Just like you and I, rock stars all have parents too. In the deep dusty corners of the Life Magazine archives, these pictures have turned up – famous 70′s rock stars with their parents, taken in their parents’ houses. These pictures are strangely humanizing, showing these rock stars at their parents place. They all seem to have real, honest-to-goodness, “normal” seeming families (well, maybe except for Elton John). What I found most interesting though is the awesome 70′s decor in most of these places. Click on any photo to view in higher resolution and size.
Frank Zappa with his parents Francis and Rosemary in California. Credit: John Olson, Life. By the way, if you already haven’t you have to check this book out. It’s one of the funniest, most entertaining books I’ve read in a long time. It stayed in my bathroom for about 6 months. Nice one matching your shirt to the walls, Frank.
David Crosby with his father Floyd in father’s house in Ojai, California. Credit: John Olson, Life
Grace Slick with her mom Virginia Wing in her mom’s home in Palo Alto, California. Credit: John Olson, Life . That blue chair rocks.
Elton John with his mom Shelia and dad (actually stepfather) Fred Fairebrother hanging out in their London apartment. Credit: John Olson, Life . CHeck out those boots on his mom – nothing more pimpin’ than boots that match your shirt. Looks like Elton got his fashion sense from his mom.
Donovan and his parents in England, also The Jackson Five with their parents in Encino, California. Credit: John Olson, Life
Eric Clapton with his grandmother Rose in the house he bought her in Surrey, England. Credit: John Olson, Life . I’m thinking Eric’s grandma cut up her previous drapes to make his vest. More to come... actually scratch that, here they are: Part 2.











22 Comments Received
December 1st, 2008 @8:47 am
This just made my day. Hilarious.
December 1st, 2008 @8:21 pm
I love it…nice work…I mention it in my upcoming post on my blog…hope you don’t mind.
December 2nd, 2008 @6:08 pm
Where are Jimmy Page’s parents?
December 2nd, 2008 @6:45 pm
Ermm 540 pixels isn’t considered “high resolution”, but yeah, ok.
December 2nd, 2008 @7:19 pm
I love the color of the walls in the living room of Frank Zappa parents house. I would totally use that today!
December 2nd, 2008 @8:17 pm
Wow I bet it was a real hoot hanging out with Elton John back in the day!
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December 2nd, 2008 @10:43 pm
Rock star parents is a very cool post.
My favorite is the photo of Frank Zappa with his parents.
thanks from tony
December 3rd, 2008 @2:49 am
Great post…would love seeing them enlarged a bit more.
Liveon35mm.com
contemporary live music on glorious B&W film
December 3rd, 2008 @7:36 am
Elton’s pic ‘splains it all.
Dresses like Mom and stepfather is
Fred Fairybrother??lol
December 3rd, 2008 @9:16 am
Man, those are incredible pics. The Crosby one is fascinating, you can feel the tension as their world’s are colliding. Conversely, look at the pride on Clapton’s Granny’s face.
December 3rd, 2008 @10:05 am
ça peut te faire sourire…au moins !
December 3rd, 2008 @7:51 pm
I want to see Ozzy Ozborne’s folks!
December 3rd, 2008 @9:57 pm
Clapton was so hot back then. I would have shagged him even in that vest. schwing!
December 4th, 2008 @3:22 am
This just made my day. Hilarious..
December 4th, 2008 @7:45 pm
These are awesome, I’m not sure which is more entertaining, the decor or the people. I know about Moon Unit and Dweezle, but never really thought about Frank Zappa having parents. They must have been pretty amazing. I wonder if they wore brown shoes:)
One thing that I always liked about Frank Zappa was that he kept a plain old record player so he could listen to his albums the way his fans did. Two track mono recordings really id offer great separation.
December 8th, 2008 @10:18 pm
I remember those rock stars from history class!
December 17th, 2008 @10:46 pm
A brilliant theme for a photography project! Great, entertaining post.
December 22nd, 2008 @1:44 am
Great post…would love seeing them enlarged a bit more…
December 24th, 2008 @2:06 am
I want to see Ozzy Ozborne’s folks!!
March 31st, 2009 @1:54 pm
This is Wundermus! Joan Jett? Rod Stewart?
Must. See. Norman… Greenbaum!
April 27th, 2010 @8:26 am
Did anyone else notice the work of art hanging on Zappa’s parent’s wall? It’s the cover of Alice Cooper’s first record, Pretties for You.
July 2nd, 2010 @8:45 am
I remember finding this issue in my great-grandmother’s apartment right about the time I became besotted with Elton John. The shots are like Wallpaper mag before Wallpaper mag existed. Brill.
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