The Rolling Stones’ very first ever MTV video was ‘Waiting on a Friend’. Directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, the song came up big and has a great connection to another legendary band, Led Zeppelin.
Led Zeppelin’s sixth studio album, Physical Graffiti was a great one. Also, the album cover took every fan by surprise as it was very interactive. Physical Graffiti was very much like Led Zeppelin, psychedelic. The artwork was produced by Peter Corriston. The building is located at 96-98 on St. Mark’s Place in East Village, New York. The building was photographed with the top floor cropped out.
The photo was taken during the day, which gave a lighter complexion. Also, there are side-by-side tenements from the street level. The 16-cut-out windows reveal interesting images and photographs. It is a nod to The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover. There are occupants peering out of the building which include JFK’s assassin Lee Harvey Oswald, Neil Armstrong, Elizabeth Taylor, and many more.
Led Zeppelin disbanded in 1980 due to the death of drummer John Bonham. They missed out on the MTV age by a few months while their friends were at the top of the rock work. Zeppelin never got to do a proper video for their last tracks like ‘Fool in the Rain.’ And, at that time the Rolling Stones were rolling a lot. They entered a new decade with openness and became legends in the MTV age.
The Rolling Stones were alive and well in the early 80s. They also released an album Tattoo You in 1981 which was the last album to hit number one in the US. Their first official MV was made for their second single ‘Waiting on a Friend’ from the album Tattoo You.
When the video rolls for the song ‘Waiting on a Friend’, Jagger is there standing on the building’s front way. The Stones took a pilgrimage to the buildings at 96-98 St. Mark’s Place where Led Zeppelin’s iconic shot was taken. A few friends are seen hanging out on the steps below and then the camera tracks the approach of Keith Richards who goes down First Avenue past the legendary International Bar.
Be sure to watch the MTV classic down below.
