Houses of the Holy photoshoot

[robert-youheartbreaker]

Hey guys,

So I saw this picture some time ago and always assumed that man is Robert, but now I'm not so sure and I just can't seem to find any information on this. Every article I read about the Houses of the holy photo shoot only concerns the children but never says anything about the grown-up models.
Does anybody know something about this?

[Deborah J]

Welcome and not sure what you mean by adults.... but here is one thread and there are a few more as well. I found several by using the search function:-)

http://forums.ledzeppelin.com/index.php?/topic/17888-see-the-led-zeppelin-houses-of-the-holy-album-cover-child-models-all-grown-up/?hl=%2Balbum+%2Bcover+%2Bhouses+%2Bof+%2Bthe+%2Bholy

Edit to add: another thread:-)

http://forums.ledzeppelin.com/index.php?/topic/22287-new-hipgnosis-book/?hl=%2Bhipgnosis+%2Bnew+%2Bbook

Edited June 21, 2015 by Deborah J

[anniemouse]

Robert-YHB. I am new to the forum myself and read the threads provided by Deborah. I think the images in the picture you provided look cut and paste. There were adult models (I believe) at the original photo shoot so some images might have been taken.

I also thought that could be Robert but whether that is the case is anyone's guess.

[Gabrielle]

Powell: I got a phone call from Jimmy Page, asking if Hipgnosis was interested in designing a cover for Houses of The Holy
I agreed, and asked to hear the music and see the lyrics. He said, "No, just turn up in a few weeks with some ideas."

'The Dark Side of the Moon' sold 65 million copies. A billion people have probably seen that image.

When we showed up, Storm and I basically just had a sketch on a napkin. That’s how we did things in those days. Not very high-tech.
The sketch was from an idea that came from science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke’s novel At Childhood’s End. At the end of the book,
all the kids in the world go up into space in an enormous column of gold fire. I drew that on a napkin and Jimmy Page loved the idea.
Then Robert Plant suggested we find some "interesting rocks," and I said, "How about we go to the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland?"
They gave us carte blanche to shoot there for as long as we wanted, even though it would be expensive. At that time,
bands had all the creative power—more power than record companies.

We went with a family—three adults, two kids, up on the rocks—and it poured rain for five days. It was absolutely miserable.
I needed to make this cover extraordinary, but there was no chance of sunshine. The photos we took were in black and white,
in the pouring rain. Each album cover had a totally unique design process.

Finally, I decided to cut each individual child out from the various black and white photographs and created a montage.
I hand-tinted it in bright orange and gold and red, rich colors, with 11 gorgeous children running up these octagonal rocks.

The image is completely made up. That’s the cover you buy in record stores. I put the original black-and-white photos in this book
because no one's ever seen them before. I’ll always remember when I showed the final cover to Jimmy Page in the parking lot of a train station
in England as he was returning home from tour. I opened up the car trunk, and there was the artwork.
He said, "That looks incredible—that thing will gather a crowd." Within 10 minutes, 200 people were gathered round, looking in the car trunk
and at Jimmy Page, dressed in all his finery with long hair and a lot of jewelry.

[Stairway is NOT stolen]

Powell: I got a phone call from Jimmy Page, asking if Hipgnosis was interested in designing a cover for Houses of The Holy

I agreed, and asked to hear the music and see the lyrics. He said, "No, just turn up in a few weeks with some ideas."

'The Dark Side of the Moon' sold 65 million copies. A billion people have probably seen that image.

When we showed up, Storm and I basically just had a sketch on a napkin. That’s how we did things in those days. Not very high-tech.

The sketch was from an idea that came from science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke’s novel At Childhood’s End. At the end of the book,

all the kids in the world go up into space in an enormous column of gold fire. I drew that on a napkin and Jimmy Page loved the idea.

Then Robert Plant suggested we find some "interesting rocks," and I said, "How about we go to the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland?"

They gave us carte blanche to shoot there for as long as we wanted, even though it would be expensive. At that time,

bands had all the creative power—more power than record companies.

We went with a family—three adults, two kids, up on the rocks—and it poured rain for five days. It was absolutely miserable.

I needed to make this cover extraordinary, but there was no chance of sunshine. The photos we took were in black and white,

in the pouring rain. Each album cover had a totally unique design process.

Finally, I decided to cut each individual child out from the various black and white photographs and created a montage.

I hand-tinted it in bright orange and gold and red, rich colors, with 11 gorgeous children running up these octagonal rocks.

The image is completely made up. That’s the cover you buy in record stores. I put the original black-and-white photos in this book

because no one's ever seen them before. I’ll always remember when I showed the final cover to Jimmy Page in the parking lot of a train station

in England as he was returning home from tour. I opened up the car trunk, and there was the artwork.

He said, "That looks incredible—that thing will gather a crowd." Within 10 minutes, 200 people were gathered round, looking in the car trunk

and at Jimmy Page, dressed in all his finery with long hair and a lot of jewelry.

I love hearing stories like that.

[BonzoFanatic4880]

Powell: I got a phone call from Jimmy Page, asking if Hipgnosis was interested in designing a cover for Houses of The Holy

I agreed, and asked to hear the music and see the lyrics. He said, "No, just turn up in a few weeks with some ideas."

'The Dark Side of the Moon' sold 65 million copies. A billion people have probably seen that image.

When we showed up, Storm and I basically just had a sketch on a napkin. That’s how we did things in those days. Not very high-tech.

The sketch was from an idea that came from science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke’s novel At Childhood’s End. At the end of the book,

all the kids in the world go up into space in an enormous column of gold fire. I drew that on a napkin and Jimmy Page loved the idea.

Then Robert Plant suggested we find some "interesting rocks," and I said, "How about we go to the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland?"

They gave us carte blanche to shoot there for as long as we wanted, even though it would be expensive. At that time,

bands had all the creative power—more power than record companies.

We went with a family—three adults, two kids, up on the rocks—and it poured rain for five days. It was absolutely miserable.

I needed to make this cover extraordinary, but there was no chance of sunshine. The photos we took were in black and white,

in the pouring rain. Each album cover had a totally unique design process.

Finally, I decided to cut each individual child out from the various black and white photographs and created a montage.

I hand-tinted it in bright orange and gold and red, rich colors, with 11 gorgeous children running up these octagonal rocks.

The image is completely made up. That’s the cover you buy in record stores. I put the original black-and-white photos in this book

because no one's ever seen them before. I’ll always remember when I showed the final cover to Jimmy Page in the parking lot of a train station

in England as he was returning home from tour. I opened up the car trunk, and there was the artwork.

He said, "That looks incredible—that thing will gather a crowd." Within 10 minutes, 200 people were gathered round, looking in the car trunk

and at Jimmy Page, dressed in all his finery with long hair and a lot of jewelry.

That's a really cool story to read, thanks.

[robert-youheartbreaker]

Powell: I got a phone call from Jimmy Page, asking if Hipgnosis was interested in designing a cover for Houses of The Holy

I agreed, and asked to hear the music and see the lyrics. He said, "No, just turn up in a few weeks with some ideas."

'The Dark Side of the Moon' sold 65 million copies. A billion people have probably seen that image.

When we showed up, Storm and I basically just had a sketch on a napkin. That’s how we did things in those days. Not very high-tech.

The sketch was from an idea that came from science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke’s novel At Childhood’s End. At the end of the book,

all the kids in the world go up into space in an enormous column of gold fire. I drew that on a napkin and Jimmy Page loved the idea.

Then Robert Plant suggested we find some "interesting rocks," and I said, "How about we go to the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland?"

They gave us carte blanche to shoot there for as long as we wanted, even though it would be expensive. At that time,

bands had all the creative power—more power than record companies.

We went with a family—three adults, two kids, up on the rocks—and it poured rain for five days. It was absolutely miserable.

I needed to make this cover extraordinary, but there was no chance of sunshine. The photos we took were in black and white,

in the pouring rain. Each album cover had a totally unique design process.

Finally, I decided to cut each individual child out from the various black and white photographs and created a montage.

I hand-tinted it in bright orange and gold and red, rich colors, with 11 gorgeous children running up these octagonal rocks.

The image is completely made up. That’s the cover you buy in record stores. I put the original black-and-white photos in this book

because no one's ever seen them before. I’ll always remember when I showed the final cover to Jimmy Page in the parking lot of a train station

in England as he was returning home from tour. I opened up the car trunk, and there was the artwork.

He said, "That looks incredible—that thing will gather a crowd." Within 10 minutes, 200 people were gathered round, looking in the car trunk

and at Jimmy Page, dressed in all his finery with long hair and a lot of jewelry.

Ahh thank you, I actually read that article but apparently I missed that part that you highlighted...

[SteveAJones]

The photo in question is published and briefly discussed in the July 2015 issue of Uncut, a UK music magazine. The story above tells you everything you need.

[bcarter690]

https://www.mixcloud.com/51965/bbc-radio-4-stefan-gates-houses-of-the-holy-album-cover/

[Grazia]

Hi all,

Do you happen to know the exact spot where the picture was taken? We were there today and were eager to recognize the spot but to no avail.

[SteveAJones]

On 9/28/2019 at 6:31 AM, Grazia said:

Hi all,

Do you happen to know the exact spot where the picture was taken? We were there today and were eager to recognize the spot but to no avail.

"Finally, I decided to cut each individual child out from the various black and white photographs and created a montage. I hand-tinted it in bright orange and gold and red, rich colors, with 11 gorgeous children running up these octagonal rocks". -- Aubrey Powell, who designed the cover.

In other words, there is no single spot. It's an assemblage of multiple shots, multiple angles and locations on the rocks artistically presented as what appears to be a single image/spot.

[PeaceFrogYum]

I believe I have seen pictures of the exact spot at the Giant's Causeway the shoot was done. The actual, unaltered picture is close, but not exact insofar as the rock formations. Pretty impressive what the design team did. There are indeed two nude adults in the albums inner gate sleeve: a naked man holding a naked woman in in what appears to be an act of sacrifice in front of an altar and bright light. I do not believe they were models but rather drawn images.

Taking the children on the front cover scrambling up, in conjunction with the two adults in the inner sleeve I would think the concept was the children represent the beginning and middle of the journey, beautiful, innocent, idealistic; then the adults ,its conclusion, as in the end we all must make sacrifices.

[badgeholder]

How many people have hair like Robert Plant? Call me crazy, but that guy sure looks like Plant to me...

[Gabrielle Harris]

The 3 people in the photo are Ian Laughton (man in background painted silver with bald head), the man with long hair was not Robert Plant but Mark Sayer. I was the female to the left. I was married to the photographer at the time - Aubrey Powell from Hipgnosis

[Gabrielle Harris]

The silver man with a bald head at the back of the photo was called Ian Laughton. The guy with long hair's name was Mark Sayer. I was the female to the left. I was married to the photographer - Aubrey Powell, Hipgnosis

[Brigante]

Outstanding, Gabrielle. Great that things like this can be resolved after all this time.

[anniemouse]

Thank you for the clarifacation Gabrielle. Very much appreciated.

[Mikelangelo]

"And that's how you make great covers." 😁 They always had interesting covers: Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, UFO etc