When David Redfern was invited to cover the filming of The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour he was shocked to find himself one of a throng of fifty photographers. On the second day there were twenty-five and by the end of the week he was one of only two. How times change. Today the same shoot might have 1,000 paparazzi on day one, and as many at the end, all hustling for position and personal profile.

In the ever evolving music industry Redfern remains a constant: always there, always a gentleman, and always guaranteed to get results. In a career spanning more than forty years he has witnessed - and recorded in The Unclosed Eye - the birth and rise of rock 'n' roll, the British Trad boom and all points in between.

From jazz greats like Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis and Duke Ellington, to rock legends such as Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones, David Redfern has taken some of the most definitive shots of many artists' careers - proved by the use of his pictures on international magazine covers, classic posters, record sleeves and even, in the USA, on a series of postage stamps.

But while Redfern remains the photographer the stars ask for by name - for ten years Sinatra carried a Redfern portrait on his passport and Miles Davis once refused to be photographed until David arrived - his profession is ultimately a lonely one and success has come at a price. Failed personal relationships, early financial hardship and the occasional public humiliation of being evicted from a theatre by the likes of Marlene Dietrich and Keith Jarrett are just a few of the lows in a rich and varied life.

Containing more than three hundred photographs, each with its own tale, The Unclosed Eye is not only the story of David Redfern's life, it is also the story of the last five decades of music - recorded with both eyes wide open.

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