Van Halen Photographer Neil Zlozower. Sunset Sound Roundtable

Legendary rock photographer Neil Zlozower joins the Sunset Sound Roundtable and talks about his 6 decades of capturing iconic images of the biggest names in rock and roll. He has photographed legendary tours, covers, and publications with artists like Van Halen, Poison, Led Zeppelin, Motley Crue, Guns N Roses, Nirvana, Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne, and many others since the 60s. The interview takes place in historic Studio 2 at Sunset Sound Recorders in Hollywood, where 43 years ago Neil shot the iconic group photo of Van Halen during the recording of VH2. Neil is truly a legend who has witnessed it all!
50 Limited Edition Van Halen "Eruption" Work Orders!!! LINK BELOW!
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Neil Zlozower Website: www.zloz.com
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Neil Zlozower IG: @neilzlozower
Host: Drew Dempsey: / dfdproductions
Sunset Sound IG: / sunsetsoundrecorders
Filmed at Sunset Sound Recorders Studio 2
Facebook: @sunsetsoundrecorders
Website: www.sunsetsound.com
#vanhalen #sunsetsound #davidleeroth #Eddievanhalen

[@dougmessenger6367]

Great Interview!! ​I love that studio 2. That Steinway behind is the piano that Unchained was written on

[@KeenanNeighbors]

Hey Doug I cannot wait till you are back at the roundtable again. Your interview was one of my favorites. These days I live for stories from the best time in music history

[@AllenGarberGuitarFun]

Would that mean that “Unchained” was written at the studio?

[@johnmarshall3903]

Appreciate those tidbits Doug!

[@jordanmartinez2432]

The great Doug Messenger!!! Absolutely love your Sunset Sound interview! Have watched it several times. It was really well done and your stories and experiences were fascinating to listen to, thanks so much.👍🙏😊

[@frank-ski]

Doug, loved your interview! Hope you come back for an additional segment

[@tyryztoll]

Fascinating interview.....plus the vibrations from his voice busted up my kidney stone.

[@mrabrasive51]

All the wax came out of my ears!

[@virginiapicker]

Lol 👍

[@caramelapple4493]

😂😂🔥😂😂🔥😂🔥😂

[@frankrichards3089]

Lol Zloz is a beauty...

[@shadyburnike264]

I vividly remember these photos and being totally in awe when I was growing up ..circus magazine and guitar world

[@paulcarlsen4088]

Much respect to the old school photographers-those who used film. I went back to shooting film to get that old school feel back.

[@theboofin]

Content is still king...

[@BK-uf6qr]

When people loved music, and got together, socialized in a real way. Record stores meant something

[@tojorozombie]

Hey Zloz! Thanks a bunch for releasing two awesome VH books and not charging an arm and a leg for them! Respect!👍

[@gsmith207]

These interviews are archiving Rock history’s most awesome people. Neil was behind the camera for so many historical events that it makes my head spin. He’s the coolest, and to put free stuff out just to share just because he loves it is just the best! Thank you for this!

[@KeenanNeighbors]

As a lifelong concert photographer I can really appreaciate this interview. Fan then,Fan now and Fan always

[@sagedrummer]

Love Neil, great stories and a great guy. Got to meet him a few years back and he signed his Van Halen book for me.

[@Jedizen07]

LOVE this interview. And Neil's documentary is outstanding! HIGHLY recommend it.

[@gsmith207]

I watched it twice already it is awesome

[@e.a.l5960]

I LOVE VAN HALEN!! I LOVE LISTENING TO THESE STORIES

[@akfreed6949]

Miss those days . CREEM magazine was like the unofficial Van Halen fan magazine whenever they were in an issue . Eddie often wore Tshirts from them , like the No Bozos shirt .

[@GoodfaYou]

I was lucky enuff to hang out with Neil thru a mutual friend , we saw Black Sabbath, he told me some great stories , Great Guy , Great Show , Great Day

[@chrismurray6200]

Zlozower is a total Legend. Much Respect.

[@sunsetsoundrecorders]

Thanks for watching

[@caramelapple4493]

This was so cool!!! I’ve known about him obviously , but so glad to hear him speak.

[@frankrichards3089]

Emailed him about some shots dude gave me his office and cell # spoke to him for 30 minutes. Really really cool dude...

[@xpicklepie]

I held a piece of wood up to the speaker and Neil's voice sanded it smooth.

[@sunsetsoundrecorders]

😂😂😂

[@walterevans2118]

EXCELLENT .....All hats off to Neil ....A superb chronicler of rock history.

[@buch5]

Praise GOD! Zlozower HATES FACEBOOK!! I DO TOO! Always HAVE!

[@saabguitarproject]

Zloz was always one of the VH gang

[@ArloTarr]

Love how Neil says what he wants. No filter! Great interview!

[@williamstrasser8854]

Not exactly he wouldn’t say the band he didn’t like at 24:00 time stamp . I’m wondering who that is

[@mhoff7722]

@@williamstrasser8854 Prob some grunge band.

[@caramelapple4493]

@@williamstrasser8854 it was TOOL

[@caramelapple4493]

@@mhoff7722 Tool

[@mhoff7722]

@@caramelapple4493 Gotcha

[@oniwabangroup]

Neil THE LEGEND🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🥳

[@TMoody]

I remember when you would walk into any grocery store or drug store and rock/guitar magazines where everywhere (Circus, RIP, Hit Parader, Creem, Guitar World, Guitar For The Practicing Musician). It was a different world in the 80's/early 90's.

[@lucabiolzi1767]

What a rockstar Neil is!! 🤩😎💥🔝 Thanks for this great interview guys!!

[@JesseeSage]

Neil is like a shot of JD straight up. I was unaware of him until finally seeing this. Looking forward to watching the "In Your Face" doc. Another great interview.. Thanks!

[@letmeadow4729]

Drew this show is so good!! So amazing seeing and hearing these stories. Each episode is like a mini documentary!

[@andrestamayo6509]

Absolutely a REAL rock-n-roller. His camera was his instrument, and his photos were all apart of our lives. Always liked the Zlow pics in Creem and other mags. A true pirate of hsi times...a raconteur bar none.

[@frankrichards3089]

Legend

[@jameshutchinson3890]

I know none is needed due to the awesome nature of what you do but all the same THANK YOU ZLOZ FOR SHARING ALL THE AWESOME MEMORIES WITH US ALL!!!!

[@allanmakela3011]

Zloz the best,always entertaining,and informative,never a waste of time,or boring crap

[@99percentirish64]

Incredible interview, with an incredible photographer. Thanks much!

[@KurtS5150]

Great Video!!!! such cool stories. Can't wait for his new book

[@sayeager5559]

Glad to hear him mention Black Oak. What a great life this guy having.

[@tyryztoll]

BOA was the shit in the early/mid 70's. Amazing band.

[@tommorris8205]

Black Oak Arkansas played our College each year- I bought a Gibson ES-355 after seeing them- then moved to San Diego - Eventually met them and got to tell them about us loving their music

[@jeffclark6988]

Hands down best rock photographer ever...and one cool cat....keep em comin Neil!!🍻

[@rebeccadeane4679]

Fabulous Interview. Great photos. One of my many favorite rock bands.

[@shorerocks]

Ha! I grew up with Mr. Zlozower. The cool rock pics mostly had his name under it. Cheers from Germany

[@rockercater]

Sunset Sound Recorders----- great interview ...

[@MustangRed1967]

Love Zo's honesty about grunge. And the gals. Cause it's so damn true.

[@claytonjohn6473]

I always thought that be cool to jam with Ed. In the middle of the night and stumble onto a good riff. Ed always seemed so enthusiastic about just pure guitar playin

[@stevenlennon12]

never knew this guy love him going to now watch his youtube doc

[@massapower]

Great Documentary 😁👍🏻

[@hollylewis5302]

Hats off to you Drew on this interview! Great job! :)

[@philipbowley8374]

Brilliant loved every second.

[@ministerofdarkness]

One of the best interviews ever!

[@timbetthauser6948]

Excellent interview!

[@surfshack2]

Neil's great!!! Love his attitude!

[@tone-talk]

How awesome was that?! Love that guy!

[@craigberteit7451]

Thank you for using my question....If Zloz knew that VH was going to become the MIGHTY VH which they did.....LONG LIVE KING EDWARD

[@sunsetsoundrecorders]

🔥🙏

[@paulsteezo1772]

Neil was awesome in the MOVIE CLASSIC ROCK STAR!!! JUST NAILED IT!!

[@pawlpoche8736]

I’m 11 minutes in and I’m a major fan and now a subscriber

[@Twobarpsi]

Zloz....my kind of people 🍺🤘!!

[@my_tube9405]

Love this interview. I love all the stories. - Odd thing. I swear that music stand looks like an old worn out Vox guitar amp grill cloth.

[@buch5]

...Never signed on, and NEVER used it, and am proud of it!

[@wisdomseeker3362]

The documentary is great! He is a photographer that should be known _if_ you don't know who he is.

[@smartrn1]

NZ - A true legend. Great stories.

[@katiec6935]

This Is AWESOME!!!

[@BillyBongwaters]

You are AWESOME....

[@heyjarrod]

Great stuff, Zlows!!! I was there too in 86, Metallica and Ozzy. I remember Ozzy had that huge ultimate sin structure built right there in front of the arena. I believe that was one of the last few shows with Cliff Burton too.

[@Blondine9ify]

Fascinating interview!

[@pcmechanic40]

What an incredibly awesome interview! Zloz is a legend! I about s#!t when he said “for that kid back in South Bend, IN. !” That’s where I’m from. I spent hours at the record store and read the inner sleeves, cover credits etc. I used to think “man I wish I could do that!” Why did you pull that city out of thin air!?

[@sunsetsoundrecorders]

🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@pcmechanic40]

@@sunsetsoundrecorders River City Records. Man they made a mint off of me!

[@richards6065]

Thx for your great books too!

[@akfreed6949]

Neil is a legend from the really good old days . He's proof Rolling Stone magazine is overrated . The best band shots were in the kids rock magazines like Hit Parader , Circus and CREEM .

[@lousekoya1803]

Thank you !

[@BillDerBerg]

think I bought some photos of the guys in Priest from Neil outside of the Country Club in Reseda back in the day

[@21blackrocks]

Outstanding interview!

[@richards6065]

Looking forward to the new one

[@michaelfrazia4569]

he nailed the difference not only between the groupie scene of 80s and 90s but women in general...society took a dark turn and never got back to the loose fun times

[@ryannagel7939]

Great interview, wish you would have showed more photos

[@mikedtubey]

Great Video!

[@paulbattifora7617]

Woah! 🤘😎🤘

[@viniciusmarcilio3194]

What a character!

[@rebeccadeane4679]

Neil sounds as though he knows what he's talking about and he seems like a cool person to talk to

[@dspencer1201]

There's a pic of him at that liquor store his dad had in the Zloz documentary. It looked like it is the one at the corner of Clark and Lincoln in Burbank.

[@danriley5848]

Great video and Neil is a legend although I disagree with his view of Poison but he has documented some amazing music history.

[@hwy1310]

Very real dude……refreshing in this day and age

[@sunsetsoundrecorders]

🤘

[@walterevans2118]

I remember being very surprised when Rudy Leiren disappeared as ED'S guitar tech in the transition between the DLR and Hagar eras....I think he was replaced by Zeke Clark if I remember correctly....The reason I was surprised was because I knew that Rudy had been with Ed since before the band was even signed to Warner Bros...I hadn't realized that the management had jettisoned Neil as well...I think they made a big mistake there to be honest because he had a track record of capturing some really dynamic live action shots & VH even without Dave were very much a visually dynamic band.

[@KeenanNeighbors]

Zeke was my neighbor in Sherman Oaks . We lived on Mammoth 2 miles from Ed's place on Coldwater Canyon . Ed or Sammy would come to Zeke's and matter fact no telling who might show up and if they didn't their guitars would so I got to play EVH's,Sammy's, Michael Schenkers and CC Devilles guitars.

[@walterevans2118]

@@KeenanNeighbors Holy Moses. Michael Schenkers too ? That would have been when he was still playing Gibson Vs rather than Dean Vs ? ....They were both great instruments though. Michael says the Dean's are more durable...Wonderful you got to be part of all that.

[@KeenanNeighbors]

@@walterevans2118 yes sir that would be correct He was also a tech for Prince and he had access to Prince's I think it's called the Blue Angle guitar which sold in auction for 563,000 . I just saw a story the other day about Sammy Hagar calling Zeke when Prince came to town wanting to meet him and Zeke said he can't do it and Sammy said you can't why not he said well I can't even talk to him whenever I talk to him I have to pass him a note can you imagine

[@VeeBee30]

I believe you are thinking of Metallica opening up Van Halen's 1988 Monsters of Rock show at the Los Angeles Coliseum when the crowd went wild and the show got shut down after a few songs. It was the best time ever!

[@briansheridan6315]

Guys a a legend

[@h.l.westlake2587]

Lost my skirt wind...dude just said "I don't shoot photo's anymore it's a waste of time"? Strange but hey we dig the life's work. As always, PEACE & Light 🌞 H.L 🎶

[@shandonsahm3343]

Love Niel.. he's a cool dude 💪

[@TarekHabalREFlorida]

Neil is a legend!

[@FirebrandVOCALS]

Rival Sons are epic

[@rayfabris2512]

Niels taste and opinions of groups and musical interests are a mirror of me.lol like a brother with different mothers,no disrespect btw.

[@Bodyknowledge77]

Oh what fun this is! I keep imaging Zlo's and Henry Rollins chatting while viewing this and how blindingly edutaining it could be.

[@cheallen1626]

Incredible!

[@asnark7115]

He must have been the voice model sample the larynx box manufacturers used.

[@tannrrsmiddy]

- awesome - long live eddie !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@frankjamesbonarrigo7162]

He’s got that baddass voice

[@bradhardisty1652]

There is video interview footage of Jim Dandy where he said, early on, Roth shot 8mm video of him performing and his original moves and look were Jim Dandy. When he made the move to spandex and the big boots, that was Jim Dandy's look back when they were on ABC In Concert. Just like when Ed & Dave saw The Dils guitarist with black Electrical tape on a white Les Paul and Ed showed up with a white strat with black Electrical tape before he painted the Boogie body.

[@schuey999]

Cool dude!

[@jasonsabourin2275]

LOVE Zlows 2 cent's on "Nirvana", Pretty much what they(K.Co-BANG!) came across as..... Honesty is the best policy.

[@BillyBongwaters]

Coolness

[@hebrewenglishbibleread9941]

First 2 albums I bought, back in '73: "Machine Head" and "We're An American Band" (11:44)

[@vitosantangelo8459]

50:53 NEVER gets old.... that captured moment lives forever.... and with EVH, that stuff just never gets old. 💯

[@Malama_Ki]

Music fans are lucky this guy did what he did.

[@famachris]

Almost any picture you see, the chance Neil shot it is a winning gamble. I grew up on this dudes photos. He’s an icon. Eddie with the Charvel Star made me pursue that guitar for 20 years. Of course I just looked like an idiot playing it. He’s so self effacing too.

[@jhughes5285]

Zloz!

[@dzjc01]

Has Neil's documentary been taken down off of KZbin? I can't find it.

[@chickenbeek]

There was a long time when i saw a particularly kick ass picture in a rock mag or whatever and i always looked under the pic to see if it was this person who you only knew by name -Neil Zlozower.

[@josephrohland5604]

Hey Neil? Where'd you get that T-shirt?

[@viniciusmarcilio3194]

41:26 I agree 100%!

[@davep5647]

Zloz IS the Jim Marshall of the 80s.

[@Verylukyguy]

Was he bashing Tool? The drummer plays at the Baked Potato, that has to be Danny Carey. Depression Rock?!?! There is a point, when someone says something so wrong, you have to question everything else they say. At least we all know now that Tool is recording in the studio.

[@marswillrule2431]

Yeah, he should have called it boring rock.

[@xpicklepie]

Neil talks about Nirvana. I'm from Seattle and I can confirm that the whole scene was full of those knuckleheads. Even the other Seattle big band guys were 'distant' and seemed to demand that you EARN their attention because they were just too cool for school. The Seattle grunge guys were 1,000 times more pretentious than any of the 80's hair metal guys.

[@michaelgalvin6559]

He said rat poison