Spitz delves into some of the more infamous incidents, adding new details that make these tales ever more shocking. The good, the bad and the ugly coexist in the Led Zeppelin story, and Spitz knows well enough to report and tell it all.

The book is peppered with musical references that Spitz describes as evocatively as mere writing can describe music. What I wouldn’t do is pretend that I wasn’t guilty of each and every inch of these “Tales Of Yore” the way the surviving band members do. No one before or since has lived the dream quite like Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham. Spitz’s reassessment of groupie culture is likely to prove the book’s most divisive and headline-grabbing theme.

Any photographer worth their salt will tell you that being in the right place at the right time is an essential part of getting a great shot. The original version of the book was a sell-out and has been the most requested book in the Rufus range. Even the inventor of shock rock, Alice Cooper, is considered (as described in Michael Walker’s excellent “What You Want is in the Limo”) to be a nice guy.

We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others.He has penned many books on various bands, genres of rock, and record collecting, including Voyageur Press’ Rush: The Illustrated History; Metallica: The Complete Illustrated History; The Art of Metal; and The Big Book of Hair Metal. This book is no different from Richard Cole’s book…this guy didn’t see Zeppelin live in the 1970’s…they were THE Live Band in the 70’s…wish I didn’t spend my money on this book. the band members were quite pissed off and claimed there antics were greatly exaggerated , yet they didn’t sue him for libel… hmmm.

But like the band itself, what emerges most profoundly is the historic, stop-what-you’re-doing sound —loud, bluesy, unapologetic. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. Rock ‘n roll bands – especially Led Zeppelin, perhaps the most egregious in the behavior department – were given a pass.Brilliant that so many people are still so passionate about the band, and long may it continue to be so…. But readers be warned: Spitz doesn’t hold back in describing the band’s antics, its displays of ego and cruelty that today’s audiences might find less than acceptable. Instead, Spitz frankly reassesses Led Zeppelin’s life and paints their career as dramatic and ultimately tragic. Infamous stories from the road, tales of excess, dominance, and ego are balanced by the band’s insatiable desire for heat and beauty.