The roots of this book, if I were to really dig deep, lie in an idea that I had thirty years ago for a dozen or so of rock’s most legendary entrepreneurs to reveal the deepest tricks of their managerial trade for a book I wanted to title Hype: How to Make (or Break) a Band in 1970s Rock ’n’ Roll. Within which Led Zeppelin would take pride of place, because an interview with Peter Grant suggested they deserved it.
The book was titled, but it has not yet been written. One day. . . . My first thank you, nonetheless, goes to Peter Grant, Led Zeppelin’s manager throughout their career, and the first person I ever spoke to who acknowledged that a lot of the things we believed about that band might never actually have happened. A chip in a solid foundation that has continued to fascinate ever since, at the same time as the foundation itself has only grown thicker and stronger—to the point, today, where it is virtually impossible to place Led Zeppelin’s achievements into any kind of context, because their legend created the context in the first place.
It is to those people who assisted me in reevaluating that context that my next round of thank-yous go. Particularly those who, speaking under condition of anonymity, shed light on those areas that had hitherto lurked in the realms of supposition alone—and those others with whom I enjoyed conversations that frequently had nothing whatsoever to do with this book, but whose memories, thoughts, and opinions appear within it regardless: Jorgen Angel, Carmine Appice, Long John Baldry, Jeff Beck, John Bindon, Deborah Bonham, Lee Brilleaux, Jack Bruce, Richard Byers, Lee Black Childers, Neil Daniels, Tony Defries, Donovan, Judy Dyble, John Entwistle, Mick Farren, Roy Harper, Nicky Hopkins, Tony Iommi, John Paul Jones, Simon Kirke, Alexis Korner, Trevor Lucas, Phil May, Brian May, John Mayall, Jim McCarty, Mickie Most, Simon Napier-Bell, Dave Pegg, Cozy Powell, Tony Secunda, TV Smith, Chris Townson, Dave Walker, Chris Wood, and the myriad other Zeppelin peers, pals, disciples, and dreamers whose words and thoughts join mine in telling this story.
To everyone at Backbeat Books, but in particular, Marybeth Keating, John Cerullo, Jessica Burr, and Joanna Dalin Sexton; and finally, to the usual cast of characters, suspects, and fictional beings for their assistance, advice, and enthusiasm as this book came to life, including: Amy Hanson; Jo-Ann Greene; Oliver, Toby, and Trevor; Karen and Todd; the Mortensen family; Rita and Eric; Linda and Larry; Gaye and Tim; Dave and Sue; Bateerz and clan; sundry gremlins; Barb East; Geoff Monmouth . . . and many more.