THE search is on for a photographer who snapped pictures for a rocker’s album which were never released.

Musician Leonard Vice was signed to the Raw record label based in Cambridge in 1978 and was all set to release his album called I’ve Got Spots.

At the time a Colchester-based photographer was roped into taking promotional pictures.

But the record never hit the shelves.

Mr Vice died in 2002 but label owner Lee Wood is now planning to release the album and he wants to track down the photographer to see if any copies of the pictures are available.

Mr Wood started the label after giving up his job as a cabaret act in Pontins holiday camps.

He said: “I remember at the photo session we had a make-up artist putting spots of snowpack on Leonard’s face and then covering them with make-up.

“It really did look like he had spots.

“I cannot remember the name of the photographer, but I do recall as we drove back to Cambridge that night the snow on the roads was up to four feet deep where the snow plough had pushed it to the sides.

“It was a very scary ride home.

“Sadly, the record was never released and Leonard passed away in 2002 but it is totally amazing.”

He added: “I would finally like to see it on sale so the world can see what a genius Leonard Vice was.”

Punk label Raw records, which was created in 1973, was the starting point for many artists, including Kevin Rowland who would go onto form Dexy’s Midnight Runners, who recorded the popular Come on Eileen, and band Lockjaw, whose performers later played for The Cure.

Mr Vice was the only artist on Raw records whose music was not released despite being a “stunning” artist, according to Mr Wood, who has written a book about the Sex Pistols, called Day By Day.

Anyone with information about the mystery photographer is asked to contact Mr Wood on lee@soundpublishing.co.uk.