JOHN BONHAM A CELEBRATION III FULL LINE UP DETAILS/BONHAM BULLICK LATEST TOUR NEWS/LZ NEWS/TBL ARCHIVE – PRELUDE TO EARLS COURT 1975 US TOUR SNAPSHOT/GOLDRUSH AT THE BRIDGE 1970/DL DIARY BLOG UPDATE

JOHN BONHAM A CELEBRATION III FESTIVAL 2023
Celebrating the 75th Birthday of John Henry Bonham in Redditch town centre on Saturday 27th May 2023 with a day/evening of live blues/rock music from top artists and bands.
Led Into Zeppelin
Vincent Flatts Final Drive
CODA- A Tribute to Led Zeppelin
Taxi For Jesus
Ceri Justice &The Jury,
Sundance
Ritchie Dave Porter & Debra Susan
PLUS Special Guests – all with links to Bonzo and/or Led Zeppelin.
More detials at this link:
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LZ News:
Led Zeppelin News Update:
Led Zeppelin
- The upcoming feature-length documentary film about the origins of Led Zeppelin has returned to being advertised under its original title “Becoming Led Zeppelin” after seemingly being retitled “Led Zeppelin” last month. There is still no word of the film’s release.
- The next John Bonham celebration event will be held in his hometown of Redditch on May 27.
Jimmy Page
- Will Jimmy Page perform during two high-profile concerts being held to honour Jeff Beck? So far, there is no sign of Page’s involvement in two concerts planned for May 22 and May 23 at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The shows are being planned by Beck’s wife Sandra and Eric Clapton. Currently, the lineup for the shows includes Clapton, Johnny Depp and Rod Stewart among others, although the hall’s website states: “Line up subject to change.” Page spoke at Beck’s funeral in February and one of his last on-stage appearances was joining Donovan on stage at the Royal Albert Hall in 2011.
Robert Plant
- Robert Plant and Alison Krauss have announced a handful of additional shows for their upcoming US and Canada tour. The pair will perform at the Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis, Tennessee on May 7 and will join Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival Tour for three dates: June 23 in Somerset, Wisconsin; June 24 in East Troy, Wisconsin and June 25 in St. Louis, Missouri.
- Robert Plant was photographed at the Wolverhampton Wanderers v Tottenham Hotspur football match in Wolverhampton on March 4.
- A trailer was released for the recording of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss’ September 1, 2022 performance at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado which was streamed online on March 16.
Upcoming events:
2023 – The second Band Of Joy album titled “Band Of Joy Volume 2” will be released and an expanded edition of the Honeydrippers album “The Honeydrippers: Volume One” will be released.
April 25 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Shreveport, Louisiana.
April 26 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in The Woodlands, Texas.
April 28 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in New Orleans, Louisiana.
April 29 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Pelham, Alabama.
April 30 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Huntsville, Alabama.
May 2 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Louisville, Kentucky.
May 3 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Huber Heights, Ohio.
May 5 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Kansas City, Missouri.
May 7 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform at the Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis, Tennessee.
May 9 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Asheville, North Carolina.
May 10 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Wilmington, North Carolina.
May 11/12 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform at the Echoland Music Festival in Live Oak, Florida.
May 13 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
May 15 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Charlotte, North Carolina.
May 18 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Charlottesville, Virginia.
May 27 – The latest John Bonham celebration event will be held in Redditch.
June 14 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Las Vegas, Nevada.
June 15 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Tucson, Arizona.
June 17 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Taos, New Mexico.
June 18 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Telluride, Colorado.
June 20 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Bonner, Montana.
June 23 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform on Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival Tour in Somerset, Wisconsin.
June 24 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform on Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival Tour in East Troy, Wisconsin.
June 25 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform on Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival Tour in St. Louis, Missouri.
June 28 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
June 29 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Vienna, Virginia.
July 1 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Bethel, New York.
July 2 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Lenox, Massachusetts.
July 3 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Portland, Maine.
July 5 – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will perform in Toronto, Ontario.
Many thanks to James Cook
For all the latest Zep and related news check out the Led Zeppelin news website at:
TBL Led Zep 1975 Snapshot: Prelude to Earls Court…
This week of 48 years ago saw Led Zeppelin on a real high – and thankfully these performances in Seattle and Vancouver have been captured on tape across countless bootlegs…
These are amongst my favourite Zep performances and listening to them this week has been an absolute joy. This was the prelude to Earls Court and they were just on firing on all cylinders……
Just to backtrack to a memorable snapshot from the Long Beach gig:
Date: MARCH 12 1975
Venue: CIVIC ARENA LONG BEACH CALIFORNIA
Performance: THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME (false start)/THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME
Bootleg Reference: TRAMPLED UNDER JIMMY’S FOOT (SILVER RARITIES)
Just to illustrate that not all went according to plan every night…. on this cooking performance in Long Beach their sheer enthusiasm got the better of them as they opened The Song Remains The Same….. only to bring it to a close some one minute in.
”Just a minute that’s it ….see you again Long Beach! Yes it happened for the first time in six and a half years…does anybody remember laugher?…. the first time we came here ..er we never seem to get
things together in Los Angeles.
Ok as I was saying. Nevertheless The Song Remains …..nevertheless, ad infinitum to the power of three re occuring..The Same!’’
They did not get it wrong a second time.
What happened next was simply the business. A speed ride through the opening track of Houses and as Plant might put it a reoccurring anthem. It sounded great here ,it sounded great in Earls Court and it still sounded great 20 years later when Page and Plant deployed it so effectively on their 95/96 world tour. This is a Zeppelin anthem that gets less acclaim than the Whole Lotta Love, Stairway and Kashmir -but on stage it always burnt and smouldered its way into the set. Pull it out and try it for yourselves on any night…the effect as those Houses ads read is still shattering.
MONDAY MARCH 17 1975
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
SEATTLE CENTER 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/Dazed And Confused (inc. Woodstock)/Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – The Crunge – Black Dog.
Background details: A superb performance with the band totally on top of their game.
Hugh Jones, editor of Proximity, recalls: “The start of the show was extremely aggressive, and it was evident almost immediately that they were ‘on’. Nothing sluggish about this performance. Robert’s voice sounded surprisingly low, but he was singing well, and the whole band sounded very tight’’.
Snapshot Listen: How it sounds now…
Another prime 1975 performance – playful, inspiring and unpredictable. No Quarter with John Bonham pushing Jimmy to the limit, riffs of Fleetwood Mac’s Green Manalishi in a marathion Dazed And Confused (38 minutes and counting!) – Robert zipping in James Brown’s Lickin Stick during Whole Lotta Love.
WEDNESDAY MARCH 19 1975
VANCOUVER, CANADA
PACIFIC 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/Dazed And Confused (inc. Woodstock)/Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – The Crunge – Black Dog.
Background details; “Ladies and gentlemen… the Canadian return of Led Zeppelin” booms from the speakers as the band take to the stage, firing on all cylinders. “And how is Vancouver. Is it full of beans?” asks Plant. ‘In My Time Of Dying’ is excellent tonight and Plant extends the ending with vocal gymnastics. ‘Kashmir’ is dedicated to… “Richard Cole, our tour manager – a good upright British citizen! This a song from Physical Vancouver – the new LP. An extended ‘No Quarter’ is once again one of the highlights. Bonham tonight is introduced as “the king of jazz – one of the finest percussionists in Led Zeppelin today.”
Snapshot Listen: How it sounds now…
I remember Robert being quoted as saying ”By the end of the tour I felt I could sing anything”.
Listening to this utterly sensational performance of Dazed And Confused there is ample proof of that statement.
The San Francisco excerpt had long been a feature of the early part of the piece, but on this tour they began experimenting even further. Plant introducing another hippie anthem to proceedings -the Joni Mitchell pean to Max Yasgur’s farm and a hit for Crosby Stills, Nash & Young. The Zep arrangement was still built loosely on the melody employed for San Francisco-Plant bending the words to fit the structure. Against Page’s eerie minor chord strumming it became one of the most atmospheric parts of their performance. Plant’s repeated ”Back to the garden” refrain merging into the violin bow episode amongst the dry ice. The Vancouver performance was a blueprint for the equally dramatic versions performed at Earls Court run. During this part of the tour Plant also took to singing The Eagles Take It Easy and during the final LA stint he crooned a 50’s like To Be Loving before moving into Bob Marley’s I Shot The Sheriff. As he put it -he could sing anything…
THURSDAY MARCH 20 1975
VANCOUVER,CANADA
PACIFIC 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/Dazed And Confused (inc. Woodstock)/Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – Heartbreaker.
Snapshot Listen: How it sounds now…
Another outstanding performance. The pace was set by an aggresive stomp through ‘Rock And Roll’ and never lets up.
No Quarter is now reaching epic proportions, tonight extended to 26 minutes. Whole Lotta Love is highly improvised tonight and includes brief snatches of James Brown’s ‘Lickin’ Stick’, as well as a Plant war cry from ‘Immigrant Song’ and the riff from ‘Ozone Baby’. After a fierce Theremin battle with Plant, Page then leads straight into ‘Heartbreaker’. ‘Black Dog’ is not performed tonight.
FRIDAY MARCH 21 1975
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
SEATTLE CENTER 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/Since I’ve Been Loving You/Trampled Underfoot/Moby Dick/Dazed And Confused (inc. For What It’s Worth – Woodstock)/Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – The Crunge-Black Dog/Communication Breakdown – Heartbreaker.
Background details: It was back to Seattle for another steller show with much improvisation. ‘No Quarter’ is a highlight with Jones and Bonham randomly incorporating a jazzy rhythm during the solo improvisation. ‘Trampled Underfoot’ now includes some lyrics from ‘Gallows Pole’. ‘Dazed And Confused’ includes snatches of Buffalo Springfield’s ‘For What It’s Worth’ as well as ‘Woodstock’, and the longest encore section of the tour is performed tonight.
Hugh Jones of Proximity recalls: “Following ‘No Quarter’, Robert called for a change in the programme, causing a little confusion on stage. ‘There’s one song that we’ve done twice in, in… I suppose since we got ripped off for all that bread in New York, ages ago. And because we really dig playing here, and for no other reason, we’re gonna do it again now. I don’t think anybody else in the band knows about it yet, it’s a little bit of change in the… sorry about that, John! You see, right on the spot! It could be ‘Louie Louie’ but instead it’s a thing from the third album… ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’.
“Following a brutal ‘Trampled Underfoot’ and Bonzo’s marathon ‘Moby Dick’, more confusion appears to be occurring onstage. Robert shouts for an ovation for Bonzo, then asks in a casual tone, ‘Is everybody, uh, enjoying themselves?’ Jimmy is talking urgently with a group of people just off stage, and at one point seems to lift his guitar in the air as if to throw it down, obviously perturbed about something. Unfazed and still in his conversational tone, Robert observes ‘Mr Page is having a fit’. Apparently, we found out later, a local fan made Jimmy a gift of a beautiful Les Paul guitar, which turned out to be stolen from a high school music teacher. During the evening the instrument was confiscated at Sea-Tac airport as it was being shipped back to the UK (or so the story goes), and for some reason Page was interrupted during the show to be informed of this.”
Snapshot listen: How it sounds now…
This Seattle show is simply one of the best gigs of their latter era.
If proof was needed then the opening segment brings it all alive – as it epitomises what a potent three pronged entrance these songs really were. Rock And Roll segueing into the new sheer brutality of Sick Again with Plant teasing ”Do I look the same”, and then the opening speech followed by the ”Beginning of a dream and it starts here (R.Plant -Earls Court May*17) or on this occasion .”What we intend to do is to relive our pent uppedness on stage, and then to relieve it later on after the gig elsewhere. Now the thing is what we intend to do is to give you a cross section of what we’ve been trying to produce and write over the last six and a half years.
As you know the material varies greatly and so you will appreciate that we take it from one extreme to the other….and what better way to start than to gaze out onto the horizon and see what tomorrow may bring”
To quote Hugh Jones ”in those last few sentences Robert Plant may well have encapsulated Led Zeppelin as well as anyone ever has. The physical, the musical, the pretension and the arrogance-all backed up with music as varied and as good as his word for the next four hours”.
So the the regal intro of Over The Hills And Far Away -the Page solo as always flickering and twisting into previously un investigated territory. Then a swirling finale with Plant crying out ”Samantha Samantha” perhaps a reference to the fun they were about to enjoy offstage as he put it And on this night in Seattle it all just burst forth with that knowing arrogance .
There is also a truly remarkable sequence to be heard during the middle section of ‘Whole Lotta Love’ on the night of March 20, 1975, at a show in Vancouver.
In the space of three minutes just before Jimmy Page’s Theremin solo, Robert Plant initially leads them through a spontaneous version of James Brown’s ‘Licking Stick’, which incorporates their own funk rhythm from the ‘The Crunge’. He follows that with a random war cry from ‘Immigrant Song’. And then with equal spontaneity the Jones, Bonham & Page rhythm section interlock for a riff sequence that would be recalled some three years later for the track ‘Ozone Baby’ which eventually saw the light of day on the Coda album.
It was this air of unpredictability within their performances, which made Led Zeppelin such an engrossing live act throughout their career.
To use that old Zep’75 maxim it all underlined the fact that it wasn’t just a case of them being the number one band on the planet…the real point in question was just how far whoever was at number two lagged behind.
Dave Lewis , march 17,2021
More TBL Archive:
TBL Led Zep 1975 Snapshot:
The final few dates of the 1975 US tour..
MONDAY MARCH 24 1975
INGLEWOOD LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
THE FORUM
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/Dazed And Confused (inc. Woodstock)/Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – The Crunge – Black Dog)/Heartbreaker.
“Good Evening! My name is J. J. Jackson of KWLOS. We’re all here to welcome back to the LA area… Led Zeppelin!” A mass of firecrackers heralds the band’s arrival on stage.
The Forum has long been one of Zeppelin’s favourite venues and once again they revelled in the surroundings. Plant: “This is the place, this is the one. These are the last three gigs on our American tour and so we intend them to be something of a high point for us. Obviously, we don’t achieve that without a little bit of a vibe, that I can already feel, and a few smiles.”
After ‘Over The Hills’, Robert states: “A gram is a gram is a gram!” Ambiguous and humorous remarks are rife tonight. Plant continues: “Since we saw you last time there have been a few developments in the camp and a few camps in the development – Bonzo decided not to have the sex change after all!” ‘The Song Remains The Same’ is about “places where the red light still shines for two rupees, places where there’s a magical feeling in the air… rather like Paul Rodgers’ bedroom when he takes his shoes off”
Plant describes the Mellotron as “A rather cheap, nasty, improvised version of an orchestra, but unfortunately with the tax and overheads, we can’t afford to take an orchestra with us anymore.”
Plant introduces Billy Miller – “Elvis Presley’s right hand man” – and sings a few lines from ‘Love Me’. After ‘Moby Dick’, Plant comments: “What a wonderful drum solo and a wonderful head job in the dressing room… thank you Ahmet Ertegun!”
‘Dazed And Confused’ is described as “The first thing we had a go at, apart from the secretary” but is rather uninspired in places tonight. ‘Stairway To Heaven’ is dedicated to “All our English friends that have arrived at the Continental Riot House. This is for the foundations of the Continental Riot House and for you people who have made this a good gig.” The whole band performed impeccably on ‘Stairway’ turning in one of the most impressive single performances of the tour.
Plant: “Children of the sun. Good night!”
As far as the press are concerned, the new additions to the set are now beginning to steal the show. Disc reports: “All the newer material was well received, although it seems that ‘Kashmir’ is set to become the star track and another classic. It was also while the group performed this number that I think the lights and effects were used to their best advantage.”
TUESDAY MARCH 25 1975
INGLEWOOD LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
THE FORUM
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/Dazed And Confused (inc. Spanish Harlem – Woodstock)/Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – Lickin’ Stick – The Crunge – Black Dog.
Yet another excellent performance – even better than the previous night.
Plant: “Last night we had a really good time. We had a great concert. It was one of the finest we’ve had in California for a long time!”
‘Kashmir’ is outstanding tonight and Plant describes it as being about ‘the wasted, wasted lands… and it’s not the lobby of the Continental Hyatt either!” ‘No Quarter’ is extended to truly epic proportions, lasting nearly 27 minutes with Jones and Bonham again favouring the jazz improvisation they adopted in Seattle four days ago.
‘Trampled Underfoot’ is dedicated to… “All the good ladies of America who’ve helped us get rid of the blues from time to time on the road… that boils down to about two!” Page’s solo is masterful and commanding. Plant ad-libs “drive on – feels pretty good” and again extends the number with lyrics from ‘Gallows Pole’, even throwing in a few cries of ‘Hangman’.
Bonham is introduced tonight as… “The man who broke every window in room 1019… the man who smashed wardrobes… the man who set fire to his own bed… the amazing man with only two cavities… Mr. Quaalude!”
‘Dazed And Confused’ was another stand out extended to 39 minutes. Page inserts a gentle Spanish sounding passage which leads into Ben E King’s ‘Spanish Harlem’ before running into ‘Woodstock’. ‘Stairway To Heaven’ shines once more. Page’s playing is sharp and decisive as the tension builds with each note. John Paul Jones is superlative.
‘Whole Lotta Love’ once again includes a snatch of James Brown’s ‘Lickin’ Stick’ and Plant ad-libs “Like a sex machine!” Page even includes a few riffs from the never performed ‘Nightflight’ prior to the Theremin section.
Plant: “People of the Forum. We’ve had a good time… It is the summer of our smiles…”
Indeed it was…
THURSDAY MARCH 27 1975
INGLEWOOD LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
THE FORUM
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/Since I’ve Been Loving You/No Quarter/Trampled Underfoot/Moby Dick/Dazed And Confused (inc. Loving You) /Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – The Crunge – Black Dog.
Deep Throat porn star, Linda Lovelace introduces the band for the final show of the US tour. Plant returns the compliment: “I’d like to thank Linda Lovelace for coming on and making an appropriate speech about our presence, and we’d like to apologise for being late, but one of the cars didn’t crash!”
Bonham and Page are outstanding during ‘Over The Hills And Far Away’, and although the band seem a little tired in places, overall the concert is a triumph. Plant comments that he’s glad the final show is in LA, because last time the tour ended in New York which is… “not the most pleasant place to be. There’s some nice ladies on 83rd Street. But the rest of it… no!”
During ‘In My Time Of Dying’, Plant ad-libs “please Lord, don’t leave me dazed and confused!” and then adds some of ‘You Shook Me’ before the number falls apart. He speculates that they may end up in the Fall doing a gig in the Sahara desert, due to their love of the East, and ‘Kashmir’ once again is spectacular.
‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’ is a late addition to the set and is warmly appreciate by the crowd. ‘Trampled Underfoot’ is now referred to as ‘Trampled Under Gallows’ due to Plant’s persistent injection of lyrics from ‘Gallows Pole’. ‘Dazed And Confused’ is one of the longest of the tour tonight, with a very spacey middle section as Plant repeatedly ad-libs ‘Loving You’.
This show clocked in at nearly three and a half hours long and completed a run of some of the finest in the history of the band.
“Led Zeppelin At Its Peak In L.A. Forum” reports Billboard. Bob Kirsch writes: “‘Zeppelin has two major strong points. It has mastered the technique of combining musical excellence with mind-boggling volume. And it is able to operate either as a unit or each can move into a subordinate role for whoever happens to be soloing at the time.
“Zeppelin has long been the target of critical barbs for crashing volume and the seeming sameness of its material. Yet in an age when headline acts are often boring, sloppy and create no excitement at all, this British quartet stands out as a masterful example of what rock and roll was meant to be.”
Snapshot Listen – how it sounds now:
The final riot night of the US tour was a mass celebratory affair with the band fully aware that with this tour they had turned adversity into triumph. From the moment Linda Lovelace cutely introduced them onstage to Plant’s ”We’re coming back baby” this was a true prelude to what the UK was about to be served.
They even gave a hint of Earls Court fashion by introducing his Miss Selfridge cut off shirt and Page wearing the Dragon suit trousers that would become such a visual imprint of May 1975.
Their confidence was subsequently overflowing as they attacked In My Time Of Dying, Plant throwing in a few lines of You Shook Me.
”Anybody remember?” he asks at the end as he would a month later in SW5.
The version of Since I’ve Been Loving You was a real bonus and something sadly that Earls Court did not receive.
”A change in the programme- we were gonna do…..but this is a blues and I think this is where we first came in”. An impromptu set revision that delighted the LA audience.
A rare latter day stand alone delivery (in ’72/3 it had been segued with Misty Mountain)) recalling the majesty of Blueberry Hill at this very venue five years back. Rarely played in ’75 they ached their way through the old Led Zepp III standard -Page’s solo as precise and inventive as that night back in September ’70.
On the home straight it was nothing less than a victory stomp. Stairway played as was the case as Earls Court as though Plant believed every word, and the final incendiary Whole Lotta Love/Black Dog medley with the added visual spectacle of that neon lit sign. Images and sounds that London would soon delight in.
Acknowledging their enthusiasm, Plant told the final LA audience ”It’s really nice to know that we’re giving you what you are giving us because after tonight I think we’ve got three gigs in England. I don’t believe well work again for quite a long time, so this has got to be good”.
That last night in LA was indeed good…very good ….and Earls Court awaited…
Dave Lewis – March 23, 2023
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TBL ARCHIVE – IT WAS 53 YEARS AGO…
MEANWHILE BACK IN 1970…
Now here’s a story….Goldrush and Stamford Bridge – and a young Led Zep fan in the crowd – 53 years gone:
53 years ago on March 21,1970 , Led Zeppelin flew out for the first date of their fifth US tour.
I was well aware of all this because I’d purchased a copy of Record Mirror the previous day when it came out. Under the front page headline of ‘Goldrush’ and a wonderful colour photo of Led Zeppelin from the previous December’s awards bash, it revealed the bands current plans. Interestingly enough it reported that a film crew would be on hand to capture the tour.
The story read as follow:
‘’Off to America on Saturday go Led Zeppelin. And with the group will be a film production unit which is making a film of the month long tour. The team has been trailing the group since their appearance at the Albert Hall in January. So far in the can are shots of their European tour, Jimmy Page in the studio, and Robert Plant at home on his farm. Not to mention the presentation of gold discs for million mark sales of their albums. The film, which has already been sold in America , is to tie in with the release of their next LP at the end of the year. Which could easily sell another million. And which is why some people are nicknaming it ‘’Goldrush’’.
Film of their European tour? Jimmy in the studio?, Robert on the farm?
A film crew with them in America? There’s no evidence to suggest much of that occurred…but if it did where’s the footage now…?
I digress: On that Saturday March 21st 1970, at the same time Zep were about to wow the audience at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, I was in a capacity crowd of 61,479 (their highest of that season ) at Stamford Bridge watching Chelsea triumph 2-1 over Manchester United.
It would have been nice of course to be down White Heart Lane where Martin Peters was making his debut for Spurs against Coventry (he scored in a 2-1 defeat). Peters had transferred to Spurs as part of a swap deal that took Jimmy Greaves to West Ham (who also scored two on his debut for West Ham that day at Manchester City–I’ve just watched it on you tube!). As it was, my very good friend Dave Corp in Dents Road was where I lived was (and still is as we are still in touch) a big Chelsea fan and I was more than happy to tag along with his elder family friend to see some prime Division One action. It was incredibly exciting to see the 70s superstars of the day in action – Alan Hudson, Peter Osgood, Ian Hutchinson, George Best, Bobby Charlton, Alex Stepney, Denis Law,Willie Morgan etc.,
It was one of those occasions from an impressionable age that remains ingrained on my brain – not dissimilar to the way Zep memories of Empire Pool and Earls Court etc are lodged in there forever.
I can remember so much about that day in detail: the records played over the PA before the teams came on which included hits of the time Brotherhood Of Man’s United We Stand and Steam’s Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye, the atmosphere in the Chelsea paddock where we stood (a fantastic view right in the front side on to the goal) as Ian Hutchinson scored twice in the first half, the pie we had in a café after the game and the hitch hiker we picked up on the A1 going home. 50 years have done nothing to dull the memories of an awesome day for this then 13 year old.
I’ve just searched YouTube and amazingly the match is on the Chelsea TV channel – the original ITV Big Match coverage with the late great Brian Moore commenting and lo and behold imagine my delight and surprise when as the camera pans in for a Chelsea throw – I am in view second on the left with my arm across the barrier as Ian Hutchinson takes one of his then famous long throws. This is in the exact spot where we were – the pic here is a bit blurry off YouTube but that’s me – a young Led Zep fan viewing the action.
Little did I realize that aside from the match programme, three years later I’d have another remnant of that day. This was in the form of the bootleg LP Mudslide that captured highlights of Zep’s Vancouver show of March 21st. In fact whenever I hear the opening drum roll from Bonzo,Jimmy’s guitar warm up and Robert’s ‘’Everybody feel alright!’’ intro, I always think back to that spring Saturday in March 1970 when I was in amongst the then soccer elite in Stamford Bridge.
I of course kept the copy of Record Mirror from that week, and have the trade mark of quality vinyl bootleg of Mudslide. I also have the Chelsea v Man Utd programme.
Looking at those remnants I can almost smell the atmosphere of that day back in 1970. I can honestly say that Saturday March 21, 1970 was one of the pivotal days of my life. A day where my eyes were truly opened to the adult world’
It will all be in the DL memoirs
Precious memories indeed…and now I can now add the YouTube clip to that list of memories – filmed proof that I was indeed right there…the crowd clip with me with my arm on the barrier is at 4mins.44 as Ian Hutchinson takes one of his long throws…
I’ve just spoken to Dave and shared again those memories of 53 years ago today…one day we would both like to go back to Stamford Bridge and watch another match…..
Here’s the YouTube clip link:
Dave Lewis – March 21 2023
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DL Diary Blog update:
Friday March 17:
Saturday March 18:
Saturday is platterday – on the player some early morning Elton – the Tumbleweed Connection album sounding mighty fine…
Saturday March 18:
Saturday is platterday – on the player the rather brilliant Free album Fire and water…
Sunday March 19:
I love this photo of my late Mum in our garden in the 1960s…Happy Mothers Day xx
Sunday March 19:
Wednesday March 22:
Update here:
Had a bit of a sort out in the DL collection this week and pulled out some choice selections for the playlist – these will be providing inspiration in the coming days…
Bryan Ferry – Lets Stick Together – Island LP
Led Zeppelin – Coda – Swan Song 3CD Deluxe Edition
David Bowie – Aladdin Sane – RCA LP
The Who – Odds & Sods – Polydor 2 CD
Joni Mitchell – Miles Of Aisles – Asylum CD
Jethro Tull – Stand Up – Reprise US pressing LP
Rosie Vela – Zazu – A & M LP
Steve Winwood – Revolutions -The Very Best Of – Island CD
Traffic – Mr Fantasy – United Artists US pressing LP
Bruce Springsteen – Only The Strong Survive – Columbia CD
Jerry Butler – Ice Man Cometh – Elemental LP – This great 1968 album features the Gamble & Huff and Butler original of Only The Strong Survive.
David Crosby & The Lighthouse Band – Live at the Capitol Theatre BMG CD/DVD
Thanks for listening
Until next time…
Dave Lewis – March 23 2023
TBL website updates written and compiled by Dave Lewis
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Great work Dave. I was a subscriber in the 90s before personal and financial issues took over. I check this website for your updates on a regular basis: this and R.O. are all I need to keep up with LZ. As a parent who became a father a bit later in life, I know your grandfather duties are much appreciated. I’ll be on here same time next week!
Hi, Dave,
I’m with you and David Crosby in that ‘Music Is Love’! I’ve been collecting music in all forms since the ’60’s when I could afford to buy my own, but also was listening to my mum’s music choices back in the 50’s as well, so I have a massive cross-section of genres to pick on. I’ve been digitising a lot of my cassettes in recent months, so I can still play the music in the car (most new cars don’t even have CD players any more, it’s either SD memory cards, or Bluetooth connection with the mobile phone) and a lot of it is of stuff I bought back in the 70’s, and many bands and artists from back in time.
I suspect that when your memoires finally get published they will be very similar to my experiences over the years, so I look forward to when it comes out. I suspect that it may be some time off, though, given all your family commitments and life in general.
Best wishes to you, Janet, and the rest of the family.
Cheers,
Steve
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Tight But Loose Website edited by Dave Lewis and Gary Foy.
Tight But Loose Magazine created by Dave Lewis 1978. TBL/Web launched by Dave Linwood 1995. TBL logo by Mike Warry.
All written material and photographs are copyright © Tight But Loose. Not to be reproduced without prior permission.
Tight But Loose welcomes input / info / tour reports / CD reviews / CDR’s & Tapes on any Zep related topic past and present.
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