“I always wanted to work in music, but I never wanted to be in a band. I wanted to be the guy that took their photo.”

Tom Sheehan was born in Camberwell, South East London. His vocation was decided the day he first saw a picture of Johnny Kidd and the Pirates in a music magazine. After working as the first in-house photographer at CBS Records London, he went freelance in 1978, shooting for all four weekly music papers — Melody Maker, NME, Sounds and Record Mirror — before nailing his colours to the mast of Melody Maker, where he served as chief photographer for over two decades.

When Ozzy Osbourne pissed on the Alamo, Tom was there. When Bruce Springsteen first visited the UK, Tom was there. When the Manic Street Preachers met Fidel Castro, Tom was there. When U2 were making their debut album in Dublin, Tom was there. When a new EMI signing from Oxford called Radiohead needed a trustworthy lensman, Tom was there.

His work has appeared on countless album sleeves and artwork including The Smiths, Oasis, Coldplay, Ian Dury, The Charlatans and Radiohead, and across titles including Mojo, Uncut, Rolling Stone, The Guardian and The Sunday Times.

In the last decade Tom has opened his archive in a series of books focusing on bands he has had long working relationships with — including two books on The Cure, as well as REM, The Charlatans, Radiohead, Manic Street Preachers, Oasis and Paul Weller.

Tom received the Record of the Day Outstanding Contribution to Music Photography Award in 2006, presented to him by Coldplay’s Chris Martin.

Now you can purchase a piece of rock history from his archive — signed and stamped.