![]() ![]() The resulting trove of images lies behind Preston’s new iBook, Led Zeppelin: Sound and Fury (Rhino, $9.99). Beginning with Zeppelin’s monstrous US tour in 1975, Grant hired Preston as the sole “inside photographer” to document the proceedings. Possessing a deft eye, street cred and a simpatico backstage manner, Preston befriended the band. One of these lensman was Neal Preston, who was building a career as a concert and celebrity shooter. In the early 1970s Zeppelin allowed a select cadre of photographers to shoot their shows on a tight leash, controlled by their outsized bodyguard of a manager, Peter Grant. Meanwhile they split the rock world into love-em-or-hate-em camps with the wildly diverse music on those discs - and with their marathon concerts, including sellout stadium shows running upwards of three hours.įor the live gigs, at least, the band conceded that some publicity photos might be in order. Stung by harsh reviews of their early records, Zep famously shunned press interviews and photo sessions, reaching many fans mainly through bold albums with cryptic cover art their most popular LP even omitted any title, artist name, band shots or text on its gatefold sleeve. © Neal Prestonĭuring much of their heyday, Led Zeppelin skirted the star-maker media machine and conquered the planet via word-of-mouth and mystique. “Sneaking around on stage, you never know if you’re going to end up over a flash pot or something.” © Neal Preston Neal Preston’s new iBook Sound and Fury: Led Zeppelin, includes unseen images, onstage and off, from the band’s tours throughout the 1970s. “Pyrotechnics would always make me a little nervous,” Preston recalls. © Neal Preston A stage explosive goes off during a Zeppelin concert at the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit, MI, in 1977. But they still had no time to button their shirts. “They swaggered across America and they owned it all.” © Neal Preston In a 1977 concert, John Paul Jones plays mandolin, Jimmy Page strums acoustic, and Robert Plant lowers the intensity a few decibels during an acoustic segment of Zeppelin’s set. “Not only were they at the top of their game musically in the mid-’70s, but there was a certain attitude that they seemed to carry - a well-deserved sense of superiority that was undeniable and magnetic,” Preston writes. “This picture’s all about: It’s time to go to work.” © Neal Preston Preston shot Zeppelin from front-and-center in 1975. “Peter was probably the biggest Led Zeppelin fan of all,” Preston says in an audio clip. “This shot captures the very essence of Rock for me body and soul, power and gentleness, male and female in one poetic androgynous gesture.” © Neal Preston In a 1975 backstage shot in Indianapolis, IN, manager Peter Grant (left) rallies the players before they go onstage. ![]() “Carelessly held in the other are a cigarette and a pint,” notes Ann Wilson of Heart in a tribute in Sound and Fury. You can watch the footage below, featuring the band performing songs like ‘Whole Lotta Love’, ‘Some other Guy’, and ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’.At a 1973 outdoor show in San Francisco, Zeppelin released a dozen white doves at the end of “Stairway to Heaven.” One bird chose not to fly away and instead alighted on Robert Plant’s hand. The footage was then sent to a French audio synchroniser – conveniently a Led Zeppelin expert – who matched the exact moments in the band’s set and matched them to their classic On Blueberry Hill bootleg, which was recorded on the same night back in 1970.Īfter going unseen for so long, the footage is a wonderful gift for Led Zeppelin fans around the world. And if this film brings a lot of people happiness, hey, we did a good job.” Music’s to be shared, and today you need it to get away from the crazy world. ![]() “I know a lot of collectors and traders that don’t give their stuff away, and that’s a shame to me. ![]() “To write ourselves into a little bit of Led Zeppelin history is an honour,” Waters told Classic Rock. Vincent’s footage remained unseen for decades until he took it to a video bootleg trader named, John Waters, who got it transferred into digital files. As he revealed to Classic Rock, he had great seats “right behind the band.” “The only problem was that you couldn’t really see John because the gong was there, but he came around and chatted to us while they were doing the acoustic set,” he added. ![]()
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