New behind-the-scenes photos offer a rare glimpse into the world of Led Zeppelin through the years, as the band reaches the 50th anniversary of its founding.
The photos are among those to be published in the new book, Led Zeppelin By Led Zeppelin, a 400-page volume produced in collaboration with the members of the legendary band and set for release next Tuesday.
It comes 50 years to the week after guitarist Jimmy Page and his bandmates first gathered in London’s Olympic Studios to begin recording their self-titled debut LP.
Together with singer Robert Plant, bassist John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham, the band went on to become one of the best-selling acts in music history.
Though Bonham, ranked the greatest drummer of all time by Rolling Stone, died in 1980, the surviving members of the band joined in to collaborate on the new book.
Digging into their archives, they contributed rare artwork, unseen images and documents from the Atlantic Records vaults for what the publisher calls the ‘definitive’ Led Zeppelin book.
To pre-order the book before October 9 and receive an exclusive included poster, click here.
John Paul Jones, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page pose with a working draft of the new book Led Zeppelin By Led Zeppelin
The members of Led Zeppelin are seen in their first performance on September 7, 1968, in the Gladsaxe Teen Club in Copenhagen, Denmark. They performed under the name ‘New Yardbirds’ to fulfill a touring contract for Page’s prior band
Led Zeppelin are seen in January 1969 in San Francisco as they embarked on their first North American tour
Led Zeppelin perform on BBC radio for the first time, for the Top Gear program in March 1969 at London’s Playhouse Theatre
The band members pose in a session to shoot cover art for their 1969 North American tour book
The Mayor of Hiroshima presents the members of Led Zeppelin with a Peace Award following a free concert in 1971
Led Zeppelin perform on June, 2 1973 at Kezer Stadium in San Francisco during their ninth concert tour of the US
Page, Plant, Jones and Bonham are seen disembarking their tour plane somewhere in the US during the 1973 concert tour
Led Zeppelin rehearses on January, 17 1975 ahead of a concert at the Met Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Jimmy Page performs during one of Led Zeppelin’s five legendary Earls Court performances in London during May 1975
A draft version of the logo for Swan Song, the record label that Led Zeppelin launched in 1974
Jimmy Page is seen at Led Zeppelin’s final performance of their last US tour at the Oakland Coliseum in 1977
Led Zeppelin pose for artwork used to promote their August 1979 shows at the Knebworth Festival in Hertfordshire, England
Robert Plant (center), guitarist Jimmy Page (right), and bassist John Paul Jones perform during rehearsals for the Led Zeppelin – Tribute Concert to Ahmet Ertegun at the O2 Arena on December 9, 2007 in London, England