Houses of the Holy - Backstory to the Famous Cover

[human1138]

The Dangerous Minds blog has an article about the famous photo shoot by the design team Hipgnosis.

Houses of the Holy

 

[I.R.Brainiac]

Cool...I always thought those were wigs...I was wrong.

 

[fowlerclone]

I love reading things like this. Thanks for posting.

 

[writethis]

I was in Northern Ireland on business years ago and my hosts arranged a visit to the Giants Causeway. Houses of the Holy is one of my top few albums ever, but I had no idea I was on my way to the cover shoot location. Once I got down to the rocks and realized where I was standing, I was absolutely dumbfounded. The element of surprise played a big part. Cool cover from a cool designer working in a cool era. Thanks for the link.

 

[stereofanboy]

I never thought too much about it, but I guess I always assumed that was a painting and not a photo of real children in a real place.

I have to say that Houses of the Holy is probably my favorite Zeppelin album.

 

[Isotonic]

Maybe the best album cover ever. Hipgnosis was all over the place back in the day. What a great design firm.

 

[tomlinmgt]

I hear "No Quarter" in my head every time I see that image.

 

[writethis]

I hear "No Quarter" in my head every time I see that image.

Yep.

 

[Polarbear]

I love the album but the cover art is very strange. Oddly enough, when I listen to the music it seems to have an orange tinge to it like the cover.

 

[human1138]

my hosts arranged a visit to the Giants Causeway.

I would love to visit there, someday I'll get to Ireland and Scotland.

 

[Efa Efa]

I once heard a rumor that the kids in the picture were Robert Plant's. They do resemble them when I compared them in their appearance in the movie "The Song Remains the Same" at the beginning.

Hmmmmmmmm.....go figure:scratch2:!!!!!!

 

[human1138]

The Giants Causeway in Ireland;

more info here at My Guide Ireland

 

[opa1]

Those are some really good pics. I bought this album when it came out. I loved it but, my party friends liked other stuff. So it surrived my party days. I'm glad, I listen to it now and it's still clean.
Mark

 

[Ths364]

Thanks for posting the article Human1138. I think the hexagonal pillars are basalt.
There's something similar called "the Devils postpile" or something along those lines, here in the states.
Looked it up- it's columnar basalt. "Devils postpile National Monument" in CA.

 

[AnalogDigit]

Thanks for posting.

 

[bobins08]

Great story. I bought this record when it first came out. It was borrowed permanently by a guest at a college party. Still looking for a decent replacement at a decent price.

I stared at the cover art a lot and figured that was a ficticous place. I always surmised it was the same two children in the picture.

Now I want to hear The Rain Song. :yes:

 

[writethis]

I would love to visit there, someday I'll get to Ireland and Scotland.

I love them both. Hope you get the chance. :thmbsp:

 

[CapZark]

Thanks for posting the article Human1138. I think the hexagonal pillars are basalt.
There's something similar called "the Devils postpile" or something along those lines, here in the states.
Looked it up- it's columnar basalt. "Devils postpile National Monument" in CA.

There's also a mini version of the same thing in Missouri called the Devil's Honeycomb.