Rock Gods: Forty Years of Rock Photography [Hardcover]

Robert M. Knight (Photographer), Slash (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 14, 2008

Robert Knight is the Rock Prophet; the one man who can rightfully say "It happened and I was there." Since 1968 Knight's photographs have served as testimony to the greatest moments in rock and roll history. Rock Prophet is a profuse collection of Knight's work with Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Van Halen, Green Day and every rock colossus of the last forty years. As a witness to the unique on-stage invention of rock stars, Knight's images are quintessential pieces of pop-culture mythology. His lens has captured the grueling rifts of Jimmy Page, the throws of Mick Jagger on the microphone, and Eric Clapton's soulful 'slowhand.' In a world of guitar gods and earth shattering solos, Knights photographs are the proof of legends. For those who dream of live moments on stage, the climax of a guitar solo, or the performance of their favorite song, Knight has been there, seen it, and taken its picture. Rock Prophet is the must own tome of rock photography for any collector, photo enthusiast, or die-hard fan who wants to own the image of their favorite rock and roll idol.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It took premier rock photographer Knight 40 years to get his own coffee-table book, but for classic rock fans it's worth the wait. Among the first to photograph Led Zeppelin in America (at L.A.'s Whisky a Go Go) and the last to capture the late blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan on stage (at Alpine Valley in East Troy, Wis.), Knight built a career out of shooting guitar players, rather than singers. This gorgeous collection includes images of Jimi Hendrix (Knight's first live shoot), Jeff Beck, Carlos Santana and Eddie Van Halen, as well as photos of newer artists like Zakk Wylde, Tyler Dow Bryant and Green Day. What most distinguishes Knight's work is his dismissal of the iconic in favor of revealing details: former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash, posing without his signature face-obscuring hair-do; Elton John, glaring at Knight's lens; Alice Cooper on the ocean with his face in a breeze. The photographer also writes with respect and honesty about many of his subjects, sharing stories about his final hours with Vaughan, attending a Halloween party with Cooper and finding himself the victim of a practical joke by Aerosmith's practical joke.
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About the Author

Robert Knight's career spans from the 1960s to the present as one of the premier photographers for the music industry, rock publications, and music equipment manufacturers. He made his mark in 1968, showing up in Seattle with a single roll of film to capture shots of Jimi Hendrix. Knight's images of Hendrix entering his adrenaline fueled guitar trances were instantaneously immortalized on the pages of magazines and newspapers, propelling Knight into a career as a professional rock photographer. Knight is best known for his "Guitar Legend" archive, havingworked with such artists as Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eric Clapton and contemporary performers like John Mayer, Slash, and Green Day. When he's not photographing, Knight serves as the co-director of Hollywood's Rock Walk in Los Angeles. He is a feature photographer in the Rock and Roll Gallery and a retrospective of his work is currently exhibited at over 160 Guitar Centers across the United States.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Insight Editions (October 14, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933784717
• ISBN-13: 978-1933784717
• Product Dimensions: 13 x 9.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #507,127 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended especially as a giftbook for rock music enthusiasts, December 7, 2008

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rock Gods: Forty Years of Rock Photography (Hardcover)

Rock Gods: Forty Years of Rock Photography is a coffee-table collection of black-and-white and color photography capturing rock stars at their peak from 1968 to the present day. Snapped by expert music industry photographer Robert M. Knight, Rock Gods features portraits of legends ranging from Jimi Hendrix to The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Van Halen, Green Day, and many more. A small amount of text offsets this largely pictorial gallery. Highly recommended especially as a giftbook for rock music enthusiasts.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like guitar heros: you'll like this book, October 1, 2009

By 

Edward A. Oates - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Rock Gods: Forty Years of Rock Photography (Hardcover)

A great coffee table book with photos by the best in the biz. Robert Knight is a talented, intuitive photographic artist, and a heck of a nice person as well. This book of photos brings back memories for this aged hippy and guitar player. Nice comments and stories as well.

If you like rock and roll history, you'll like this book.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Rock Photos, March 14, 2010

By 

Paulo Nicolau (Lisboa, Portugal) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Rock Gods: Forty Years of Rock Photography (Hardcover)

This is a great book for photography and music fans, loads of timeless photos, im a fan of big books so i wish this one had even more pages/photos thats why its not a 5 ***** rate...