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Stories
Photographer
Neil Zlozower got to document various Zeppelin shows at the L.A.
Forum from the front of the stage. He was amazed at Page’s
theatrics. He clicked away with his camera as Page went up and
down on the strings with his bow. Zlozower recalled, “You
know, the highlight for me of any Zeppelin show was you’d
always be waiting to see Jimmy whip out that violin bow and be
strummin’ his guitar with the violin bow, because no one
ever did that back in those days as far as I know. He was the
originator. There was just always something about watching him,
where it was like…c’mon, Jimmy—whip out the
bow—whip out the bow—whip out the bow!”
Photographer
Robert Knight had amazing opportunities to not only follow Zeppelin
around on the West Coast during the 1969 tour but also hang out
in Hawaii with the band. He recalled, "Since I knew the band
and the promoter did not, he sent me out to greet the band as
they came off the plane. I got them all to do a group shoot with
recording tapes of Led Zep II in their arms. The next week was
fabulous fun, as I photographed Led Zeppelin running up and down
the beach and learning to surf and destroying their multi million
dollar rental home with garden hoses and water fights." He
caught on film Robert Plant and John Bonham playing around in
the house swimming pool. When either Plant or Bonham attempted
to get up on the inflatable raft, the other tried to pull off
his bathing suit. Plant even tried to hang ten on the surfboard
but kept falling off. He did, however, manage to sit on the board---waiting
for the perfect wave?
Rolling
Stone magazine’s original photographer, Baron Wolman, was
able to be right up there at Zeppelin’s last 1977 West Coast
show at the Oakland Coliseum. Wolman walked onto the stage before
the show. It was the calm before the storm. He saw Page’s
guitars lined up at the side of the stage and decided that this
would be something very unique and interesting to catch on film.
They were all there—Page’s acoustic guitars, the Les
Pauls, the Danelectro, and the red Gibson doubleneck. So he went
up to the instruments and clicked away with his camera. Wolman
remembered, “The shot of the guitars just appealed to me
as a great little visual—it had never occurred to me the
guitarist used so many guitars during a performance. One of two
or three maybe, but this was a major collection…I count
my blessings that I was alive and well with my camera during those
halcyon days of music and was able to record at least some of
what I experienced.” Author
Ralph Hulett was at Led Zeppelin's final San Diego show, trying
to take pictures in a wild crowd that was forcing its way to the
front. He remembered, "People around me began to run to the
front, and I followed. The band blasted into 'The Song Remains
the Same' and yellow lights flashed on Page. He churned out power
chords and screeching notes from his Gibson doubleneck, a bent
knee holding up the guitar. I reached the barricade and looked
around. A small crowd pushed against the right side by the loge
wall, and some chairs clattered down. People fell as others pushed
from behind. There were cries and yells, and the guards by the
barricade rushed over to the little struggling throng. I saw my
chance and leaped over the chairs. Now there was no turning back.
I ran toward the stage, and saw Page in front of Bonham's drum
set, knees slightly bent and head down, concentrating as he wailed
away on his guitar."
Victoria
Oliver took the 2-hour drive from her home to visit Bonham’s
gravesite. She recalled the day: “The village is very remote
with houses scattered amongst woodland and fields. The roads are
just wide enough for one car and due to the remoteness, there
are very few signs…The church stands in a small churchyard
surrounded by a stone wall and an arched gate. I was surprised
by the small number of graves there…John Bonham’s
grave is at the back of the church and can easily be spotted by
its size (6 ft. wide base by 3 ft. high). It is a double width
grave and the grass is cut regularly. On our visit there were
24 drumsticks, a pair of sunglasses, a toy van, an empty tequila
bottle with a rolled up piece of paper inside (I assume it was
a message), a guitar pin badge and a piece of wood on the grave
stone. The views from the church are wonderful, just miles of
woodlands and fields with the occasional house. It is a very open
space and is very peaceful." |
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