Music photographer Neal Preston, who was one of many official photographers at Bob Geldof’s historic Dwell Support charity live performance at Wembley Stadium in London in 1985, has revealed what it was wish to be onstage with Queen as they performed their historic set.
Talking with Shot Speak, a YouTube channel managed by the Rock and Roll Gallery, Preston reveals that he did not know he was going to be onstage till seconds earlier than Queen started their set.
“I used to be one of many two official American photographers on the British Dwell Support. So I am there capturing dwell. The day earlier than we did pictures of Geldoff on the sector, and we weren’t actually allowed to go on the stage – even me! – due to all of the TV cameras. You understand, a billion individuals had been watching. However proper earlier than Queen went up the steps to do the present, Stickells [Jerry Stickells, Queen’s tour manager] is there and says to me, ‘get your fucking ass up there on stage.'”
“I mentioned OK as a result of these are my individuals. This was household. I imply, the Queen crew are as a lot household as my blood kin. So I zip up there and I am the one photographer that was on the stage that day. And I am up there with Queen, and now it felt like a rock present versus a TV present. And you may see me attempting to travel to cover between Brian’s amps and another issues. I shot 99 rolls of movie that day.
“That was Dwell Support, and I did not comprehend it was going to be essentially the most well-known 25-minute gig in historical past. I simply thought it was a great Queen gig. I used to be extra keen on The Who, anyway. Which had been a little bit flat, however I am a Pete Townshend man. However Dwell Support was fairly the day.”
Elsewhere within the video, Preston talks about capturing Led Zeppelin from their early days to their remaining UK exhibits at Knebworth in 1979, and about working with Jeff Beck Group, Janis Joplin, The Doorways, the Allman Brothers Band and extra.