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LED ZEPPELIN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENT IN 1971/LZ NEWS/GOLDRUSH,MUDSLIDE AND CHELSEA IN 1970/ 1975 US TOUR SNAPSHOT/EVENINGS WITH COMMENTARY PART 5/ FAS MAGAZINE/DYLAN PODCAST/ DAVID HEPWORTH BOOK LAUNCH EVENT/DL DIARY BLOG UPDATE

20 March 2019 2,084 views One Comment

Led Zeppelin at the  University of Kent – March 11, 1971:

University of Kent magazine feature by Peter Piddock reveals previously undocumented venue change and more…

This one came my way recently – it’s an issue of the University of Kent magazine with a brilliant feature on the day Led Zeppelin came to perform at the University on March 11, 1971. This was during the so called ‘Back to the clubs’ tour where the band went back to many of the venues they had performed at in the early days.

Given their stature at the time, this was always going to bring with it some logistical issues. This extensive piece written by Peter Piddock one of the University bookers at the time, is an illuminating read. Peter highlights the issues they were faced with once they had agreed with Peter Grant to book the band.

Significantly, Peter reveals that the gig did not take place at the Rutherford College as was assumed by the ticket details – due to fire safety concerts it was eventually moved to the University of Kent Sports Hall. This will be another update required for the Evenings With book!

Peter unfolds the saga of all this with wit and humour, including his dealings with Peter Grant and Richard Cole and an hilarious incident just as the band were about to go on stage. He also reveals there was a somewhat lukewarm reception to the Zep performance – as was evident from the report in the student magazine of the time  (see below).

It’s an absolutely fascinating time piece with some great photos – all in all, this is one of the best features I’ve read about the band in a long time.

Here’s the links to read it:

https://www.kent.ac.uk/alumni/news/kent/1901.html

https://www.kent.ac.uk/alumni/pdf/2019-01.pdf.pdf

Many thanks to Jerry Keen for alerting me to this one.

Here’s the revised Evenings With Led Zeppelin entry:

March 10, 1971 – University of Kent, Sports Hall  – Canterbury, England

Setlist (from Press Review):

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I’ve Been Loving You, Black Dog, Stairway To Heaven, Dazed And Confused, Going

To California, What Is And What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love Medley, Communication Breakdown

 Background Info:

In keeping with their ‘Back to the Clubs’ theme, the band returned to Canterbury, England where they had played the Bridge Place Country Club on December 13, 1968. Only this time, they performed at the University of Kent.

Press Reaction:

The show was extensively reviewed in the University of Kent student newspaper. The anonymous reviewer was less than impressed with the band’s performance, offering up numerous criticisms to go along with some tempered praise:

“The audience was understandably, and blatantly obviously, expecting virtual miracles although people who was (sic) at the Bath Festival last year, myself included, were perhaps not so hopeful.

“When they started off with three well-known numbers, namely ‘Immigrant Song’, ‘Heartbreaker’, and ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’ they got rather a luke-warm reception, despite some great solo guitar by Jimmy Page in ‘Heartbreaker’, and what I thought to be a sensitive rendition of ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’, for me their best-ever number.

“This boggled them somewhat, and the vocalist, Robert Plant, attempted some humorous chit-chat with the audience at this point. This immediately exposed a major flaw in the group – they have no real ‘front personality’ to get the audience’s sympathies, and with Jon Hiseman’s superb chatter so fresh in many minds, this failing was painfully obvious straight away, so the atmosphere was one of the group being on trial before a hyper-critical audience.

“Robert Plant gave up and they next did a new number which was quite promising though somewhat derivative, and then went straight into ‘Dazed And Confused’.” (Note: more than likely, the reviewer was describing ‘Stairway To Heaven’ which typically preceded ‘Dazed And Confused’ during this period. The reviewer had failed to mention ‘Black Dog’, which was usually played before ‘Stairway To Heaven’).

“They were losing the audience more and more, aided by some inane remarks between tracks by Robert Plant, and I had just remarked ‘this is absolutely dying the death’ when they crashed into one of the best numbers of the evening – ‘What Is And What Should Never Be’; this was very true to the LP version, and seemed to be just what the audience wanted. Unfortunately, this was followed by ‘Moby Dick’, John Bonham’s drumming bonanza; this was decidedly mediocre, even allowing for the inevitable Hiseman comparison.

“They at last got the expected reception when they really smashed into ‘Whole Lotta Love’. This was Led Zep at their dynamic best, with screaming Plant vocals and some really clever guitar work, including some almost trad. rock and roll. This number went down tremendously well; it’s lucky the audience couldn’t see the second drummer thrashing away at some bongos behind one of the stacks.

“They then did quite a long version of ‘Communication Breakdown’ with Jimmy Page excelling himself and the real searing Robert Plant vocals that everyone was looking for.

“Robert Plant afterwards described the audience as ‘frigid’. I would suggest that they had (unreasonably?) high

expectations which the group was impotent to satisfy. A good concert, but one expects more than that from a group

of such stature.”

Thanks as ever to Mike Tremaglio for his input.

…………………………………..

Led Zeppelin News Update:

In conjunction with the Led Zep news site, each week I will be re- producing highlights from their weekly email update news summary. This goes out every Sunday. Sign up details are below. Many thanks to James Cook.

Led Zeppelin

Jimmy Page

  • Jimmy Page was photographed watching Roy Harper perform at the London Palladium on March 16. Page was also photographed with Harper before the show, but didn’t perform with him.

Robert Plant

Upcoming events:

March 28 – John Paul Jones will perform in London with Thurston Moore and Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in support of Seth Lakeman.
April 8 – The “Play It Loud: Instruments Of Rock And Roll” exhibition, featuring Led Zeppelin items, will open at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
April 13 – Robert Plant will release a remastered edition of “Fate of Nations” on vinyl for Record Store Day.
April 16 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Carmarthen, Wales.
April 22 – Robert Plant will release a remastered edition of “Fate of Nations” on vinyl for Earth Day.
June 13 – Robert Plant will perform in Stockholm, Sweden.
June 15 – Robert Plant will perform at Bergenfest in Norway.
June 17 – Robert Plant will perform at The Big Challenge festival in Norway.
June 19 – Robert Plant will perform in Harstad, Norway.
June 21 – Robert Plant will perform in Bodø, Norway.
June 23 – Robert Plant will perform at the Secret Solstice music festival in Iceland.
June 25 – Robert Plant will perform in Tromsø, Norway.
June 27 – Robert Plant will perform in Svalbard, Norway.
June 29 – Robert Plant will perform in Svalbard, Norway.
July 2 – Robert Plant will perform in Halden, Norway.
July 4 – Robert Plant will perform at the Roskilde Festival in Denmark.
August 16-18 – Robert Plant will reportedly perform at the Woodstock 50 festival in New York.
September 20-21 – The 2019 John Bonham memorial concert is scheduled to be held in Redditch.
September 21 – Robert Plant will perform at the Bourbon & Beyond music festival in Louisville, Kentucky.
November – The “Play It Loud: Instruments Of Rock And Roll” exhibition will move to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

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/

……………………

MEANWHILE BACK IN 1970…

Now here’s a story….Goldrush and Stamford Bridge – and a young Led Zep fan in the crowd – 49 years gone:

49 years ago on March 21,1970 , Led Zeppelin flew out for the first date of their fifth US tour.

I was well aware of all this because I’d purchased a copy of Record Mirror the previous day when it came out. Under the front page headline of ‘Goldrush’ and a wonderful colour photo of Led Zeppelin from the previous December’s awards bash, it revealed the bands current plans. Interestingly enough it reported that a film crew would be on hand to capture the tour.

The story read as follow:

‘’Off to America on Saturday go Led Zeppelin. And with the group will be a film production unit which is making a film of the month long tour. The team has been trailing the group since their appearance at the Albert Hall in January. So far in the can are shots of their European tour, Jimmy Page in the studio, and Robert Plant at home on his farm. Not to mention the presentation of gold discs for million mark sales of their albums. The film, which has already been sold in America , is to tie in with the release of their next LP at the end of the year. Which could easily sell another million. And which is why some people are nicknaming it ‘’Goldrush’’. 

Film of their European tour? Jimmy in the studio?, Robert on the farm?

A film crew with them in America? There’s no evidence to suggest much of that occurred…but if  it did where’s the footage now…?

I digress: On that Saturday March 21st 1970, at the same time Zep were about to wow the audience at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, I was in a capacity crowd of 61,479 (their highest of that season 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. 49 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.

Little did I realize that aside from the match programme, three years later I’d have another remnant of that day. This was in the form of the bootleg LP Mudslide that captured highlights of Zep’s Vancouver show of March 21st. In fact whenever I hear the opening drum roll from Bonzo,Jimmy’s guitar warm up  and Robert’s ‘’Everybody feel alright!’’ intro, I always think back to that spring Saturday in March 1970 when I was in amongst the then soccer elite in Stamford Bridge.

I of course kept the copy of Record Mirror from that week, and have the trade mark of quality vinyl bootleg of Mudslide. I also have the Chelsea v Man Utd programme.

Looking at those remnants I can almost smell the atmosphere of that day back in 1970. I can honestly say that Saturday March 21, 1970 was one of the pivotal days of my life. A day where my eyes were truly opened to the adult world .

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…

Dave Lewis – March 20, 2019

………………………………

MEANWHILE BACK IN 1975…

TBL ARCHIVE: 

 TBL Led Zep 1975 Snapshots:

Prelude to Earls Court:
Olympic feb 7

This week of 44 years ago saw Led Zeppelin on a real high – and thankfully these performances in Seattle and Vancouver have been captured on tape across countless bootlegs…

These are amongst my favourite Zep performances and listening to them this week has been an absolute joy. This was the prelude to Earls Court and they were just on firing on all cylinders……

Just to backtrack to a memorable snapshot from the Long Beach gig:

Date: MARCH 12 1975

Venue: CIVIC ARENA LONG BEACH CALIFORNIA

Performance: THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME (false start)/THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME

Bootleg Reference: TRAMPLED UNDER JIMMY’S FOOT (SILVER RARITIES)

Just to illustrate that not all went according to plan every night…. on this cooking performance in Long Beach their sheer enthusiasm got the better of them as they opened The Song Remains The Same….. only to bring it to a close some one minute in.

”Just a minute that’s it ….see you again Long Beach! Yes it happened for the first time in six and a half years…does anybody remember laugher?…. the first time we came here ..er we never seem to  get

things together in Los Angeles.

Ok as I was saying. Nevertheless The Song Remains …..nevertheless, ad infinitum to the power of three re occuring..The Same!’’

They did not get it wrong a second time.

What happened next was simply the business. A speed ride through the opening track of Houses and  as Plant might put it a reoccurring anthem. It sounded great here ,it sounded great in Earls Court and it still sounded great 20 years later when Page and Plant deployed it so effectively on their 95/96 world tour. This is a Zeppelin anthem that gets less acclaim than the Whole Lotta Love, Stairway and Kashmir -but on stage it always burnt and smouldered its way into the set. Pull it out and try it for yourselves on any night…the effect as those Houses ads read is still shattering.

MONDAY MARCH 17 1975

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

SEATTLE CENTER COLISEUM

Set: Rock And Roll/Sick Again/Over The Hills And Far Away/In My Time Of Dying/The Song Remains The Same/The Rain Song/Kashmir/No Quarter/Trampled Underfoot/Moby Dick/Dazed And Confused (inc. Woodstock)/Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – The Crunge – Black Dog.

Background details: A  superb performance with the band totally on top of their game.

Hugh Jones, editor of Proximity, recalls: “The start of the show was extremely aggressive, and it was evident almost immediately that they were ‘on’. Nothing sluggish about this performance. Robert’s voice sounded surprisingly low, but he was singing well, and the whole band sounded very tight’’.

Snapshot Listen: How it sounded today.

Another prime 1975 performance – playful, inspiring and unpredictable. No Quarter with John Bonham pushing Jimmy to the limit, riffs of Fleetwood Mac’s Green Manalishi in a marathion Dazed And Confused (38 minutes and counting!) – Robert zipping in James Brown’s Lickin Stick during Whole Lotta Love.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 19 1975

VANCOUVER, CANADA

PACIFIC COLISEUM

Set: Rock And Roll/Sick Again/Over The Hills And Far Away/In My Time Of Dying/The Song Remains The Same/The Rain Song/Kashmir/No Quarter/Trampled Underfoot/Moby Dick/Dazed And Confused (inc. Woodstock)/Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – The Crunge – Black Dog.

Background details; “Ladies and gentlemen… the Canadian return of Led Zeppelin” booms from the speakers as the band take to the stage, firing on all cylinders. “And how is Vancouver. Is it full of beans?” asks Plant. ‘In My Time Of Dying’ is excellent tonight and Plant extends the ending with vocal gymnastics.  ‘Kashmir’ is dedicated to… “Richard Cole, our tour manager – a good upright British citizen! This a song from Physical Vancouver – the new LP.   An extended ‘No Quarter’ is once again one of the highlights. Bonham tonight is introduced as “the king of jazz – one of the finest percussionists in Led Zeppelin today.”

Snapshot Listen: How it sounded today: I remember Robert being quoted as saying ”By the end of the tour I felt I could sing anything”.

Listening to this utterly sensational performance of Dazed And Confused there is ample proof of that statement.

The San Francisco excerpt had long been a feature of the early part of the piece, but on this tour they began experimenting even further. Plant introducing another hippie anthem to proceedings -the Joni Mitchell pean to Max Yasgur’s farm and a hit for Crosby Stills, Nash & Young. The Zep arrangement was still built loosely on the melody employed for San Francisco-Plant bending the words to fit the structure. Against Page’s eerie minor chord strumming it became one of the most atmospheric parts of their performance. Plant’s repeated ”Back to the garden” refrain merging into the violin bow episode amongst the dry ice. The Vancouver performance was a blueprint for the equally dramatic versions performed at Earls Court run. During this part of the tour Plant also took to singing The Eagles Take It Easy and during the final LA stint he crooned a 50’s like To Be Loving  before moving into Bob Marley’s I Shot The Sheriff. As he put it -he could sing anything…

THURSDAY MARCH 20 1975

VANCOUVER,CANADA

PACIFIC COLISEUM

Set: Rock And Roll/Sick Again/Over The Hills And Far Away/In My Time Of Dying/The Song Remains The Same/The Rain Song/Kashmir/No Quarter/Trampled Underfoot/Moby Dick/Dazed And Confused (inc. Woodstock)/Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – Heartbreaker.

Snapshot Listen: How it sounded today.

Another outstanding performance. The pace was set by an aggresive stomp through ‘Rock And Roll’ and never lets up.

No Quarter is now reaching epic proportions, tonight extended to 26 minutes. Whole Lotta Love is highly improvised tonight and includes brief snatches of James Brown’s ‘Lickin’ Stick’, as well as a Plant war cry from ‘Immigrant Song’ and the riff from ‘Ozone Baby’. After a fierce Theremin battle with Plant, Page then leads straight into ‘Heartbreaker’. ‘Black Dog’ is not performed tonight.

FRIDAY MARCH 21 1975

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

SEATTLE CENTER COLISEUM

Set: Rock and Roll/Sick Again/Over The Hills And Far Away/In My Time Of Dying/The Song Remains The Same/The Rain Song/Kashmir/No Quarter/Since I’ve Been Loving You/Trampled Underfoot/Moby Dick/Dazed And Confused (inc. For What It’s Worth – Woodstock)/Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – The Crunge-Black Dog/Communication Breakdown – Heartbreaker.

Background details: It was back to Seattle for another steller show with much improvisation. ‘No Quarter’ is a highlight with Jones and Bonham randomly incorporating a jazzy rhythm during the solo improvisation. ‘Trampled Underfoot’ now includes some lyrics from ‘Gallows Pole’. ‘Dazed And Confused’ includes snatches of Buffalo Springfield’s ‘For What It’s Worth’ as well as ‘Woodstock’, and the longest encore section of the tour is performed tonight.

Hugh Jones of Proximity recalls: “Following ‘No Quarter’, Robert called for a change in the programme, causing a little confusion on stage. ‘There’s one song that we’ve done twice in, in… I suppose since we got ripped off for all that bread in New York, ages ago. And because we really dig playing here, and for no other reason, we’re gonna do it again now. I don’t think anybody else in the band knows about it yet, it’s a little bit of change in the… sorry about that, John! You see, right on the spot! It could be ‘Louie Louie’ but instead it’s a thing from the third album… ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’.

“Following a brutal ‘Trampled Underfoot’ and Bonzo’s marathon ‘Moby Dick’, more confusion appears to be occurring onstage. Robert shouts for an ovation for Bonzo, then asks in a casual tone, ‘Is everybody, uh, enjoying themselves?’ Jimmy is talking urgently with a group of people just off stage, and at one point seems to lift his guitar in the air as if to throw it down, obviously perturbed about something. Unfazed and still in his conversational tone, Robert observes ‘Mr Page is having a fit’. Apparently, we found out later, a local fan made Jimmy a gift of a beautiful Les Paul guitar, which turned out to be stolen from a high school music teacher. During the evening the instrument was confiscated at Sea-Tac airport as it was being shipped back to the UK (or so the story goes), and for some reason Page was interrupted during the show to be informed of this.”

Snapshot listen: How it sounded today:

This Seattle show is simply one of the best gigs of their latter era.

If proof was needed then the opening segment brings it all alive – as it epitomises what a potent three pronged entrance these songs really were. Rock And Roll segueing into the new sheer brutality of Sick Again with Plant teasing ”Do I look the same”, and then the opening speech followed by the ”Beginning of a dream and it starts here (R.Plant -Earls Court May*17) or on this occasion .”What we intend to do is to relive our pent uppedness on stage, and then to relieve it later on after the gig elsewhere. Now the thing is what we intend to do is to give you a cross section of what we’ve been trying to produce and write over the last six and a half years.

As you know the material varies greatly and so you will appreciate that we take it from one extreme to the other….and what better way to start than to gaze out onto the horizon and see what tomorrow may bring”

To quote Hugh Jones ”in those last few sentences Robert Plant may well have encapsulated Led Zeppelin as well as anyone ever has. The physical, the musical, the pretension and the arrogance-all backed up with music as varied and as good as his word for the next four hours”.

So the the regal intro of  Over The Hills And Far Away -the Page solo as always flickering and twisting into previously un investigated territory. Then a swirling finale with Plant crying out ”Samantha Samantha” perhaps a reference to the fun they were about to enjoy offstage as he put it And on this night in Seattle it all just burst forth with that knowing arrogance .

There is also a truly remarkable sequence to be heard during the middle section of ‘Whole Lotta Love’ on the night of March 20, 1975, at a show in Vancouver.

In the space of three minutes just before Jimmy Page’s Theremin solo, Robert Plant initially leads them through a spontaneous version of James Brown’s ‘Licking Stick’, which incorporates their own funk rhythm from the ‘The Crunge’. He follows that with a random war cry from  ‘Immigrant Song’. And then with equal spontaneity the Jones, Bonham & Page rhythm section interlock for a riff sequence that would be recalled some three years later for the track ‘Ozone Baby’ which eventually saw the light of day on the Coda album.

It was this air of unpredictability within their performances, which made Led Zeppelin such an engrossing live act throughout their career.

To use that old Zep’75 maxim it all underlined the fact that it wasn’t just a case of them being the number one band on the planet…the real point in question was just how far whoever was at number two lagged behind.

Dave Lewis  

……………………………..

Still in 1975…

44 years ago on Saturday March 15, 1975  my very good friend Dec got up very early to travel to Earls Court to be in this queue for tickets to see Led Zeppelin – I was working so Dec did the job and a very good one he did too returning with second row tickets for the Saturday May 24 performance. Phil Harris and Tom Locke secured their tickets via Dec. the countdown was on – as was my quest to get tickets for the other four nights which I am pleased to say all worked out. Five Glorious Nights lay ahead…and I’m still revelling in them 44 years on…

……………………………….

 

TBL 44 latest:

If you have yet to indulge – TBL 44 is the essential Led Zep read..and don’t just take my word for it

Here’s some satisfied reader comments:

”As ever, there’s back cover pics of readers from around the world – Berlin, Canton, Naples, Toronto, New York and Cropredy in this issue – pledging their allegiance to what is unquestionably the best informed and most lovingly produced Led Zep fanzine anywhere, or – to the best of my knowledge – on any other band for that matter.” – Chris Charlesworth

”Yet another superb magazine, as one expects from Dave, really high quality printing and paper, this is vital reading for all Led Zep fans” – Julian Walker

”TBL 44 is here. 32 thick, glossy, text rich pages; This new issue is a reminder to appreciate the Led Zep related joys we have today and those unleased over the past 50 years. The touch and feel of a solid (in every sense) magazine is akin to that of a gatefold album sleeve. Something to return to and glean from over and over again.” Ian Dixon

”That is a stunning cover for the mag my friend. As always TBL continues to be the constant thread for all Zep related thoughts. It’s hard to believe that TBL has been with me since the Knebworth gigs. Your dedication and enthusiasm all these years has been truly inspirational Dave.”- Ken Macalpine

Order at this link:

http://www.tightbutloose.co.uk/tbl-issue-44-the-new-issue-limited-edition-run-order-now/

…………………………….

Evenings With Led Zeppelin – The Complete Concert Chronicle by Dave Lewis and Mike Tremaglio:

A commentary by Larry M.Bergmann, Jr.

Led Zeppelin Concert Chronicle

So you have the Evenings With Led Zeppelin book before you  – and if you are reading this and have yet to indulge – you really should do – ordering details below..

So with book at the ready – here’s an excellent commentary by long time TBL contributor Larry Bergmann that will guide you through the extensive contents…

PART 6  –  1975/6

Great review of the opening night in Minneapolis Jan. 17, 1975, courtesy of the eminent duo Bambo and Rebop, of the UMD Statesman…they noticed two things which would put a damper on the early part of the tour…Page’s damaged finger and Plant’s damaged voice…

The 8mm film of Chicago 1-21 is one of the great documents of the band from any era. Despite Page and Plant having to battle their ailments, the band looked to be on strong form here anyway, and they and the audience were clearly enjoying the gig.

There are some terrific press photos from Chicago on pg 423.

Pages 420-26 are essential overall, as they shed light on the lesser known earlier part of the tour with lots of press reports (including some vivid reviews of the Chicago shows).

Lots of reviews from Cleveland…they were mostly positive even on this hobbled early part of the tour.  One review noted a 75-minute late start time to the gig.  Plant was in bad shape and Page was compensating for his finger by openly hitting the Jack Daniel’s onstage, as was noted by one scribe.  Most of the reviewers were impressed and there’s no doubt the band were still something to behold if one were lucky enough to be there.  But in the cold hard light of day, it’s difficult not to look at this period as the point where things began to go sideways.  For the first time, the band was unfortunately giving the naysayers something legitimate to criticize. The late start times were inconsiderate at best, would become a habit during the years 1975-77, and is not something a band would consistently get away with today.

Excellent description of the “LED ZEPPELIN” lighted sign that blazed prior to the encores from Will Smith of The Shield, who covered the Indianapolis gig.

Some of the reviews of course remain hilariously mean-spirited, and the section on Detroit 1-31 is a good point to experience some of the good, the bad and the ugly of that.

Feb 4 documents yet another Boston disaster, this time from the fans who rioted on Jan 7 whilst queuing for tickets, prompting Boston’s mayor (not the world’s leading Zep fan) to cancel the concert. The “makeup date”, on the same evening but in a different state (Uniondale N.Y. on Long Island), seemed to come off well, and from newspaper accounts, the gig ended at 11:45pm.

Excellent entry on Montreal Feb 6…some of the reviewers at this point were noting some of the warts of Page and Plant’s maladies, and not unfairly.

Philly on Feb. 8, again nice to have the (mixed) reviews but they’re still helpful in their own way by this point as the band were getting more insulated.  Pg 442 has a great (but too small) press photo of Page under a lone spot, but it lists him as “Gutbucket bass player John Paul Jones!!” This gig also features some more terrific fan shot footage from right down front.

It’s funny to see how many reviewers of the time called Kashmir “Cash Me In”.

I was surprised there’s not a little more on Madison Square Garden Feb 12, undoubtedly one of the better shows of the tour, and spawned a couple of immortal bootlegs, both on LP (a lively audience tape), and CD (one of the many soundboards, and also one of the best).

There’s a cool press photo of Robert from Houston Feb 27.

Baton Rouge 2-28…when listening to the gutsy audience tape, this really sounds like the HEAVIEST Zep show of all time…and perhaps it was…also featured is a cool poster for the gig most likely designed by an LSU student.

Cool press photos from Dallas Mar. 5 on pg 453.

San Diego Mar. 10…one of the great ones…true, there’s no soundboard like we have for so many shows on this tour but I prefer a lively audience tape to a dry soundboard any day of the week. And this audience was lively to say the very least!

Good section on the excellent Long Beach gigs on Mar. 11 & 12. 3-12 in particular is just a massive gig, maybe the best of the US tour…another of the heavy audience tapes!

3-14 SD features a great press photo of Page.

The first Seattle show on 3-17 is a killer.  It’s great to have the soundboards for the two Seattle shows (and all the others of course!) but in my opinion there’s no beating the clear and atmospheric audience tapes for these two gigs.

It’s surprising to see perhaps the finest gig of the US tour given only one page…3-21-75 at Seattle Center Coliseum. Taped by the same taper who recorded the first night, the recording is sublime. The recent soundboard of this gig is a treasure as well, especially as the final segment of the show didn’t get captured/survive from our intrepid taper. So I like to enjoy this one with the available audience tape (which runs out early in Stairway), and then the board to fill out the rest. One of the all-time great gigs.

There’s a tough but fair review of the 3-24 gig at the Forum from Richard Agata of the Daily Trojan. As noted, some cracks were beginning to show on this tour and it has to be said that the reviewers who spotted them did so fairly. As an aside, this is probably my least favorite tour, with the possible exception of some of the difficult 1980 gigs. There’s a photo from Chicago 75 in this section. The fan shot footage of these Forum gigs is all essential to say the least.

There’s a great photo on pg 469 of the fans queuing for Earl’s Court tickets.

Chris Welch’s legendary review of the first gig in Melody Maker is duly quoted…the review from Roderick Gilchrist provides a memorable quote from George Harrison…”When Led Zeppelin are peaking, well, kiss your skull goodbye.”

Two cool and in color shots of Plant on pgs. 470-71.

There’s an insipid “critique” of John Bonham’s drumming from Melody Maker’s Steve Lake.

Of the EC commentaries reprinted in the book, most of the focus was understandably on the power and imagery of the band, but none of them seemed too bothered with the acoustic set, which was absolutely one of the essential aspects of these shows.  Thankfully Jan Iles of Record Mirror redressed the balance in a review of May 25.

There’s a very good section on the 1975 stadium gigs that had to be canceled following Plant’s car crash, and some unhappy comments by Bill Graham on pg 477 regarding the scuttled Oakland date seems to portend of some things to come…

The cancelled Atlanta gig from August 31 features a couple of terrific and little-seen adverts.

The cancelled gig for 9/9 in Norman, Oklahoma might have been a very tough challenge for the band had it come off. The week prior, the venue, the Lloyd Noble Center on the campus of the University of Oklahoma, had seen Lawrence Welk play the very first event in the building.  An’ a one, an’ a two…  Don’t worry, you might have to be an American of a certain, ahem, vintage, to get that one…

Overall this is a fine section on what might have been…

Nice write-up on the fabled appearance at Behan’s West Park on 12/16/75 on pg 482.

The “Sabbatical” on pg. 483 is well documented, although I disagree that TSRTS film and album were an “ultimately unfulfilling experience”…I (and many of my friends) were thrilled with the album, and the film was a mind-blower, especially when your mind was 14 years old!  Perhaps knowing what we’ve learned in the decades hence, it now looks even more the compromise that it obviously was, but it’s still vitally important, and captures the last gigs before the sort of malaise set in during the second half of the band’s career.  I can listen to the album anytime, and despite all the tweaking in recent years, I still prefer the original 1976 release.  But it is nice to also have the tracks that weren’t on the original release as well.

Then it’s on into 1977…

Larry M.Bergmann, Jr.

TO BE CONTINUED

To order the book:

Stock Availability Update:

 THE BOOK IS  AVAILABLE VIA AMAZON UK AT

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Evenings-Led-Zeppelin-Chronicle-1968-1980/dp/1783057017?pd_rd_wg=8yG8k&pd_rd_r=96711cf5-5f25-4e56-b2d7-779e1cc923f8&pd_rd_w=dgz5Z&ref_=pd_gw_simh&pf_rd_r=0ZZPAZQ99FPF923R5AZF&pf_rd_p=14f91171-0541-58ad-938b-3aec945f4cb7

AND AMAZON IN THE US HERE:

https://www.amazon.com/Evenings-Led-Zeppelin-Complete-Chronicle/dp/1783057017/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1543278667&sr=1-1&keywords=%22evenings+with+led+zeppelin%22

AND BARNES AND NOBLE IN THE US  HERE:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/evenings-with-led-zeppelin-dave-lewis/1128973527?ean=9781783057016

………………………….

Dick Dale and Bernie Torme RIP:

Sad to hear the passing of surf guitar legend Dick Dale aged 81. Dick was a big influence on a host of musicians including Jimmy Page.

Sad too hear that Bernie Torme who worked with Ozzy Osbourne and Ian Gillan amongst many others, has passed away aged 66.

…………………………………

Free Appreciation Society Magazine:

The new issue of David Clayton’s long running Free magazine is just out and it’s another packed edition – 56 pages of Free related text with a superb overview of the Tons Of Sobs album. Always highly recommended – ordering details below:

David had some very nice things to say about the Evenings With book and I take it as a huge compliment that he blames me for the late arrival of this issue -as he reveals in his editorial:

”Dave Lewis has been at it again and with Mike Tremaglio has produced the most incredible Led Zeppelin book. It has to be said this did bring the production of the FAS mag to a grinding halt just before Christmas when I inadvertently picked it up to flip through the pages and put it down some days later! So you can blame Dave for the late arrival of this issue You don’t have to be a Zeppelin fan to enjoy this. It’s so well written and researched and it’s difficult to out down, even if browsing it. Very highly recommended”

Thanks David! here’s the ordering link for his brilliant Free magazine:

http://freeappreciationsociety.blogspot.com/

…………………..

Bob Dylan Podcast:

If you’re interested in all things Bob Dylan related, take a listen to the ‘Is It Rolling Bob?’ podcast that’s been running the past few months – this week’s with longtime TBL fan and subscriber Robin Guise:

https://isitrollingbobtalkingdylan.podbean.com/

…………………………..

A Fabulous Creation  – David Hepworth book launch event at Foyles – March 19,2019:

On Tuesday night, Krys Jantzen and I attended the book signing event to launch the just published new book by David Hepworth, A Fabulous Creation – How The LP Saved Our Lives.

The book replicates the highly entertaining informative style of his previous books, Never A Dull Moment, Uncommon People and Nothing Is Real – of course the subject matter this time out is right up my street.

At the Foyles event, David was interviewed by his former Old Grey Whistle Test co- host Mark Ellen. David humorously relayed his own fascination with the LP and highlighted various landmark releases – including The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper, The Rock Machine Turns You On sampler, King Crimson’s In The Court Of The Crimson King, the debut Roxy Music album and Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk. In doing so, David discussed the cultural significance of the LP and it’s eventual decline when the Walkman changed listening habits and the CD, downloads and streaming allowed the focus to switch to individual songs as opposed to long form albums.

I had a chat with both David and Mark – as the book is dedicated to ”those who knew how it felt to carry an album down the street’,’ I asked them both which album we they would like be seen out with tonight – Mark went for Frank Zappa’s Hot Rats (the album he had used to introduce David tonight), David mentioned Joni Mitchell’s Court And Spark. As for me, knowing of my passion they expected me to come up with a Zep, on this occasion I went for Bob Dylan’s Desire.

All in all, great record bonding chat – which is exactly how the book comes over. I’ve just started reading it and it really is a delight and highly recommended. All in all a superb evening.

Here’s more about the book:

 

The era of the LP began in 1967, with ‘Sgt Pepper’; The Beatles didn’t just collect together a bunch of songs, they Made An Album. Henceforth, everybody else wanted to Make An Album.

The end came only fifteen years later, coinciding with the release of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’. By then the Walkman had taken music out of the home and into the streets and the record business had begun trying to reverse-engineer the creative process in order to make big money. Nobody would play music or listen to it in quite the same way ever again.

It was a short but transformative time. Musicians became ‘artists’ and we, the people, patrons of the arts. The LP itself had been a mark of sophistication, a measure of wealth, an instrument of education, a poster saying things you dare not say yourself, a means of attracting the opposite sex, and, for many, the single most desirable object in their lives.

This is the story of that time; it takes us from recording studios where musicians were doing things that had never been done before to the sparsely furnished apartments where their efforts would be received like visitations from a higher power. This is the story of how LPs saved our lives.

………………………….

DL Diary Blog Update:

It was always going to happen at some point given we both treat the Spice of Life in London like a part time office – so it was great yesterday to walk into the popular Soho public house and by pure coincidence seew  see Alan G Parker holding court. It was great too to hear many a tale I’ve read about the esteemed music man and director of the film documentaries such as Hello Quo and Sgt Pepper – It Was 50 years Ago  being recounted – so there were discussions  about our shared passions which of course meant plenty of Zep Beatles and Sex Pistols chat. After years of conversing on here and email etc we finally met – here’s to the next time mate…

It was also great to meet up with our Sam yesterday afternoon in London before the excellent David Hepworth book launch event at Foyle’s …

We had a top night out on Saturday night at our friend Keith Harlow’s 60th birthday party. It was a Beatles themed affair and Keith even had a replica set up of the famous Abbey Road crossing. Below is a pic of our friend Anne Marie ,the good lady Janet and myself doing the Abbey Road crossing thing. The live music was supplied by local musician Tom Korni -along with a fine version of Stairway To Heaven he did a medley of the complete Pink Floyd Dark Side Of The Moon album – it’s not every Saturday night you hear that in Great Braford village hall!

In the absence of the Vinyl Barn last Friday – the Bedford market was cancelled due to the windy conditions –the Friday vinyl treats came from the Oxfam shop and Slide Records

 

At the Oxfam shop I did not come across any rare Beatles demos but I did find a very nice condition copy of the 1970 Hollies album Confessions of the Mind –this is the reissued cover pressing on EMI -the album is stock full of great harmonies and melodies in the Hollies style –this was cut during the time they were making very fine singles such as I Can’t Tell The Bottom From the Top and Gasoline Alley. There’s also a Graham Nash/Clarke,Hicks song Survival Of the Fittest   -top stuff for all of £1.99…

 

A superb feature in this month’s Uncut magazine about John Lennon’s restless transitional year of 1969,had me delving into that late Beatles/Lennon era to come up with a John Lennon playlist that represents the period January 1969 to January 1970:

Take it away Johnny…

Dig A Pony (Get Back session January 1969)

Don’t Let Me Down (Get Back session January 1969)

Dig It (Get Back Session January 1969)

Get Back (Beatles single April 1969)

The Ballad Of John And Yoko (Beatles single May 1969)

Give Peace A Chance (Plastic Ono Band single July 1969)

Come Together (Abbey Road album September 1969)

I Want You (She’s So Heavy) (Abbey Road album September 1969)

Because (Abbey Road album September 1969)

Mean Mister Mustard/Polythene Pam (Abbey Road September 1969)

Blue Suede Shoes (Live Peace In Toronto album recorded live September 1969

Money (Live Peace in Toronto album recorded live September 1969)

Yer Blues (Live Peace in Toronto album recorded live September 1969)

Dizzy Miss Lizzie (Live Peace in Toronto album recorded live September 1969)

Cold Turkey (Plastic Ono Band single October 1969)

What’s The New Mary Jane (1968 White album Beatles outtake – cancelled Plastic Ono Band single December 1969)

You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) (Beatles 1967 recording(eventual Let It Be B side – cancelled B side of above Plastic Ono Band single December 1969)

Instant Karma (We All Shine On) (Plastic Ono Band single recorded January 1970 released February 1970)

A year in the life of a genius – his legacy shines on ever brightly…

Busy hear on TBL 44 distribution and planning initiatives ahead-  including the next TBL project – more on all that soon…

Dave Lewis – March 20, 2019

Until next time, have a great weekend

TBL Website updates compiled by Dave Lewis

with thanks to Gary Foy and James Cook

Follow TBL/DL on Facebook:

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One Comment »

  • Hiroshi said:

    Peter Piddock’s feature article on Led Zeppelin at the University of Kent is indeed a fascinating read — a vivid and invaluable recollection by a person who was there when they were still a “people’s band”. Those human factors sadly went missing from their latter-day shows as the group and the business matter became bigger and bigger for the years to come.

    The “Back to the clubs” tour is perhaps the most mysterious series of gigs Led Zeppelin ever did in their entire career for its nature — relatively few people could attend and witness these shows — and the sheer lack of audio recording sources, presumably not irrelevant to the aforementioned fact. To this day, the only two surviving recordings around and available are, strangely enough, Belfast and Dublin, both from Ireland and the first couple of tour dates. Technically speaking, they didn’t play at clubs in these cities — both venues were 2-3,000 seaters, more like theatres. What the atmosphere was like at an intimate club show, and how their performance went down over the crowd and evolved as the tour went on, still remain to be uncovered.

    On hindsight, the group should have chosen a bigger venue to play in London at least, if not as large as the Royal Albert Hall or the Empire Pool — the Roundhouse or the Lyceum, or better both, instead of the tiny Marquee, would have accommodated more fans while keeping the tour’s ethos, “back to where it all began”.

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