THOUGHTS ON THE GOOD TIMES BAD TIMES PROMO FILM FIND/TBL ARCHIVE JIMMY PAGE & ROBERT PLANT BUXTON 32 YEARS GONE/HAMMERSMITH 1988/WALKING INTO CLARKSDALE 28 YEARS GONE/TBL THROWBACK 1973 & RETRO CHARTS 1975/ELECTRIC LADYLAND STUDIOS/ RECORD STORE DAY/COCKROACHES SINGLE/DL DIARY BLOG UPDATE
Above pic – the reel from the archives of ‘The Now Explosion’ that contained the lost ‘Good Times, Bad Times’ film from 1969 (Walter J. Brown Media Archive & Peabody Awards Collection) – thanks to James Cook at Led Zep News.
My thoughts on the newly discovered Good Times Bad Times promo clip from 1969.
The first time I ever saw moving images of Led Zeppelin was a look at the giant screen that was suspended above them at Earls Court – relaying the action for all to see in the 17,000 capacity Earls Court Arenea on those five glorious nights in May 1975. A year later saw the release of The Song Remains The Same movie and we all got to see them up on the big cinema screen live from Madison Sqaure garden in 1973.
The first time I saw moving images of Led Zeppelin on a TV screen was the emergence of the Whole Lotta Love clip filmed for Germany’s Beat Club show and aired in March 1970. This was actually made up of lip synced performances of the studio versions of You Shook Me and Babe I’m Gonna Leave You filmed for Beat Club in Bremen Germany on March 27 1969. With Whole Lotta Love being a hit single in Germany Beat Club put together their own promo using the aforementioned performances cut to the track. This came my way on a VHS tape in the early 80s. it’s worth noting the clips of You Shook Me and Babe I’m Gonna Leave You did appear in the noughties and were aired on the German TV show Vinyl -Rock Pop Geschichtn.
I did have something of a personal thrill regarding Led Zeppelin footage when I was invited to the Swan Song office in August 1981 to have a viewing of the Earls Court 1975, Seattle 1977 and Knebworth 1979 video films direct from their archives – an incredible day.
The mid 80s also saw the emergence of the promo video of Hot Dog filmed at Knebworth surfaced -albeit in a grainy black and white version. Much more exciting was the complete cut of Dazed And Confused in colour from the Supershow film which was aired on The Tube TV show. Then on New Yards Day 1990 the BBC aired the full the complete Danish TV special shot in black and white and initially aired on Danish TV channel Danmarks Radio in March 1969.
Around the time Andy Adams and I were organizing the first UK Led Zeppelin Convention in May 1992 the superb Toues En Secne French TV footage of Communication breakdown and part of Dazed And Confused appeared – it was one of the showpieces we had screened at the Convention – another great find at the time was the brilliant Jimmy Page White Summer performance aired in April 1970 on the Julie Felix show. Although the clip had a slight blemish thanks to the efforts of Tim Davies we were able to show it to the delight of many fans.
There were more TV clips that surfaced during the late 90s – a superb black and white clip of them miming to Communication Breakdown from a Swedish TV broadcast in 1969 and from the same year another mime of the same song filmed close up in black and white. This labelled as being on Japanese TV but further details emerged. This clip was filmed at the Thee Image club in Miami during a two night stint at the club on February 14 and 15 1969.
In recent years there have been a succession of truly excellent cine film live performances not least the Bath 1970 colour clips. Last year came news of another TV slot -this one from Amsterdam in October 1969. A brief snippet of Dazed And Confused surfaced online and there was a plan for it to be included as an extra on the Becoming Led Zeppelin blu ray release but sadly this did not materialise.
Then out of the blue last week I received a link claiming to be details of a previously unseen promo film of Good Times Bad Times from the same location as the Communication Breakdown promo clip -Miami in February 1969.
Unsurprisingly given the amount of fake clips that continue to surface on line I thought this might be another AI generated visual.
I could not have been more wrong.
I watched with awe as the clip unfolded. Here was colour footage and yes from the same source as the black and white Communication Breakdown clip.
The filming took place at the Thee Image Club on February 14 or 15 during the bands two day stint there in 1969.
it’s very good quality considering its vintage and watermarked with the archive source – Walter J. Brown Archives in Atlanta.
This is a lip synch mime to the studio version of Good Times Bad Times and though they are a little tentative initially they soon get in their stride.
The camera angle alternates between straight face on to a side view revealing more of the stage than the previous Communication Breakdown clip.
The authenticity of the performance is enhanced by backing vocals mic near John Paul Jones. John Bonham does a delightful stick bounce as they head into Jimmy’s solo. Here there’s fantastic close up views of the Dragon painted Telecaster.
As for Robert Plant, some 25 gigs up on their first US tour he his clearly growing in confidence. Not quite in rock god mode yet but enthusiastically attacking the vocal lines with gusto.
This is prime early Led Zeppelin in all their 1969 glory – the year that would see them play more than gigs. As a promotional film of what they were about it more than hits the mark.
It does throw up some questions. Why an earth was Good Times Bad Times not played live in their set? As was illustrated at the 02 reunion show it’s a brilliant opening shot but apart from a few performances as part of various medley insertions, it was rarely performed onstage in the Zep era.
Good Times Bad Times was issued as a single in the US but it strikes me it would have been a very good choice as a UK single had they gone down that particular route. It would have fitted perfectly in the plethora of so called album bands that scored big hits in the 1969 /70 era including Jethro Tull, Free, Family and Ten Years After.
One final thought – had they supported such a release with an TV appearance on Top Of The Pops – Led Zeppelin were already well versed in the the art of miming – a policy the show supported.
This sensational find is vivid evidence of that fact.
It appears Communication Breakdown was not the only song mimed at the Thee Image Club in Miami when Led Zeppelin played two shows there on February 14th and 15th, 1969. An Atlanta based program called “The Now Explosion” seems to have aired a never before seen color promo video for Good Times, Bad Times – yes, you heard that right – on its program, thankfully preserved by the Walter J. Brown Archives in Atlanta.
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TBL Archive Special – Jimmy Page & Robert Plant at the Alexis Korner benefit show in Buxton – 32 years gone…
32 years ago on Sunday April 17th 1994, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant performed together for the first time in four years at a special memorial concert for Alexis Korner. This was the first sighting of the newly reunited Page & Plant on stage -they were already rehearsing for their MTV Unledded project which would eventually see them perform two special shows at the London TV Studios on August 25th and 26th. Robert Plant had initially been billed to appear but the rumour mill was soon in overdrive that he would be joined by Jimmy.
I had already cleared the way to attend when it was announced in early March Robert would be performing. Even up to the day it was uncertain to what was actually going to happen but when the TBL crew of Gary, Kam and I we arrived at the venue in the late afternoon there was no doubt that Jimmy Page was going to be in the house.
So it was in the unlikely setting of the Buxton Opera House we watched in some wonderment as Bob Harris introduced the pair and the long awaited reunion of the pair was on. They kicked off with a cover of Them’s Baby Please Don’t Go and then on to a very authentic I Can’t Quite You Baby ably assisted by Charlie Jones on bass and the late great Michael Lee on drums – my review of the time noting that he ‘’crashed and clattered in all the right places’’ –something he would do throughout the P & P re-alliance between now and 1998.
Ah the review…Alongside feeding back for TBL, I was reporting in it for Kerrang !then the main rock music paper and given the low key nature of the event I was billed as an ‘’undercover Big K! reporter’ – ooerr!
My review went on to reveal they then played an up-tempo blues jam built around Don’t Stop Me Talkin’ and then a loose instrumental work out with definite Crunge like leanings.
Here’s some extracts from my review:
And finally ’’At least two people haven’t played this song before’’joked Plant as Jimmy stepped on the wah wah pedal and teased out the intro to the classic Train Kept A Rollin’, a track Jimmy used to play with The Yardbirds before he formed Zeppelin and the same number that Zep used to open their set on their last tour in Europe 1980. Inevitably this one was met with a huge roar of appreciation and was performed with an irrepressible swagger that recalled so many past glories. And with that Page and Plant were gone..
This comeback proved conclusively that Page and Plant are more than happy to be back in each other’s company rekindling a partnership that was responsible for so much great music in the past. And judging from a delightful telling moment when Jimmy skipped around the stage chugging out a fierce blues riff against Robert’s incessant scat singing – the potential for this new alliance is awesome. Buxton might just have signalled a whole new beginning for the post –Zep era’.
Pleasingly that latter statement proved to be somewhat prophetic. By the end of August the pair had recorded in various locations and performed the memorable Unledded concerts which formed the contents of the No Quarter Unledded film aired on MTV in October and accompanied by the release of the soundtrack album. The next year they hooked up with the Egyptian Ensemble and orchestra for an ambitious world tour that delighted audiences across the globe.
The initial spark of all this reunion activity occurred on this remarkable Sunday evening in the Derbyshire countryside all of 32years ago.
Dave Lewis – April 15 2026
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TBL Archive 2:
TBL Archive – it was 38 years ago this week…
SUNDAY APRIL 17 1988
LONDON, ENGLAND
HAMMERSMITH ODEON
38 years ago this week I was very lucky to attend this Robert Plant gig during his Now And Zen UK tour
Jimmy Page joined Robert and his band for an extended cameo appearance – it was an unexpected delight for all those lucky enough to be in attendance. Originally scheduled to play on three encore numbers, Jimmy stayed on stage for half an hour, performing a stunning ‘Tramped Underfoot’, ‘Gamblers Blues’ (including snippets of ‘I Can’t Quit You’ and ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’) and ‘Rock And Roll’. It was absolutely sensational. ..an unforgettable night when the Page & Plant on stage chemistry was right before my eyes all over again …something I did not expect to see…
DL – April 15 2026
TBL Archive 3:
TBL Archive – Jimmy Page & Robert Plant – Walking Into Clarksdale – 28 Years Gone:
To mark the release of the Walking into Clarksdale album 28 years ago this week, here’s a TBL archive piece that looks back to the release of the album.
On the back of the Shepherds Bush gig and all the media coverage, it was such a great time to be a Page & Plant fan. Here’s my original and very optimistic review of the Walking Into Clarksdale album written for TBL issue 13 in 1998.
Q: When is a Led Zeppelin album not a Led Zeppelin album?
A: When it’s Walking Into Clarksdale.
Jimmy Page and Robert Plant : Walking Into Clarksdale (Mercury)
Well it’s certainly not ‘Led Zeppelin II as if anyone would have been daft to enough to think it would be! And initially, it may leave the listener slightly confused, but eventually this long awaited new studio album continues in the grand Page Plant tradition of moving ever onwards. In doing so they constantly refuse to merely retread the formulas of old and instead opt for innovation and surprise.
If anything, it’s something of another walk with Walter. I would draw parallel to the overall feel of the album with that of their spring 1972 Stargroves composition Walter’s Walk, which finally saw the light of day on Coda. That track has a monolithic feel that takes some plays to rise to the surface, and contains an intensity that initially may cloud it’s impressive content. But when it’s quality becomes apparent then it really hits home. So it is with Walking Into Clarksdale.
Whilst there are no blatant Zeppelin re-spray jobs, the album is littered with subtle elements of their past. One of the joys of the album is searching them out. One thing’s for sure though, this is an album that has to be worked at. However, given repeated listening, it does begin to fall into place, and the full fruits of their labour (all 35 days, if the press release is to be believed!) begins to unfold.
Much of the album carries a melancholic and wistful feel – presenting songs that carry a reflective lyrical theme. In tracks such as When The World Was Young, When I Was A Child and Heart In Your Hand, Robert seems to be pensively re-assessing events that have gone before (‘’Do your lips still call my name, would your mouth still taste the same’’). It makes for some of his most personal lyrical statements in song for a very long time. ‘’A bit of emotional debris,’’ is how he described the theme of some of the song’s to Mojo’s Matt Snow.
I’ve had many a memorable premier of their work in the past – I can recall vividly exactly where I was the first time I heard Physical Graffiti, Presence, Pictures At Eleven etc. – and this new Page Plant album was always going to be an epic initial playback. So there I was, holed up in the TBL office around 9pm on a cold early ’98 Wednesday night faced with the huge expectation of this new album, knowing that over the coming months these songs would be the soundtrack to my life and countless other like-minded fans across the world.
As the semi acoustic groove of Shining In The Light swung in it was a huge relief to finally be listening to new Page & Plant music. As that familiar guitar style oozed from the speakers and that voice opened up… well I knew I was in the best company again. Subsequently some of the content did seem to wash over on that initial hearing.
Having lived with it for a while now, well, it’s excellence is more than evident. It carries so much vitality and most importantly it carries a totally contemporary feel. This isn’t a museum piece as Jimmy stated recently, this is new music that can line up with any of the best of today’s modern outfits such as The Verve. Lets face it, there are few other songwriters of 30 years standing who can rival that feat.
In terms of the musical performance and production, Steve Albini’s role seems to have been more about capturing a clear sound than bringing in the rough edge that has been the focus of his work with The Pixies and PJ Harvey. Robert’s vocals throughout are a sheer delight, singing with clarity and conviction and aided by a very up-front vocal mix. Jimmy, meantime, appears to be concentrating on his strength as a craftsman of guitar sound rather than churning out endless solos.
Some may bemoan the lack of guitar army tactics but by adopting this method there is a subtlety and surprise element (that swift guitar change in the title track for instance) in his performance that is a joy to hear. Michael Lee once again more than proves his worth to the set up ably supported by Charlie’s bass work. Aside from the odd cameo from Ed Shearmer and Tim Whelan, it’s the basic ‘four-man, live-in-the-studio’ format that has worked so well on stage in recent weeks.
Outstanding moments? Quite a few. The way they kick in relentlessly on the chorus of When The World Was Young, with all the spark of on the road spirit of ’72 Zeppelin. The way the string arrangement comes seeping in on Upon A Golden Horse – the whole track has the bizarre lyrical content that has lit up many a Plant prose in the past- and carries a great swirling sound reminiscent of Four Sticks.
Please Read The Letter opens with Sick Again like riffing from Page before settling into a very West Coast repetitive romp that echoes the work of Moby Grape and vocally, finds Plant aping the style of Roy Orbison. Most High comes over as almost a separate entity from the rest of the album with it’s Arabic tendencies offering a last glance back to the world of Unledded. I felt this sound-ed a little perfunctory as a studio track, however, it’s elevation as a live piece seems to have rectified those initial shortcomings.
The title track is a great throw back to the off-the-cuff rockabilly tradition of Candy Store Rock. With it’s jolting time change it could easily have taken it’s place on Presence, and that second solo is pure Telecaster heaven reminiscent of the fluttering style Page deployed on those final Yardbirds recordings (Think About It springs to mind).
Burning Up and House Of Love are where the guitarist steps up a gear. The former is embellished throughout by that crunching riff – a real slashing affair that jumps out of the speakers, propelled along by Lee’s tom tom barrage. It’s here that Page really steps on it, proving, if proof was needed, that he can pump those solos out in his sleep. The latter finds Page pressing down on the wah wah delightfully underpinning the incessant drum track in support of Plants “It’s just a little too much’’ pleadings.
Sons Of Freedom comes complete with a Prodigy like urgency aided by yet more impressive drumming – it’s vaguely in the style of Network News from Robert’s Fate Of Nations album, and jumps around feverishly before it all grinds to a percussive halt. It’s worth mentioning that after this track the Japanese version for the album carries the bonus Whiskey In The Glass, which is nothing more than a studio jam taped towards the end of the sessions. It’s set against a Bo Diddley Mona syncopated beat with Page playing that reverberated phased guitar style heard on Rude World, and Plant in his best ad-lib vocal, but fades prematurely at under three minutes just as it’s getting warmed up.
That leaves the trio of performances that best capture that aforementioned melancholy feel. Heart In Your Hand took a while to register, initially sounding like something from a Chris Isaac album. However this is one of the prime growers.Page plays some deft Dick Dale phrasing behind Plant’s reflective longing. Overall, the song captures a dark and brooding soundtrack feel.
When I Was A Child opens with a memorable reverberating tremolo. Then Robert comes in to deliver a haunting narrative that casts an oblique shadow over his past. Page adds a suitable restrained solo and at the finale Plant ad-libs the final lines with delicate finesse, “Oh you know, so I wander through your garden, grow, when I was a boy, I was a boy…” One of the stand-out tracks and one of Robert’s best vocal performances in years.
Then there is Blue Train. Opening with some slow moving bass and timpani before Robert’s mournful vocal seeps in. It then up-lifts via some strident Zeppelinish dynamics and features a beautifully plangent Byrds like jangling guitar solo constructed in a way that is just quintessential Jimmy Page. At the close Robert raises the tempo, “Hear the blue train, hear the blue train’’, before it all calms to a close. Lyrically, there’s a reflective longing that is as close to home for Robert as perhaps I Believe was.
For me When I Was a Child and Blue Train are performance’s to rank right up there with Ten Years Gone and Down By The Seaside, as they both display that unique emotional dynamism that has always characterised their best work.
So ends another walk with Walter. It’s not instant, and some of it takes a while to register but there can be no denying the sheer quality of this long awaited work. In the shadow of the Zeppelin, but essentially Page & Plant music of today, Walking Into Clarksdale may turn out to be one of the most durable and ultimately satisfying albums of their entire career.
Dave Lewis – April 17, 1998.
Postscript – April 2025:
Walking Into Clarksdale may turn out to be one of the most durable and ultimately satisfying albums of their entire career.
Looking back that was a bit of a bold statement – Walking Into Clarksdale has actually gone down as quite a low key album. There’s no doubt it still divides opinion amongst fans.
The rather thin production and lack of wide screen riffling -something so evident on Jimmy’s previous studio project – the Coverdale Page album, does reduce it’s overall impact. That said, much of it still sounds great – from the light and breezy opener Shining In the Light through to the still superb Blue Train (one of the best ever Page Plant alliances in or out of Zep) and wonderfully affecting When I Was A Child – it still has much to delight. Only the rather cumbersome Burning Up and Sons of Freedom have really paled that much.
It’s a discerningly strange album – it may not be high on the playlist but when I do play it – it always hits the mark and like I said, this album is steeped in late 90s memories. Walking Into Clarksdale is therefore something of a durable minor league classic.
I’ve just played it through and aside from sounding really good – it inspired a wave of personal 1990s nostalgic memories of the time – Istanbul, Shepard’s Bush Empire, managing the Our Price Record shop, the big Victoria Record Fairs, meets at the Eastern Monk pub. This was the last opportunity we had to revel in a union of Jimmy Page and Robert Plant together. Great days indeed.
Have a listen to Walking Into Clarksdale again – I think you will be pleasantly surprised of the impact.
Dave Lewis – April 2026
Record Store Day 2026…
However, this year has been very well promoted and the subject of a special edition of Record Collector with 20 pages of extensive coverage. This includes an interview with Robert Plant about his record collecting. A couple of weeks back it was announced that Robert Plant has been selected as the latest recipient of its Record Store Legend award.
This accolade recognises Robert Plant’s lasting impact on music around the world, and his ongoing dedication to supporting new artists and record shops, as well as the record store community’s deep admiration for his work.
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TBL Flashback – it was eight years ago this month…a Record Store Day lookback…
Led Zeppelin on 45RPM…from £1.25 new pence for Whole Lotta Love in 1972 – to £11.99 for Rock And Roll on Record Store Day in 2018…
I’ve been fascinated with Led Zeppelin singles for over 47 years.
Because they were primarily an albums band, for me there’s always been almost an illicit thrill to hear a Led Zeppelin track framed in the 45 RPM seven inch format.
That fasciation goes right back to 1970 when I was aware, through the pages of the NME, that Whole Lotta Love and Immigrant Song had been extracted from the Led Zep II and III albums respectively to become top twenty US hits – Whole Lotta Lov making the top five. I had also read of the attempt to have Whole Lotta Love issued as a UK single back in late 1969.
Of course with limited teenage funds, such delights were well off limits – I could only wonder for instance what an edited Whole Lotta Love sounded like and how Hey Hey What Can I Do ( the previously unreleased B side to Immigrant Song) sounded.
That situation however, all changed one day in early 1972 when scouring the small ads in Sounds music paper as I did each week, I saw an ad that proclaimed:
”US Import Singles including Led Zeppelin Whole Lotta Love for sale”
I replied to the advert and the seller, a guy in Newcastle with some flamboyant prose in his replies (for some reason he kept referring to me as Dave ‘the rave’) got back to me. Eventually it was settled that I would send £1.25 new pence (the UK had just gone decimal) for the Whole Lotta Love single which I duly did on a postal order. The single took some weeks to arrive – a situation not helped by a Royal Mail strike – but eventually a seven inch package turned up at the door.
Boy was I excited, for there before my very eyes was a copy on the red US Atlantic label of Whole Lotta Love /Living Loving Maid (She’s a Woman). One of my intial reactions was one of shock and wonder at the Atlantic logo – I had only ever seen the block UK version – here was the sprawling A and Atlantic logo on the label. The sleeve, an Atlantic house bag, did have the more familiar logo I was used to.
Whole Lotta Love sounded distinctly different to the way I was used to hearing it as the opening track on Led Zeppelin II. For a start, it did not have that slight cough which opens the album version on Led Zeppelin II. It also edited out the swirling middle section and instead cut straight to John Bonham’s battering ram drum segment. I knew that this edit had been necessary for US radio play purposes. Subsequent versions I acquired and there were a few, did have the full 5 minute 33 second complete delivery.
Not long after I received that initial Led Zep 45, the Newcastle guy got back to me and I saved up another £1. 25 new pence and sent for Immigrant Song/ Hey Hey What Can I Do.
In between that single arriving, I did get to hear the aforementioned previously unreleased B side. In May of 1972 it appeared as the opening track on the sampler album The New Age Of Atlantic. The arrival of Immigrant Song on the US Atlantic label in that distinctive red bag was another red letter collecting day in the Lewis household.
Since those heady days. I’ve acquired many more Led Zeppelin singles that spin at 45RPM.
In June 1975, on my first foreign holiday abroad with my fellow Wallbanger team mates, we visited the local record shop Venus Discs in the Spanish resort of Loret De Mar. As I would soon discover, there were many foreign territories that produced Zep singles in attractive picture sleeves.
Spain was indeed one of them. Thus I was able to invest in no less than six more Zep singles all attractively packaged in unique picture sleeves – some with unique Spanish titles. For example D’yer Ma’ker /The Crunge appeared as El Tintero/La Ilusion with a very bizarre cover.
I was now on a mission to acquire more Zep singles – so the Australian EPs followed, plus singles produced in France, Germany, Portugal, Belguim, Holland, Japan to name but a few countries.
By now I was working in a record shop department. Imagine my delight when in May 1975 the week of the Earls Court shows, the Warner/Elektra/Atlantic record company rep that called on WH Smith where I worked, turned up with a box full of special UK pressings of Trampled Underfoot/Black Country Woman. These were distributed as part of a dealer scheme to order the Zep catalogue. I came away with about five of those limited edition singles.
In the late 1970s I acquired at a hefty cost, the very rare UK promo singles Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown and D’yer Maker. In 1990, to tie in with the Remasters albums, a coupling of Stairway to Heaven/Whole Lotta Love was produced for the Warners/Atlantic reps to hand out – it came with a memo advising that this might well be very collectable one day. Again being in the record shop trade, that one also came my way – along with a limited ten inch pressing.
Bizarrely, when the UK finally got an officially released Led Zeppelin single – another edit of Whole Lotta Love issued in 1997, it came primarily on CD. However there was a promo Juke Box seven inch pressing and yes, I had to have that one too. Only last Friday I added another one to the collection – a copy via the Vinyl Barn of the US Whole Lotta Love single on the Atlantic Oldies series (I already had one of course!)
Basically, I love Led Zeppelin singles and I have a fair few of the lovely things. I have to say my own efforts to collect them pale against the collection of long time TBL contributor Nick Anderson who has well over 1,000 of them.
The advent of Record Store Day has increased the focus on limited edition pressings of singles and albums.
There have already been some Zep related Record Store Day releases- notably a reissue of Jimmy Page’s first solo single She just Satisfies, The Black Crowes with Jimmy Page Live At Jones Beach ten inch, a Them Crooked Vultures picture disc and Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters More Roar mini live set also on ten inch.
Up to now though, there had been no Led Zeppelin official RSD product.
I did mention to Jimmy Page himself at a record fair around 2012 that such a release would be a great idea – and he was certainly not opposed to that happening I therefore did at some point expect something to surface…and what better timing than in this year of their 50th anniversary
When it was announced in February that a coupling of unreleased takes of Rock And Roll and Friends would formulate the first ever official Led Zeppelin release, naturally I was excited at the prospect.
It did not disappoint.
As previously mentioned, the TBL record collecting gang have long since been pitching up an a early hour to get in line for those limited edition goodies. The quest was on to ensure a copy of the Led Zeppelin Record Store Day single was in my hands, come early Saturday on April 21.
I did have the very good fortune to have a promo copy come my way a day before – but I of course, I also needed the official RSD copy.
The plan was hatched late on Friday night that we would be up very early to get in line to have the best possible opportunity of laying our hands on this gem. I say we, as both Tom and Phil my fellow local collectors also wanted the Zep single.
So where to go for this elusive item? The recently opened local record shop Slide I knew were only were receiving a low quantity. We did consider returning to Davids shop in Letchworth where we have been the past two years. However, word came through that Black Circle Records in Leighton Buzzard had a good quantity Zep singles coming in. A call to the manager David (who I used to work with at Virgin) confirmed this. We reckoned if we were in the first 50 people in the queue,we would have a good chance of obtaining a copy.
So it was at approximately 5.50am on the morning of April 21,2018, we found ourselves at place number 34, 35, 36 and 37 in the queue at Black Circle Records. We knew we were that many in line as the very helpful staff provided us with a ticket to confirm our status. Thus we were able to swan off to the local Witherspoons pub for a coffee. At 7.45 we were back in the queue ready for the 8am opening. As ever, it was great to strike up fellow record collecting banter with those in the queue and local lady Lisa Walsh who was in line to purchase a few RSD goodies herself provided us with a bit of a tour of the area while we were waiting to return to the queue.
Black Circle Records had a different strategy to that of David’s and the Rough Trade stores we had previously queued in. In those stores you had your list and requested the items at the counter – where upon they were fulfilled behind the counter. At Black Circle all the stock was racked out in the store in alphabetical order.
This made it something of a scrum once inside. Upon opening, the store let in twenty customers at a time and we were in the store around 8.45. Nervously I approached the singles racking and there was the holy grail – a fair few Led Zep RSD singles all lined up ready for picking.
The deal was done…I had the latest and greatest Led Zeppelin single in my hands – and boy life was good…
Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t the only thing I picked out. I’m pleased to say David and the Black Circle Records team did a great job – they had good quantities of most of the items on my list – so I also acquired the following:
Beverley Martyn – Where The Good Times Are album – this features session appearance by Jimmy and JPJ.
Nico – I’m Not Sayin’ / The Last Mile single – the 1965 single produced by Jimmy Page
Lulu – Heaven And Earth And The Stars album
David Bowie -Welcome To the Black Out -Live At Earls Court 1979 (a gig I was lucky enough to be at)
Small Faces – Lazy Sunday Afternoon (Early Mix) / Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake (Alternate Take – Phased Mix) (stereo) single
Steve Ellis – Everlasting Love / Lonely No More single – the lead singer with Love Affair and later Widowmaker – a great singer he is too
The atmosphere in the shop was just fantastic – it was so heartwarming to see fellow collectors indulge in this shared passion of ours – there was some hefty sales going on as the punters piled up their wants lists.
This really is a unique record retailing event and I for one just love being part of it.
Shop manager David even gave me a bonus with my haul – a promo poster of the recently released How the West Was Won album. How kind was that!?
It was good to see long time TBL supporter Jez Firth outside in line ready to get his copy
Elsewhere, the texts and messages were coming from up and down the country and across the waters. Fellow fans keen to relay their own RSD experiences in hunting out the Led Zep single. It really did feel like a communal Zep inspired event – a bit like the multi screenings of the Celebration Day film back in 2012.
Here’s the TBL crew of the late much missed Tom, Max, myself and Phil outside the shop with mission accomplished.
Back in Bedford we checked out Slide Records – they had also had a very busy time of it and I was able to add The Dream Syndicate – How We Found Ourselves…Everywhere – 12 inch single (which features John Paul Jones) to my RSD haul.
Post RSD, I’ve also picked up the Gordon Jackson album Thinking Back (a lost late 1960s classic featuring the British singer-songwriter backed by the whole of Traffic (thanks John P!) and I’ve ordered the rare Humble Pie album that was only available at the Pie & Vinyl shop in Southsea.
All in all, it was a fantastic day and thanks to all the staff of the shops for making it so.
Even Spurs dismal showing against Manchester United in the evening could not taint what really was an outstanding day
So the aftermath:
Yes, there will be some who missed out, and yes, inevitably copies are rife on eBay -and yes, some will disagree with the whole concept and label it ”a con and a tennyboppish coloured single” as did one disgruntled reader of my piece about the single posted here last Friday.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I respect all opinions – but I would personally strongly disagree with such a notion.
It’s very easy to be negative – and call me a fool – but the loss of Hello Mary Lou on the new How The West Was Won did not detract from my enjoyment of what is a superb Led Zeppelin live album. You can question the strategy of the reissues if you like…but as for me – I just dig the music for what it is and my appreciation of Led Zeppelin in recent times as been boosted considerably by the re-mastering of their catalogue by Jimmy Page.
I don’t hand out the superlatives just for the sake of doing so -I genuinely believe this Record Store Day release is to be a landmark one – and Rock And Roll/Friends can proudly take its place alongside the long line of Led Zeppelin singles I have collected since sending off my £1.25 new pence to purchase my first such item aged 15 back in 1972.
And I stand by every line of what I wrote about this new RSD coupling last week.
Rock And Roll the Sunset Sound Studios Mix – slightly punchier in the rhythm department and slightly more shrill in the vocal. The guitar solo is more prominent and up front. It’s Rock And Roll…and it’s brilliant…
Friends Olympic Studios Mix – this is an absolute gem. Basically a mix without the string arrangement which allows the stark beauty of Robert’s vocals to shine through – sometimes double tracked to great effect. Behind all that, there’s Jimmy’s relentless Harmony acoustic guitar swirl set against John Bonham’s precise bongo accompaniment. It all speeds up to a clean acoustic chord ending.
‘’It’s very easy’’ repeats the singer…and it is very easy …very easy to love Led Zeppelin in 2018 just as we did when these two cuts first surfaced in 1970 and 1971.
You need this record in your life….simple as that…
I, and countless others across the globe were in the queues early on Saturday to make a special effort to secure this gem. I needed that record in my life because above everything – I’m a fan…
All those who were successful in securing a copy now have what I consider to be a momentous Record Store Day release – and what great fun it’s all been in once again sharing our passion for this great, great band in it’s 50th year…
Dave Lewis – April 23, 2018
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TBL Flashback:
It was 15 years ago this week…
Robert Plant & The Band Of Joy – Portland, OR – The Schnitzer
Setlist
Black Dog
Down to the Sea
Black Country Woman
Tangerine
Houses Of The Holy
Monkey
In the Mood
Please Read the Letter
Angel Dance
House of Cards
Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down
Somewhere Trouble Don’t Go
Satisfied Mind
Ramble On
Gallows Pole
Encore
Harm’s Swift Way
I Bid You Goodnight
It had been 6 or more years since seeing Robert perform live and my 1st Band of Joy experience in Portland.
There was an unexpected surprise thanks to the support band “Mississippi All Stars.” They managed to more than warm up the full house/sold out event for the Band of Joy. They were new to me and I was easily but pleasantly blown away by their talent..
These two brothers took me away to an altered state of pure musical m agic. I was lost in the moment of it all when they asked if we were ready to see Robert Plant and the BoJ …oh yeah, THAT’s why we were all there, it was a great way to get us pumped guys (:
The Band Of Joy took to the stage and rocked us out then rolled us back and forth, old songs decorated in soothing but sensual array, newer songs in interesting energizing decibels complimented by the likes of Robert with Band Of Joy spinning their web of delight to the senses.
I am grateful to have attended this show and hope to see more of this band, they are clearly enjoying themselves and so are we all when being lucky enough to experience them live.
I hope you all do make the effort to catch a show near you, just go for it, to those who have or plan to do so, share the joy
From Ria in Oregon
Concert review: Robert Plant and Band of Joy at the Schnitz
Reveiw by Jeff Baker, The Oregonian
Robert Plant took“Black Dog” and a few other Led Zeppelin songs for a walk through the roots-rock swamp Tuesday night with a group that more than lived up to its name, Band of Joy.
Plant has hooked up with some musical geniuses from Nashville and Texas and blended his English hippie-folk vibe with their earthier version of Americana. The result isRichard Thompson meetsPorter Wagoner, to name two of the artists whose songs that were covered at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, and is both a continent and a generation removed from the heavy metal of Led Zeppelin and a reminder of how great Plant’s old band really was.
By the time Plant sang about the big-legged woman who ain’t got no soul in a voice that was two octaves lower and a lot more soulful than the way he did it in 1971, one thing was obvious:
This wasn’t the Led Zeppelin reunion your father’s been dreaming about. It wasn’t that Plant didn’t acknowledge his past — six of the 18 songs the band played were Zep classics — but that he re-shaped it to what he’s doing now and to his love of American music. “Black Dog” sounded like it came off side two of a Creedence album. “Tangerine” was more like the Flying Burrito Brothers, with a pedal steel foundation from Darrell Scott and a beautiful vocal from Plant. “Ramble On” had everything you’d want in a set-closer: harmony from Scott, Plant and Patty Griffin, a howling vocal break from Plant that was echoed for effect, and a crescendo that made his “The Lord of the Rings” influenced-lyrics about Mordor and Gollum sound profound instead of silly.
The Led Zeppelin songs were greeted with enthusiasm but not with the nostalgic outbursts that are so common on reunion tours, when fans leap to their feet for their old favourites and slump back down for the new stuff. The setlist flowed easily between Led Zeppelin covers, songs from the “Band of Joy” album, and lead vocals from Griffin, Scott (a gorgeous take on “A Satisfied Mind,” the song Wagoner took to the top of the country charts in 1955) and Buddy Miller, who chugged through “Somewhere Trouble Don’t Mind.”
Miller was such a powerful, positive force on guitar and on the overall sound that one was to look at Band of Joy is that he’s the leader, the alt-rock Jimmy Page that Plant plays off. It’s Miller who has the connections to Scott and Griffin and the rhythm section of Marco Giovino and Byron House and Miller who produced the album. Miller wore a Russian fur hat and a silver jacket and played a variety of leads (and what looked like a theremin on “Monkey”) while Plant was the shaggy old lion at centre stage and Griffin the gospel force at stage right. Plant is 62 now and doesn’t often try for the high notes but can still let out a roar, the lion in winter reminding us who’s king.
Band of Joy’s presentation and performance was all about the music. No video screens, tasteful lighting, a bare-bones stage, no fog or fireworks. Everyone onstage was locked in the same groove, and the obvious next step is to write some original songs. There’s only one Plant-Miller composition on the album, and covers of Los Lobos and Thompson and Townes Van Zandt, however well-chosen, won’t get this band to the heights that are within its reach. The next Band of Joy album could be better than the last one, or it could be like “Raising Sand,” Plant’s one-and-done collaboration with Alison Krauss. Whatever he does, at least he’s moving forward and not stuck in the past.
Reveiw by Jeff Baker, The Oregonian
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TBL Throwback – Led Zeppelin Retro News , Reviews and Adverts …the way it was in March and April 1973…
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TBL Throwback – Retro Charts, adverts and news reports the way it was in March and April 1975…
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The Cockroaches single….
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Until next time…
Dave Lewis – April 16 2026
TBL website updates written and compiled by Dave Lewis
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