"There was always something slightly forbidden about Led Zeppelin. They were darker than the other bands and they had a command of mystique. You didn't see a slew of interviews with them; you barely saw any at all. They famously hated Rolling Stone. The rumour was that Jimmy Page and [Rolling Stone co-founder] Jann Wenner had tangled over a girl in London. The magazine trashed their first album."
"The key to getting Zeppelin on the cover of Rolling Stone was always going to be Jimmy Page. I would interview the other members first, and if Page still refused, Robert Plant would be on the cover by himself. Surely that prospect would lure Page into the idea of a group shot. Or maybe he would scuttle the whole endeavour."
"Back in San Francisco, Rolling Stone editor Ben Fong-Torres approved of the idea and cheered me on with daily phone calls asking for progress reports. I was already nearing the end of the time I'd told my parents I would be away from home, and I was dodging most of my commitments at San Diego City College, where I was taking some classes. I had managed to talk my journalism teacher into counting my road trip with Zeppelin as a class credit."
Led Zeppelin maintained a darker, mystique-driven persona and avoided frequent interviews, openly resenting Rolling Stone amid rumors linking Jimmy Page and Jann Wenner. Early critical hostility greeted their debut, yet a Los Angeles Times interview represented a mainstream breach. As Physical Graffiti approached, Rolling Stone pursued cover access, centering efforts on Jimmy Page while preparing contingency plans featuring Robert Plant. Daily editorial encouragement supported the attempt. The band lived a transient, guarded tour life, returning to the Ambassador Hotel and relying on road manager Richard Cole to slip members into nearby gay bars to avoid fans.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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