Bent Rej exquisitely captured the classic lineup of Small Faces
Bent Rej was famed for his work with The Rolling Stones. The Danish photographer admitted that he found himself in the “right place at the right time” in 1965 and, when working for Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet, Rej was given a promising assignment of photographing The Rolling Stones’ stops in Germany and Scandinavia during their European tour.
It was around that time that The Rolling Stones began to cement themselves as one of the best British rock and roll bands of the 1960s, and their second record had just topped the album chart. During those initial shows, Rej struck up a close friendship with The Stones and eventually became part of their touring crew.
In fact, the wind has it that it was Rej who introduced Anita Pallenberg to both Brian Jones and Keith Richards. Suddenly, Rej had moved from the Danish tabloid press into being a key figure in the world of British rock and roll. He would go on to photograph several vital musicians of the 1960s, including The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and Small Faces, the latter of which can be seen here in a collection of stunning images.
Small Faces were formed the very same year that Rej first shot The Stones. They were originally comprised of Steve Marriot, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones and Jimmy Winston, although Ian McLagan replaced Winston on keyboards just a year after their formation. The London outfit were considered one of the first “mod” bands and cemented their presence as an essential piece of the 1960s British rock movement.
However, towards the end of the 1960s, Small Faces split and Lane Jones and McLagan formed a new band with singer Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood, who had previously played in The Jeff Beck Group. They went by the name Faces, indicating that their members had now grown.
Bent Rej’s photos of Small Faces from 1966 include a wonderful black and white promo shot of the whole band; their white shirts, jackets and even shoes, providing a refreshing contrast to the darker parts of the image. We then find four photos of each band member (McLagan had joined by this point) standing against a tasteful purple background.
Small Faces were not half as big as the likes of The Stones or The Beatles, but they laid the foundations for Rod Stewart’s excellent career in the music industry. These Ben Rej photographs are true relics of an era gone by, but one that long serves in the memories of those who can remember and a fine point of reference to those who wish they could have lived in the glory of the 1960s.
