graphite. is pleased to announce “Longwave & Hurricane Bells”, the works of photographer Mayumi Nashida, opening on September 1, 2011.

Mayumi Nashida has had a distinguished career taking photographs of a variety of world-famous musicians, from The Rolling Stones to Yo Yo Ma. In 2003, she met the indie rock band Longwave at a venue in New York’s Lower East Side. Their performance sent a thrilling chill down her spine, and their music moved her to the core. Since then, she has followed Longwave for eight years with her camera in hand, not only in New York or in the recording studio, but also on tour in the United States, United Kingdom, and at the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan. Nashida shot numerous rolls of film over the years, capturing the band’s many expressions. “The thrilling moment of seeing a musician hitting just the right chord on stage can never be reproduced”, comments Nashida of her work. “I wanted to capture those special moments with my camera, and I took each photograph with my heart.” In this exhibition, Nashida will be showing over 55 pieces of her work, documenting the development of these two bands.

About Mayumi Nashida

Nashida is a professional photographer based in New York, specializing in portrait photography of musicians, artists and actors since 1993. Born in Japan, she used to work for Sony Music in Tokyo. She was a creative coordinator who was responsible for the CD jackets and promotional materials of musicians. Having moved to New York, she works as a professional photographer. She has taken photographs of Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, U2, Yoko Ono, Celine Dion, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Oasis, Yo Yo Ma, Hank Jones, Steely Dan, Richard Gere, Milla Jovovich, Longwave, Hurricane Bells, and many more.

Nashida’s photographs of Hurricane Bells were used for the worldwide promotion of Hurricane Bells when the band’s music was featured on the soundtrack for Hollywood’s hit movie The Twilight Saga: New Moon.

About Longwave (band)

Since 1999, Longwave has been one of the New York’s leading exports. After the success of their 2000 independent release Endsongs, the band signed with RCA Records and began work with producer Dave Fridmann. Subsequently, The Strangest Things was released in 2003. The following year, Longwave followed up on the success of The Strangest Things by collaborating with famed producer John Leckie and releasing There’s a Fire in 2005. Their fourth album Secrets Are Sinister was co-produced by Peter Katis (The National, Interpol) and released in 2008.

About Hurricane Bells (band)

Hurricane Bells is a new project of Steve Schiltz, singer and guitarist of Longwave. Started in 2009, Schiltz wrote, played, recorded and mixed every note himself, arranging what would become the band’s debut album Tonight Is The Ghost. His song “Monsters” was included on the sound track of The Twilight Saga: New Moon, and his new album Tides and Tales will be released on his own label Invisible Brigades in October 2011.

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日本人フォトグラファーMayumi Nashidaが、New Yorkをベースに活動しているバンドLongwave とHurricane Bellsを8年間の歳月を撮り続けた集大成であり、初の写真展覧会を開催します。今回は55点以上の作品を一挙公開します。

The Rolling Stones、Celine Dion, YO-YO-MAなど世界的に有名なミュージシャンを撮っていたNashidaは、2003年にNYのロウアーイーストサイドにあるライブハウスでLongwaveと出会う。彼らのライブパフォーマンスはNashidaの頭(背中?)に電流が落ちたように衝撃的で、彼らの曲は心の琴線に触れるほど大きく彼女の心を動かした。

それ以降、現在に至るまでの8年間、彼らの音楽活動を追い続け、NYのライブ会場やレコーディングスタジオのみならずアメリカ各地、UKツアー、Fuji Rock Festival(Japan)そして京都などへも同行し写真を撮り続けている。

Steve Schiltz(Singer and Guitarist from Longwave)の新しいプロジェクト、Hurricane Bellsの曲がハリウッドの大ヒット映画、Twilight Saga: New Moon に使用された際、Nashidaが撮影したプレス用写真は、アメリカ国内だけでなく、インドそして世界各地でも大きく使われることになる。

『人生で同じ時間は2度とありません。彼らが作る素晴らしい音楽が写真からも聞こえてくるよう、一瞬、一瞬の輝きを見逃さず、魂を込めてシャッターを押しました。バンドは形を変えながら、これからも進化して行くでしょう。

彼らへのおおいなる尊敬の念と愛情と感謝の気持ちを込め、私はこの写真展を開催します。』

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