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LED ZEPPELIN II IT WAS 50 YEARS AGO /AT THE CAT CLUB/LZ NEWS/MUSIC MANIA FAIR/TBL ARCHIVE -REMASTERS 1990/DL DIARY BLOG UPDATE

22 October 2019 1,578 views 3 Comments

TBL Archive Special: Led Zeppelin II – it was 50 years ago today…

Led Zeppelin II – A Kind of Rock

To celebrate the release of the Led Zeppelin II album this week back in 1969 – some thoughts 50 years on…

Led Zeppelin II:

A Kind Of Rock…. Still Flying

In the same way Miles Davis’ Kind Of Blue defined the jazz genre, the second Zep album well and truly encapsulated rock music as we know it. Dave Lewis re appraises Led Zeppelin II on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.

In reappraising the second Led Zeppelin album 50 years on, it occurred to me that a parallel with the jazz giant Miles Davis is evident.

In the same way that Miles Davis Kind of Blue was the jazz album of choice for those who thought they didn’t like jazz, Led Zeppelin II became the rock album for those who thought they didn’t really like rock.

After Kind Of Blue, Miles Davis went on to make continuing adventurous music (witness In A Silent Way and Bitches Brew), Led Zeppelin also would push the boundaries of creativity with the likes of Led Zeppelin IV and Physical Graffiti.

Neither artist though, quite replicated the sheer shock element of intent so apparent on Kind Of Blue and Led Zeppelin II. These are both works of massive influence that grew their respective audiences manifold.

The album came together in a most haphazard fashion as they toured the UK and US during 969. From April to August they stopped off to record and overdub this second album at no less than eleven studios as follows:

Olympic Studios London, Morgan Studios London, A & M Studios Hollywood, Mystic Sound Hollywood , Mirror Sound Studios Los Angeles, R & D Studios Vancouver, A & R Studios New York, Groove Studio New York, Mayfair Recording Studios, New York Juggy Sound Studio New York and Atlantic Studios New York. Two others -Goldstar Recording Studios in Hollywood and Quantum Recording Studios in Torrence were visited but proved fruitless. It says much for Jimmy Page and Eddie Kramer’s production and engineering skills that the finished album sounded so cohesive -despite being recorded in so many different studios.

It’s also worth noting that During that five month period they made 78 live appearances. In fact, during the whole of 1969 they performed a total of 149 gigs – almost as many as they would play in the next three years.

Put simply, during the early part of their career Led Zeppelin’s work ethic was second to none and it was this desire to be seen and heard wherever they could, that really forged their legacy.

Perhaps surprisingly Jimmy Page admitted to having lost a bit of confidence by the time the album appeared in October 1969 accompanied by an advert that proclaimed it be ‘’Now flying’’. He need not have worried. By the beginning of 1970, Led Zeppelin II had dethroned The Beatles Abbey Road at the top of the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. It marked the beginning of the band’s world domination. It registered over 130 consecutive weeks on the UK chart and remarkably was still holding court when Led Zeppelin III appeared a year later.

So what inspired this sales longevity normally reserved for the likes of The Sound Of Music or Bridge Over Troubled Water? Put simply Led Zeppelin II defined the rock genre in a way that Cream and Jimi Hendrix had hinted at. Here was a seamless forty one minute experience as track merged into track and sledge hammered the listener into submission. At the helm of it all was Jimmy Page. If the first album had laid down the foundations of what this quartet were going to be about, Zep II extended the notion with a brain crushing display of dynamics. And it was Page’s precision production that gave the record its real character, a standard he would uphold on successive Zep albums.

It was also his ability to adapt to the varying studio conditions they found themselves in that gave the album its distinctive sound. Page’s experiments in distance miking, a trick he picked up during his session days considerably enhanced the effect of John Bonham’s straight from the wrist drumming and Robert Plant’s wailing vocal. When it transferred to disc, it reproduced an air of electricity you could almost touch.

This was best personified on Whole Lotta Love, the catalyst opening track and smash US hit single. The lyrics may have been the work of Willie Dixon but the sound was pure Page/Zep. The swirling white noise middle section being the result of a weekend mixing session in New York with Eddie Kramer.

This second Led Zeppelin album also marked the emergence of Robert Plant as the group’s lyricist. He offered up compositional strength that would further flower on subsequent albums. The dreamy What Is And What Should never be ,the emotional love song Thank You with John Paul Jones excelling on organ and the Tolkien inspired Ramble On all sound as fresh today as they did five decades back.

Chris Huston was the studio engineer at Mystic Studios in Los Angeles where some of the tracks were cut. ‘’It was such a small studio’’ recalls Huston. ‘’I was very impressed with Jimmy’s ability to double track and create the sound he wanted first time every time. What you hear is the product of a lot of spontaneous chemistry in their playing’’.

Examples of that spark of chemistry can be heard in the smash and grab solos that light up The Lemon Song and the closing track Bring It On Home- the latter highlighting the band’s somewhat dubious practice for taking unaccredited old blues tunes (in this case Sonny Boy Williamson s song of the same name) and respraying them Zep style. Derivative as this tactic appeared, such arrangements always emerged unmistakably as their own.

Led Zeppelin II also contains one of the finest and few listenable drums solos committed to record in Moby Dick, Heartbreaker – plus a riveting Page guitar virtuoso piece and a kitsch rocker Living Loving Maid that they always said they disliked, but actually packed a tight incisive punch. Another winning factor: The album made memorable use of the newly found freedom stereophonic sound offered, making it an early hi fi buffs delight.

It would of course been easy to replicate this formula on their next record but that was never an option. As the gold and platinum albums began lining their walls, Page and co had already moved on. Stedfastedly refusing to stick to one particular groove, with their second album they had already made the definitive hard rock statement. Mandolins, Martin acoustic guitars, Mellotrons and a date with ‘’A lady who’s sure’’ now beckoned.

The intervening 50 years have done nothing to diminish the startling air of tension that signifies the opening cough and riff of Whole Lotta Love and the commencement of an album that continues to defy the wrath of time.

It’s a kind of rock…and a kind of legend and it’s still flying.

It’s Led Zeppelin II – go and wish it a happy 50th birthday and play it right now …

Dave Lewis – October 22,2019

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TBL Archive:

The Led Zeppelin Reissues: Now And Then

Dave Lewis offers some personal recollections and current thoughts on the first Led Zeppelin reissues…

The Led Zeppelin Reissues Then And Now: Led Zeppelin II

Led Zeppelin II: A kind of Rock then – a kind of rock now …even more so…

THEN:

Led Zeppelin II came in to my life very soon after the release of Led Zeppelin III. I had initially been alerted to the sound of Led Zeppelin a year previous when DJ Alan Freeman played Whole Lotta Love on his Pick of the Pops Radio One show –the effect was to be a lasting one.

As I eagerly devoured any news about Led Zeppelin via the weekly music papers, hearing and acquiring their music as a 13 year old was not so simple.  They were rarely on the radio and the necessary funds to invest in an album was not forthcoming – I was a singles buyer and guess what? Led Zeppelin did not release UK singles…

However, after the watershed of hearing Led Zeppelin III, my mission was to acquire Led Zeppelin II as soon as possible. It was duly purchased from Braggins department store in Bedford for two reasons – I was able to hear the opening track on their in store record booths (you may recall in my Zep I tales, the store’s policy for youngsters was to be able to listen to track one side one only) and Braggins sold their LP’s in very nice pvc covers. Result!

This copy was on the German Atlantic label for some reason although given the timespan (November ’70), with the album at the top of the charts it may well be that demand had forced Atlantic in the UK to source copies elsewhere.

Anyway, the fact was I had the album with its imposing fold out cover and grandiose inner cover with their names emblazoned across the sleeve like royal headstones.

The following 12 months my listening pleasure was divided by Zep 1 and II and later a reel to reel recording of their BBC Radio One In Concert show broadcast in April 1971.

Upon the arrival of the fourth album, the first two Zep albums did take a back seat and not long after that I commenced my mission (on LP and cassette) to hear as much live material by this extraordinary group as possible.

There was one other Zep II related initiative –and that was to acquire the US single of Whole Lotta Love backed with Living Loving Maid. This challenge was eventually met via an advert in Sounds for US import singles. So it was in early 1972 that I sent off a postal order to a guy in Newcastle for the princely sum of £1.25 to invest in this hallowed piece of vinyl imported all the way from the USA. Eventually after weeks of waiting (no predicted arrival dates ala Amazon in those days!), this seven inch single in a very attractive Atlantic Records sleeve arrived. It was the beginning another love affair – the collecting of all manner of Led Zeppelin vinyl be it on 7 inch or 12- an obsession that is still rife in my life over 40 years on.

Unsurprisingly I have a variety of Zep II pressings – the original brown bomber with the Lemon Song credits, the rare UK pressing that lists Living Loving Maid as Living Loving Wreck – and a very nice US pressing on thick cardboard acquired earlier this year from a local charity shop. It remains an iconic piece of Zeppelin art.

As for the listening credentials of the album – again in my scheme of things I tend to play it less than some of the later albums – however I can say I have experienced notable moments when I have completely lost myself in its greatness. Again unsurprisingly this has been when I have immersed myself in writing about it – notably on the 35th anniversary back in 2004 when I did extensive retrospective features on Zep II for both Record Collector and Classic Rock. Five years later I celebrated the 40th anniversary of its release with a major feature in TBL 25 which coincided with me meeting and interviewing the director of engineering on the album Eddie Kramer.

In reappraising the second Led Zeppelin album forty years on, it occurred to me that a parallel with the jazz giant Miles Davis was evident.

In the same way that Miles Davis Kind of Blue was the jazz album of choice for those who thought they didn’t like jazz – Led Zeppelin 2 was the rock album for those who thought they didn’t really like rock.

After Kind Of Blue, Miles Davis went on to make continuing adventurous music (witness In A Silent way and Bitches Brew), Zeppelin also would push the boundaries of creativity with the likes of Zep 4, Houses Of The Holy and Physical Graffiti.  Neither artist though, quite tapped in so effortlessly again with a statement of intent absolutely and completely of its time as they did with Kind Of Blue and Led Zeppelin 2 respectively.

Here’s how I re- appraised the album back in 2009:

Led Zeppelin II was an instant success going on to spend 130 consecutive weeks on the UK album chart and was still riding high in the top 20 when Led Zeppelin III was released.

So back in 1969 what inspired this sales longevity normally reserved for the likes of The Sound Of Music or Bridge Over Troubled Water? Led Zeppelin 2 defined the rock genre in a way that Cream and Jimi Hendrix had hinted at. Here was a seamless 41 minute experience as track merged into track and sledgehammered the listener into submission.

At the helm of it all was Jimmy Page. If the first album had laid down the foundations of what this quartet were going to be about, Zep 2 extended the notion with a brain crushing display of dynamics. And it was Page’s precision production that gave the record its real character, a standard he would uphold on successive Zep albums.

It was his ability to adapt to the varying studio conditions they found themselves in that gave the album its distinctive sound. Pages experiments in distance miking a trick he picked up during his session days considerably enhanced the effect of John Bonham’s straight from the wrist drumming and Robert Plant’s wailing vocal. When it transferred to disc, it reproduced an air of electricity you could almost touch.

Another winning factor: The album made memorable use of the newly found freedom stereophonic sound offered making it an early hi-fi buffs delight.

It would of course been easy to replicate this formula on their next record but that was never an option. As the gold and platinum albums began lining their walls, Page and co had already moved on. Adamantly refusing to stick to one particular groove, with their second album they had already made the definitive hard rock statement. Mandolins, Martin acoustic guitars, Mellotrons and a date with ‘’A lady whose sure’’ now beckoned.

The intervening 40 years have done nothing to diminish the startling air of tension that signifies the opening cough and riff of Whole Lotta Love and the commencement of an album that continues to defy the wrath of time.

…………………………

 NOW:

So the shadow of Led Zeppelin II has loomed large for decades around these parts. The long awaited arrival of this newly remastered version with companion audio disc is most welcome.

As with Zep I the sound just takes over the room from the start. I’ve played this album countless times but hearing it blaring out on a mid week early June morning, the clarity and sheer sonic thrust of this second Led Zeppelin album ensured yet another memorable listening experience.

For example: the delicate bongos behind the beat on Whole Lotta Love, the always impressive stereo panning of the outro of What is and What Should Never Be, Jonesy’s bass throughout The Lemon Song, the delicacy of Jimmy’s acoustic picking on Thank You.

Over on side two and at this point it’s worth mentioning the sheer mastery of Jimmy’s sequencing of the album as one performance crosses into another – Heartbreaker kicks in  vibrantly, then there’s the precise backing vocals on Living Loving Maid and then the sheer beauty of Ramble On…

Oh yes Ramble On – signifying a complete lump in the throat tears welling up moment here as the sheer enormity of their achievements just engulfed me.

Another point of reference: listening to these remastered albums I am constantly reminded of the quality and deftness of that heavy chorus technique they applied to so many of their songs – the aforementioned Ramble On being one such delight.

On the home straight, Moby Dick still sounds like the best drum solo ever committed to record, while Bring It On Home is yet another revelation –  the pure blues of the intro never sounded so pure and when the riff kicks in …well it’s a  majestic moment.

The Companion Audio Disc: The embryonic version of Whole Lotta Love  is just stunning in its sheer naivety and sparseness. This tells us so much more than we already knew about the Zep II opener, and as I predicted, has elevated this early Zep anthem to even greater status (also aided by the Dior Homme advert).

Thank You- It’s wonderful to hear the precision of Jimmy’s chiming Vox guitar. The acoustic picking has yet to be overdubbed on this version. On Living Loving Maid the spaces in between where the vocal should be are marvellously offbeat. It’s worth noting that these backing tracks are much more than mere ‘karaoke’ fodder- they genuinely bring it out the instrumental nuances in a way we haven’t been privy to before. Ramble On has that  delightful ‘’I ain’t telling no lines ‘’adlib from Robert in more clarity. The fade is a simpler mix with again a few overdubs yet to be applied notably the ‘’Bluebird ‘’ insert. It fades to a full ending.

La La –totally nonscript in a quintessentially Jimmy Page manner. Like I said before,  La La is what the phrase ‘tangents within a framework’ was invented for…

Summary: In short, peering into the portal of where Led Zeppelin were at during 1969 opens up a whole new perspective. Led Zeppelin II is still a very special Kind of Rock and now there’s even more of it to enjoy…the phrase ”embellishment of riches” springs to mind…yet again.

DL – June 18th, 2014.     

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Led Zeppelin CAT Club 50th anniversary Led Zeppelin II eent at the Tap & Barrel Pontefract:

Today I am travelling up to Pontefract for the CAT Club Led Zeppelin II event – I look forward to seeing all that can make it along. Full report next time.

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Led Zeppelin II feedback:

Here’s some feedback on Led Zeppelin II from TBL website readers:

This was the album which opened up my love of Led Zepp, my uncle gave me a copy when I was about 13 back in the 70’s . When I listened to Whole Lotta Love for the first time I was mesmerised by the power of Robert’s voice and the amazing sounds of the music, I was hooked and this album remains my favourite to this day. I have acquired other pressings over the years as you can see from photos. The Kinney music orange/green label is an early transitional pressing I think perhaps you can confirm for me.

Mark James

Hi Dave … revisiting The Brown Bomber over the weekend and have chosen two to sample from my collection … my Atlantic Green label pressed in New Zealand by Festival Records and my White label Atlantic promo copy, my rarest copy in a unique single sleeve. I’m rather partial to the NZ copy tho … apart from being a Kiwi … it lists 3 tracks uniquely as WHOLE LOT OF LOVE, HEART BREAKER (as 2 words) and LIVING LOVIN’ WRECK. Also a paler front cover with Black and White inner gatefold sleeve. A really great sound with great bottom end and stereo split. The White label promo has a slightly brighter tone but hey … any copy will do. I guess I first got a copy of LZ II maybe 1974 ish in Wellington NZ and it was THANK YOU that lept out, especially lyrically. Also as a live version with Jimmy’s extended guitar solos and massive Organ intro … favourite … pick one for me … so many.

James Rimmer, New Zealand

 

I was 15 years old and in the school 6th form where we had our own common room with a record player. The focus from the musical cognoscenti was British blues – Clapton Mayall Taste etc but a friend of mine from out of town brought in LZ2 and endured some snobbery about his choice – influenced no doubt from previous negative press comment. However I was completely hooked and remain to this day. Ironically one of the cognoscenti became the keyboard player in a reincarnation Band of Joy at the end of the seventies- I can recall meeting up with him on the eve of the 4 Aug Knebworth concert for which I had tickets (3rd LZ gig for me). He later became the keyboard player for T’Pau !

Living in Shropshire (RP country) has meant access to Honeydripper and Priory of Brion gigs and just booked tickets for Saving Grace at Birmingham Town Hall. I feel privileged.

Ian Davies

The Brown Bomber

My entry into Led Zeppelin was mainly Presence.  I was twelve.  But long before that, when I was a wee lad, I had a distinct memory of Whole Lotta Love and Jimmy’s descending slide after the chorus line.

Once the gates were open for me through Presence in the summer of 1976, my collecting began in earnest, and LZ II was my next purchase.  The giant gatefold, the classic cover picture . . . and the music.  LZ II was an early reflection of all that Zeppelin was and would be, if you’ll forgive me.  Hard, soft, melodic, riffy, bombastic, dramatic, tearing, ripping, shredding . . . .and they were all in such young top form, very energetic and hungry.

I won’t go track by track, but for me, but it begins and ends with the opening number, Whole Lotta Love.  Aggressive lyrics (ok, nicked, but who cares), Jimmy’s aggressive and timeless riff, Bonzo’s rolling fills, and the sonic assault of the band coming out of the orgasmic soundscape of the middle section.  The song never ever gets old for me.  Yes, there’s Kashmir, Levee, Achilles, Stairway, and many others, but WLL will always be the best representation of what Zeppelin is, and I consider it their greatest song.

Other highlights:  WIAWSNB . . . they were so damn cool, and that song embodies the swagger.  The Lemon Song is awesome, Thank You is otherworldly.  Flip the album and rock out to Heartbreaker, then Ramble On to show off their exquisite musicianship.  The quintessential Page riff on Moby Dick with John’s excellent solo.  I’m not one for the drum solos, but this one still kills it.  Then the finale.  What can you say?  A nod to the blues roots before going into overdrive and another killer Jimmy riff.  I remember hearing that for the first time on a tour bus in Italy in the summer of 1976. One of my mates put headphones on me and cranked it to 11 when the riff kicked in.  Sonic assault!

My other memory is of my very patient grandparents.  I’d lie on their living room floor between the speakers of their cheap little stereo and listen to the Brown Bomber over and over and over again.  In those days (1976 or ‘77), I was also devoted to the Beatles.  I’d read Helter Skelter, so it was The Bomber and The White Album alternately all summer long!

I also remember being initially disappointed with the live version of WLL on TSRTS.  I was green and didn’t understand what Zeppelin meant live.  I came around.  I love that version.  I’m also a big fan of the Knebworth arrangement of my favorite Zeppelin song.  One big reason?  I WAS THERE.  Thank God for the DVD release.

William K Cromwell

Dave i first heard the brown bomber coming out of the sixth form

study (amazing back in the day the sixth form in our state school had a room to play records in and loaf and smoke that teachers had to knock to enter?!!) i as a pimply 2nd former had to stand outside .Iwill never forget

the first hearing of the freak out section of WLL .Although Whole is now overplayed to the point

thayt i dont really listen to it ,the theremin freak out is as avantgarde today as the first time all those years ago.

Iown multiple pressings but my prize possession is a mint living lovin wreck.

Andrew Ricci

Where did you first hear the Led Zeppelin II album?
Where did you buy it?

Both quests: In my local record store in Sweden

How does it shape up four decades on?
Excellent. As a musical mile stone should.

What are the best live versions of the nine tracks?
At least three of them naturally from THIS concert I attended as a 16 year LZ freak in 1971.
http://www.imatri.se/galleryMusic.html#lg=1&slide=35
I actually found a full recording of the concert and even if the sound is lousy it was wonderful to listen to the very same concert almost 50 years later.
Re-created the set list here:  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/75S1vB0fQTrbE9tDLnut69?si=uRfI8UdjTmmnKXQyJPJREw

Michael Källman, Sweden

Many thanks for all the recent Led Zeppelin II feedback received.

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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.

Hello! Welcome to the 194th Led Zeppelin News email. We email out a summary of the week’s news every weekend so that you don’t miss anything.

Jimmy Page

  • Jimmy Page has written the foreword for a new book about Cardiff Castle and attended an event at the castle earlier this week. Read all of the details here.
  • The “Play It Loud: Instruments Of Rock And Roll” exhibition, which includes several of Jimmy Page’s guitars and stage clothes, will open at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on November 22.

Robert Plant

  • The latest episode of Robert Plant’s Digging Deep podcast is about the song “Ohio” which he recorded with Patty Griffin. Listen to it here.

Upcoming events:

November 22 – The “Play It Loud: Instruments Of Rock And Roll” exhibition will move to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
December – Jimmy Page’s new book, “Jimmy Page: The Anthology,” will be released.
December 9 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Devon, UK.
December 10 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Salisbury, UK.
December 11 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Bristol, UK and a guitar signed by Plant and Jimmy Page will be auctioned.
December 13 – Robert Plant’s vinyl singles box set “Digging Deep” will be released.
December 16 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Lancashire, UK.
December 17 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Blackpool, UK.
December 19 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Powys, Wales.
December 20 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Stourbridge, UK.
December 22 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Birmingham, UK.
March 26-29, 2020 – John Paul Jones will perform as Sons Of Chipotle at the Big Ears music festival in Knoxville, Tennessee.

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

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VIP Music Mania Fair:

it’s the big two day VIP Music Mania Fair this week at a new venue in Harrow, London. I am aiming to be there on the Saturday and look forward to seeing all that can make it along – full details here:

http://www.vip-24.com/venues/byronhall-london.htm

 

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Some recent DL Facebook posts: 

It was 45 years ago today…

Job interview,It’s Only Rock’n’Roll and Happy Birthday Mum…

On this day 45 years ago Friday October 18 1974 I attended an interview for a job to be a sales assistant on the record counter at WH Smiths in Bedford’s High Street. Lucky for me I got the job and started at the end of the month –the beginning of a 35 year career in music retail that I loved every minute of. After the interview I went to the record department I would soon be working in and purchased The Rolling Stones new album It’s Only Rock’n’Roll released that very day.

Boy did I love this album (and still do) I devoured every last note and lyric and it spoke to me in a way few records have before or since – from the raunchy If You Can’t Rock Me to the sublime If You Want To Be My Friend and the majestic Time Waits For No One (Mick Taylor’s finest moment). It reminds me of a very special time…

That day was also my Mum’s 62nd Birthday…it’s amazing to think I am now older than she was on that day ( my Mum passed away in 1990).

So Happy Birthday Mum , thank you WH Smith and Mick and co – this day all of 45 years ago was a life affirming one…

Iv’e been playing It’s Only Rock’n’Roll today and yes I still like it – ‘’like it, like it yes I do’’…

Pic above  circa 1975 in our garden me age 18 in very fetching white flares and my mum and our dog.

Plus a pic of the old WH Smith shop site at 88 High Street Bedford,taken this morning – it’s now the Bedford College Learning Centre. WH Smith moved to the Harper Centre in 1976 and I worked there until 1985.

Dave Lewis – October 18,2019.

It was 29 years ago…

The scene in the Our Price record shop in Bedford that I managed on this day 29 years ago – for on October 15, 1990 the first ever Led Zeppelin compilation set was released – the double album Remasters,.to be followed two weeks later by the 4LP/CD box set. It opened up Zep to a whole new market..and boy did we sell some Zep product as Colin Stonebridge Justin Cromie and Jason Foster will remember…great music retail days they were…

It was 29 years ago 2:

The scene in the Our Price record shop window in Bedford on this day 29 years ago – for on October 15, 1990 the first ever Led Zeppelin compilation set was released – the double album Remasters..to be followed two weeks later by the 4LP/CD box set.

As I had a vested interest (I was writing the Led Zeppelin A Celebration book a the time) I made sure we racked up the sales – much of the window came from my collection – including that rather splendid Japanese poster of Jimmy Page on the right…all this contributed to me being awarded a triple gold disc by Warners for my efforts to ensure Led Zeppelin were right back at the forefront of record, CD and tape buyers…where they have remained ever since

It was 29 years ago 3:

The triple gold disc I was awarded by Warner Music in the UK for my contribution to the sales of the Remasters releases –notably the £54 priced 4CD/LP box set –in the Our Price Store I managed in Bedford we generated over £10,000 sales during the opening weeks of release… not bad for a store of just 980 square feet. Great retail days they were…

Dave Lewis Diary Blog Update:

In the TBL office also known as the Spice of Life handing over a rare Jose Feliciano single to my very good friend Dec Hickey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday treats at the Vinyl Barn – at the always excellent Vinyl Barn last Friday morning I was well pleased to find a copy of the 1977 Island Records sampler The Noise Box Special…some top stuff on this – Eddie and the Hot Rods/John Martyn/Jess Roden/ Grace Jones etc..you gotta love Island Records samplers – Thanks Darren Harte.

A great night out at Esquires club in Bedford last Thursday night watching three excellent line ups namely Thr3e with Steve Woodward on guitar The Brutalists with Luke Bossendorfer on bass  and The Dirty Strangers with The Quireboys’ Guy Griffin on guitar

 

 

 

 

Great to see Luke Bossendorfer over from LA with the band The Brutalists for a gig at Esquires club in Bedford last Thursday. Way back in the late 80s when I was writing a weekly music column for the local paper, Luke’s early bands were often featured – it was great to catch up again after many years.

At the Esquires club in Bedford last Thursday it was great to see Jem Davis and Mick Newman former members of Tobruk who enjoyed a fair bit of success in the 80s. When I was writing a local weekly music column I often covered the band both being local Bedford lads. It was great to see them together again.

In amongst all that activity there’s been more work on a new project that is beginning to shape up nicely. More on all this soon. On the player it’s been a lot of Zep II related stuff and of course the original album – I am sure you will be wishing it a happy 50th anniversary this week…what an album…

Dave Lewis  –  October 22, 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:

https://www.facebook.com/tightbutloose.loose

The TBL/DL Facebook page has regular updates and photos – be sure to check it out.

And follow TBL/DL on Twitter

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3 Comments »

  • Dave Lewis (author) said:

    Thanks Wools!

  • Wools said:

    Dave,
    As always thank you for refocusing my attention to LZII today. I know it is impossible and always a no-no, but like picking your favorite child, LZII is my favorite. Always has, always will be. There it is; my favorite child, I did it and I feel better! Thank you again, Led Zep for the great music.

    Wools

  • Ian in NZ said:

    Nice appraisal of LZ2 Dave and nice to read the other comments. For me it’s the opening-to-first-chorus of Whole Lotta Love that really stuns. Stuns to the point of not being able to move kinda stunned!

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