Steve Birnbaum has been recreating music history by photographing the original images of musicians and bands in their true places. The project started back when he was just exploring old family photos.
Since then, it's evolved into something more than anyone would've expected from an unassuming collection that included only pictures at first glance- a treasure trove for any lover or appreciator who loves tunes.
When he's not working, you can find him exploring historical locations in search of new stories. He is also an avid musician who loves to take photos and learn about how music has impacted our culture.
He composes each shot including original images lined up (as best as he can) with the background which appears today; having walked footsteps of some favorite musicians while challenging himself to discover every location so searches through interviews, research photographers' work, investigate timelines specific periods when matching them google maps sometimes going street-by-street.
01. Kurt Cobain And Courtney Love With Frances Bean In 1992 At Their Hollywood Heights Home. Taken By Stephen Sweet
02. Guns N' Roses Shot In West Hollywood For Rolling Stone Magazine, 1988. Taken By Timothy White
03. Nirvana At The East River Park Amphitheater 1989. Taken By Steve Double
04. The Beatles Visiting Washington, D.c. For Their First American Concert In February 1964, Right After Playing The Ed Sullivan Show
05. Beastie Boys, 1991, Pacific Coast Highway, Santa Monica Ca. Taken By Glen E. Friedman
06. Simon And Garfunkel, 1972, Central Park Reservoir NYC. Taken By William Silano
07. Radiohead’s Cover For Their Album Ok Computer. Taken From The “Radiohead” Suite At The Hilton Hartford In Connecticut
08. Snoop Dogg, 1993. Taken By The Late Great Chi Modu
09. Eminem By Jeremy Deputat. He’s Standing In Front Of His Childhood Home, Which Was Featured On The Marshall Mathers Ep
10. The Who, Morningside Park In New York City, 1968. Taken By Art Kane
11. Woody Guthrie, 1943 At Mcsorley's Old Ale House For Life Magazine. Original Photo By Eric Schaal
12. The Doors On The Venice Beach Boardwalk. Taken By Henry Diltz
13. Eminem And Mister Cartoon Outside Hollywood Bob And Charlie Robert’s Spotlight Tattoo. Taken By Gregory Bojorquez
14. Britney Spears, April 9th, 1999, Paradise Cove In Malibu, Ca. Still From The “Sometimes” Video. Taken By Danny Hastings (I Think)
15. Joan Jett In Front Of The Old Pussy Cat Theatre Located At 6656 Hollywood Blvd, 1977. Taken By Brad Elterman
16. LED Zeppelin's Robert Plant In 1975 Overlooking Sunset Boulevard. Original Photo By Peter Simon
17. Joan Jett In Front Of The Old Pussy Cat Theatre Located At 6656 Hollywood Blvd, 1977. Taken By Brad Elterman
18. Madona, 1983, NYC. Taken by Richard Corman
19. Bob Dylan And Suze Rotolo, February 1963 On Jones Street And West 4th NYC. Original Photo By Don Hunstein
20. Michael Jackson For The Cover Of His 1979 Album Off The Wall
21. Maddona. Taken by Richard Corman In 1983, NYC
22. Nirvana, August 17th, 1991 At Gmt Studios On A Break From Filming Their Music Video For Smells Like Teen Spirit. Photo By Kevin Estrada
23. John Sebastian At Woodstock, 1969. Taken By Henry Diltz
24. Prince For The Cover Of His Album Purple Rain, 1984. Original Photo By Rob Slenzak
25. LED Zeppelin's Cover For Their 1975 Album Physical Graffiti. Cover Art Designed By Peter Corriston. Original Photo By Elliot Erwitt
26. John Lennon And Yoko Ono, 1973, NYC. This Photo Is A Block From The Dakota, Where John Would Later Be Shot. Taken By Bob Gruen
27. Green Day In NYC, June 29th 1994. Possibly The Same Day They Played David Letterman
28. This Is One Of My Favorite Images Of Bob Dylan Taken On February 10th, 1965, In NYC By Richard Avedon
29. Debbie Harry Standing On The F/M Platform At 14th Street, NYC. Taken By Chris Stein
30. Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here Album Cover. Taken By Aubrey "Po" Powell
31. The Ramones And Black Flag Marquee Outside The Hollywood Palladium, November 17th, 1984. Original Photo By Gary Leonard
32. The Rolling Stones, 1966, 124 East 24th Street NYC. Image Was Taken For Their Single “Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow?” By Jerry Schatzberg
33. Lemmy, Dave Grohl And Wiley Hodgden Take A Break From The Filming Of Foo Fighters' 2011 Music Video For “White Limo”
34. Photograph Of Tupac And Treach On The Set Of Juice In 1991. Taken By Peter Frankfurt
35. Avril Lavigne In 2002 For The Cover Of Her Album Let Go. Original Photo By John Arsenault
Many people see music and photography as two entirely different mediums, but there are a lot of similarities between the two. Both music and photography can capture a moment, tell a story, or evoke an emotion.
Both music and photography can be used to capture a moment. In photography, this is done by freezing time with a camera. A photograph can capture a split-second gesture or the beauty of a sunset. Music, on the other hand, captures a moment by capturing the feeling of that moment. A song can make you happy, sad, nostalgic, or any other emotion.
Both music and photography can tell a story. A photographer may use their photos to tell the story of a wedding day, or a musician may use their music to tell the story of heartbreak. Storytelling is one of the most important aspects of both art forms.
Music and photography can also evoke an emotion in the viewer or listener. A photographer may take a photo that evokes joy or sadness, while a musician may write a song that evokes feelings of anger or love. The ability to evoke emotions is what makes both art forms so powerful.
Although music and photography share many similarities, some key differences exist between the two art forms. One of the biggest differences is that music is temporal while photography is spatial. This means that music exists in time while photos exist in space. another difference is that music is heard while photos are seen. This means that each person interprets music their way while everyone sees a photo the same way.
Music and photography are two art forms that are often seen as very different, but they have a lot in common. Both art forms can capture a moment, tell a story, or evoke an emotion. The key difference between the two is that music exists in time while photos exist in space.
Music is an undeniable part of our lives. Falling in love with music is easier than you think. These photographs are proof of love for music. Tell us about your favorite band and the music you love the most in the comments below.
