Still The Best Live Act / Fashion Statements / Remembering June 18
I once made the observation that Led Zeppelin fans were not really purveyors of fashion when it comes to clothing. A Ben Sherman shirt or a bootleg LP? No question really, the LP won every time. In recent years there has been a variety of garish Zep T-shirt designs to be seen. However last week at the Zavvi store we took receipt of some rather nice new Zep T-shirt designs. They depict various famous Zep concert ads including the Tampa 73 show and the Japanese 1972 tour. They certainly make a welcome change from the much used Swan Song USA 1977 design that all the kids seem to wear.
Whilst we are on the subject of fashion, there was much mickey taking by me of the Boy Foy when he recently turned up at the Robert / Alison Wembley show in a combat jacket – reminiscent of the sort favoured by Woolfie Smith in the popular BBC 1970’s TV sitcom Citizen Smith. The last laugh has gone to Gary. For there on stage
with the Foo Fighters is Jimmy wearing a similar garment, one he obviously finds comfortable as he also has it on for the Rolling Stone photo shoot and wore it to the Mojo Awards this week. GF I bow to your sartorial elegance… just don’t wear that psychedelic Plant Manic Nirvana T-shirt again…
Would have loved to have seen Jimmy and JPJ with the Foos. The YouTube clips look great. They both just locked in again with effortless ease and it was further proof that they can re-create the Zeppelin magic at will.
June 18 is another memorable date in my calender – in 1970 I went to see The Beatles film Let It Be at the pics (I know this because it was election day when Ted Heath got voted in), seven years ago it was the day I went down with a mystery virus that put me in hospital for nine days – on a much brighter note it was also on this day in 1980 I saw Led Zeppelin deliver a rejuvenating concert at the Cologne Sporthalle. The fact that 28 years later they have just been voted Best Live Act for 2007 at the Mojo Awards is just remarkable.
They remain ever in the present tense. In what has been something of a tiring week for me that is of huge inspiration. I might even wear my original Earls Court T-shirt down the pub later……