50 Amazing Backstage Photos of Famous Musicians During the 1970s

It was the post-Beatles decade—years of soul and rock and disco and punk. The 1970s was the era that fully embraced the change of the ’60s counterculture, a time when artists waged their own protests against wars, social injustice, and the rapidly shifting American Dream. Some of the greatest names in contemporary music reached their zenith in the 1970s. Here’s what was happening behind the scenes.

Pete Townshend sitting backstage, circa 1970.

Elvis Presley and Sammy Davis, Jr. backstage in Elvis’ dressing room, opening night at the Showroom International Hotel on August 10, 1970 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Jimi Hendrix backstage at the Love And Peace Festival on the Isle of Fehmarn, his final official concert appearance, on September 6, 1970 in Germany.

Rick Wright, David Gilmour, and Nick Mason of Pink Floyd backstage in Germany, doing interview on November 14, 1970.

The Beach Boys pose in a green room backstage before a concert in December 1970.

Chuck Berry discusses his performance at Madison Square Garden in 1972, while filming the documentary Let the Good Times Roll.

Princess Margaret and her husband, Lord Snowdon, join Elton John backstage at a benefit concert in London in 1972.

Bo Diddley cooks fried chicken before a concert at Madison Square Garden in 1972, while being interviewed pre-show.

The Who drummer, Keith Moon, poses with fans while dressed in a blonde wig and sequin outfit backstage at a concert in 1972.

Gladys Knight and friends backstage at the Apollo, Harlem in 1973.

James Brown poses backstage in London in 1973.

Michael Jackson and his brother Randy (right) backstage at the Inglewood Forum, August 26, 1973.

Stevie Wonder backstage at the Rainbow Theatre, using a cassette player, on January 30, 1974 in London.

Pink Floyd’s Robbie Williams, Mick Kluczinsky, Roger Waters, Rick Wright (visible in mirror), David Gilmour backstage in Burmingham on December 4, 1974.

Cher, Elton John, and Diana Ross pose together while backstage at the first Rock Music Awards in Los Angeles in 1975.

Eric Clapton speaks with his support staff while on tour in the United States in 1975.

Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers, David Bowie, Yoko Ono, John Lennon, and Roberta Flack at The Grammys on March 1, 1975 in New York City.

Elton John chats with music journalist Lisa Robinson after a concert on the the Rolling Stones’ Tour of the Americas in 1975.

Diana Ross backstage at a concert on the Rolling Stones’ 1975 Tour of the Americas.

Ron Wood embraces Keith Richards backstage during the Rolling Stones’ 1975 Tour of the Americas.

Patti Smith backstage with friends at The Boarding House Nightclub in 1975 in San Francisco, California.

Aston ‘Family Man’ Barrett and Bob Marley of The Wailers playing guitar and keyboards backstage at the Odeon, Birmingham, United Kingdom, July 18, 1975.

Ron Wood and Keith Richards backstage during the group’s 1975 Tour of the Americas.

Rod Stewart chats with David Bowie backstage after a performance at Madison Square Garden in 1975.

Aerosmith’s Tom Hamilton and Joe Perry warm up backstage at Madison Square Garden before a concert in 1976.

AC/DC celebrates after a successful performance at the Marquee Club in London in 1976.

Neil Young (3rd from left) and Frank Sampedro and Ralph Molina of Crazy Horse stand backstage with Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney at the Kuip stadium in Rotterdam, Netherlands in 1976.

Paul McCartney with David Gilmour of Pink Floyd backstage at Knebworth Music Festival, 1976.

The Runaways (L-R Joan Jett, Jackie Fox, Lita Ford, Sandy West) backstage at CBGB’s in New York on August 2, 1976.

David Blue, Lainie Kazan, Bob Dylan, Robert De Niro, Sally Kirkland, Ronee Blakley, and Martine Getty backstage at the Roxy for Ronee Blakley’s concert on August 18, 1976 in Los Angeles, California.

Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath pose for a portrait backstage at Cobo Hall on November 26, 1976 in Detroit, Michigan.

Led Zeppelin’s bassist, John Paul Jones, singer, Robert Plant, and guitarist, Jimmy Page, walk backstage at the Forum in Los Angeles in 1977.

British rock band Queen backstage during the band’s US tour, January 1977.

Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and Robert Plant chat with a fan as they walk backstage at Madison Square Garden after a concert in 1977.

Queen holds up the Toronto Maple Leaf jerseys they were gifted while performing in Canada in 1977.

Joe Strummer, Paul Simonon, and Mick Jones of the Clash backstage at the Rainbow Theatre on the White Riot tour on June 9, 1977.

Jimmy Page (fore, right) and Robert Plant (center, rear) as they walk backstage at Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, June 10, 1977.

Fleetwood Mac (L-R Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks Christine McVie, and John McVie) backstage at the Los Angeles Rock Awards on September 1, 1977 in Los Angeles, California.

David Bowie and Gerald Casale of Devo pose backstage on November 14, 1977 at Max’s in Kansas City.

Debbie Harry backstage at the Philadelphia Spectrum on January 1, 1978.

Robert Quine, Elvis Costello, and Richard Hell backstage of CBGB in 1978.

The Ramones pose backstage at the Old Waldorf club in January 1978 in San Francisco, California.

Debbie Harry meets a snake before a Philadelphia concert in 1978.

Joey Ramone backstage at the Paradise Theater (now the Paradise Rock Club) in Boston, Massachusetts, March 22, 1978. In the background are bassist Dee Dee Ramone and drummer Tommy Ramone.

George Benson, Valerie Simpson, and Nickolas Ashford of Ashford & Simpson pose backstage with Stevie Wonder in New York, cira 1978.

Paul and Linda McCartney with Ronnie Wood backstage at the Palladium in New York City on June 19, 1978.

Paul and Linda McCartney (right) backstage with Mick Jagger (left) and Bill Wyman (centre) at a Rolling Stones concert at The Palladium, New York City, June 19, 1978.

Peter Frampton walks backstage at Madison Square Garden after a show in 1979. The musician is joined by his girlfriend, Barbara Gold, and his parents.

The Rolling Stones bandmates, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, laugh over drinks backstage at Madison Square Garden in 1979.

Joni Mitchell, Mimi Farina, and Herbie Hancock enjoy a moment backstage at the Berkeley Jazz Festival, which was held at the Greek Theatre in May 1979 in Berkeley, California.

(via Esquire)