Some feedback from satisfied readers:

This is a magnificent celebration of Led Zeppelin’s stratospheric five evenings at Earls Court in May 1975. The different size format works superbly and takes us on a fantastic journey across nights seldom seen and the additional Adrian Boot photos from 23 May are sensational.

Ian Saikia – UK 

Led Zeppelin functioned on a different level in their live performances, that level reached a pinnacle in May 1975 with five nights at London’s Earls Court arena. Dave Lewis has put together a beautiful photographic chronicle of those nights. Packed full of rare photographs, memorabilia and more. Five  Glorious Nights Revised and Expanded perfectly preserves those legendary evenings with Led Zeppelin.

Ed Ortiz – US

Led Zeppelin Five Glorious Nights – Revised & Expanded Edition- is a complete privilege to have received. The book drives me directly into Earl’s Court. A  riveting and a compelling account of the legendary Led Zeppelin shows. The images and descriptions create a vision of the prestigious evenings that took place in 1975. “Just a little world to get lost in occasionally” as Robert Plant stated.

Wanda Wooten – US

And the press view…

Noted Zeppelin archivist Dave Lewis has compiled a lavish mostly chronological photographic record of their 1975 shows. Revamped with a host of new photographs. What shouldn’t surprise but actually does, is just how beautiful page and Plant were. 

John Azlewood – Classic Rock 

Led Zeppelin 1 – it was 54 years ago this week.. to mark the 53rd anniversary of the debut Led Zeppelin here’s some facts, figures and thoughts on it all…

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TBL Archive Special: 

TBL Led Zep 1975 Snapshot: Number Three & Four

TBL Led Zep 1975 Snapshot Three:

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 29 1975

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA

THE COLISEUM

Set: Rock And Roll/Sick Again/Over The Hills And Far Away/In My Time Of Dying/The Song Remains the Same/The Rain Song/Kashmir/No Quarter/Trampled Underfoot/Moby Dick/How Many More Times/Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – Black Dog/Communication Breakdown.

Something of lacklustre performance. The strain was showing with Jimmy, John Paul and Bonzo having risen very early and flown coast to coast (against the time changes) from Los Angeles to reach Greensboro in time. Robert, who flew in from Chicago, would probably have benefited from another day in bed. The show is now condensed even further by the removal of ‘The Wanton Song’ from the set list. Levee has also been dropped.

Chris Charlesworth remembers the aftermath:  “About five hundred fans attempted to storm the rear of the building, throwing broken bottles, stones and pieces of scaffolding. Three of the group’s five limousines were severely damaged, and the drivers of the other two – which were parked inside the building – wanted to take their cars away. Peter Grant wasn’t having that… oh no! He actually offered to buy them on the spot for cash, but after a ‘discussion’ the drivers had no alternative but to let him have them.

“The group and entourage had to make a very quick getaway within seconds of the final encore. Grant took the wheel of the first limo with the band and Richard Cole inside, and everybody else piled into the second. With a Police escort, sirens blazing, at speeds of up to 70 mph in a heavily built-up area, Grant led the way, driving through red lights and on the wrong side of the road.

“It was incredible to be involved in scenes like that… Peter was just unflappable. When we got to the plane he got out and kicked the car really hard. ‘Fucking useless pile of junk!’ he shouted. ‘Way off tune… my old Bently goes twice as fast!’ We all just stood there laughing… totally exhilerated by it all. Then we flew back to New York and the band checked in the Plaza. It was a very tiring day. Unforgettable!”

Snapshot Listen – how it sounds now: 

I have this recording on the Footstomping Graffiti double CD (No label). Noisy but fairly clear audience tape.

Lacklustre at times but still some inspired moments. Robert is clearly struggling which is evident in his between song patter -his voice is straining even when talking.  Jimmy takes a while to get in the swing but is well on it by No Quarter which now running at 16 minutes and heading for greatness (Jimmy’s finger is cool” says Plant defiantly at one point).

The new material goes down well with Trampled particularly vibrant. At 18 minutes, Moby Dick provides a rest for Page and Plant (”John Bonham Moby Dick – Mr Physical Graffiti!” How Many More Times has a few elements of Dazed creeping in. Stairway again proves it’s worth and is something of a saving grace. Whole Lotta Love/Black Dog and Communication Breakdown ( the latter with Jimmy thrashing the hell out of the wah wah pedal) provide a valiant encore finale…and valiant is a good description overall for another challenging performance, given the physical drawbacks they were experiencing.

TBL Led Zep 1975 Snapshot Four:

FRIDAY JANUARY 31 1975

DETROIT, MICHIGAN

OLYMPIA STADIUM

Set: Rock And Roll/Sick Again/Over The Hills And Far Away/In My Time Of Dying/The Song Remains The Same/The Rain Song/Kashmir/No Quarter/Trampled Underfoot/Moby Dick/How Many More Times (inc. The Hunter – The Lemon Song)/Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – Black Dog.

“Good evening! It’s our great pleasure to be just about back!” Plant’s opening comment sums up the gig quite accurately. The band were slowly returning to form.

”Tonight we intend to cover the spectrum of a lot of the varying music that we’ve been doing for the last seven years. As we go though this spectrum we want to include some of the new stuff from Physical Graffiti, the LP that comes out soon” (love Robert’s use of the word LP – so quaint).

Plant explains the problem with Jimmy’s finger and joked that… “The bone on his wedding ring finger is bust and that’s a real drag because if he was to get married now, he couldn’t get a ring on”. Bonzo was introduced tonight, as he would be many times on the tour, as “Mr Ultraviolence!”, a reference to the Clockwork Orange style suits that both he and his assistant Mick Hinton wore throughout the tour. This is preceded by Plant’s claim that John is ”The man who made Led Zeppelin a legend.”

Snapshot Listen – how it sounds now: 

From the double CD Just About Back – a slightly muffled audience tape but good for the time. The title deriving from Plant’s opening comments ”It’s our great pleasure to be just about back”. Just about back they are with the similar problems from Greensboro in evidence. This though is an altogether livelier showing – Page is particularly inventive on Over The Hills and despite the vocal range shortcomings, Plant attacks In My Time Of Dying and Kashmir with much verve. How Many More Times has it’s final delivery and it’s a solid free flowing performance. All roads would now lead back to the Garden as New York was the next stop off – and when it came to New York, well they were all no doubt aware that they had a reputation to maintain…

DL

Summary: I’m with TBL contributor Andy Crofts view that the January 1975  Zep shows, though far from perfect, offer some quirky unusual set lists and performances. Here’s what Andy said in his piece on the tour in TBL 36- plus his ten notable moments listing from this period:

In my opinion Led Zeppelin’s  January 1975 performances have had a lot if unfair bad press. Musically the band  are fine, and they show us the kind of gig the band had in mind before the reality of touring the US in 1975 got the better of them. If they are rusty, they are also working hard, to put on a professional show each night. To my ear, these shows ‘cut the crap’ in the same way that they band would do – and stick to – in 1980. It makes for a refreshing listen and a fine contrast to the grandstanding that begins to take over once they reach Madison Square Garden in February….of which more next time.

Meanwhile, my advice is that you search out some of these January 1975 performances and prepare to be surprised that far from being overly sick again…Led Zeppelin were often on a very favourable night flight…

Ten Notable Moments from January 1975:

Here are ten notable performances from January 1975 that demonstrate the band striving to give it their all after a lengthy period away from the stage……and despite some physical restrictions.

January 12th (Brussels): When The Levee Breaks.

Ok, it doesn’t quite work, but this is by far the best chance to hear this song live.

January 12th (Brussels): The Song Remains The Same

The drums are off at the beginning, but it soon settles down into a fast-paced and well-controlled version.

January 12th (Brussels): The Wanton Song

Another rare one. It’s a shame they dropped it. This version is strongly played and sung, and the solo – while varying from the album version – gets better the more I listen.

January 22nd (Chicago): How Many More Times

Probably the best version of this for 1975, and certainly the best sounding. Jimmy and Robert work together well here, just like the old days, a fact acknowledged by Robert at the end.

January 22nd (Chicago): Stairway To Heaven

The recording has a few glitches, but this is a fine version, with Plant making a big effort and a scorching guitar solo.

January 22nd (Chicago): Communication Breakdown

They didn’t play this much after January, replacing it with the more complex Heartbreaker. This is a strong, fun version with a funky Crunge-like middle section.

January 24th (Cleveland): No Quarter

I’ve picked this one because I really like the guitar solo; inventive and in places quite Floyd-like. The shorter versions of this song always pack more punch for me.

January 29th (Greesnboro): Whole Lotta Love/Black Dog

I couldn’t resist one from Greensboro. Whole Lotta Love is still a mere intro, but Black Dog is well sung, and Jimmy’s guitar is spot on.

January 31st (Detroit): Over The Hills And Far Away

Any version of this from 1975 is on the money, to be honest. I like this one for the solo; Jimmy isn’t flawless but he is energetic and inventive.

January 31st (Detroit): The Rain Song

A beautifully clear version, well played and sung.

Sources: these are the underground titles used as sources – note there are a fair few variations and differing versions of these dates on CD.

January 12th (Brussels) :  Belgian Triple

January 22nd (Chicago): Windy City Tapes Vol.3

January 24th (Cleveland): Ultravilence

January 29th (Greesnboro):. A Quick Getaway

January 31st (Detroit): Tune Up

Compiled by Andy Crofts – extract from TBL 36.

TBL Led Zep ’75 Snapshot – To be continued…

TBL Archive Special:

My Seven nights with Led Zep in 1977

Led Zeppelin (on film) at the Granada Bedford January 1977.

The young DL gazes adoringly at the poster outside the Granada Cinema Bedford January 1977 – no prizes for guessing where this poster ended up – you got it – on my bedroom wall…

46 years ago this week  I was about to commence a seven night stint in the company of Led Zeppelin….or to be more specific their film The Song Remains The Same.

The newly released celluloid masterpiece was on general release and doing the rounds nationally and cue fanfare…had rolled into my home town of Bedford.

Yes Led Zeppelin alive on film in the quaint market town of Bedford for seven nights only and I needed to be there every night. Simple as that.

Now this event in the life of this then 20 year old Zep fanatic was big news. I’d already seen the film six times before Christmas, the first three nights in London including the premiere plus screenings in Cambridge.

Now I had the luxury of walking from my home in Dents Road to Bedford High Street every night for seven days to view it at the local Granada cinema. This long since knocked down theatre was a grand old building that alongside its cinema presentations was a stop off for the many pop group package shows of the 1960s. It played host to The Beatles twice and Jimi Hendrix. In April 1964 the seven year old DL witnessed his first ever gig there featuring The Dave Clark Five.

The whole week was a total blast as various friends and relations joined my then girlfriend Fiona (who I have kept in contact with over the years) asnd me in seeing just what all this Zeppelin film fuss was about.

No Monday morning feeling that week either. Absolutely not. A day in the WH Smith shop selling the records and tapes of choice to the Bedford public and then the nightly prospect of 137 minutes of Zep up on the big screen. It was pure heaven. Dec was with us  on the Wednesday and again on the Friday where we sat through the afternoon and evening screenings.

Dec was also with me a year later when we made two bus rides in driving snow to see the film at Western Favell in Northampton. Now that’s what I call comradeship!

Here’s the line up on the local cinema circuit for that memorable week of January 23,1977. With all the Zep screenings, there was no time to check out the double X sex bill!

On the Thursday my late Mum and late sister came along to find out just exactly what it was that so inspired the junior one of the family. A lovely touch. This week of weeks ended on the Saturday and not even a family marriage could get in the way. My cousin was getting married that day but we still managed to sneak out of the reception for two hours to attend the final showing (viewing number nine for the week!) By then the manager of the Granada had seen our many visits and gave us free tickets. We even made the local press putting the record straight about some errors in the local review.

It was an incredible week looking back and it set the year up a treat. I did actually go down with glandular fever not long afterwards which is another story for another day. What we all wanted of course, was to see Led Zeppelin back onstage –the nearest I got to them was the hour I spent at Heathrow Airport on May 17 as they flew out for the second leg of the US tour.

It was to be another two years before the glory of Knebworth.

In between all that I went on to see The Song Remains film around 30 times in UK cinemas from 1976 to 1979. It was the next best thing during their enforced absence. These excursions to see the film included the aforementioned bus ride out with Dec to Western Favell shopping centre near  Northampton on a snowy January night in 1978 and a late night showing in Luton when it followed a porn film – I kid you not!  I also saw it a fair few times at a small cinema near Wardour Street in London called The Essential. This was an art house cinema that regularly aired rock films of the day.

The arrival of the video age of course would soon make it much easier to view. I  invested in a bootleg copy in early 1981 – not of brilliant quality but it had to be had!

It can now be viewed at the click of a YouTube link – the thought that one day the footage would be easily accessible on a mobile phone would have seen astonishingly futuristic back in that memorable week of January 1977.

As much as it’s great to have such easy access to it – it will never be quite as rewarding or exciting as those seven trips I made into Bedford St Peters Street  during that week way back in 1977. It was like having the band live down the road available at will for a nightly fix. Seven nights in 1977…what a week that was…

Dave Lewis – January 26 , 2023

Robert Plant at Leicester University – It was 35 years Ago …

35 years ago this week on January 23 1988, I travelled to Leicester with the good lady Janet and friends Kam and Julie and Alan on a tip off that Robert Plant would be performing a secret warm up gig at the University for his forthcoming UK tour.

After a set by Shadows look alikes The Rapiers, on walked Robert with a completely new band. He proceeded to weave a rich tapestry of both old and new in a quite astonishing performance.

The new came via tracks from his forthcoming album Now And Zen including the Zep sampled Tall Cool One, a right old rockerbilly tear up Billy’s Revenge and the then just released chorus filled single Heaven Knows.

The old came courtesy of his former band in the guise of In The Evening, Misty Mountain Hop and Trampled Underfoot. After previous warm up dates in Folkstone and Stourbridge, this was the third occasion in his solo career that he had performed numbers from the Led Zeppelin catalogue live on stage.

In an era of no ‘Led Anything’ it was simply cathartic. As can be seen by this review I wrote at the time in the weekly column I did for the local Bedfordshire Citizen newspaper, I was mightily impressed. 34 years, on that night in Leicester University remains vivid in the memory.

It was the night I first saw Robert Plant successfully reconcile his past with the present. Being there to witness it all unfold was awe inspiring.

It kicked off a great year of Now And Zen appearances which for me included gigs at Colchester University, London’s Marquee club (where I first met Gary Foy) Warwick University, Oxford Apollo, London’s Town and Country Club and Astoria Theatre and twice at Hammersmith Odeon (the second night featuring a surprise and simply amazing Jimmy Page cameo).

Brilliant as they all were, it’s that first night in Leicester all of 35 years ago this month that still resonates the most – it’s right up there in my top ten list of all time favourite gigs.

Photos by Nigel Glazier

Dave Lewis, January 26 ,2023

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Joe Jammer Podcast:

Joe Jammer podcast on working with Led Zeppelin and much more…

https://thestrangebrew.co.uk/joe-jammer/

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Anthony ‘Top’ Topham RIP:

Very sad to hear the passing of the original Yardbirds guitarist Anthony ‘Top’ Topham – RIP

This via the Noise 11 website:

Anthony ‘Top’ Topham, the first guitarist for The Yardbirds, has died just two weeks after his successor Jeff Beck. He was 75.

Topham formed The Yardbirds with Keith Relf, Paul Samwell-Smith, Chris Dreja and Jim McCarty in London in May 1963 but left in October. His replacement was Eric Clapton.

Clapton left in 1965 and was replaced by Jeff Beck. Beck left in 1966 and was replaced by Jimmy Page. Page left in 1968 and formed Led Zeppelin.

Topham never recorded with The Yardbirds. Their first single ‘I Wish You Would’ featured Clapton.

More here – https://www.noise11.com/news/anthony-top-topham-the-original-yardbirds-guitarist-dead-at-age-75-20230124?fbclid=IwAR33y3xBiSnwcktEbSMTdGK1tl2DRzutfoHlApnzeBobYJvhksY_GmnjkNw

More here via Louder/Classic Rock website:

https://www.loudersound.com/news/founding-yardbirds-guitarist-antony-top-topham-dead-at-75

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David Crosby RIP:

Here’s a very eloquent tribute to David Crosby by long time TBL associate  Chris Wright… 

It’s now a few hours since the awful, horrible news of David Crosby’s passing surfaced and, of course, the playlist here has been, and will be for the next few days, exclusively devoted to a simply awe-inspiring body of work.

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DL Diary Blog Update:

Friday January 20:

A very poignant delivery…I ordered this yesterday before the sad news of of David Crosby’s sad passing came through…

Saturday January 21:

Saturday is platterday and David Crosby Day – lining up the weekend playlist here and remembering the late great Croz and what a catalogue he has left us with…

Saturday January 21:

Saturday is platterday – remembering David Crosby – on the player the Crosby, Stills & Nash album –pure perfection…

Saturday January 21:

The new issue of Mojo is in the house with a Bob Dylan cover feature and a superb Dylan cover mount free CD…

Saturday January 21:

Latest DL charity shop acquisitions…

Sunday January 22:

It was 50 years ago today…

On the player…

The rather brilliant bootleg double album One More Night -Live at Southampton. As recorded on this day at Southampton University.

It includes a rare for the era live performance of How Many More Times…my they were good that night –this is one I would have loved to have been at…

Thankfully it was all captured on this superb soundboard recording and it’s right up there in my all time fave Zep concerts listing…

Monday January 23:

Tuesday January 24:

Life affirming brilliant evening in the company of the good lady Janet and Dec’s sister Yvonne over from California…

Update here:

After all the losses of recent days it’s been an effort to get motivated – we did have a lovely meet up with Dec’s sister as mentioned above.

There’s been some work on the DL memoirs and I am certainly looking forward to all that can make it along to the VIP Record Fair at Victoria London where I will be launching the Five Glorious Nights Led Zeppelin at Earls Court May 1975 revised and expanded book this Saturday.

Thanks for listening