went back and waited for the moment. I got five pictures before I was picked up, and thrown out on the street. I rolled up Seven Sisters Road with my camera banging around my head thinking 'this is good."

"In all my years of taking pictures, I've kept my head down, remained anonymous and not exhibited my work," says Clifford, who had a hard time sifting through four million images.

Some, including one of Freddie Mercury have never seen the light of day.

Sunday's performance is at 12.30pm. Tickets £25 from: https://www.barnoldswickmusicandartscentre.com