Led Zeppelin [Paperback]

Neal Preston (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2009

A spectacular photographic record of Led Zeppelin at their peak! No one has captured the romance and mystique of Led Zeppelin on film more successfully than American photographer Neal Preston. His stunning collection of photographs shows Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham in full flight, both on stage and off. The result is this powerful collection of color and black-and-white images that stands as the ultimate visual record of the greatest band of the Seventies.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Neal Preston has worked for nearly 30 years perfecting his abilities as a portraitist and 'rare glimpse' hunter, acquiring memorable, candid images of Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, The Eagles and Bono.

Product Details

• Paperback: 190 pages
• Publisher: Omnibus Press (September 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1847726496
• ISBN-13: 978-1847726490
• Product Dimensions: 12.5 x 9.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #92,852 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Stairway to Heaven, November 4, 2009

By 

John F. Lehman (Rockdale Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Led Zeppelin (Paperback)

There's them and there's us. The rock stars on stage, the fans squished below. It would seem that we are forever blocked in climbing from our world to theirs. Until now. This book of spectacular, oversized Led Zeppelin photographs by Neal Preston is the unlikely means. Caught in a shutter click, we can see what we mostly heard before. There have been film documentaries of concerts, but these stills let us stop time and study the camera's subjects in a way we were never before possible.

But that's not all. There is an interview of Preston by Cynthia Fox--a LA radio and TV personality--that links the pages of photos and even better, pulls us directly into the middle of this iconic group, much as the young high-school aged photographer is introduced to the backstage world of pop music. He's a fan but trying to understand what he experiences not in terms of being an aspiring musician, but on a more human level. We learn of his first days with Led Zeppelin. How he had to gain their trust, not just in terms of what he could photograph, but as a member of close knit group of musicians building a legacy we still cherish today.

Led Zeppelin was, of course, the English rock band formed in 1968 by Jimmy Page (guitar), Robert Plant (vocals), John Paul Jones (bass guitar, keyboards, mandolin) and John Bonham (drums). With their heavy, guitar-driven sound they are regarded as one of the first heavy metal bands. However, the band's individualistic style drew from many sources. Their rock-infused interpretation of the blues and folk genres incorporated rockabilly, reggae, soul, funk, classical, Celtic, Indian, Arabic, pop, Latin and country. The group disbanded following Bonham's death in 1980, but surviving members have since performed in "comeback" concerts.

Some of the questions asked of Preston in the interview (and his answers) are things we have all wondered about, but even if we could, might be hesitant to ask. "How familiar were you with Led Zeppelin and their music before becoming their photographer?" How did you, as a high school kid, meet people and show them your work?" "Was there ever a moment when, `oops' suddenly you were in the way?" How do you catch a moment, know something special is coming and be ready? and even, "How soon after a show would you be showing the band your sots and getting their feedback? and What kind of feedback did you get?" None of the answers probe much beyond the visual images we have of the group's members. Nor do we expect or want them too. There is something challenging about coming face-to-face with myth, yet wanting to keep it magical and alive.

The photographs themselves are sharp, dynamic, helpfully labeled and rich in variety. I couldn't find one that I would call ordinary, yet they were never repetitious. And like a fine painter, Neal Preston makes his subjects accessible, yet larger than life. There is a heightened reality I have seldom felt about comparable books. It might have been a nice touch to have the names of the groups albums or list their hits on a page in the back. I have one of their original LPs but never made the conversion to cassettes or CDs. We hear their familiar music through the amplification of our imagination. But memories like mine need an occasional boost. In any case, I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever yearned for that stairway to heaven.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great inside view of a great band, August 6, 2011

By 

Gregor J (Escondido, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Led Zeppelin (Paperback)

The photos in this book take me back to my youth when I'd buy each new Led Zep album (back then they came out on vinyl). The photos are interesting and dramatic, and tell a great story of one of the greatest rock bands in history. I spent an evening enjoying the photos and the interview with a photographer who I envy, or did until I read about how he had to work long hours with very little sleep just to get the film to the lab and have prints for the band the next day, and how it would take him a month to recover from the long hours. Still, I wish I had some of his experience, riding with my favorite rock band for almost their entire existence. After reading this book and savoring the photos, I almost feel like I did just that.