Julia Binswanger

Daily Correspondent

Never-before-seen photos of the Rolling Stones at the height of their career are going on display at the J/M Gallery in London. A new exhibition, titled “Elegantly Wasted,” will feature intimate snapshots of the Stones performing on stage, relaxing at home, posing for album covers and more.

The man behind the camera is British photographer Tony Sanchez, also known as “Spanish Tony.” After meeting the Rolling Stones via the art dealer Robert Frase, Sanchez hung out with the band and worked as Keith Richards’ assistant for eight years. He was present for a number of creative milestones, including the making of Beggars Banquet and The Rock and Roll Circus.

Keith Richards at Olympic Studios
Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards at Olympic Studios in 1969 Spanish Tony Media / Bayliss Rare Books

“While the Stones were busy becoming the Stones in the ’60s and ’70s, Tony was snapping away,” Oliver Bayliss, owner and founder of Bayliss Rare Books, tells the Telegraph’s Natasha Leake. “His pictures give an unrivaled view of a band at a time in their lives when anything was possible.”

The British rock group formed in the early ’60s, playing pubs around west London—and a few years later, they were a household name. In the mid- to late-’60s, they released some of their biggest hits, such as “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” “Paint It Black” and “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.”

In 1979, Sanchez published a memoir about this time with the band, Up and Down With the Rolling Stones. A few of his photos appeared in the book, prompting speculation about where the rest of them were.

Mick Jagger onstage, early 70s
Mick Jagger sings on stage in a bright blue jumpsuit in the early 1970s. Spanish Tony Media / Bayliss Rare Books
Keith Richards and his motorbike
Keith Richards and his motorbike in West Sussex Spanish Tony Media / Bayliss Rare Books
The Lost Boys
Mick Jagger, Brian Jones and Keith Richards pose on Swarkestone Pavilion for the Beggars Banquet album cover shoot in 1968. Spanish Tony Media / Bayliss Rare Books

When Sanchez died in 2000, the photos went to his son Steve, who had a “complicated relationship with his father,” reports the Telegraph. Steve only told his sons, Nick and Matt, about his father’s relationship with the band at the very end of his life.

Armed with this new information, the brothers discovered the images packed away in a London loft. Now, they have decided to share them with the public.

“Tony had unprecedented access to the band,” per a statement from Bayliss Rare Books. “These photos are the most idiosyncratic shots of the band a collector could hope for.”

Rolling Stones in 1968
The band performs “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” in 1968. Spanish Tony Media / Bayliss Rare Books

The new exhibition opens next week, falling between the debut of the band’s latest album, Hackney Diamonds, and their upcoming tour. Released last fall, Hackney Diamonds is the band’s first new album in 18 years—and the first since the 2021 death of drummer Charlie Watts. According to NME’s Liberty Dunworth, Watts was able to play for two of the album’s songs before he died. The Stone’s upcoming tour, which starts on April 28 and runs through July 17, will feature music from the new album alongside the band’s hits.

“I couldn’t be happier to be involved in this project,” says Bayliss in the statement. “I spent months trawling through Tony’s archive—thousands of negatives and contact sheets—and am blown away by Tony’s unique eye and the quality of these images. Fans and collectors alike are in for a real treat.”

“Elegantly Wasted” will be on view at the J/M Gallery in London from February 28 to March 5.

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Julia Binswanger

Julia Binswanger is a freelance arts and culture reporter based in Chicago. Her work has been featured in WBEZ, Chicago magazine, Rebellious magazine and PC magazine.