Supershow was a music documentary film made in 1969, which was directed by John Crome and produced by Tom Parkinson.
This film was intended to be Britain's first music 'super session', with several famous blues, jazz and rock artists of the time coming together to be filmed whilst performing. The project was instigated by the Colour Tel film company, the recent credits of which included The Rolling Stones' Rock 'N' Roll Circus and Jimi Hendrix at Royal Albert Hall.[1]
Filming took place over a two day period in March 1969 in a disused linoleum factory at Staines, England. Artists who were filmed on March 25 included Led Zeppelin, Buddy Guy, Jack Bruce, Buddy Miles, Dick Heckstall-Smith and Chris Mercer. Those filmed on March 26 included Eric Clapton, Colloseum, Buddy Guy, Roland Kirk and Stephen Stills. Allegedly Jimi Hendrix was due to appear but missed the plane from New York.[1]
The whole project was planned with great secrecy and filming went ahead at a reputed cost of £100 per minute.[1]
The film received a limited run in London, premiering at the Lyceum Theatre in November 1969. It later emerged as an official video release by Virgin Vision in 1986.[1]
Footage of Led Zeppelin's performance of the song "Dazed and Confused" which was originally filmed for Supershow later appeared on the Led Zeppelin DVD (2003).
