"People magazine sent me out in 1979 to take pictures of Frank Zappa in his home in Laurel Canyon. One of Frank's great qualities was that he was a smart guy who was always up to something. The bird in the photo is actually Frank's pet and is called "Bird Reynolds". When I want to start the shoot, the bird keeps landing on Zappa's head. At first I tried to get rid of the animal, but then I thought: Why not? Then just with bird! And so the picture with "Bird Reynolds" on Zappa's head in perfect pose is created. The bird's expression speaks volumes!" - NEAL

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The Story behind the Picture – by Neal Preston



Neal Preston - Exhilarated and Exhausted

BOOK TIP

Neal Preston is one of the greatest rock photographers of all time. "Exhilarated and Exhausted" is an unrestricted retrospective of his 40-year career. This was produced in collaboration with Neal and is the first time he has granted unrestricted access to his legendary archive – it is considered one of the most important and extensive photo collections in the music industry. This extraordinary band is a who's who of rock kings.

Neal has been the official tour photographer for Led Zeppelin, Queen, Bruce Springsteen and The Who, and has also photographed extensively the Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Michael Jackson and many more.

The book includes his portraits, backstage moments, live performances, post-performance highs and lows, and outtakes. Neal's photographs vibrate with a palpable and inimitable intensity. Neal is a true insider, and the images are brought to life by his liner text – a stunning insight into life as a rock 'n' roll photographer on tour.