A remarkable archive of previously unseen images of some of the 60s greatest rock ‘n’ roll stars has been brought to light, with the help of a Bristol University student.

Chase Turner, an English Literature postgraduate from Los Angeles, worked with photographer Ian Wright to produce a book On the Brink of Fame: Pop Stars in the Swinging Sixties featuring early images of such rock icons as The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Elton John, Jimi Hendrix, Cliff Richard, and Tom Jones.

The pictures were taken by Wright when he was a staff photographer on the Northern Echo in the 1960s and document the early days of rock ‘n’ roll – from the beginnings of the Geordie Mafia to Gerry and the Pacemakers.

As a teenage photographer, Wright was sent on assignment and captured images of the “Teesside” night-life for the Northern Echo’s new section called “The Teenage Special.”  After many decades, Wright, who went on to be a photo-journalist for the BBC and The Times, rediscovered the catalogue of photos in the basement at the Northern Echo, coming across such familiar faces as Dusty Springfield, Denny Laine, the Searchers, Ike and Tina Turner, Engelbert Humperdinck, and Marianne Faithful.

The publishing of these images along with Wright’s account of his experiences with the pop stars he photographed, began when Chase and his mother Sheryl Turner, President and C.E.O. of the SP Turner Group based in Beverly Hills, California, were introduced to Wright through a fellow photography collector in the United States.

Throughout the 2007-8 academic year while studying for his MA at Bristol, Chase also worked on the editing and publication of the book: a hardcover edition, featuring a foreword by Sir Harold Evans.

“It’s been an amazing run so far,” Chase said.  “Being able to make a book with my mother, using the tools I’ve learned while studying in the English Department at the University of Bristol has indeed been beneficial to the style and content of the book.

“Living in England has allowed me to appreciate the dynamic history of the nation and its contributions to rock ‘n’ roll. The opportunity to collaborate on a book that is indeed a magnificent snapshot of the social, cultural and political history of the era has been fulfilling for me as an aspiring author and editor.”

The SP Turner Group is planning a UK launch in September, benefitting the Lords Taverners Charity in London, that includes appearances by Bill Wyman, Spencer Davis and Denny Laine.