How The West Was Won remastered. The countdown is nearly over…

The countdown is nearly over – This Friday March 23 marks the worldwide release of the How The West Was Won remastered set…

To set the scene, below is an overview of the Los Angeles and Long Beach shows that make up the How The West Was Won set and the circumstances they were recorded in. Plus the state of play at the time within Led Zeppelin – all you need to know to get you in the mood for the latest remastered Zep fix…

So let’s travel back to the summer of 1972…

“Led Zeppelin The Forgotten Giants?” was the headline that jumped out of Melody Maker in late June 1972. It contained Roy Hollingsworth’s remarkable report from New York where Led Zeppelin had just performed two shows at the Nassau Coliseum. He witnessed a three-and-a-half hour marathon show that included four encores and heard first hand the disappointment the group were feeling at being ignored in the press. In a moment of rare irritation John Paul Jones commented: “Here we are slaving away constantly getting incredible reactions and nobody back home cares.”

Roy Hollingsworth’s description of the Nassau show remains one of the most evocative of their entire career. “The noise cajunked and beefed outwards, filling each corner of the circular space aged Nassau Coliseum. 16,000 people didn’t know whether they were coming or going. Led Zeppelin had been off stage four times and four times an unnatural din had brought them back for more. It was one of the most amazing concerts I’d seen from any band at any time. Nothing had gone missing. It had been the complete act. There had been power, climax after climax, beauty, funk, rock, boogie, totally freaked passages and such constant snarling energy that on this evening Led Zep could have provided enough human electricity to light half of America. Does anybody really know how big Led Zeppelin are?”

Such descriptions had me pining to see them again on stage. I’d have to wait another six months before they returned to London to invade Ally Pally – but boy how I would have given anything to hear a tape of that night back in June 1972, or any from that tour for that matter. Who would have thought that 31 years on, this period would inspire a belated live album set that would top the US charts instantly.

But that’s exactly what happened following the original release of How The West Was Won on May 26, 2003.

Before we get to that it’s worth reflecting on Zep’s frame of mind at the time. As Plant told Hollingsworth: “Something has really clicked here. The spirit within the band is fantastic. They’d never believe how good it is here a back home. They’d just never believe what happened tonight.”

Zeppelin’s US tour of that June was all but ignored in the press (bar that Melody Maker feature) and vastly overshadowed by the Rolling Stones’ comeback US tour that kicked off at the same time. As Bonzo reflected a couple of months later to the NME’s Roy Carr: “It’s the Stones this, the Stones that… it made us feel we were slogging our guts out and for all the notice we were getting we might as well been playing in Ceylon. Kids in England didn’t even know we were playing the States.”

The lack of press coverage would inspire Grant to hire a proper PR firm for the next US tour, and with Danny Goldberg on board it would be a very different story in 1973.

Despite the low key coverage, the tour found Led Zeppelin on fire musically.

Fresh from the trip to Australia and a break back in England, and fuelled by the progress they made on their fifth album during the spring, the momentum within the band was at a new high.

Their eagerness to present the new material resulted in them premiering five songs from their fifth album Houses Of The Holy which would not be released for another ten months. With the acoustic set still intact, the shows consistently ran to three hours and over. This tour also allowed them to showcase material from their six month old watershed fourth album.

On June 19 they played a remarkable show at the Seattle Coliseum. One of their longest ever sets saw them preview ‘The Ocean’, ‘Back Country Woman’ (prepared for Houses but eventually issued on Physical Graffiti), ‘Over The Hills And Far Away’ plus ‘Dancing Days’. The latter was actually performed twice – as they revived it as a final encore. A week later they were on their favoured west coast stamping ground for dates in San Diego, Berkeley, the Los Angleles Forum and Long Beach Arena.

It’s the latter two dates – recordings of which Jimmy Page recovered from their archive in 2003 to assemble the 3-CD set, titled How The West Was Won andnow remastered for this 2017 release.

The results are utterly startling.

Whilst researching the DVD project, Jimmy Page delved deep into the Led Zeppelin tape archive. He discovered various soundboard recordings I notably complete tapes  of two complete shows recorded at the LA Forum on June 25 and Long Beach Arena on June 27 from their American tour of 1972. Both the latter dates were well known to ardent Zep collectors. The LA gig had been held in high esteem via an excellent audience recording released on a bootleg CD set titled Burn Like A Candle. Three soundboard extracts from the Long Beach gig – ‘What Is And What Should Never Be’, ‘Dancing Days’ and ‘Moby Dick’ – had seeped out on bootleg, giving rise to rumours of the existence of the full tapes.

Eddie Kramer was the recording engineer on the shows as he recalled: “Alongside The Song Remains The Same I did two live recordings with them in 1972 at Long Beach and the Forum. That was always a challenge. You want to do a good job and recording any band live is a challenge because you want to get their shit down right. If their performance is right, if my mic’s in the right place and I’m supposed to have done what I should do then it should work. It was a special time. I do remember that what became How The West Was Won was a set of stunning performances – as to why it didn’t come out at the time, well Jimmy is in charge of the band’s destiny and always was.’’

It was the America 1972 live recordings that Page decided to work on for an official release, and together with engineer Kevin Shirley, he edited the two shows to form a three CD set that finally captured the real deal of Zeppelin live. It’s quite breathtaking to hear how far the band had developed barely a year on from the BBC 1971 In Concert show. They were simply on fire that summer of ’72, brimming with confidence and a knowing arrogance that they had elevated to new heights of onstage telepathy. The set featured three previews from their forthcoming fifth album, Houses Of The Holy, which would eventually emerge nine months later.

The assured deliveries of ‘Over The Hills And Far Away’, ‘Dancing Days’ and ‘The Ocean’ are typical of the wave of optimism they were rolling on. An experimental, marathon-length ‘Dazed And Confused’ includes spin-off improvisations on ‘The Crunge’, another Houses preview, plus the newly recorded backing track ‘Walters Walk’, which would not see the light of day until the posthumous Coda album. The version of ‘Stairway To Heaven’ featured an elongated Page solo and the three track acoustic segment – ‘Going To California’, ‘That’s The Way’ and ‘Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp’ – offers further evidence of their growing acoustic maturity. CD 3 is an absolute tour de force with the likes of  ‘Let’s Have A Party’,  and ‘Going Down Slow’ within the ‘Whole Lotta Love’ medley, a storm through version of ‘Rock And Roll’, the full on riff power of ‘The Ocean’ and a rare (for the time) outing of ‘Bring It On Home’.

The release of How The West Was Won on May 26, 2003 conclusively redressed the lack of a fully representative official live Zeppelin album. The fact that it entered the Billboard US chart at number one was a fitting testament to Zeppelin’s longevity.

That summer of 1972 found Led Zeppelin in absolute prime form. ‘‘1972 was a particularly great year for us. We were right on top of what we were up to,’’ reflected Plant in the promotion for the new set.

Now thanks to some sterling work from Page and engineer Kevin Shirley, the full throttle power of that era can be replayed time and time again. Page has cleverly edited both nights to present a full Zeppelin concert.

This is the official live album we’ve always craved. From the drone noise as they walk on stage through to a breathless ‘Bring It On Home’, this one has it all.

And now we can enjoy it all over again in this newly remastered version

Individually and collectively they were bursting with creativity. Plant’s vocals would never again match the high register range he propels here, Page is off on a tangent at every turn of the way and Jones and Bonzo are locked together in familiar tight but loose fashion. The whole affair is superbly mixed with just the right amount of crunch and bluster.

It’s Led Zeppelin. It’s live. It’s brilliant.

The last word goes to Jimmy Page, the creator of all this outpouring of material: ‘‘Playing the west coast was always fantastic. Each member of the band was playing at their best during those 1972 performances. And when the four of us were playing like that, we combined to make it a fifth element. That was the magic – the intangible.”

How it sounded today…

As mentioned last week – I’m no audiophile but I know what I like – the vinyl version really does bring the whole thing alive with a resonance and kick that zips across the speakers.Yes this is basically a remastered reissue of the 2003 release – but this is the first time it’s been available on vinyl. In my view that makes it a vital addition to the Led Zeppelin catalogue – the missing link to a complete collection of the Led Zeppelin catalogue the way I, and many others prefer it to be heard – on record…and if you love Zep on vinyl you will love this album…

Let me know what you think of it…

Dave Lewis – March 21, 2018

Reviews:

Via the new  Uncut magazine – Led Zeppelin How The West Was Won Reissue of the Month – excellent review…

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Led Zeppelin News Update:

Led Zeppelin

• The “Stairway To Heaven” legal case continued with an appeal heard in San Francisco on March 12. The lawyer suing the band appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in an attempt to reverse the verdict and get a retrial.

• Led Zeppelin has published a video of the packaging of the How The West Was Won remaster. The album is released on March 23.

• The latest episode of Led Zeppelin podcast Ramble On Radio covers the latest Led Zeppelin news.

Jimmy Page

• Jimmy Page was photographed visiting the site of a 1969 Led Zeppelin show in Seattle.

• Jimmy Page attended a show by Roger Daltrey in California on March 15 and watched from the side of the stage.

Robert Plant

• Robert Plant’s full interview with Dan Rather aired this week. US readers can watch the full show on the AXS TV website.

• Robert Plant was interviewed by the Celebration Rock podcast.

• Robert Plant gave an interview to American Songwriter magazine.

John Paul Jones

• John Paul Jones will perform with his band Snoweye at the Varangerfestivalen in Norway on August 11.

Upcoming events:

March 23 – The remaster of How The West Was Won will be released and Robert Plant will perform in Sydney, Australia.
March 26 – Robert Plant will perform in Sydney, Australia.
March 27 – Robert Plant will perform in Sydney, Australia.
March 30 – Robert Plant will perform at the Byron Bay Bluesfest in Australia.
April 1 – Robert Plant will perform in Melbourne, Australia.
April 2 – Robert Plant will perform in Melbourne, Australia.
April 5 – Robert Plant will perform in Adelaide, Australia.
April 8 – Robert Plant will perform in Perth, Australia.
April 21 – Led Zeppelin will release a vinyl single for Record Store Day.
May 17 – An updated version of Stephen Davis’ Led Zeppelin biography “Hammer of the Gods” will be released.
May 26 – Robert Plant will perform at the Bearded Theory Spring Gathering Festival in the UK.
May 27 – Robert Plant will perform at the Bath Festivals in Bath, UK.
May 31 – The statue of John Bonham in Redditch is planned to be unveiled.
June 8 – Robert Plant will perform in Atlanta, Georgia.
June 10 – Robert Plant will perform in Richmond, Virginia.
June 12 – Robert Plant will perform in Columbia, Maryland.
June 13 – Robert Plant will perform in Forest Hills, New York.
June 15 – Robert Plant will perform in Toronto, Ontario.
June 17 – Robert Plant will perform in Chicago, Illinois.
June 19 – Robert Plant will perform in Vail, Colorado.
June 21 – Robert Plant will perform in Berkeley, California.
June 23 – Robert Plant will perform in Stateline, Nevada.
June 24 – Robert Plant will perform in Pasadena, California.
June 26 – Robert Plant will perform in Troutdale, Oregon.
June 27 – “Led Zeppelin Live,” a photo book edited by Dave Lewis, will be released and Robert Plant will perform in Redmond, Washington.
June 29 – Robert Plant will perform at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival in Canada.
July 22 – Robert Plant will perform at the Vielles Charrues Festival in Carhaix, France.
July 23 – Robert Plant will perform in Paris, France.
July 25 – Robert Plant will perform at the Festival de Carcassonne in France.
July 27 – Robert Plant will perform at the Milano Summer Festival 2018 in Milan, Italy.
July 29 – Robert Plant will perform at the Stimmen Festival in Lörrach, Germany.
July 31 – Robert Plant will perform in Pardubice, Czech Republic.
August 1 – Robert Plant will perform in Dresden, Germany.
August 11 – John Paul Jones will perform as part of Snoweye at the Varangerfestivalen in Norway.
September – Official celebrations of Led Zeppelin’s fiftieth anniversary are expected to start this month.
October – The official Led Zeppelin photo book will be released.
October 16 – “Bring it on Home,” a new biography of Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant, will be released.

Many thanks to James Cook

The complete Led Zeppelin News email goes out every weekend. To receive it each week sign up here:http://tinyletter.com/LedZepNews

Led Zeppelin News Website: Check out the Led Zeppelin news website at

http://ledzepnews.com/

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Now here’s a story….Goldrush and Stamford Bridge – and a young Led Zep fan in the crowd – 48 years gone:

48 years ago today, 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 statto fans note) 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 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 relation 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,  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. 48 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’m pretty certain I’m in view second on the left 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 – have a look at the YouTube clip below -I’m in view at 4 mins 42.

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 that captured 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 .

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…it fair made my day…

Dave Lewis – March 21, 2018

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Scandinavia March 1969:

Here’s a belated review of this recent vinyl release:

Led Zeppelin – I Told You Baby Long Time Ago – Scandinavia March 1969 (Casino Records -limited edition of 450 on clear splatter vinyl)

This is latest Zep vinyl release from the Casino label – a follow up to their excellent Berkeley Days Second Night package that came out nigh on a year ago.

This is a single album that hones in on two Scandinavian performances in March 1969. Side One has parts of the March 14 early evening performance at the Koncerthuset in Stockholm taken from the FM radio broadcast. Side two is an audience tape of material from the afternoon Gladsaxe Teen Club show at Egegaard, Skole in Denmark on March 15 1969.

The month of March was an incredibly busy one for the fledgling Led Zeppelin. Keen to establish themselves they were playing everywhere and anywhere. That month they undertook two BBC radio sessions made no less than five ,yes five! TV and film appearances (Swedish TV, the Danish TV set, BBC’s How Late It is, the Supershow filming in Staines and a mimed performance on Germany’s Beat Club TV show. Alongside all that they played nine UK club dates and made a whistle stop tour of Scandinavia taking in a further six appearances – on two occasions playing two shows in the same day.

It’s those double up gigs that are on offer here. Side One captures parts of the March 14 early evening performance at the Koncerthuset in Stockholm taken from the FM radio broadcast.

Following a DJ spoken intro presumably for the radio broadcast they kick into I Can’t Quite You baby. Bonzo flexes those double bass triplets and Jimmy gets in some fluid guitar lines. The radio sound has the drums mixed fairly low which makes for a slightly uneven listen. There’s a neat Robert adlib ‘’Been so very sad’’ that sounds like it’s lifted from Operator that pre Zep Alexis Korner studio performance

There’s something of a unique performance next up. Robert explains that Jimmy’s broken a string and while that is being fixed Bonzo,JPJ and Robert on harmonica jam through a version of Otis Rush’ You Gotta Move. His vocal here have that edgy drawl ala the opening of Bring it On Home. The line ‘Told you baby long time ago ‘’ provides the album’s title. They would actually repeat this Otis Rush fill in tactic again when Jimmy broke a string at a show at the Swing Auditorium in San Bernardiono the following August.

They are all back on stage for a taut Dazed And Confused. Jimmy plays the intro in a fairly understated way –things liven up considerably by the time they are into the post violin bow call and response part.

How Many More Times has the familiar for time band introductions but it frustratingly fades – the Swedish DJ comes back for a rap and mentions Deep Purple.

Side Two is a clear audience tape of material from the afternoon Gladsaxe Teen Club show at Egegaard,Skole in Denmark on March 15 1969.

It kicks off with a performance of As Long As I Have You –the Garnett Mimms cover version they performed in their early days. This is worth the price of admission alone

Jimmy gets into a real groove from the off – somewhat ironically now given the Stairway court case, this features their run through of the riff from Spirit’s Fresh Garbage. Additional medley fun comes courtesy of a nod to Cream’s Cats Squirrel and Jimmy also gets into some Alvin Lee like speed runs . Some scat singing from Robert leads them into a version of Willie Dixon’s I Just Want To Make Love To You. This is the only time they performed this track as a band (it was performed by Page and Plant when they jammed with Bad Company at the LA Forum in 1976).

A couple of debut album live standards complete the proceedings here.

You Shook Me is a standard delivery full, of upfront Page guitar soloing against Robert’s harmonica blasts. This is a fairy compact organ less version that relies heavily on Jimmy’s powerful lead delivery.

Communication Breakdown opens with a wah wah syncopated jam before stepping out in familiar breakneck pace. Robert throws in few’ Need you love so bad’ ad-libs on the extended middle section and then it’s all back present and correct for a frantic finish.

‘’Thank you very much – goodnight’’

In summary: There’ nothing here quite as spectacular as the Berkeley Second Night show, but there are some very notable performances captured on this very nice package. In line with the previous Zep Casino Records release, it comes in a PVC outer and thick cover with a two sided colour insert – 450 only pressed on clear splatter vinyl. When they are gone, they are gone.

Note to Mr Casino – how about reissues for the two volume For Badge Holders Only classic bootleg LP’s next? I am sure there are 450 people who would soak those particular  bootlegs up and then some.

…and there’s more…

Led Zeppelin – First Time I Met The Blues – (Tarantura)

This new attractively packaged Tarantura release on CD is another presentation of the March 14 1969 Konserthusen set.  This one presents the show in the correct running order of I Gotta Move, I Can’t Quite You Baby, dazed And Confused and How many More Times (cut). Similar sounding radio broadcast quality.

Dave Lewis

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Books Offer:

Graham Walker has been in touch to inform me he is offloading the following books due to space issues – all Graham requires in return is the cost of postage. The books are  available on a first come first served basis so if you are interested in any of these titles e-mail Graham soon as – at greyone1604@gmail.com

Note offer is only open to UK readers.

Led Zeppelin Books

• LZ-75 The Lost Chronicles of Led Zeppelin’s 1975 American Tour – by Stephen Davis
• Led Zeppelin A Visual Documentary – by Paul Kendall
• Led Zeppelin – In Their Own Words – by Paul Kendall
• Led Zeppelin – Virgin Modern Icons, Introduction by Tony Hopkins
• Hammer of The Gods – by Stephen Davis
• Led Zeppelin Q Classic Collectors Edition
• Whole Lotta Led Zeppelin – The Illustrated History of the Heaviest Band of All Time – by Jon Bream
• Led Zeppelin Heaven & Hell – by Charles R Cross & Erik Flannigan, photos by Neal Preston
• The Origin of the Species, Led Zeppelin [How, Why & Where it all Began by Alan Clayson
• Led Zeppelin From early days to Page & Plant – Ritchie Yorke’s Definitive Biography [updated version]
• Led Zeppelin The Definitive Biography – by Ritchie Yorke [early version]
• When the Levee Breaks, the making of Led Zeppelin IV – by Andy Fyfe
• Stairway to Heaven, Led Zeppelin Uncensored – by Richard Cole with Richard Trubo
• A Biography of Led Zeppelin, When Giants Walked The Earth – by Mick Wall
• Peter Grant, The Man Who Led Zeppelin by Chris Welch
• Trampled Underfoot, The Power & Excess of Led Zeppelin – by Barney Hoskyns
• Led Zeppelin, Breaking & Making Records – by Ross Clarke
• Led Zeppelin, In The Light – by Howard Mylett and Richard Bunton
• On Tour With Led Zeppelin – compiled by Howard Mylett from the archives of NME and Melody Maker
• Led Zeppelin, from the Archives [complete with three A3 black & white photo copies of the Jimmy Page interview with Nick Kent, published in the NME on November 20, 1976] – compiled by Howard Mylett

Non Led Zeppelin

• I’m With The Band, Confessions of a Groupie – by Pamela Des Barres
• Carole King, A Natural Woman, a memoir
• Life – by Keith Richards
• What You Want is in the Limo [on the road with Zep, Alice Cooper & The Who] – by Michael Walker

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The Making Of Led Zeppelin II:

Nice to see my The Story Behind Led Zeppelin II feature of a while back highlighted on the Classic Rock website today – see link at …
http://teamrock.com/…/led-zeppelin-the-story-behind-led-zep…

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Here’s a review of another recent DL album acquisition that is high on the current playlist here:

Still Sweet: Judy Blue Eyes…

Stills & Collins – Everybody Knows (Sony)

In 1968, Stephen Stills penned one of the most affecting songs of unrequited love. It concerned his ill-fated affair with the folk singer Judy Collins – a year later the song cycle known as Suite: Judy Blues Eyes introduced the world to Crosby, Stills & Nash – and in the words of the song, so began the task….

Through the years there were further star crossed songs written by both parties about each other but they remained good friends.

That fact is more than evident on their first ever full musical collaboration and it’s a clear case of better late than never.

For Everybody Knows, issued in the US late last year and now available in the UK, is a delightful musical reunion.

Tales of first loves being reunited via social media/Facebook search are ripe –but this must be the first occasion past lovers have met to reconcile in song.

It works beautifully thanks to some affectionate reworking of their past material and some very choice covers. It helps of course that Stephen Stills is one of my favourite musicians. I have most of his back catalogue on vinyl and CD including the 1984 release Right By You that Jimmy Page contributed to.

Stills and Collins take on The Travelling Wilbury’s underrated Handel With Care sets an immediate template. Well played folk rock, prominent organ, close knit harmonies. It’s a joy to hear Judy’s shrill tones taking on the Roy Orbison lines. It’s also always a thrill to hear Stills high pitched slightly wavering vocal.

It’s back to 1972 for another of Stills’ odes to Judy. So Begins The Task originally lit up the 1972 Manassas album and it does a similar job here. It also contains one of the most romantic couplings ever written: ‘’And I must learn to live without you now – and I cannot learn to give only a part somehow’’.

River Of Gold is a lovely new  Collins composition – a spiralling melodic outing in turn both reflective and wistful. Lovely guitar overtones towards the close.

Stills is back for a rendering of Judy an upbeat love song to this particular lady of the Canyon. The song was first discovered a few years back as a demo recording included on the delightful and much recommended 2007 Stills release Just Roll Tape album – the results of a batch of recordings cut on April 26 1968 after Stills had attended a Judy Collins session  – this also includes an early stab at So Begins The Task.

The pair’s collective take on Leonard Cohen’s Everybody Knows is another high point – a captivating harmonic duet and the sort of thing Stills and his former band members used to effortlessly pull off.

Ms Collins then revives her 1975 song Houses – another reflective tale tastefully delivered with her sweet soprano vocal soaring and swooping.

A straight take on Tim Hardin’s Reason To Believe is another warm pleasure – though not quite in the league of Rod Stewart’s memorable interpretation.

It’s also good to hear Dylan’s perennial Girl From The North Country – note here some modal tunings – Stills has always been such a consummate guitarist and  he plays with real style throughout this album. Quick aside: Robert Plant did a great live version of this song during the Priory Of Brion era.

Judy Collins was the first artist to cover Sandy Denny’s wonderful Who Knows Where The Time Goes so it’s no surprise that her understanding of the song is second to none. This is a piano led arrangement slightly slower than the original. Judy’s slight re -phrasing only goes to emphasis the heartfelt longing of the song’s eternal theme. In short this is breathtakingly beautiful.

So to the final song and it’s another throwback. Stills Questions dates back to his Buffalo Springfield days and the song was famously interwoven into Carry On, the opening track to C S N and Y’s Déjà vu album in 1970.Here it rolls around at a mid-tempo pace over which is Stills applies a suitably sensitive solo.

This Stills and Collins collaboration is another fine example of how to mature musically with grace and style. It’s themes of reflection and redemption resonates in the same way that some of the more introspective parts of Robert Plant’s Carry Fire album does. Graham Nash’s last album This Path Tonight hit the same mark.

Records such as the above mentioned, successfully merge familiarity and melancholy in equal measures and for me act as a comforting musical blanket in my advancing years.

Nobody is getting any younger, and Stephen Stills and Judy Collins wise decision to share and ponder that fact together in song, is a much welcomed one – and  will inspire many plays of this album ahead.

Who does know where the time goes?

But it goes and all too soon. 40 minutes and 50 seconds in the company of Everybody Knows is proving to be time very well spent…

Dave Lewis – March 20, 2018  

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Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical: 

I was out and about on TBL business in London last Wednesday and during one meeting, I had an invitation to attend a preview of Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical which is back for a run at London’s Dominion Theatre from April 2. The cast took over the American International Church in London’s Tottenham Court Road for a half hour run through and the hits kept on coming, Bat Out Of Hell, Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad, Deadringer, I Would Do Anything For You …all performed with much passion and verve by the talented cast. We were then taken to the Dominion Theatre for a preview of the work in progress set – which really is most impressive. I am not really a musicals fan but for those that are and for fans of the iconic album, Bat Out of Hell – The Musical looks to be some production.

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Windmill Street:

In London last week as I was in the area, I took a stroll down Windmill Street to where Led Zeppelin grouped together for that famous early promo pic – taken by Dick Barnett in December 1968…here’s the location then and now…nigh on 50 years on…

DL Diary Blog Update:

At the always excellent Vinyl Barn last Friday I was pleased to pick up a copy of Lamont Dozier’s 1977 album Peddlin’ Music On The Side on the US Warners label.

Lamont was of course part of the legendary Holland–Dozier–Holland songwriting and production team who were responsible for many a Motown hit. This second Lamont solo album features the original version of Going Back To My Roots – a top five UK hit for Odyssey in 1981 and also covered by Richie Havens. Top stuff indeed – thanks Darren Harte !

At Studio Mix last Saturday where a glass of the black stuff to celebrate St Patricks Day and the fact that we are nigh on ready to sign off  the 1977 US tour design on the Evenings With LZ book was well in order – as can be seen in the pic below.

Another busy week as we lead in to Easter. The cold snap returned at the weekend – it may be age but am I the only one feeling this cold much more than in past years?

I’d read extracts of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s autobiography Unmasked recently  and I thoroughly enjoyed the BBC 1 Imagine profile of his work screened on Monday night. In his field genius doesn’t even come close -he has written some incredible music and at age 70, came over as an affable soul still driven to achieve more. It was also heart-warming to see Sir Ringo Starr receive his knighthood this week.

Right, I am off to give How The West Was Won another blast…I am sure you will be doing the same this weekend – let me know what you think…

Dave Lewis – March 21, 2018

Until next time, have a great weekend

Website updates compiled by Dave Lewis

with thanks to Gary Foy, Mike Tremaglio and James Cook

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YouTube clip:

Chelsea v Manchester Utd – the young DL in view from 4 mins 43…