TBL Archive – it was 46 years ago…

TBL Led Zep 1975 Snapshot: Number Five:

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 6th,1975

MONTREAL, CANADA

MONTREAL 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. San Francisco)/Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – Black Dog/Heartbreaker

Snapshot Listen:- How it sounds now:

I have this on the 1975 World Tour vinyl double album and the When The Levee breaks /World Tour ’75 CD set. I’ve always had a bit of affection for the World Tour bootleg – it was one of the fist I got of the 1975 US tour. It’s a fair to good audience recording but very lively.

This is an enjoyable performance though Robert’s voice is still struggling. Sick Again really rocks while Over The Hills appears in a unique arrangement as Page’s guitar lead cuts out and Plant fills in as JPJ carries the rhythm. After ”The Rain Song, Robert lectures the crowd on the Mellotron: “It’s a very peculiar instrument because every time we take it somewhere, it goes out of tune. It’s built and comprises of tapes inside the box, and to simulate violins is not an easy job when you’re travelling to North America. In fact, we’re gonna try to simulate some Eastern violins now.” Kashmir is growing more powerful with each performance and is rapidly turning into one of the highlights of the show. No Quarter clocks in at 19 minutes and pleasingly so.

Moby Dick is now stretching to 25 minutes and Plant refers to  Bonzo as “Karen Carpenter”, a reference to a recent poll in Playboy magazine which placed Karen Carpenter as ‘Best Drummer’, above Bonzo. At the time Bonzo’s first hand response was captured in an interview with Lisa Robinson: “Karen Carpenter couldn’t last ten fucking minutes with a Zeppelin number!”

Dazed And Confused (only it’s third outing on the tour) includes a very delicate version of San Francisco and is now recapturing some of its former glories. Page’s solo on Stairway To Heaven is also developing a previously unknown intricacy. Instead of Communication Breakdown they throw in a ragged but welcomed version of Heartbreaker as a second encore.

“Montreal – you are the best! Maybe the snow has melted all around the hall.” is Plant’s parting comment.

They were on the up, and there were some great performances imminently ahead.

To be continued…

DL  

It was 51 years ago – Evenings With extract…

Coming across this Melody Maker front page story from January 31,1970 prompted me to recall the events of 51 years ago when Led Zeppelin were undertaking a long awaited UK tour…

Here’s an extract from the Evenings With Led Zeppelin book based on the usual impeccable research from Mike Tremaglio:

Fifth UK Tour (Winter 1970)

January 7, 1970 – February 17, 1970

 A timely UK outing which coincided with Led Zeppelin II toppling The Beatles’ Abbey Road as the number one chart album. There were eight theatre dates and, not surprisingly, it was their London appearance that drew most of the attention.

Back at the famous Royal Albert Hall on Jimmy’s 26th birthday (January 9, 1970), they did much to enhance their reputation with an excellent show. This concert was filmed by the band under the direction of Stanley Dorfman and Peter Whitehead. Originally intended for a semi-documentary project, it never saw the light of day, allegedly because some of the film was shot at the wrong speed. A 40-minute cut was prepared and turned up as a much coveted yet atrocious quality bootleg years later.

All but one of these dates saw them perform with no support act – a trend that would continue on subsequent tours. The setlist for these shows included a new set opener, a cover of Ben E. King’s ‘Groovin’’ (aptly renamed ‘We’re Gonna Groove’). The version performed at the Royal Albert Hall show remained unreleased until it turned up (along with guitar overdubs) on the posthumous Coda set in 1982.

On January 31, 1970, Plant suffered facial injuries when his Jaguar spun off the road after returning from a Spirit concert. This caused the cancellation of the proposed February 7 date at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall, which was later rescheduled for February 17. A rare concert programme was distributed for this show and the accompanying blurb reveals that, “Although Led Zeppelin was created at the close of 1968, they are undoubtedly a group of the Seventies. THE group of the Seventies according to an opinion which is held worldwide.”

During the early months of the new decade it was an opinion shared by all who were lucky enough to attend what would prove to be their only indoor UK shows of the year.

January 7, 1970 – Town Hall – Birmingham, England

Partial Setlist (from press review):

We’re Gonna Groove, Dazed And Confused, White Summer/ Black Mountain Side, Since I’ve Been Loving You, Organ Solo/ Thank You, Moby Dick, How Many More Times Medley (inc. Rip It Up, ‘Bye Bye Johnny’, Come on Everybody, Something Else), Bring It on Home

Background Info:

The first show of the British Tour was performed in Plant and Bonham’s local stomping ground. Birmingham. The concert featured the debut performance of ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’ which had been written by the band a few days before the concert and wouldn’t be released for another nine months. ‘Thank You’, another song featuring John Paul Jones on organ, was also debuted. 

Press Reaction:

Express and Star (Wolverhampton, England, January 8, 1970) – “Led Zeppelin and the lovely strangled cat sound” by Tony Raba: “Fans cheered wildly, danced in the aisles and even on their seats last night to give Led Zeppelin one of the most fantastic receptions ever witnessed at Birmingham Town Hall. The two-and-a-half hour show featured solely Zeppelin… and some of the best rock music I have ever heard.

            The group opened its act with ‘Groove’, before going into one of their early numbers, ‘Dazed and Confused’, featuring brilliant guitar work from Jimmy Page who, with the aid of cello bow, made his guitar sound like a cat being strangled.

            Two encores, and eventually the group came on to close with a really wild version of ‘Bring It On Home’, leaving the audience ecstatic and the Town Hall shaking to its very foundations after one of the wildest, raviest shows ever seen there.”

January 8, 1970 – Colston Hall – Bristol, England

Setlist:

We’re Gonna Groove, I Can’t Quit You Baby (inc. It Hurts Me So, I Need Somebody To Lean On), Dazed And Confused, Heartbreaker, White Summer/ Black Mountain Side, Since I’ve Been Loving You, Organ Solo/ Thank You, Moby Dick, How Many More Times Medley (inc. Smokestack Lightning, Beck’s Bolero, Boogie Chillun’, Move On Down The Line, Hideaway, Truckin’ Little Mama/ Bottle It Up And Go, The Lemon Song), Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown (inc. It’s Your Thing, Good Times Bad Times)

Bootleg Recording (89 minute source):

Robert apologizes for the band being an hour late, and mentions that ‘Thank You’ was being played for just the second time. Plant introduces Jimmy as “Jimmy Hoochie Koochie Page” during the intro to ‘How Many More Times’.

January 9, 1970 – Royal Albert Hall – London, England

Setlist:

We’re Gonna Groove, I Can’t Quit You Baby (inc. It Hurts Me So, Don’t Know Which Way To Go), Dazed And Confused (inc. Cocaine Blues), Heartbreaker, White Summer/ Black Mountain Side, Since I’ve Been Loving You (unreleased), Organ Solo/ Thank You (unreleased), What Is And What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, How Many More Times Medley (inc. On The Way Home, Down By The River, Boogie Chillun’, Move On Down the Line, Truckin’ Little Mama/Bottle It Up And Go, Cocaine Blues, Leave My Woman Alone, It’s Your Thing, The Lemon Song, That’s All Right), Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown, C’Mon Everybody, Something Else, Bring It On Home, Long Tall Sally Medley (inc. Move On Down The Line, Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On)

Background Info:

This legendary gig on Jimmy Page’s 26th birthday was captured on film for posterity. Originally intended for a TV documentary on the band, the footage remained officially unreleased until the 2003 Led Zeppelin DVD release (just 40 minutes of the show had previously been available on a low-quality bootleg). Jimmy Page: “It was just like it was at the Albert Hall in the summer (June 29, 1969), with everyone dancing ‘round the stage. It is a great feeling. What could be better than having everyone clapping and shouting along? It’s indescribable, but it just makes you feel that everything is worthwhile.”

Press Reaction:

Nick Logan, music critic for the New Musical Express (January 17, 1970), was wildly enthusiastic about the show in his review “Zeppelin Put The Excitement Back Into Pop”. He remarked that the band had been “exercising control over the sell-out crowd from 8:15 when they took the stage until 10:30 when they left it.”

            His other observations included the following: “It isn’t hard to understand the substantial appeal of Led Zeppelin. Their current two-hour plus act is a blitzkrieg of musically-perfected hard rock that combines heavy dramatics with lashings of sex into a formula that can’t fail to move the senses and limbs. At the pace they’ve been setting on their current seven-town British tour there are few groups who could live with them on stage.

           Strutting about the stage with arrogance, Plant is a most accomplished performer, drawing from the finest blues/soul-shouter traditions with a confidence out of line with his inexperience previous to Led Zeppelin.

At the end of two 15-minute long encores, when the audience had been on its feet dancing, clapping and shouting for 35 minutes, they were still calling them back for more. I spoke to ‘Sir’ Jimmy Page after the show and he confessed that the whole band had suffered extreme nerves beforehand, mainly because people like John Lennon, Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck had requested tickets.”

Record Mirror (January 17, 1970) also gave the band high marks, noting that, “Jimmy Page proved he is one of the best musically-equipped guitarist(s) on the pop scene” and “Robert Plant puts his lines across with a roar and sometimes insinuating sexiness in his movements.”

            Top Pops And Music Now (January 17, 1970) chimed in with another positive review of the show, saying the “group contains four of the finest musicians around, (though) they are not musicianly. Nor are they particularly progressive. But they are extremely good. Very exciting. The Greatest Bopper Group in the World… they built an atmosphere and backed it with good solid rock.”

Given the lack of audio or video evidence, there had been some question whether or not ‘Since I’ve Been Loving Lou’ was played. The answer came in the form of Raymond Telford’s Melody Maker (January 17, 1970) review, as he called that song one of the best numbers played that evening.

Official Release:

Led Zeppelin DVD (Atlantic 2003)

Bootleg Recordings (113 minute multiple soundboard & video sources):

‘Heartbreaker’, ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’, ‘Organ Solo/Thank You’ and the ‘Long Tall Sally’ medley were all excluded from the DVD release (though the ‘Long Tall Sally’ medley video is available on bootleg). he band introductions at the beginning of ‘How Many More Times’ as well as ‘That’s All Right’ from the medley were edited out of the DVD. The guitar solo in ‘Communication Breakdown’ was also edited down by almost half a minute.

‘We’re Gonna Groove’ (with overdubs) and ‘I Can’t Quit You Baby’ from the posthumous 1982 Coda LP were both taken from this show.

‘Heartbreaker’ (cut after 4 minutes, just as the guitar lead gets off the ground) and ‘Long Tall Sally’ both exist on audio, despite being excluded from the official DVD. ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’ and ‘Organ Solo/Thank You’ have never surfaced in audio or video form (other than the short audio snippets on the DVD menu).

January 13, 1970 – Guildhall – Portsmouth, England

Background Info:

The second and last time Led Zeppelin performed at the Guildhall in Portsmouth (they had last played there on June 26, 1969).

January 15, 1970 – City Hall – Newcastle, England

Background Info:

The second of five times the band played the Newcastle City Hall.

January 16, 1970 – City (Oval) Hall – Sheffield, England

Background Info:

The first of two times the group played Sheffield City Hall (the other being the January 2, 1973 show).

January 24, 1970 – University of Leeds, Refectory – Leeds, England

Background Info:

The venue for this concert was listed in the UK music papers as either the Leeds Town Hall or Leeds University. Extensive coverage of the concert in the University’s Union News removes all doubt as to where the show was performed.

The Who’s legendary Live At Leeds LP was recorded just three weeks later at the same venue on February 14, 1970. Spring 1970 term was a banner time for Leeds University students as Led Zeppelin, The Who, Pink Floyd, Ten Years After, Yes, Joe Cocker, The Small Faces and Mott the Hoople were among the renowned artists who performed at the Refectory during that spring term.

Press Reaction:

”Chris and Vic” of the University News (January 30, 1970): “Their ‘two hour’ hop at the Union took nearly three hours. The fact that there were six encores only emphasizes their terrific performance. The refectory was a mass of people captivated by the sounds put out by the incredible Led Zeppelin.”

February 17, 1970 – Usher Hall – Edinburgh, Scotland

Support Act: Barclay James Harvest

Background Info:

(Rescheduled from February 7, 1970)

This one-off gig in Scotland was originally scheduled for February 7, but had to be postponed due to Robert Plant being injured in a car crash on January 31. Plant was returning from attending a gig by Spirit at the Mother’s Club in Birmingham that night and was involved in a car accident. He sustained facial lacerations and damaged teeth when his Jaguar had a collision with a minivan. As a result, the gig was postponed 10 days, giving Plant the time necessary to recuperate.

The band was supported by Barclay James Harvest, the only time they were supported by another band in 1970 (besides the two festival dates – the June 28, 1970 at the Bath Festival and August 29, 1970 at the Man-Pop Festival).

Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh promoted the concert, and a programme was produced to commemorate the event.

Extract from the book Evenings With Led Zeppelin by Dave Lewis and Mike Tremaglio

My thoughts on Galactic Ramble – A Critical Guide To British Popular Music of the 1960s and 1970s…

I’ve been reading rock book reference guides since 1972 – that was the year I purchased the first Rock File volume compiled by the late great Charlie Gillett. In 1974 I diligently cut out the NME’s weekly supplements that made up their extensive for the time NME Book of Rock. I have long since had a fascination for encyclopedic type rock books. So the arrival late last year of Galactic Ramble a massive 900 page compendium book edited by Richard Morton Jack was very welcomed indeed.

I have long admired Richard’s work notably as the editor publisher of the brilliant Flashback magazine – he has also been responsible for some superb reissues via the Sunbeam label. In 2008   he compiled The Sunbeam Guide To Led Zeppelin an A to Z encyclopedia (Foxecote Books). He is without doubt one of the foremost writers and archivists of 1960s and 70s rock music in all its forms.

Given his credentials, Richard is more than equipped with the knowledge and focus to bring something like this massive work to fruition – and he has delivered something very special.

Richard has been involved in previous books of this magnitude. Galactic Ramble was originally published in 2009. I missed out on that first edition and the hardback second edition published last year. So this new paperback version has been much thumbed in the past few weeks and will continue to be.

Galactic Ramble logs several thousand reviews of UK rock, pop, psych, folk and jazz rock albums issued between roughly 1963 and 1975. Employing a dedicated band of contributors the book runs to over 900 pages and clocks up over a million words. The writers involved who should all take a bow are Simon Crisp, Richard Falk, Giles Hamilton, Tony Higgins, Patrick Lundborg, Austin Matthews, Aaron Milenski, Richard Morton Jack, Julian Leigh Smith, Dominic Stinton, Harvey Williams and David Wells.

The book covers the vast majority of UK rock, pop, folk and jazz albums released in the period, including major labels, independent labels, private pressings, library music and more. It also covers albums by British artists that were only released abroad. It certainly lives up to its bold sub title as being ‘’A Critical Guide To British Popular Music of the 1960s and 1970s’’

Each entry is represented by both reviews from the time – collated from Richards’s massive archive of vintage music paper and magazines, alongside contemporary observations from the various writers. This allows each album a then and now summary – part of the fun is discovering how the albums included were perceived upon their original release dates.

The contemporary overviews are both informative and as the title suggests critical – the opinions of the writers are forthright, objective and often pull no punches in their critical assessments.

Catalogue numbers are provided alongside as well as details of any custom inner sleeves, lyric sheets or other inserts or curiosities.

Visually, it benefits greatly from the inclusion of many rare adverts taken from the music press of the era. This offers illuminating insight to how many of the listed albums were promoted at the time. There’s many an amazing time piece to view alongside the entries. They really  capture the flavour of the era.

There is also two eight page colour spreads of a choice selection of album illustrations – a total of 192 in all –these are predominantly obscure and rare albums of which I own but three. I fare slightly better on the back cover – of the 16 albums featured I own six. It’s the thrill of the chase that keeps us all collecting…

The main listings are preceded by a superbly detailed ten page introduction by record producer David Hitchcock – notable for his work with the likes of Caravan, Camel, Curved Air ,Renaissance, Genesis etc. This is a fascinating insight into the UK music industry in the 60s and 70 and how the recording process evolved. Under various sub chapters it covers how bands got signed, how demos got made and were selected, how producers and bands came together, how records were made, matrix, masters and stampers explained, and sleeve design and printing. All this perfectly sets the scene for what follows.

What follows is an incredible A to Z trawl with thousands of entries commencing with the Aardvark album on Deram Nova and ending with Zyder’s Zyder 1 album on the Sentinal label some 900 pages later.

There really is so much to digest. As mentioned, along with all the big hitters such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin The Who etc. along the way there many lesser known releases covered – making for a voyage of vinyl discovery.

The Led Zeppelin entries are of course of particular interest to this writer.

The Zep catalogue is presented over seven pages. It’s illustrated by 13 press adverts – two I had not previously seen. One is from the Record Retailer trade magazine in 1969  alerting record dealers to the release of the debut Led Zeppelin album with the original UK catalogue number 588 – 171 boldly written. This would have been for record dealers to easy identify the order number.

The other also from 1969 is I think from the underground magazine Oz –this is the familiar Only way To Fly advert bit with added text that states:

‘’The only way to fly if not the only way is high acclaimed by Oz, Rolling Stone etc.’’

It’s interesting they laud the Rolling Stone review as I am not sure that was over complimentary.

As for the retro reviews deployed for each album, I am familiar with a majority of them mainly the regular music press reviews from the NME, Melody Maker, Disc& Music Echo ,Music Now and Record Mirror but some are new to me – notably from more off beat publications such as Time Out, Jazz Journal, Record Buyer, Record Retailer, Record Review, Strange Days, Friends,Music Buying Weekly and Gramophone. It’s fascinating to read these vintage comments and see how these Zep albums were perceived at the time of their original release. Many of them prompted warm memories of the first time I read them upon their original publication.

Overall the contemporary summaries by Richard Morton Jack and Aaron Milenski are incisive and objective and their affinity for the Zep canon is well in evidence. Summarising Led Zeppelin IV Richard states ‘’Stairway Too Heaven the most perfectly structured and executed of all their longer songs/ The whole thing is boosted by another peerless Page production and still sounds fresh and exciting.’’

However, by the time they get to Presence, their collective critical axes are wielded.

Aaron sets the tone with his opening statement about the Presence album ‘’Here endeth their run of great albums’’ while Richard is equally dismissive and I quote:  ”The boring Tea For One echoes Since I’ve Been loving You and the rockabilly Candy Store Rock pastiche is a straightforward stinker’’. This of course proves that one man’s rock is another man’s roll – unsurprisingly I love that album…

In Through The Out Door fares better ‘’Led Zeppelin sound like innovators and like The Beatles they ended their recording career on a high note not sticking around to watch their star tarnish as the inspiration waned. Even non fans have to give them credit for that.’’

Somewhat paradoxically, Richard ends the Zep reviews with this summary: ‘’Coda is an unsatisfactory epitaph for the greatest rock band of all time’’

Sticking with the Zep – there are a fair few Zep related entries and again some are received better than others. PJ Proby’s Three Week Hero album –the first appearance on record of the four Zep member’s is according to Richard   ‘’ a genuinely terrible record For masochists and Zeppelin fans only’’. He is much kinder to Sandie Shaw. In suammrising her 1969

Reviewing The Situation which is notable for the inclusion of the first ever cover version of a Zep song Your Time is Gonna Come,he states ‘’The result is surprisingly cohesive with a wonderful mellow 60s sound demonstrating just what a classy singer she is’’

Other albums with Zep connections that gain inclusion include the Affinity album on Vertigo (John Paul Jones arranging credits), Family Dogg’s Way of Life, London All Stars British percussion (featuring Jimmy Page)  and the 1973 Madeline Bell solo album Comin’ Atcha produced by John Paul Jones. The 1970 Lord Such And Heavy Friends which features Jimmy Page and John Bonham is also in there ”You can really hear Page and Bonham in action making it essential for hardcore Zep fans” notes Richard. Reviewing the little known 1972 Jimmy Stevens album Don’t Freak Me Out Richard  reveals  ”Bonham’s playing is unmistakable on the title track.”

It’s also good to see the little known excellent 1973 album Bad News by one time Zep roadie Joe Jammer on Regal Zonophone.

The real fun I’ve had with this of the book – and will continue to do so, is wading through to check out the entries that highlight the well known and lesser known curios from my own collection.

Among them the first album by Arrival from 1970, Aubrey Small – Aubrey Small (Polydor 1971) Friday Brown – Friday Brown (Phillips 1971), Julie Covington – Beautiful Changes (Columbia 1971), Brian Davison’s Every Which Way Charisma 1970) Fairweather – Beginning From And End  (RCA Neon 1971), Fat Matress – Fat Matress (Polydor 1969),Nicky Hopkins -The Revolutionary Piano Of (CBS 1966) Idle Race – Birthday Party (Liberty 1968)Parlophone), July – July (Major Minor 1968),  Christine Perfect – Christine Perfect (Blue Horizon 1970) Sam Gopal- Escalator  (Stable 1969), Sound s Nice – Love At First Sight (Parlophone 1969) Synanthesia (RCA 1969) Tramline – Somewhere Down the Line (Island 1969) Deena Webster – It’s Tuesdays Child (Parlophone 1968 ) and The Young Idea – With a Little Help From My Friends (Music For Pleasure 1968.)

Being a collector of sampler albums I was also pleased to see a Various Artists listing that includes the likes of the Island Records samplers Bumpers and Nice Enough to Eat plus the CBS showcase Rockbuster and The Vertigo Annual 1970. This section also covers the Glastonbury Fayre triple set I purchased upon it’s release in 1972.

There’s even an entry for my namesake David Lewis –  Songs of David Lewis being  a no label pressing from 1970. One other omission I noticed  from my collection is from the  ex Hollies lead singer Allan Clarke. While his 1972 album My name is Arold on RCA is included there’s no mention of the follow up the eponymous Allan Clarke – a very interesting album with a version of Bruce Springsteen’s I Were A Priest – Springsteen has only just got around to recording his own version of that song on his recently released Letter To You album. One for the next edition maybe…

The final few pages of the book are taken up with a series of Top Ten listings 38 in all these include quirky listings such as .

Ten truly Hideous Album Covers, Ten Great Private Pressings, Ten Truly Psychedelic UK LP’s ,Ten Fine Instrumental LPs, Ten Fine Obscure Singer Songwriter LPs Ten LPs With Sleeve Notes by John Peel,Ten LPs With Big Mono/Stere Differences, Ten Fine Vertigo Swirl Releases ,Ten Fine LPs From From Scotland, Ten Fine LPs From Wales, Ten Fine LPs From Ireland Ten Fine Acid Folk LPs etc.

Absolutely finally the various contributors 12 in all, have their say under the following categories:

Top Ten Well Known LP’s In This Book

Top Ten Lesser known LPs In The Book

Top Ten LPs Beyond The Book’s Scope. (ie US, foreign artist  releases or post 1975 releases)

My own personal listings in these categories can be seen below.

Summary: Overall this is a stunning work and for record enthusiasts of this era like me, absolute manner from heaven. Hat’s off to Richard and his diligent band of compilers for creating an unsurpassed array of enlightening information on the state of the recorded LP market from 1963 to 1975 – arguably its golden age…

For ordering details visit:

http://www.galacticramble.co.uk/

The Dave Lewis Lists:

My favourites ( at least this week!) in no particular order…

Top Ten Well Known LP’s In This Book:

Led Zeppelin – Physical Graffiti

The Beatles – The Beatles (White Album)

The Rolling Stones – Goats Head Soup

The Who – Who’s Next

David Bowie – Hunky Dory

Nick Drake – Five Leaves Left

George Harrison – All Things Must Pass

T.Rex – The Slider

Blind Faith – Blind Faith

Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of The Moon

Top Ten Lesser known LPs In The Book:

Affinity – Affinity

Julie Driscoll – 1969

Arrival – Arrival

Trees – The Garden Of Jane Delawney

Sounds Nice – Love At First Sight

Lesley Duncan – Sing Children Sing

Fairweather – Beginning From An End

Julie Covington – Beautiful Changes

Mighty Baby – A Jug Of Love

Sam Gopal – Escalator

Top Ten LPs Beyond The Book’s Scope. ( US, foreign releases or post 1975 releases)

Crosby, Stills & Nash – Crosby, Stills & Nash

Led Zeppelin – Complete BBC Sessions

Bob Dylan – Blood On the Tracks

Miles Davis –  Kind Of Blue

Television – Marquee Moon

Simon & Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water

Robert Plant – Fate Of Nations

Bruce Springsteen – The River

Elvis Presley – Elvis In The 70s

Joni Mitchell – Hissing of Summer Lawns

Dave Lewis – February 4,2021 

Record Collector Presents …The Who:

This is the latest in the excellent Record Collector Special Editions

I have had some involvement in this and have a couple of my past Record Collector Who features included. Namely my extensive features on The Who Live At Leeds and Who’s Next albums.

Pre orders from February 4 for publication February 11.

More on this to follow…

Here’s the link to pre-order:

https://shop.recordcollectormag.com/product/RCWHO/the-who-special?utm_source=e-shot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=RecordCollectorPresentsTheWho%e2%80%93Pre-ordernow!

My thoughts on Crow Jayne…

Crow Jayne came to my attention via Andy Adams who tagged me on Facebook with their  YouTube clip video for One Day Late, One Dollar Shy…

Crow Jayne are led by guitarist Guy D’Angelo who we first met at the Led Zep Knebworth anniversary TBL meet at the Atlas pub in 2019.

Guy has been a great support in recent months and has been in touch with details of Crow Jayne’s latest recording

Here’s my thoughts on it:

Crow Jayne have the classic four piece line up of vocals, guitar, bass and drums. them.

Crow Jayne are

Guy D’Angelo, guitars

Nadya Slade, vocals

Jake Sherlock, bass

Russ Wilson, drums

Their influences are very much rooted in the 70s and Guy is a big Jimmy Page fan. This, unsurprisingly is a key ingredient in their sound. However, while they are highly derivative, Crow Jayne have a refreshing quality about them and a genuine self -belief in their abilities.

So here’s my thoughts on their first recording:

One Day Late, One Dollar Shy opens with a Hendrix like swirl before kicking in to an infectious muscular riff. I noted a brief nod to Zep’s Over The Hills And Far Away in the chord sequence. Bassist Jake Sherlock and drummer Russ Wilson hold it all together with steady precision over Guy’s guitar histrionics. Nadya Slade’s vocals have a distinct air of authority as she makes herself heard in the mix..

A cover of Paul McCartney’s Maybe I’m Amazed is performed in the brash arrangement The Faces adapted for the version on their Long Player album. This is a perfect showcase for Nadya – while her influences may lay in classic female singers such as Janis Joplin, there’s an English lilt to her voice that is similar to Vinegar Joe era Elkie Brooks.

English Rose is a pretty acoustic instrumental. Opening in the vein of Jimmy Page’s White Summer it then switches into a pastoral piece that reminded me of Doug Boyle’s impressive playing on Robert Plant’s Liars Dance.

Edge Of Love mirrors the bottleneck guitar effect of Hat’s Off To Harper and the pure acoustic playing of Black Mountain Side. There’s some atmospheric percussive additions and Nadya’s vocal undergoes various treatments as she relays some time honoured bluesy ‘baby -baby ’ mannerisms  – eventually  signing off with ‘’Yeah baby’’ and a laugh.

Bad, So Good picks up the pace being a strident drum led rocker. Guy’s wah- wah solo has a cascading Zep 1 feel about it. This number can be seen on their YouTube channel.

It’s back to the acoustic for the bluesy work out 17 Days which is mainly a two hander between Guy and Nadya. Her vocals here have a touch of Stevie Nicks influence. It  moves up a gear for a Bron- Yr -Aur like stomp.

Toni’s Smile is another acoustic instrumental showcase for Guy – gentle and reflective.

Finally Betta’ Ride –  this is an out and out blues showpiece and very much in the Zep I Can’t Quite You Baby/You Shook Me mould. Harmonica adding to the effect.

Summary: My reference to their Zep like soundbites is merely to illustrate where their roots and influences lay – plainly Crow Jayne are much more than a Zep copyist outfit – there’s an originality and vitality in their playing that would make for a great gig night out. Until that opportunity presents itself sometime ahead, I look forward to further music from a band that are well worth checking out…

So to do so…

Here’s the link for more details of the band and the availability of their music:

https://crowjayne.com/

Here’s the link for their excellent One Day Late, One Doller Shy YouTube clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQBjx4N_kpA

Dave Lewis  – January 29,2021

DL Diary Blog Update:

Saturday January 30:

Saturday is platterday – on the player remembering the events of 52 years ago..The Beatles -this album is one of a few I have capturing the famous rooftop performance that took place on this day in 169 –and a new one on CD via my fellow Beatles enthusiast Paul Humbley will be on the player too…thanks Paul!

Sunday January 31:

Sunday Sounds On CD:

Sunday Sounds On CD: Loading up  the Miles Davis CD Mellow Miles matching a melancholy mood here…

Thursday February 4:

It’s a Happy Birthday to the great Alice Cooper –after hearing the single I bought the Schools Out album the week it came

out in June 1972 and I was totally captivated from then on…

I’ve been lucky enough to meet him on a couple of occasions – backstage at the Reading Festival when I interviewed him in 1988 and at the Classic Rock Awards in 2015 when this pic was taken – on both occasions he was fantastic company…

Thursday February 4:

My first new vinyl record purchase of the year and it’s another nostalgic one:

I purchased the Fireball XL5 re issued single a few weeks back the original was the first single I ever owned back in 1963.

I have now acquired the just released double album Fireball XL5 Original Television Soundtrack with music by Barry Gray.

It’s a fantastic package pressed on transparent orange coloured vinyl in a gatefold sleeve complete with obi strip.

Fireball XL5 was one of the early UK TV puppet series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson in 1962 and a forerunner to the legendary Thunderbirds series.

All wonderfully nostalgic – I only have to hear track one side one and Don Spencer’s opening line ‘I wish I was a spaceman, fastest guy alive’ and I am right back in front of the black and white TV screen staring in wonderment at the space age antics of Steve Zodiac,his glamorous assistant Venus, Professor Matthew Matic and Robert The Robot…

Winterlude Playlist:

Some more winterlude record selections providing much needed inspiration…

Paul and Linda McCartney -Ram

Nick Drake – Pink Moon

Paul Simon – Still Crazy After All These Years

Crosby Stills Nash and Young – Deja Vu

The Beatles – Let It Be

Robert Plant – Fate Of Nations

Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin III

Miles Davis – In A Silent Way

Some particular inspirations this past week…

Inspiring and supportive phone calls from Ross Halfin, Gary Davies and Graeme Hutchinson…

The new issue of the always excellent Shindig! magazine dropping through the door…

Paul Humbley sending over some great Beatles CDs and a Rockestra Sessions set…

The arrival of the Fireball XL5 Original Television Soundtrack…

Update here:

February is here and this mantra always comes to mind…

’’January is a 31 day hangover but February brings lambs, daffodils and the air fills with a magical quickening that tells you spring is on the way. February is short so whatever you’re trying to stretch, whether it’s your salary, your calorie intake or your booze units, February’s unique compactness helps you spread it just that little bit thicker. A good enough reason to raise a glass”

It’s been a tough week here – I was very low at weekend with depression. I spent ten hours in bed Saturday – just could not face anything.  Spent the time reflected on too many negative thoughts. Sunday was not much better but thanks to the good lady Janet’s understanding, I did come out of it a bit.

I’ve been trying to focus my mind on the positive but it’s not been easy these past few days and finding the motivation to put this update together has been hard – but I got there.

Janet has also been struggling with a bad cold and could not go into pre school today. We are hoping it’s nothing else. The physio rang earlier in the week and advised on Janet’s leg and physio exercises. They are trying to arrange an earlier hospital appointment than previously advised to see where it’s all at.

I did have some very inspiring phone calls on Wednesday from Gary Davies and Graeme Hutchinson – it was a coincidence that the joint organisers of the Led Zeppelin 2005 UK Convention both rang on the same day. It was great to hear from them and both offered some very supportive words for Janet and I.

It was a reminder of how blessed I am to have such support – and a clear reminder that this Led Zep thing is much more than just about the music – it’s developed true lasting friendships and both Gary and Graeme have been special friends to us for years…as has Ross Halfin who rang on Thursday and again his call really lifted me.

Thanks folks…

On another bright note, in the past few days,  I have been focused on some exciting Zep projects which I hope to reveal details of very soon.

On Thursday, I had to go to the hospital to be fitted with a 24 hour heart monitor. I was very apprehensive about this and nearly called it off (and another appointment I have for Feb 19). However the very kind lady in the cardiology department was very re assuring so off I went – aside from getting extremely wet going to and from the hospital on my bike in the rain , it went ok and I was relieved to be back. The monitor stays on over night and I take it back in the next couple of days.

The news on Tuesday that Sir Captain Tom Moore who lived at Marston Moretaine near Bedford had passed away was so very very sad. A true Bedfordshire hero and a hero around the world for his incredible fund raising for the NHS – and for the way his fortitude brought the nation together…

”Tomorrow will be a good day”

It’s those optimistic words by the late great Sir Captain Tom that we will all hang on to in remembering his legacy…

Thanks for listening – stay safe and well you very lovely people…