JOSH CHEUSE

JOSH CHEUSE + DOT EDITIONS

Josh Cheuse (b. 1965) has lived a life shaped by music, rebellion, and creativity. Growing up amid the chaos of 1970s New York City, he was just 16 when he boldly called The Clash at Electric Ladyland Studios from his school’s payphone, asking to take their photo. That call sparked a long and dynamic career, leading to collaborations with legendary musicians and bands.

Inspired by documentary photography, Cheuse’s work carries a raw honesty. His images capture quiet moments before history is made—like baby-faced Beastie Boys holding a speaker outside one of their first concerts, unnoticed by the crowd, just on the edge of fame. Beyond photography, Cheuse has worn many creative hats, working in design and merchandising with brands like Stüssy and serving as Art Director at Sony Music for two decades. But perhaps his most defining work comes from his lifelong friendship with Joe Strummer, the legendary frontman of The Clash.

Our collaboration with Josh began in 2013, after a referral from the Mark Seliger Studio in NYC. He brought us a fragile Polaroid Polapan B/W slide film shot of Joe Strummer—an image that had sat in storage for years. He needed a reliable place to scan and preserve it, and that marked the beginning of our ongoing partnership. Since then, we’ve produced many of his prints, some of which have been sold to collectors through the Morrison Hotel Gallery.

In the spring of 2022, we had the opportunity to work with Josh on his book, Print the Myth: Joe Strummer Portraits 1981–2002. The project offers an intimate look at his decades-long collaboration with Strummer, capturing the essence of their creative bond. We scanned his film using our Heidelberg Primescan drum scanner and handled the imaging work for the book, ensuring his archives were preserved with the highest fidelity. You can check it out [here].

From developing film in his mom’s bathtub to photographing music’s biggest icons to shaping visuals at Sony Music, Josh Cheuse has built an extraordinary career. He is currently represented by the Morrison Hotel Gallery in New York City.

Black and white photograph of a person wearing sunglasses and a hat, standing in front of a building, inside a black photo frame with the words "PRINT WITH" on the side.

Misc Works

Four young men pose beside a yellow car on a city street at dusk, with a marquee for Radio City Music Hall and a crowd lining up outside in the background.

Beastie Boys & Rick Rubin, New York, 1985

People sitting at a table wearing Adidas sneakers, with their legs visible below the table, on a patterned carpet.

Run DMC, New York, 1984

Black and white photo of two women with punk-style hair and makeup, posing in front of a mirror. One wears a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves; the other wears a dark top and headband. The background shows graffiti and drawings on the wall, including words like "PILLOW" and "LUMANIA."

Madonna, Danceteria, 1982

Two young men posing with a large boombox in front of a brick house. One man is wearing a tracksuit and sneakers, gesturing with his hand. The other is dressed in a jacket, hat, and glasses, holding the boombox. The scene appears urban and nostalgic, in black and white.

Schooly D and DJ Code Money, 1985

A man and woman smiling and hugging in a recording studio, with microphones in front of them. The woman has short, curly aqua hair and is wearing a black lace dress. The man has gray hair, glasses, and is wearing a black tuxedo.

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga

A man dressed in a white suit, holding a black leather jacket, leaning against a concrete column under a highway overpass, with police officers standing nearby and rifles on the ground.

Mick Jones of The Clash, Italy

Four young men dressed in winter clothing, with one wearing a large hat resembling a Russian ushanka, another with a furry hood and sunglasses, a third with a furry hat with ear flaps, and the fourth with a hoodie and headphones, standing outside near a DJ setup with a brick building in the background.

Beastie Boys & Rick Rubin, 1984

Three young men sit on outdoor bleachers with their heads down, covering their faces, under partly cloudy blue sky, with yellow and red beach ball in front.

The Beastie Boys, Long Beach

Four young men standing on a city street in front of Radio City Music Hall, with a vintage boombox on a car hood, and a crowd of people entering the theater, with cars moving on the street.

The Beastie Boys and Rick Rubin, New York, 1985