Conversations With Rock Stars

Our only goal will be the western shore

I returned to England at the beginning of June, determined to be near the Faces. I had convinced my boss that if I was in England, there was a great possibility that I would be able to be around other British bands as well.

June 5th, 1970

The Faces were playing at Dudley Zoo for the World Wildlife Fund in the West Midlands. Because of the success of the photo shoot, I was invited to be backstage with the band. I sat on a crate behind the stage next to Ronnie Lane and watched him tune his bass guitar. Ronnie Wood was smoking and drinking, clad in high heeled boots. In fact, they had all been drinking; they had been there all afternoon. Rod told me earlier that it was to take away the nerves. He was standing on the other side of me, leaning against the back of the stage and visiting about his upcoming album, whether I fancied football, and irresistibly flirting with me.

The Edgar Broughton band finished their set and the Faces went on. I walked around to the other side of the stage, so that I was in front on the right. I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned my head to find Robert Plant next to me. I was so surprised!
"Bevie, how are you?" He asked, squinting his eyes and watching the Faces onstage.
"Very good," I replied. "How about you?"
"Oh, doing well." He was sporting a mustache that turned up at the ends and a small beard. "What are you doing here?" I gestured to the band. "Ah. Good lads aren't they?" I grinned and looked up at him. He smiled back. After three numbers, there was a chain reaction of booing throughout the audience. They were throwing stuff onstage and shouting for Edgar Broughton to come back on. I looked around, then back to the stage where Robert had jumped up. The band was disheveled. Robert asked for the mic and said, "Hey, cool your jets. These guys are my friends." The audience cheered, upon recognizing Robert. He turned to Rod and said something. A roadie handed Rod another mic and the band launched into 'It's All Over Now'.

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June 28th, 1970

Led Zeppelin was scheduled to play at the Bath Festival of Blues at the end of June. It was absolutely freezing and the show was outside. It was almost 5:00 and I had been at the venue since this morning. I was able to take pictures of the band before they adjourned to the tents behind the stage. John Paul Jones had on brown corduroy pants and a brown leather jacket. John Bonham had on a leather coat with a fur trimmed collar. Jimmy had on his grandfathers coat and a hat. Robert had on a black jacket with fringe hanging open and was bare chested underneath, despite the cold temperature. I visited with the journalist, Chris Charlesworth, who wrote for Melody Maker. We were backstage with the band, where huge teepees had been set up with three course meals for the artists. I sat at a table with the band, between Jimmy and John Paul.

They were scheduled to go on after Flock. Led's formidable manager, Peter Grant, pulled the plugs on their equipment so that Led Zeppelin could go on and start playing right as the sun was setting. I was on the right side of the stage and the band launched into the, as yet unreleased, 'Immigrant Song'. The force of John Bonhams' drums and Jimmys' guitar was spectacular, and I could see people in the audience whose jaws had dropped in amazement.

I took pictures throughout the concert. At one point, Jimmy, after finishing a detailed solo, jumped and raised his pick in the air. As he came down, he turned and saw me snap a picture of him. He grinned and wiped his forehead.