living reflections

I've found a couple more photos I'd never seen before.

^ Found here. Translated description says, "Loads of space in their own plane! Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page travels by plane — very relaxed — to the next gig. Munich-based music manager Rudi Martini was allowed to join. That’s how this historic photo of the travelling rock legends came about."

^ "Robert Plant in front of a hotel in Munich". Better quality version:

As for the train photo, I'm pretty sure it was taken at Munich Hbf (the main train station). In the linked Reddit version you can see that the ceiling is the same; and part of the tracks protrudes outside the building so that's compatible with the photo having been taken outside. Now the question is, where was Robert going?

all three photos (the Jimmy reflection, posing with the girl, and this one) must have been taken on the same day, and at least two of them in the same location

all three must have been taken by Rudi Martini (we know he took one of them, so why not the others)

the location is Düsseldorf Hbf, not Munich Hbf like I thought

Robert was travelling from Düsseldorf to Munich in the company of at least Peter Grant, Rudi Martini, and The Girl (no idea who she is)

the time of day is between 12:40 and 12:55 (12:55 is the train departure time and it looks like the train has already arrived; and 12:40 because there's no visible minute hand on the clock in the top centre 💀)[2]

what is the date? I don't know. but I know who knows: train nerds! mid March 1973. this is a book about 1970 concerts, but these photos have to be from 1973 (because jacket, because hair)

Here’s the full page scan

(The wall of text on the left page is the 1970 concert story; I’ve added my translation of it at the end of the post)

I have also found a chapter about Rudi Martini. He managed the local tours of multiple rock bands and partied with band members; he was there when the Montreux Casino burnt down in 1971; and Robert Plant once gave him “poison-green” boots.

Translated fragment: “He arranged everything a rock star on the road — in this case, mainly in Munich — might need to live. Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant once returned the favour by giving him a pair of poison-green boots with high platform heels, so that Rudi could keep up with him fashion-wise at all times.” [3]

Finally, translation of the concert story from page 70:

Better late than never with Led Zeppelin

The Led Zeppelin airship began its show at Circus Krone on 8 March 1970 with an unusual start time of 22 o’clock. A long wait followed, and only shortly before midnight could the show begin. Many fans were angry, some passed time smoking all kinds of illegal substances. Where on earth were the musicians? Rumours were aplenty: alleged customs issues, damp sound system, and a number of other stories. Other voices claimed that too many medicinal herbs had been found in the band’s trucks at the border. In the completely packed Krone, the fans knew nothing. A wretched mood was brewing, and when one guest had the courage to ask, “Could someone tell me what is actually happening?”, he was brutally beaten by security. The Krone team grew concerned about the dangerously growing discontent in the audience, and, as a precaution, called a couple of police units to join the already present security forces. But even under the state officers’ eye, quite a few seemed downright set on landing one on the “long-haired monkey”.