Exclusive Interview with Joe Lyons photographer on Upstairs at Erics and In Your Room

[Jonna]

There has been lots of interest regarding the "Upstairs at Erics" artwork and subsequent "In Your Room" and "Nobodys Diary" EP artwork all of which were of course were created by photographer Joe Lyons. So who better to tell us a little about his experience of working of the Yazoo projects than Joe himself. We hope you find this exclusive to amco interview an enlightening and interesting background to the iconic imagery that has been stamped on Yazoo's UAE album and forthcoming Yazoo releases.




Hi Joe, thanks for taking time out to answer our questions. Can you tell us a little about your background and how you started in the business?

I was trained at the R.C.A. in fine art and started out building and designing sets and backgrounds for photographers. Then I picked up a camera myself. I started doing photography and videos with a friend of mine from college, and through a friend of a friend we did the video for Depeche Mode "Just can't get enough", Vince was still in Depeche Mode and was just about to leave.

Was that when you got involved with the Yazoo project?

I became involved with Yazoo on the Don't go single, with Alison and Vince's brief of the Pied Piper, I'd even booked some rats for the pic but they never showed up, and used an actor friend of mine as the Pied Piper. We did 2 shoots, one with real children, but it didn't seem quite right ( although the pictures were used in the stage show at the Dominium) and then I shot it with dolls which worked really well.





How did the UAE album cover come about?

I love the original UAE artwork. Mute gave me a platinum disc for it. At the time that I was given the job for the album cover I was just given the title "Upstairs at Erics".



How did you got about finding a location?

I spent quite some time looking for an UAE location. I had just got my first photographic studio in Chalk Farm, Camden, London and it seemed the perfect location. Also I'd just shot some furniture for a furniture designer, and got paid with the furniture. I chose dummies after dolls and started work. A fortuitous series of events.

What else can you tell us about the original concept?

Well, I felt that the high tech furniture worked really well with the rough look of the room and I put the cake (which was actually the top of my wedding cake) as a focus on the table.

What about the speaker in the corner?

The speaker, well the first thing that goes into any new place is a music system, right?

Indeed lol.. does the location still exist?

Yes, the studio is still there but it's not mine anymore.

What can you tell us about the new In Your Room artwork?



The pic for In your room is from the original session. I think Alison has made a great choice, even though we shot some new pics, the chosen "In your room" pic goes so well with the title. The great thing about dummies is that they stay in position, dont want to go home at night and dont charge overtime.

And the Nobody's Diary EP cover?



Yes its another one of mine, I really like that one too.

Did you realise how iconic the UAE would become over the years?

I knew the uae pic had something when Mute plasterd it all over the place, hundreds of them, I came out of my studio one day and the picture was all over the walls of Chalk Farm.

I went to Ibiza for a holiday and Ku club, now I think called Manumission had nicked the UAE pic to advertise a techno night. I still have flyer pulled of a wall in Ibiza town, so I thought we must have something. Couldn't even get into Ku club to complain that the they had nicked the picture, didn't even get a free cocktail as a sorry.

Joe thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us here at amco, its been fascinating to get your insight into your work on the Yazoo projects.

Thanks Jonna

[david_s]

Great insight to the UAE era/cover. Thanks for posting Jonna.

[Sunbryte]

Thanks Jonna for the 'exclusive' - we really are spoilt here and you look after us all so well. It was really interesting to read his replies and great to get some background info regarding the artwork. Thank you!

[Jonna]

Well I really have to say a big thank you to Joe as he was brilliant in providing this insight and subsequently offering some additional info via email, he has been fantastic. Thanks Joe.

[cdpetee]

thanks much Jonna!

Joe could probably make a MINT selling prints of these photos.

[sastal]

Please pardon my ignorance, but what does he mean by the "original sessions"? Is he saying that the In Your Room cover photo was taken on the same occasion as the UAE cover shot?

[iveivan]

Originally Posted by sastal

Please pardon my ignorance, but what does he mean by the "original sessions"? Is he saying that the In Your Room cover photo was taken on the same occasion as the UAE cover shot?

Yes, that's the case. Alison has said the same on this forum.

[Jonna]

I think it would have been interesting to see the new pics that were taken for the Box set but still prefer that original shots were revisited.

[Eric]

I am not biased, and I do not think it was groundbreaking but to this day I find the UAE cover the best cover I have ever seen.

Simplicity at its best.

There are not words to describe it as it should be.

[n4dave2]

Fantastic stuff Jonna , thanks for that !!