Q&A: Bruce Springsteen photographer Barry Schneier presents in Holliston April 27

A quick flip through a new coffee table book by Holliston resident Barry Schneier, “Bruce Springsteen: Rock and Roll Future,” will give you an appreciation of some very cool photos Schneier shot on a special night in rock history – May 9, 1974, when Springsteen and that year’s version of the E Street Band opened for Bonnie Raitt at the Harvard Square Theater (Admission: $4).

What went on in Springsteen’s two sets would push rock critic Jon Landau to pen a much-published phrase that tied Springsteen to the future of rock. Schneier, then a recent addition to Springsteen fandom, was there to photograph it.

A slower perusal of the book reveals, in a series of Schneier’s essays, his thoughts as a music lover; his intentions as a photographer; Springsteen’s uncertain situation with his label at the time; how the career-changing concert came to be; Schneier’s memories of the show; and an overview of the music scene in 1974.

A Newton native, Schneier has been into photography – and music – since he was a kid. His works are in both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Grammy Museum. He’ll appear for a presentation, Q&A, and book signing at Aesop’s Fable bookstore in Holliston on April 27. He spoke about the book over lunch at the Maugus Restaurant in Wellesley.

Q: What got you in the door of rock photography?

A: I was going to Emerson College. Through some friends I met Bob Kelleher, a tour manager working with a lot of Boston bands. I also knew Randy Harrison, who worked at the Boston Tea Party [music hall]. Randy and I knew the Ultimate Spinach from there. When they broke up, and the leader, Ian Bruce Douglas, formed Copperhead, we became roadies for them. I always had my camera with me, and I was always shooting stuff.

Q: You are one of the people responsible for Springsteen playing that Harvard Square show. Give me the brief version of what happened.

A: When I was at Emerson, I met Ira Gold, a student there who was doing music promotion. I asked if he ever needed photographers and that led to me  shooting Bonnie Raitt’s shows as well as some other shows from 1972-’74. So, I parlayed my interest in photography into my interest in music. In the spring of 1974, my roommate and I listened to Bruce’s album “The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle,” heard he was playing in Cambridge, and went to see him. It was at Charlie’s Place, a beer bar. The band was set up in a corner, maybe 6 feet by 6 feet, peanut shells everywhere. And the place was pretty full. The band came on, I think they played three sets that night, and it was the most incredible music I’d ever heard. I thought to myself, “I have to see this band again.” So, I called Ira the next day and said, “I heard this act last night; you’ve gotta put him on a show.” He and his partners were planning Bonnie’s show at the Harvard Square Theater. She was going to be the only act, but after Ira went to see him at Charlie’s Place, they asked Bruce if he wanted to open for her and he said sure.

Q: How did you go about shooting the show?

A: At all of the shows I went to I would get there for soundcheck, roam around, hang out, talk to the band members. There were no rules. The lighting at the Harvard Square wasn’t good, and I had to push [develop longer] all of my film. I used roles of 36 shots, and would typically shoot four rolls of black-and-white and two rolls of color slides. So, I have two full roles of Bonnie in black-and-white, 2 1/2 roles of Bruce, and then some color.

Q: So, where have these photos been for the past four and a half decades?

A: They’ve been in a dusty portfolio. I didn’t think about showing them because I had to make a living. It was really my kids who told me to get the stuff out. But I also got to know Chris Phillips, the publisher and editor of [Springsteen-related] Backstreets Magazine, because he published some of my work. I approached him and said we should do something together, maybe a box set of my photos. Then about four years ago, he said he wanted to do a book with me. I said sure.

Q: What would you say the book is about?

A: It’s an attempt to capture this evening in rock ’n’ roll that a lot of people know about, and consider it not just a milestone or an important night in Springsteen’s career, but in music in general. Because I was the only photographer there and actually had some influence over them putting Bruce on the show that night, people have thought that I have some perspective on it. So, people have been asking me to write the story of it. The idea for the book was you can look through it and say these are nice photos. But I wanted it to have a narrative, as well. I also wanted to expand the storyline and put it in the context of music in general at that time. I started writing and then rewriting until I felt a story was evolving. I tried to talk about what was unique about the music of that era, and what was unique about that era with Bruce – his music, his writing, his style of performing. Also, why I love music and why music affects us the way it does.

Q: What will be going on at Aesop’s Fable?

A: I’ll do a 40-minute presentation, a book talk, and will expand on some of the stories that are in the book. We’ll have some of my prints on display, some wine and cheese. It’ll be like a little gallery affair. There’ll be a Q&A afterward, and then a book signing.

Barry Schneier talks about his book “Bruce Springsteen: Rock and Roll Future” at Aesop’s Fable, 400 Washington St., Holliston, on April 27 from 7-9 p.m. Info: 508-429-2031.

If you can’t make this event, Schneier will also have one at the Harvard Coop, 1400 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, on May 9 (date of the 45-year-old concert) at 7 p.m.