November 12, 2018

I am frequently asked what is the best rock show I have ever seen.

It was asked again this past summer when my wife and I saw Alice Cooper with a group of friends. That was a really great show!

I have been photographing shows since 1971 (junior year of high school) for various publications and record companies. So there have been a lot of really good shows.

I think my favorite show is still The Rolling Stones, June 18,1972 at the Metropolitan Sports Center in Bloomington, MN. That show amazed me!

The stage had a huge dragon on the floor and the some stage lights were behind the band and then shot up to mirrors that bounced the light back onto the band. Nicky Hopkins played piano. Bobby Keys played saxophone and Mick Taylor played guitar.  That combination of musicians is best version of the Stones to me. Stevie Wonder  opened up the show. Even being on the side, seemingly a mile away, the sound was great and of course it was loud!

So yes, the Rolling Stones in 1972 was my favorite show but there are soooo many others that were just as awesome!

Here is my top ten after the Rolling Stones from 1971-

Queen-Uptown Theater in March of 1975. Just incredible and when they fogged the stage I fell off of a crew case in the pit where I was shooting from!  Moved a few inches to get the shot I wanted and down I went! No one saw it and I got back up and kept shooting.

David Bowie-Milwaukee Arena October 1974. Even the rehearsal was amazing!

Joe Walsh with James Gang and Barnstorm. 1973 Summerfest. Also at the Milwaukee Arena and the Riverside Theater. He is a master at his craft.

The Everly Brothers at Pius grade school in Milwaukee in 1971. Unbelievable harmonies!

Steely Dan at Humpin Hanna's-Milwaukee 1972. The 14th show they ever played and we had drinks together after the show.

Pink Floyd-Milwaukee County Stadium 1977. Big, big show and the rehearsal was good too. During the actual show, it rained so hard but nobody left early.

The Who-Madison, WI 1975. Almost got crushed waiting to get in the doors. It was general admission and I wanted to be right up front.

Babe Ruth-Riverside Theater. Janitta Haan, Alan Shacklock and the rest of the band dazzled me!

Robert Palmer-Park Avenue club in Milwaukee. Very nice guy and the band was so good.

Metallica-2018 WorldWired tour-Madison and Milwaukee, WI. The stage and show design with a great band was something to see. Drones flew above the crowd! Cubes moved around from the ceiling with graphics and coming up from the stage turning into four drum sets!

I almost forgot my personal favorite photo from 1971 of Linda Ronstadt playing for Ramblin' Jack Elliott after she kicked the beer cans off the locker room bench and put her leg up to play! I was 17 and in a dressing room with Linda, Jack, Kris Kristofferson, Richie Havens, Earl Scruggs, Rosalie Sorrels and more. Learned about tequila that night with Kris Kristofferson!

There are many more I could list but these are pretty good choices I think.

What is the best show you have ever seen?? Let me know please.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

August 9, 2015

Last week, I forgot to wish happy birthday to my friend Ramblin' Jack Elliott who turned 84 on August 1st! I gave all the birthday attention to Buddy Guy last week, who turned a young 79 years old. Both of them have such an amazing history in music!

This week's blog is on 12 string guitar master Leo Kottke. He will be performing this coming Saturday night about a mile from our house here in Brookfield, Wisconsin at the Sharon Lynn Wilson Center for the Arts. Come check him out and you won't be disappointed. He is such an amazing guitar player and he has a great voice to go with it.

Some of the photos here are from an interview that I was a part of in 1973. Leo was just relaxing before his show at the Performing Arts Center in Milwaukee when we asked him a few questions for the Bugle American newspaper that I worked for. He was very nice and just reading the paper when we came in.

I have to say that the first photo of Leo and the mirrors is one of my personal all time favorites.

So, for today's photos, enjoy three pictures of Ramblin' Jack and then some of Leo, from the 1973 interview and show.

Have a great week!

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

September 8, 2014

I have been a music photographer for a very long time. My first images were taken in 1971.

My favorite photograph of my whole collection was taken in 1972.  It is of Ramblin' Jack Elliott and Linda Ronstadt.

I sent the photograph to Ramblin' Jack on his 80th birthday a few years back. I tried to get a print to Linda Ronstadt in the 1980's through her people, but who knows if she ever got it. Things like that often disappear.

This past Friday night, Ramblin' Jack played a show in Milwaukee at Shank Hall. I gave him a copy of the print before he went on stage. He autographed a copy of it for me and we chatted for a while. Jack is a great storyteller and we could have talked for hours!  Or more precisely, he could have told stories for hours!

He is a wonderful person, a terrific story teller and a great musician.

I think I got a new best friend the other night.

Love ya Jack.

Enjoy the images everyone.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

Ramblin' Jack Elliott at Shank Hall in Milwaukee on September 5, 2014.