It was 35 years ago on Monday …

Led Zeppelin at Live Aid – July 13, 1985:

Live Aid  – 35 Years Gone:

For all its ragged missed cues, hoarse vocals and cod drumming, I have great affinity for the ramshackle Zep Live Aid appearance. There’s little doubt that those 15 minutes on stage had a massive impact. Suddenly Led Zeppelin’s name was back in the frame and it was safe to own up to being a fan again.

Before all that, incredible as it sounds now, that early 80’s period had rendered them somewhat forgotten.

Not so after July 13th 1985. After that, all manner of bands were sighting them as an influence , the three of them even tried a reunion the following January and within two years both Plant and Page were recreating Zep songs on stage…and you know the rest.

We watched it here all unfold in some wonderment with our very good friends Alan, Steve and Coral – Coral sadly passed away earlier this year.

I vividly finally recall going to bed in the early hours of July 14th with renewed faith – Zep still meant so much to so many people and the very next day I began collating material for a reference work to their music that would eventual form the A Celebration book published in 1991. The whole Live Aid extravaganza did feel like we were watching something special and memorable unfold back then and I’m glad it’s recognised that way all these years later. I wrote a quite prophetic piece for the local paper The Bedfordshire Times on Live Aid at the time which said it would be a day to tell your children about. I wasn’t far wrong. here’s the review as published on July 18 ,1985.

While we are on the Live Aid anniversaries –the tenth one back in 1995 occurred on the night Page & Plant played an exhilarating set at the Sheffield Arena – all of 25 years ago . That was the night they merged Since I’ve Been Loving You into Tea For One in a glorious amalgamation. It was a moment of true magic which I’m proud to have been a few feet from.

Here’s TBL contributor Larry Bergmann Jr on Live Aid:

Live Aid…it’s oft been discussed in derogatory fashion over the years, but in fact it is an unforgettable part of the legacy, and perhaps not quite as bad as its reputation suggests.

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Robert Plant donates new equipment to the NHS team in Kidderminster:

Here’s an uplifting story…

A ROCK legend has described Worcestershire’s community nurses as “unsung heroes” after donating new equipment to the NHS team in Kidderminster.

Robert Plant, front man of iconic rock band Led Zeppelin, has donated a new emergency lifting cushion to the Glades Neighbourhood Team.

Read the full story at:

http://A ROCK legend has described Worcestershire’s community nurses as “unsung heroes” after donating new equipment to the NHS team in Kidderminster.

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LZ News:

For all the latest Led Zeppelin News check out the LZ News website at:

http://ledzepnews.com/

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Jimmy Page and Robert Plant – UK tour 1995 – it was 25 years ago…

25 years ago this week a fair few of you reading this were tearing up and down the highways and byways of the UK to catch the long awaited on stage return of   Jimmy Page & Robert Plant.

It was incredibly exciting few days -I was lucky enough to catch the dates in Glasgow, Sheffield, St Austell, Poole and two nights in Birmingham and London. Along the way there was many a TBL meet in pubs and hotel bars as we all came out to celebrate.

So to mark this anniversary here’s a piece that I ran in the TBL mag and subsequently my Celebration II The Tight but Loose Files book…

So let’s turn the clock back 25 years….this first extract takes the story up to the UK tour – with part 2 to follow next time..

With the MTV film in the can, the next logical move was to take the show out on the road, and manager Bill Curbishley drew up an ambitious itinerary that would commence in America early in 1995.

The pair decided to extend the formula used for the MTV shows, employing the Egyptian string and percussion ensemble led by Hossam Ramzy and dubbed The Egyptian Pharaohs. Under the direction of Ed Shearmur they enlisted the assistance of local orchestras in each area they performed, thus enabling them to repeat the successful formula used for the Unledded filming which allowed fresh interpretations of the Zeppelin catalogue.

Just prior to the tour opening in February, Page and Plant reunited with John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham for an appearance at New York’s Waldorf hotel to accept Led Zeppelin’s induction into the Rock’n’Roll Hall Of Fame. Jonesy’s comment – “Thanks for my friends for remembering my phone number” – during his speech was a curt acknowledgement of his displeasure at being ignored.

Rehearsals for the Page Plant tour took place in London, and a preview of what was in store occurred when the pair did a live link up for the American TV Awards, performing ‘Black Dog’.

In early April I was lucky enough to catch their two day stint at the Meadowlands Arena in America. The second night where they strolled on to the stage and moved into ‘Thank You’ remains a defining memory. Further shows in Paris, Glasgow, Sheffield, St Austell, Poole, Birmingham and London proved conclusively that despite their advancing years the duo’s ability to recreate the power and grace of Zeppelin was without question.

It was a glorious period as long time fans and those too young to have seen Zep in their prime revelled in what was all in name the Zeppelin reunion we had all hoped for. By the tour’s end it was evident that Jimmy Page was playing better than at any time during the previous fifteen years. Indeed for a project that began as a request to strum a few Zep tunes unledded style for MTV’s acoustic showcase, when played live night after night this reappraisal of the Zeppelin catalogue developed into a fully ledded experience. A trend that would continue when they returned to the live action in 1998.

The TBL coverage of the tour was extensive. Issue 11 included a gig by gig summary aided by the input of many first hand views. For the next issue I was able to reflect on the entire 115 dates coming up with the best 53 peformances that might form a definitive retrospective view of this long awaited comeback. In keeping with the imaginary Led Zeppelin Live chronological live album concept explored in A Celebration, I’ve reproduced the entire text of the Page Plant World tour overview providing a clear focus on one of their most prolific periods of the post Zep era.

THE EVOLOUTION OF LED ZEPPELIN CONTINUES..

THE PAGE PLANT 1995/6 WORLD TOUR IN RETROSPECT

The Page Plant 1995/6 world tour finally came to an end on March 1, 1996, with the 115th date of a tour that spanned 370 days. The entire trek covered five continents and 19 countries and included nearly 2,000 individual song performances.

After a 15 year hiatus it was at last an opportunity for fans old and new to witness first hand the musical chemistry that Jimmy Page and Robert Plant still maintain. A chemistry that was at the forefront of their achievements within Led Zeppelin

It was a unanimous success – not least because of the unorthodox stance the pair took in approaching their back catalogue. Never a mere exercise in nostalgia, in reinterpreting the likes of ‘Kashmir’ and ‘In The Evening’, the clever deployment of the Egyptian Pharaohs worked superbly well. Similarly, bringing local orchestras under the direction of Ed Shearmur in each location to embellish performances of ‘Since I’ve Been Loving’, ‘Going To California’, ‘Babe I’m Gonna Leave You’ etc, added a fresh dimension. It was a master touch that kept the momentum flowing throughout the year long excursion.

Some admissions and conclusions: Firstly the controversy. Should they have included Jones? And should they have billed it as Led Zeppelin?

Jones’ absence remains a disappointment. Many will feel he should have at least been offered the opportunity to participate and should certainly have been informed first hand of their plans.

As for the name, well by the tour’s end they were openly projecting it on the billboards (“Playing the legendary songs of Led Zeppelin” as the Australian ads proclaimed).The heavy swing towards the Zep catalogue also made it something of a Zeppelin concert in all but name.

By not using the name they did avoid all the hype that would have gone with it and in avoiding the fully fledged reunion many felt they upheld the integrity of the group.

Whatever name it went under, when Page and Plant took flight on something like the middle section of ‘Whole Lotta Love’, well it wasn’t to hard to detect where the essence of all that had come from. The thrill of the two frontmen redefine the original Zep premise to go ever onward was undeniable.

The tour kicked off in Pensacola on February 26. The first part of the tour took in 27 dates running into April. Early set list surprises included a version of The Cure’s ‘Lullaby’ and the Coverdale Page track ‘Shake My Tree’. After a nine day break they undertook a further 27 dates in Europe including eight outdoor festival appearances. The UK dates included an acclaimed performance in the veterans slot on the Sunday line up at Glastonbury and two more intimate venue dates at St Austell and Poole. ‘The Battle Of Evermore’ and ‘Going To California’ were notable additions to the set list.

They were back in the US in the fall, kicking off with three dates in Mexico. This leg of the tour saw them reach new levels of intensity with a series of near flawless gigs on the West Coast. The US tour ended with a memorable two night stint at the old Zep stamping ground Madison Square Garden in New York.

Second guitarist Porl Thompson opted out of the line-up at this point and Jimmy took on all the guitar chores theerafter. Following four massive stadium dates in South America, Page and Plant holidayed in Hawaii, then undertook ten shows in Japan including six nights at the Budokan.

This run of shows saw them change the set list nightly, pulling out debut performances for the Zep standards ‘The Rain Song’ and ‘Tea For One’. The final leg took in five shows in Australia. They arrived on February 22, almost 22 years to the day of the commencement of Zeppelin’s only Australian visit. The final date took place at Flinders Park, Melbourne, on March 1.

Great moments along the away? So many really: Page’s nightly off the cuff riffing before ‘Black Dog’, those unpredictable medley’s during ‘Calling To You’ and ‘Whole Lotta Love’, the theremin battle during ‘Shake My Tree’, that stirring intro to ‘In The Evening’ with Plant in all his Arabic vocal glory, Porl’s soloing in ‘Song Remains The Same’, Michael Lee’s drumming throughout – a key ingrediant to the success of the whole project, the joyous crowd participation in ‘Hey Hey What Can I Do’ ,the ‘Stairway’ tease in ‘Babe I’m Gonna Leave You’, the interchanging set lists in Japan.

There were a few irritants: The rigid nature of the set lists during the UK tour, Plant’s general reticence to adopt his familiar mike in hand poses until the encores – his customary stances and movements that were so prominent in Zep but noticeably absent during his solo years, replaced by a sometimes stilted stage presence as he stayed glued to the mike.

Finally it all comes down to the music – and many hours of this tour has made it onto unofficial recordings. There have surely been few tours that have been so extensively chronicled. The advent of the mini DAT recorder has opened up the floodgates for good quality audience recordings.

In a move inspired by The Grateful Dead’s relaxed laissez-faire gig taping policy (that certainly would not have happened under the iron rule of Peter Grant), during the US first leg the duo allowed fans to tape their gigs in special taper sections behind the mixing desk. By making shows widely available on tape the hope was that this would alleviate the need for fans to invest in bootleg CDs. It didn’t stop something like 80 bootleg CD titles surfacing from the tour, including no less than three 20-CD box sets (the UK chronicle Get Rid of The Smoke and two Japanese tour sets Ten Days and Live legend) plus a stock of privately circulated audience shot videos.)

With so many tapes at our disposal, there is ample scope to take a retrospective view of the tour. Having listened to hours of material drawn from the many tapes of the tour, I have compiled an imaginary four-CD compilation that takes in all the major developments along the way. It includes the one-off gems slotted in, the stand-out performances, the offbeat sequences and all the historic moments building into a true overview of the entire tour. It features 53 extracts drawn from 26 different locations spread over 28 shows; nearly five hours of musical Page and Plant highlights that capture the often barely believable events that thousands of fans were privileged to enjoy during those 370 days.

So this is Page and Plant on tour together at last in 1995 and 1996. Proving conclusively that the evolution of Led Zeppelin continues…

CD1: US Tour First Leg:

Intro: Tales of Bron – Robin Williamson poem

‘Immigrant Song’ intro/’The Wanton Song’

(Thompson Bowling Arena, Knoxville, Tenessee, March 3 1995)

The previous date in Atlanta had seen the amalgamation of ‘Immigrant Song’

into ‘Wanton Song’ as the set opener. On that occasion they had some trouble sorting out the ending (it was after all the first live airing of ‘Wanton Song’ in 20 years!). In Knoxville it all came together with Page leading the way with some dexterous runs. The atmospheric opening introduction poem that proceeded became a familiar opening ritual to a majority of the US first leg and some European dates. The choice of the little known Incredible String Band album extract recalled Plant’s fondness for this Sixties outfit, and by the time Robin Williamson had got to the line “There is the flavoured haunt of pleasure, no haunt or threat or malediction, but sweet of music strikes the air” the fans knew what was coming next as the silhouettes on stage burst into life.

‘Wanton Song’ went on to become the favoured set opener, clocking over 80 performances during the tour.

‘Achilles Last Stand’

(The Omni, Atlanta, Georgia, February 28 1995)

‘Achilles’ was always a prime contender for reworking on this tour so it was no real surprise when it turned up in the set lists of the two opening dates in Pensacola and Atlanta. More baffling was the fact it was never played again. On the evidence of the passion they brought to this performance there appears no logical reason why. It was a more than competent display that kicked along with all the verve of the best Zep deliveries circa 1977. Robert introduced it as “One of the first songs Jimmy and I wrote relating to travel” – a similar spiel would be given over to introducing The Song Remains The Same which effectively took over the Achilles slot the next night.

Watching the video shot from the show, it’s clear they were enjoying reliving this crucial Zep track – the pair could be seen clustered together in a classic pose during the “Aha… Aha” refrain.

At times the February 28 delivery of ‘Achilles Last Stand’ recreated the spirit of Led Zeppelin better than any other single performance on the tour. Maybe that’s why they decided to drop it. Perhaps they both felt it was just a little too close to what went before…

‘House Of The Rising Son’/‘Good times Bad Times’

( UNO Lakefront Arena, New Orleans, Louisanna, March 11 1995)

From the moment Plant casually walked up to the mic and oozed into the traditional local blues standard ‘House Of The Rising Sun’, this second night in New Orleans was destined to be special.

They then switched straight into ‘Good Times Bad Times’, the only performance of the rarely played Led Zep I opener. And it was a joy to hear them rumble through the familiar stops and starts of the track with Michael Lee on drums proving his worth.

‘Lullaby’

(UNO Lakefront Arena New Orleans Louisanna March 11 1995)

When the first set lists were posted on the Internet many presumed this was a new song and listed it as ‘Spiderman’. In actual fact it was a revivial from Porl Thompson’s Cure days. It worked as an offbeat interlude amongst the Zep numbers with Plant immersed in the lyric and Page cutting fine precise lines against Porl’s rhythm work. ‘Lullaby’ survived in the set until the early part of the Europran dates before being deleted.

‘The Song Remains The Same’

(UNO Lakefront Arena, New Orleans, Lousinna, March 11 1995)

“There’s a ….”

At the beginning of this mid-period Zep classic, Plant twice taunted the crowd with the opening line from the well known Rolf Harris cover. Instead Page led them into a powerful rendition of the Houses Of The Holy opener. This was a definite highlight of the US leg with Page and Porl Thompson trading licks most effectively, with the latter’s speed on the Gibson jumbo guitar really pushing the song along. Plant reached the high notes with ease as it led it into a glorious finale. “Can you feel it?” asked the singer afterwards. Absolutely.

‘Tangerine’/’Hey Hey What Can I Do’

(US Air Arena, Landover, Washington, March 23 1995)

Two superb performances lined up back to back during this show. ‘Tangerine’ made its only appearance on this leg performed in a full band arrangement. The crowd reaction as Page hit the familiar notes was nothing less than euphoric. Porl played some suitably laid back electric parts against Page’s Ovation acoustic strumming. A nostalgic first outing for the Zep III standard that was last performed live twenty years back at Earls Court.

The underrated Zep III leftover (and subsequent US B side to ‘Immigrant Song’) ‘Hey Hey What Can I Do’ was another revelation with the crowd egarly joining in the chorus. Videos from the tour of this track show Page beaming with pride and duck walking along the stage.

‘Boogie Chillun’ sequence

(Skydome Arena, Toronto, March 27 1995)

“One night I was laying down”… The John Lee Hooker standard was an integral part of the ‘Whole Lotta Love’ medley in the Zeppelin era. This was its only appearance on the tour, emerging during the ‘Calling To You’ medley. The way it developed out of a lengthy Page solo was invigorating and for those in attendance a rare revival for another part of the Zep live canon.

‘Calling To You’ including ‘Break On Through’/’As Long As I Have You’/

‘Dazed And Confused’ inserts

(Brendan Byrne Arena, Meadowlands, East Rutherford, New Jersey, April 6 1995)

‘Calling To You’ had previously been a highlight of Plant’s Fate Of Nations tour. With Jimmy on board it quickly developed into an extended piece that included a compelling guitar battle with Porl, a seminal riff exercise and then into an anything-could-happen medley sequence in the grand Zep tradition. This night in Meadowlands was exceptional for the inclusion of Garnett Mimms ‘As Long As I Have You’, a staple of the first two Zeppelin American tours but not performed by Page or Plant since. It followed the now customary delivery of The Doors’ ‘Break On Through’ and then merged with a few lines from ‘Dazed And Confused’. Another memorable sequence.

‘Shake My Tree’

(Great Western Forum, Inglewood, Los Angeles, California, May 17 1995)

On the face of it this was a rather bizarre choice for inclusion on the tour. A highlight of the 1993 Coverdale Page album, it says much of Plant’s compatibility with Page at the time that he agreed to sing the Coverdale lyrics, albeit in a slightly amended form. ‘Shake’ was actually a great riff exercise which allegedly was first conceived during the Zep In Through The Out Door sessions. On stage it gave Plant the chance to pull out the old “Suck it!” refrain at appropriate moments and for Page to weave those weird sounds from the theremin.

‘Kashmir’

(Great Western Forum, Inglewood Los Angeles, California, May 17 1995)

When Page and Plant breezed back into the Forum some 17 years after the night of Listen To This Eddie, a tradition of spontaneity was upheld. During ‘Kashmir’ they were joined by guest violinist Lili Hayden who brought a impulsive virtuoso feel to the end section as she pitted her talents against the Egyptian Pharaohs. “Ladies and gentlemen Lili Hayden appears at the Viper Room in Holly wood every Sunday night,” Plant informed the audience at the close.

TO BE CONTINUED…

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Led Zeppelin Badgeholders Blues:

A report here about a new DVD download project…

After nearly two months of hard work and collaboration, The Dogs of Doom’s Project People are proud to unveil LED ZEPPELIN: BADGEHOLDER BLUES, a 2 disc DVD9 compilation spanning nearly 4 hours highlighting the best of the band’s six night run at the Los Angeles Forum in June 1977 synced to video all across the tour.

The audio, compiled by Led Zeppelin Boots, is a masterful mix of these six concerts. The Project People took meticulous time to choose the best versions of each song based on performance. As only four of the six dates were captured by the great Mike Millard, the inferior June 22 and 26 recordings were reserved for unique performances, such as It’ll Be Me or The Lemon Song in In My Time of Dying. A few Easter eggs come from other dates on the tour.

The video, compiled by ledzepfilm, mixes the Seattle July 17 pro-shot footage with over a dozen 8mm films, including three of the six nights in Los Angeles. Where video wasn’t available, the Project People did extensive searches across the Internet to find photos of the band performing the correct song and were compiled into engaging slideshows. Where Led Zeppelin was quite static and stiff in Seattle, the 8mm films spice up this release by showcasing all four members at their best and most energetic.

Also included on the discs are exclusive menu tidbits as well as a few “alternate cuts” using different audio before being cut for performance or sound quality (particularly from June 22).

LED ZEPPELIN: BADGEHOLDER BLUES is available via free digital distribution by emailing badgeholderblues1977@gmail.com. You will receive a Google Drive link with the 2 DVD9 files as well as instructions on how to watch it digitally. You may also burn the files to your own DVDs for personal use. Stay tuned for the Project People’s next release: a best-of compilation from the North American 1975 tour.

Cover art designed by Led Zeppelin Rarities.

Disc 1:

The Song Remains the Same

The Rover/Sick Again

Nobody’s Fault But Mine

In My Time of Dying (incl. Rip it Up, The Lemon Song)

Since I’ve Been Loving You

No Quarter

Ten Years Gone

The Battle of Evermore

Going to California

I Can’t Be Satisfied

Black Country Woman

Bron-Y-Aur Stomp (incl. Dancing Days)

That’s Alright Mama

Disc 2:

White Summer-Black Mountain Side (incl. Swan Song)

Kashmir

Trampled Underfoot

Over the Top

Heartbreaker

Over the Hills and Far Away

Noise Solo

Achilles Last Stand

Stairway to Heaven

Whole Lotta Love

Communication Breakdown

Rock and Roll

It’ll Be Me

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Bonus (Alternate Cuts):

The Rover (June 25)

The Rover (June 26)

Nobody’s Fault But Mine (June 23 Harmonica Solo)

Over the Hills and Far Away (June 22)

Achilles Last Stand (June 22 and 23)

Sample video

Have a look at:

https://youtu.be/IduewwAnr5A

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Evolution Device – Author: Lif Strand

Long time TBL supporter Lif Strand has been in touch with details of his new novel:

Here’s the info…

Category: Science fiction and fantasy.
ISBN: 978-1-5154-4637-8
Price: $24.99
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 292
Release Date: July 28th, 2020

Book Description:

A stunning debut novel…

Evolution Device is an entertaining mix of backstage drama and spiritual fantasy, imagining a quintessential 1970s rock ‘n’ roll success story from the not-quite-real perspective of an artistic muse who makes the music possible.  Written with the passion of a true fan, it’s as unique as a 1959 Les Paul and authentic as a Stratocaster solo. —George Case,  author of Jimmy Page:  Magus, Musician, Man and Led Zeppelin FAQ

This book gave me chill bumps, it was written so well. It pierces the world of the rock star, the rock band, and the audience of  each. I particularly liked the characterization of the Muse. She, too, was so real I felt I could touch her. And if I did she would’ve escaped my fingertips as she does in this remarkable novel.—Gerald Hausman, author of The Evil Chasing Way

Evolution Device is at once a throwback to the glory days of rock and roll and a unique take on the Muse. Add in a supernatural guitar named Lady, and Lif Strand’s ode to music and the relationships between artists, bandmates, instruments, and everything in between takes a speculative turn. Strand’s novel personifies a love for art, music, and creativity in a way that only she can pull off. A page-turner from start to finish, Evolution Device amusingly explores the interconnection between all aspects of music and art. —Josh Hrala, editor of The Arcanist.

Ordering details as follows:

Amazon UK:

https://bit.ly/EvolutionDevice

Amazon US:

https://bit.ly/EvoDev

Barnes & Noble:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/evolution-device-lif-strand/1137249809?ean=9781515446378

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TBL Market Place:

Welcome to the TBL Market Place – this is a forum I’ll be using to offer one off items from the DL Led Zep and related collection.

Each item will be listed for ten days –during which interested buyers can log their bid for the item via emailing me at davelewis.tbl1@ntlworld.com – after the closing date I will email the successful bidder and arrange payment and distribution.

Two new items to bid for this week:

Led Zeppelin The Final Acclaim by Dave Lewis

My first book published by Babylon Books in 1983 – good condition

The Complete Guide To The Music of Led Zeppelin by Dave Lewis

Published by Omnibus Press in 1994 this is my track by track overview of the Led Zeppelin catalogue – CD sized book in good condition

You can bid for an individual item or multiple items at once.

Interested buyers should log their maximum bid(s) by sending an email headlined TBL Market Place to davelewis.tbl1@ntlworld.com

Closing date for all bids is July 17, 2020.

I will inform the winner(s) soon after that date.

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July 8….The Rolling Stones Goats Head Soup Deluxe edition -with unreleased Page/Richards Scarlet track? 

Teaser adverts and clips on the official Rolling Stones website have indicated that a deluxe extended edition of the 1973 Goats Head Soup is on the way. The cryptic Jimmy Page reference on this advert ”Scarlet O’ Hara cocktail apparently a favourite with Jimmy Page” may well indicate that an official release of the unreleased Jimmy Page/Keith Richard collaboration titled Scarlet may well be part of the extra contents. The track was allegedly cut in 1974. The deluxe edition is due out September 4. More on this as it unfolds…

July 9..all confirmed…

July 9, 2020

Another prized jewel in the Rolling Stones‘ unmatched catalogue is to be restored to its full glory and more, with the September 4 multi-format release of their 1973 classic Goats Head Soup. The album will be available in multiple configurations, including four-disc CD and vinyl box set editions, with a treasure trove of unreleased studio and live material. Pre-order Goats Head Soup here.

The reissue follows the huge success and acclaim for the Stones’ “Living In A Ghost Town” single and their universally-admired lockdown performance of “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” in Global Citizen’s April special One World: Together at Home.

The box set and deluxe CD and vinyl editions of Goats Head Soup will all feature ten bonus tracks, which include alternate versions, outtakes and no fewer than three previously unheard tracks. The first of these to be unveiled, “Criss Cross”, is available as an instant grat track today with pre-orders of the album, and on all streaming and download services. The official “Criss Cross” video is out now, watch here.

Stones devotees worldwide will be thrilled by the inclusion, on the box set and deluxe editions, of the previously unheard “Scarlet”, featuring guitar by Jimmy Page, and a third newly unveiled song, “All The Rage”.

The layered guitar textures of “Scarlet” make for a track that’s as infectious and raunchy as anything the band cut in this hallowed era. As well as Jimmy Page guesting alongside Mick & Keith on the track it also features on bass Rick Grech of Blind Faith fame.

“All The Rage” has a wild, post – “Brown Sugar” strut and the percussive “Criss Cross” rocks and swaggers as only the Stones can. The bonus disc of unreleased material also sheds new light on tracks such as “100 Years Ago” and “Hide Your Love”, with further unissued mixes by Stones insider and acclaimed producer Glyn Johns.

The box set editions of Goats Head Soup will also include Brussels Affair, the 15-track live album recorded in a memorable show in Belgium, on the autumn 1973 tour that followed the album’s late August release. This much-sought-after disc, mixed by Bob Clearmountain, was previously available only in the Rolling Stones’ “official bootleg” series of live recordings in 2012.

The Brussels show features the already-classic “Tumbling Dice”, “Midnight Rambler”, “Jumping Jack Flash” and many others, and includes a sequence of tracks from the then-new album. “Star Star” is followed by “Dancing With Mr. D”, “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)” and “Angie”.

Additionally, the CD and vinyl box sets offer the original ten-track album in 5.1 Surround Sound, Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res mixes, along with the videos for “Dancing With Mr. D”, “Silver Train” and “Angie”. An exclusive 120-page book will feature a remarkable array of photographs, essays by writers Ian McCann, Nick Kent and Daryl Easlea and faithful reproductions of four tour posters from 1973.

As McCann writes: “Goats Head Soup was released with plenty of fanfare. Despite what you may read today, the kids weren’t entirely absorbed by glam rock, metal, prog and Philly soul back in 1973, and they bought the album in their thousands, sending it to No. 1 in the USA and in the UK, their fifth consecutive British chart-topper.”

Their 11^th UK studio album, recorded in Jamaica, Los Angeles and London as their last collaboration with producer Jimmy Miller, Goats Head Soup came in the wake of the Stones’ landmark 1972 double album Exile On Main St. The new set was introduced by the single that became one of their most exalted ballads, the endlessly elegant “Angie”, completed by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards during a songwriting sojourn in Switzerland.

The timeless love song, showcasing Jagger’s yearning lead vocal and Nicky Hopkins’ beautiful piano motif, topped the charts in the US, where it was certified platinum, and went to No. 1 across Europe, Australia and beyond. “We decided to do something different, and it worked,” Richards told Rolling Stone of “Angie”. “Maybe a lot of people bought it that would never buy a Stones LP.” Interestingly in a recent interview with The New York Times, Bob Dylan chose “Angie” as one of three Rolling Stones songs he wished he had written.

Goats Head Soup, with its famous David Bailey sleeve, featured the Stones’ vintage 1969-1974 line-up of Jagger, Richards, Mick Taylor, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts, with the addition of some essential collaborators. On an album on which their trademark rocking sound was often augmented by more low-key, reflective material, there were no fewer than four featured piano players: Hopkins, Billy Preston, Ian ‘Stu’ Stewart and Jagger himself.

“Angie” was the only single to be released from the LP in the UK, where it spent two weeks at No. 5 in September. In the US, the exhilaratingly funky, horn-filled “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)”,featuring Mick Taylor’s wah-wah lead guitar, followed it into the top 20 in February 1974.

The many other highlights of the album included the majestically brooding opener “Dancing With Mr. D”, the lithely strutting “100 Years Ago” and “Star Star” and the graceful “Winter”. Richards’ rueful lead vocal on “Coming Down Again” featured another Stones stalwart, saxophonist Bobby Keys. “Silver Train”, the b-side of “Angie”, would be revived after a gap of some 40 years, during the Stones’ 14 On Fire tour of 2014, when Mick Taylor reprised his original guitar part in shows in Tokyo and Brisbane.

When the album was first released, reviewers lined up to sing its praises. “This is music which could only come from good musicians who know each other really well,” ruled the late and esteemed writer-broadcaster Charlie Gillett in Let It Rock. “The Stones succeed because they rarely forget their purpose — the creation of rock & roll drama,” said Bud Scoppa in Rolling Stone. “It’s deepening and unfolding over the coming months will no doubt rate as one of the year’s richest musical experiences.”

Stephen Demorest in Circus said that the album “rushes and rambles with all the power and finesse that have become the signature of the hardworking band in performance.” Forty-seven years on, the expanded reissues of Goats Head Soup prove that’s still true, and then some.

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The Rolling Stones in Hyde Park -it was 51 years ago this week: 

The Rolling Stones and me and a week in July 51 years ago…

I can remember quite a lot about the days that led up to The Rolling Stones performing that famous free concert in Hyde Park all of 51 years ago on Saturday July 5 1969.

On Tuesday, July 1 all our school converged on the main hall to watch the Investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales in Caernarfon Castle in Wales. Later in the week on Friday July 4 I awoke to see the headlines in the newspapers that Brian Jones, the recently departed Rolling Stones founder member, had been found dead in somewhat mysterious circumstances in the swimming pool of Cotchford Farm home.

The Stones were due to play that massive concert just two days later. On that Friday afternoon of July 4, I walked from school into town – my destination was the WH Smith book shop in the High Street, then known as FR Hockliffe.

A quick aside – little did I know that afternoon in 1969 that in a mere five years, I would be working at this shop behind the record department counter commencing a 35 year career in music retail.

The reason for the visit was for me to select a book of my own choice as a school prize. I had done pretty well that first year in the Silver Jubilee secondary modern school and had been awarded the merit prize. I spent some time wading through the books settling on a Billy Bunter book by Frank Richards. I loved the Bunter books – whilst there I also bought a copy of Tom Brown’s Schooldays. Reading was already a big passion – my regular other choice reading was the New Musical Express – aka NME – the huge selling weekly music paper.

As mentioned in a previous post, back in the spring of 1969 aged 12, I had got right back into music after hearing The Beatles’ Get Back single.

I was now immersed in the world of pop and rock and I knew from reading the NME that The Rolling Stones Hyde Park free concert was going to be a very big deal.

After buying my books at FW Hockliffe I returned home to watch the TV coverage of the Wimbledon Ladies singles final. Our own Anne Jones making it are British triumph by beating Billie Jean King 3-6,6-3 6-2. This piece of sporting history was also enjoyed by The Beatles. The July 4 entry in Mark Lewisohn’s remarkable book The Beatles At Abbey Road reveals that on that same afternoon, The Beatles were at work in Abbey Road Studios recording Golden Slumbers/ Carry That Weight. The studio engineers has been listening to the live BBC Radio 2  coverage of the Anne Jones -Billie Jean King final and had relayed it to the three Beatles, Paul, George and Ringo through the mixing console.

Whilst in town earlier that afternoon had I ventured to the popular local record shop Carousel ( which I often did), I may well have seen copies of the new Rolling Stones single Honky Tonk Women on sale as it was released that same day. I may also have seen the new John Lennon/ Plastic Ono Band single Give Peace A Chance which also came out that day. At the time the eight shillings and sixpence asking price for a single was way out of my league. However in the coming weeks I would subsequently hear them both many times on the radio and on the local juke box at our local café.

On Saturday July 5, Radio One broadcast regular updates of the gathering crowds in Hyde Park to which I avidly listened to. Oh to be there but I was far too young. Seven years later I did make it to the free concert Queen gave in Hyde Park.

I read all about the Hyde park concert in the following weeks issue of  NME and gazed in wonder at all those amazing photos – Jagger looked incredible. In September, I watched the Granada TV documentary Stones In The Park when it was screened on ITV.

By then, I had deemed The Rolling Stones as my favourite group – just edging it over The Beatles. That would all change of course in a few months when I heard Whole Lotta Love by a group called Led Zeppelin.

I loved the Honky Tonk Women single – with its dramatic intro and bluesy chorus. I also loved the B side You Can’t Always Get What You Want. This was often played on the local café juke box. The B sides of popular singles would often get an airing on that juke box. Actually there was an exception to that. There wasn’t much call for the B side of Give Peace A Chance – Remember Love sung rather softly but not that sweetly by Yoko Ono.

Around 1973, I acquired an audience recording of the Stones Hyde Park show on a bootleg LP. Years later, when it received an official release on DVD I eagerly snapped it up. It’s a superb documentary and very much of its time and takes me right back all of 51 years to that memorable week in July when in much schoolboy wonderment, I soaked up all the remarkable events that were unfolding on the music scene.

Later in the month there would be more awe inspiring events to take in when Neil Armstrong made that first step on the Moon.

Ahead lay Woodstock and the Isle of Wight fFstivals, the release of Abbey Road and an album titled Led Zeppelin II

It was 51 years ago and my musical landscape was being broadened by the week…oh for a time machine to relive it all again…

Dave Lewis, July , 2020

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July 3 – It was 37 years ago:

Tuesday July 7:

It was 40 years ago today…

On the player the 3 LP A Memory Frozen Forever bootleg set capturing the last Led Zeppelin performance with John Bonham 40 years ago today in Berlin ..and what a final performance it was..here’s part of my review on TBL website

Listening now to what would be there last moments together as a band is a moving experience, not least because of the striking content of the final performances of Stairway To Heaven and Whole Lotta Love -both of which are worth the price of admission alone – because both are delivered in unique arrangements.

Planet Rock magazine:

Always a welcome sound…Planet Rock magazine dropping through the door…but sadly not for much longer the next issue is the final one. I will certainly miss the writings in the mag of the likes of Paul Brannigan, Pat Gilbert and Mark Blake…