With the release of his second solo album, Skyscraper , on January 26, 1988, David Lee Roth not only defied musical standards, but also death itself .
The album cover depicts a tense moment during a risky photoshoot at Half Dome , an imposing granite formation in Yosemite National Park, California.
Photography at the limit
Despite his experience as a mountaineer, Roth tackled assisted climbing, a technique unfamiliar to him.
Accompanied by experienced climbers Werner Braun and Ron Kauk , photographer Galen Rowell joined the group in search of the perfect shot. The chosen location had an elevation of 4,373 feet (approximately 1.3 km).
After facing challenges in the search for a safe location, Kauk installed pitons on a climb classified as A4, described as a "nightmare of rotten rock and deadly boulders".
With Roth trembling with fear, Braun used cunning to convince him to trust the precarious structure.
Tension reached its peak when Roth, fearing for his life, finally climbed onto the unstable frame. The camera snapped, capturing smiles and deep breaths.
Rowell, in record time, shot 20 rolls of film before Roth returned safely. The piton, which seemed to hold the musician's life, came loose with a simple movement of Braun's hand. In recognition, both climbers received a gold carabiner engraved with the words "Diamond Dave."
The tireless adventurer
This experience wasn't Roth's only brush with death. The vocalist has a history of adventures ranging from the Amazon to the Himalayas, facing dangers and overcoming injuries, including spending two years without a back molar due to trauma during a dengue fever episode.
Even with his family accustomed to frequent hospital visits, Roth continues to push boundaries, redefining not only music but his own existence.
Listen to the album:
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