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TBL LED ZEP ’75 SNAPSHOT/BRANDY & COKE TRAMPLED PREVIEW/ PLAYBACK COMPETITION/ EARLS COURT PHOTO BOOK/DL DIARY UPDATE

12 February 2015 3,327 views 4 Comments

Olympic feb 7

TBL Led Zep 1975 Snapshot:

With the 40th anniversary of Led Zeppelin’s activities in 1975 upon us -I will be celebrating this era with a series of TBL Led Zep 1975    Snapshots – these will take the form of postings covering specific gigs and events from the era, with particular spotlight on the period January to May 1975. They will run periodically on the TBL Facebook pages and on the TBL website.

This is designed to track the progress of the year as it unfolded. I will also be listening to the relevant bootleg of the chosen gig on the day to add a perspective of how it sounds 40 years on.

This is where things really get going…

TBL Led Zep 1975 Snapshot: Number 5

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 12th, 1975

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN 

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. San Francisco)/Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – Black Dog/Heartbreaker (inc. That’s Alright Mama).

Background Details:

Whilst in New York, for recreation, Jimmy went to see Linda Ronstadt in New Jersey with ex-James Gang member Joe Walsh.

Writer and future film director Cameron Crowe is travelling with the band with a view to arranging a cover story for Rolling Stone magazine. Crowe builds up a good rapport with the group (he later contributes the sleeve notes to The Song Remains The Same soundtrack album) and interviews all four members, finally capturing Page at the Plaza Hotel during their Madison Square stint. Page, though none too happy with the paper’s previous coverage of the group, reluctantly agrees to a group photo session after much persuasion.

Cameron Crowe remembers: “Time was running out but I got Ben Fong Torres at the magazine’s office to hold the cover. Photographer Neal Preston reserved a room at the Plaza and set up a backdrop. It was the band’s day off (February 11). The members were informed of the afternoon shoot but mysteriously that morning Page disappeared from the hotel. Plant was first to arrive at 4PM, his shirt ‘accidentally’ open, his hair ‘accidentally’ perfect, then Jones and Bonham. Joe Walsh was there with his then manager Irving Azoff to help their friend Jimmy through this most tender ordeal. Page was still nowhere to be seen.

“Finally, Page arrived. In his arms were two bouquets of dead roses – his defiant statement for the cover of Rolling Stone. He explained his delay: ‘I was looking for black roses. They exist you know!’ He looked around the room. ‘Let’s do this quickly!’

“The session began. Three of the four members of Led Zeppelin struck a conciliatory pose, but the fourth Jimmy Page – held roses and stared through the camera. It was his chilling look that made the photo. The film was rushed to the lab and I flew home to San Francisco to write up the story. I had decided it would be a question and answer feature – that’s how good the interviews were.

“The call came early next day. There had been an equipment malfunction. The film was unusable; barely exposed was a dark silhouette of what might have been a Rolling Stone cover to rival the best. The cover was hastily switched to a tinted live Preston shot. That turned out nicely – and the issue with Zeppelin on the cover was a huge seller. It’s just a shame Page’s defiant stance was never seen.”

Snapshot Listen:- How it sounded today:

I’ve had this show for some years on the audience recording Can’t Take Your Evil Ways (Diagrams Of Led Zeppelin). In 2001 it then surfaced on the Empress Valley label as Flying Circus as a very well balanced soundboard recording. This was a revelation at the time and I recall a very excited Mark Harrison ringing me to tell me how good it was. And it is good -very good indeed and playing it today the whole thing sounded great. This is the point where the US tour really began to take off.

Robert is quick to comment on the snow that was surrounding the city at the time: “We came four blocks in the snow to get here… you realise that? People were calling me on the telephone today and saying ‘Is it gonna be on?’ For a minute I was wondering about my anatomy, then I realised there was some discrepancy about the weather. Isn’t it good though that it snows? Doesn’t it change the vibe of the city? I think it’s great!”

No Quarter expands with a lovely electric piano sequence and a wah wah fest from Page that has the feel of the electric fusion Miles Davis pioneered on the likes of Bitches Brew. Trampled Underfoot has a particularly expressive solo from Page.  Dazed And Confused continues to extend with the San Francisco sequence sounding very spaced out and brief section from Walter’s Walk which would eventually surface on Coda. The outro features those West Side Story licks.

Thee final encore of Heartbreaker is preceded by some lines from You Shook Me- during the solo they move into an impromptu version of That’s Alright Mama’ A perfect end to a perfect party. Plant: “Ladies and gentlemen of New York… you’re too much… and we ain’t so bad ourselves!”

Indeed they were not….

TBL Led Zep 1975 Snapshot: Number 6:

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 13th, 1975

nass 1

UNIONDALE , NEW YORK

NASSAU  VETERANS MEMORIAL 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. San Francisco)/Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – Black Dog/Roll Over Beethoven/Communication Breakdown.

Snapshot Listen:- How it sounded today:

I have this on the Throwing The Wild Sees box set. Another fine performance. Dazed And Confused contains much improvisation. Page’s injured finger is causing less problems now. Whole Lotta Love tonight includes the theremin for the first time on the tour during a funky interlude prior to leading into ‘Black Dog’.

Ronnie Wood then on tour with The Faces, comes on for the final encore of ‘Communication Breakdown’. Robert sings a few lines of Chuck Berry’s Roll Over Beethoven while the guitars are being sorted out. Communication Breakdown itself is greatly extended and clocks in at over nine minutes with both guitarists taking solos. One of the all time great Zep jams.

 TBL Led Zep 1975 Snapshot: Number 6:

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 14 1975

UNIONDALE, NEW YORK

NASSAU VETERANS MEMORIAL COLISEUM

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

Background Info: Mike Tremaglio recalled: One of my friends saw this show from the 14th row.Unfortunately he could not score tickets for my brother and I – not that I held it against him as I got him tickets for the June 7 1977 New York show. We asked him to log down all the details of the Nassau show  and we  did get a blow by blow account of the new songs from Physical Graffiti a full two weeks before it was released in the U.S. His recall was tremendous and I can remember him describing  In My Time of Dying and Kashmir in real detail.

……………………..

Snapshot Listen:- How it sounded today:

I have this on the Nassau 1975 (TheDiagrams Of Led Zeppelin) audience version. I’ve been listening to this show today via the soundboard recording that surfaced a few years back as released on the Scorpio label and as part of the Godfather Throwing The Wild Seeds box set .

It’s one of my favourite performances of the 1975 US tour.

Plant is just about regaining his vocals strength after the problems of the past weeks. He is also on his spieling best form developing one of those band to audience rapports he was so good at.

Witness his opening statements:

“Today is one of the last of the pagan traditions that is carried on into the 20th Century. It’s the day for throwing the wild seeds. In fact, now they call it St. Valentine’s Day… so, happy St. Valentine’s Day! I think we should dedicate this whole show to St. Valentine.”

nas 2“Tonight, we intend to take a knife and cut right through the glorious ice cream of Led Zeppelin. You get a little bit of vanilla, a little bit of chocolate, a little bit of colour and a little bit of everything”

And more..

“We came here in a state of ah, Jimmy managed to get to sleep at three o’clock this afternoon, and he was up again at four thirty. So we didn’t really know whether we had the strength to walk on the stage, but we have, and it’s feeling good. We were, we spent a few hours with St. Valentine last night, you see?”

The playing throughout is wonderfully loose and informal and there’s another great moment as Plant is introducing No Quarter” Page plays the opening notes to Train Kept A-Rollin.  “We’re going through our whole live history here, just flashing on different numbers” Plant adds.

The set list is notable for the inclusion of Since I’ve Been Loving played live for the first time since the 1973 US tour. Plant: “Who knows what it’s gonna sound like, but it’s something we really used to dig playing”. There’s a masterful ad-lib during the song where he sings the ‘I’m about to lose my worried mind” refrian and adds ”I seem to remember I used to say for five minutes”

”This is one that regulars that come here know quite well…but you’ve still yet to hear the recorded version…this is a track about another of life’s journeys that never end..this time in Kashmir”

Kashmir was a number that they were obviously itching to play live and with Plant’s voice suitably recovered they turned in a majestic Valentines’ Day performance in Nassau. Page strumming down relentlessly on the Gibson behind Bonham’s castinet like drumming.

Plant showing renewed confidence to throw in the echoed vocal nuances that became such an Earls Court trademark. Listening to this delivery re emphasis my opinion that the best live versions of Kashmir  were all played in the year it was released on record.

No Quarter features John Paul Jones at his best tonight and his improvisation takes the number to 20 minutes in duration.

Dazed And Confused is a marathon 30 minute plus excursion and the encore delivery of Heartbreaker leads into an impromptu version of Elvis’Mess Of Blues

Tangerine was of course a surprise inclusion at the Earls Court shows performed as a four part harmony. However perhaps they were already toying with the idea of bringing it back during the American tour. For on this night prior to Stairway To Heaven Plant let out a few lines from the long deleted Zep 3 stage fave. ”Measuring a summers day”…adding ”I’ve forgotten the words”. It was a brief teaser for a song that would again light up those memorable May days to come.

The prelude to Earls Court was on – and the course was a very favourable one …

DL – February 12th, 2015

To be continued…

………………………………

Second official Physical Graffiti  Companion Audio Disc preview – Brandy & Coke (Trampled Under Foot – Initial Rough Mix) 5.39:

Opens with double track vocals out of both channels – generally less overdubs a very precise mix with the riffs more prominent. On the middle instrumental sequence, the riff part is on the left channel and clavinet on the right – all very defined. In fact, it’s fantastic to hear JPJ’s clavinet solo so clearly with no overdubs. There’s no guitar overdubs on the outro part. To me this has the feel of of a radio friendly single mix – and hearing Brandy & Coke aka Trampled Underfoot in this way makes  Zep sound like the greatest singles band ever.

Summary: Imperious funk meets revved up riffing with refreshing clarity…

UK link:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/feb/11/led-zeppelin-hear-an-unreleased-version-of-tramped-under-foot

US link:

http://consequenceofsound.net/2015/02/led-zeppelin-unearth-brandy-coke-an-early-version-of-trampled-under-foot-listen/

 ………………….

Physical Graffiti  Playback Event Olympic Studios Competition – two pairs of tickets on offer in an easy to enter competition:

On Thursday February 19th, Jimmy Page will be hosting a special Physical Graffiti Playback Event at Olympic Studios in Barnes London.

The entire companion audio from the forthcoming deluxe reissue of Physical Graffiti will be presented followed by a Q and A session with Jimmy. The event is being streamed live around the world.

Doors open at 18:00, and the event will run from at 19:00 until 20:30.

Win a pair of tickets

TBL in association with Warner/Rhino, we have two pairs of tickets for the event up for grabs in an easy to enter competition.

All you have to do is answer correctly the following question:

What is the title of the early version of In The Light that appears on the Companion Audio Disc of the forthcoming Physical Graffiti reissue.

Email your answer to

Davelewis.tbl1@ntlworld.com

Closing date is midnight on Sunday February 15th, 2015.

The first two correct entrants drawn out, will each win a pair of tickets to attend the event.

The winners will be emailed by midday on Monday February 16th, 2015.

Competition winners and their guests must be 18 or older and are responsible for their own travel costs.

Good luck!

………………………………………..

Jimmy Page interviewed on Channel 4:

chan 4 two

Channel 4 News aired an interview on Monday February 9th  with Jimmy Page conducted by Krishnan Guru-Murthy last week. There were clips from the vintage black and white Chanel News clip of Jimmy being interviewed about his session work in 1963. ‘’It was all very Monty Python’’ remarked Jimmy. Talking about the reissues, Jimmy said he was fed up with hearing poor MP3 sound quality and wanted to put that right. Krishnan touched on the forthcoming Physical Graffiti reissue noting it as one of the greatest albums ever – Jimmy talked about Kashmir over clips of the Knebworth performance. The issue of Jimmy not publishing his autobiography while he is alive was the final topic. “What I would do is do a book to be published posthumously’’. After the interview clip Krishnan turned to fellow presenter Jon Snow and asked ‘’Were you a Led Zeppelin fan? Snow replied ‘’Pink Floyd first, Led Zeppelin second…’’. Incidentally Krishnan was in attendance at last week’s Olympic Studios playback and asked Jimmy a question about the guitar tuning in Bron- Yr- Aur.

Here’s the link to view it:

http://www.channel4.com/news/led-zeppelin-guitar-jimmy-page-autobiography-music-video

……………………

Five Glorious Nights -Led Zeppelin at Earls Court May 1975 (Rufus Stone Limited Edition)

Further to my announcement of the Five Glorious Nights – Led Zeppelin at Earls Court 1975 photo book – the sign up site where you can register interest and log your email for further news of ordering including a pre -release offer is now live

Be sure to sign up to keep up to date with this limited edition publication. Signing up will ensure you receive pre ordering details at special price

www.fivegloriousnights.co.uk

There has been a fair bit of coverage on the book prompting a few questions – so to clarify this is what this one is going to be about:

The book will be produced as a large format album size volume – produced in a strict limited edition on high quality paper and high end binding.

It will unfold the Earls Court story via collection of memorable images together with relevant text commentary – we are sourcing photographs from many of the key photographers who covered the shows. I will be collating the photos and text over the coming weeks.

Publication is planned for late May 2015 on the 40th anniversary of the five shows Led Zeppelin performed at Earls Court.

Rufus Stone Limited Editions have a proven record of producing large format books of high quality – their catalogue includes Deep Purple at the California Jam, Jon Lord All Those Years Ago and The Beatles Monochrome.

To find out more visit their website at:

http://www.rufuspublications.com/

Pre ordering Details:

The book will be produced in a strict limited edition run of 1,000 copies only  – all individually numbered.

The cost will be around the £100 mark.

This is a high end price but as you will see by visiting the Rufus Stone site, they pride themselves on producing quality books to an exceptionally high standard.

The content will be mainly photo based together with relevant supporting commentary text that unfolds the Earls Court story and tracks each show. There will also be relevant memorabilia images etc.

The objective is to search out as many rarely seen or unpublished photos as possible.

Full pre ordering details will follow with links to order from the TBL website and the Rufus Stone Limited edition website.

I am very excited to be involved in this opportunity to produce a lasting photographic record of Led Zeppelin at Earls Court in a high quality volume.

EarlsCourt5G

Five Glorious Nights  – Led Zeppelin at Earls Court May 1975 will be capture all the visual splendour of this landmark period for the band and will be the perfect souvenir to mark the 40th anniversary of perhaps the greatest run of gigs Led Zeppelin ever performed.   

More details on this forthcoming book as it unfolds.

DL Diary Update:

There’s been a fantastic reaction to the announcement of the Five Glorious Nights Earls Court book project. So much so, I now feel under some pressure to get this one right. In fact this may be the most important book I’ve been involved in. I am under no illusion that this needs to be a volume worthy of both the subject matter and the price.  To that end, I have spent a fair few hours preparing and planning this project – this has also involved liaising with Mark at Rufus Stone in the collating of the photos we intend to use.

The objective is to search out as many rarely seen and previously unpublished images. This task is at an early stage but I can say we have already been looking at some contact sheets that I for one have not seen used before. So the challenge is well and truly on – I will endeavouring in the coming weeks to ensure that the content for this book meets (and exceeds) the expectations of potential buyers. Design wise, I have TBL designer Mick Lowe on board with the project and we have already began to get a template of how it’s going to be presented.  I’ve also been working on the supporting text commentary that will also feature in the book.

Along with all that, there has been some other TBL plate  spinning with work on TBL 39 text notable Andy Crofts tape analyses of the five Earls Court shows – there’s also been Skype communication with Mike Tremaglio in keeping the more longer term Evenings With Led Zeppelin book project on track.

All this and the not inconsiderable matter of the reissue of Physical Graffiti days ten days away and counting….

Elsewhere, It was very good to catch the rather excellent Spurs 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the Fox with the visiting Adam but not so good viewing the 3-2 defeat at Liverpool on Tuesday – great game though. There’s also been a visit to the docs for my regular diabetes check which needs monitoring on-going – the fact is (incredibly) I will be 60 next year and the ”days of my youth” as the man once sang, are long gone and you have to be careful out there…

On the player Bob Dylan’s Shadows In The Night  – I was well pleased to hear the news that this album entered the UK chart at number one – it’s still rolling Bob! Other stuff on the player: Miles Davis Miles In the Sky – a recent vinyl acquisition at the excellent Vinyl Barn stall in town – plus plenty of Zep live in 1975 as can be seen above, plus the Brutal Artistry set that showcases the Physical Graffiti rehearsals – building yet more anticipation for the forthcoming arrival of THAT  album…

Valentine’s Day is upon us tomorrow…

I  have a playlist that that randomly sequences the more wistful and romantic  side of Zep, Page & Plant moments –it includes  Tangerine, Moonlight In Samosa, Wonderful One, The Greatest Gift, That’s The Way, When I Was A Child, Like I’ve Never Been Gone, Ten Years Gone, Come Into My Life, Down By The Seaside, Stick With Me Baby, Blue Train, I’m Gonna Crawl, Heart In Your Hand, Thank You, The Rain Song, Song To The Siren, Going To California, In The Light, I Believe, Ship of Fools, Sea Of Love, Please Read The Letter, Our Song, All My Love, Thank You etc – you get the idea.

Aside from Zep, I’d list Frank Sinatra’s In The Wee Small Hours, Burt Bacharach’s Hitmaker, Otis Redding Oits Blue ,Dusty Springfield In Memphis and David Bowie’s Young Americans as definitive Valentine’s Day play – and In the light of all that here’s the DL Valentines playlist –  some of the most romantic and deeply touching love songs ever written in the view of your TBL editor:

Ten Years Gone – Led Zeppelin

Full Moon –Sandy Denny

Lay Lady Lay – Bob Dylan

Otis Redding – My Girl

Northern Sky –Nick Drake

Oh My Love –John Lennon

Come In To My Life – Robert Plant

Our House – Crosby Stills Nash & Young

Tangerine –Led Zeppelin

Have I Told You Lately That I Love You – Rod Stewart

God Only Knows – The Beach Boys

Do What You Gotta Do – The Four Tops

Nobody Loves You Like I Do – Greg Lake

Ship Of Fools – Robert Plant

The Rain Song – Led Zeppelin

Here, There And Everywhere – The Beatles

Angie – The Rolling Stones

I’m Gonna Crawl – Led Zeppelin

Word On A Wing – David Bowie

The Greatest Gift – Robert Plant

Something – The Beatles

Wonderful One – Page & Plant

Headstart To Happiness – The Style Council

Tiny Dancer – Elton John

Thank You – Led Zeppelin

Little Wing – Jimi Hendrix

Lets Get It On -Marvin Gaye

Still In Love With You – Thin Lizzy

Help Me – Joni Mitchell

One For My Baby –Frank Sinatra

The Look of Love – Dusty Springfield

The Faces  – Love Lived Here

You Do Something To Me -Paul Weller

All My Love – Led Zeppelin

And finally some words from Valentines Day 1975…over to you Robert…

YouTube Clips:

Robert Plant Valentines Day message:

 Sick Again live in 1975…

Jimmy Page Masterclass:

………………

Until next time…

Keep listening, keep reading…

Dave Lewis/Gary Foy –  February 6th, 2015 

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To view additional photos and TBL info be sure to hook up with the Tight But Loose Facebook page (add us as a friend) at

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4 Comments »

  • kikilebourg said:

    Absolument d’accord avec Ken !

  • roger berlin said:

    Wow !
    Thank you Dave
    Roger Berlin

  • Graham Rodger said:

    Wow. Who saw that coming…? Just ordered the Soundtracks 4CD box set from Jimmy’s website. Hurrrah…!

  • Ken Winovich said:

    Why ‘Houses Of The Holy’ is a good album for me – by Ken Winovich 2-13-15

    I just don’t get it when I hear critics saying ‘Houses Of The Holy’ was ‘disappointing’. I loved that album. ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ is my favorite and is an absolute masterpiece. ‘Physical Graffiti’ is very close behind. How close, I haven’t worked that out. ‘Led Zeppelin II’ follows that. At times I have ‘Led Zeppelin’ and ‘Houses Of The Holy’ in a struggle for the next slot. That aside, the song ‘The Song Remains The Same’ is a masterpiece opening track. It is so heavy I wonder to this day how it would have sold on it’s own as a single. “The Rain Song” is probably Zep’s best love ballad ever but the lyrics to “Thank You” are hard to beat. “Over The Hills And Far Away” is a colossus live! It’s then that many critics fall off with “The Crunge”. I loved that track. I like Zep’s funk better than James Brown’s and that’s because of Page’s funky guitar, Robert did a fine job singing it like a story tale plus it’s his attitude throughout the song and of course Bonham’s drumming finesse that sealed it. Enter John Paul Jones on the funky bass and it works. I just don’t understand the critics saying it didn’t. Had this album been as bad as some critics are saying, Zep’s entire 1973 U S Tour would have been a huge disaster. I remember at the time Page stated the record company was ‘worried’ because the band hadn’t put out any product. The 73′ tour was far from a disaster as we all learned. Enter Side Two. It’s dominated by two tracks. The moody sinister “No Quarter” which to me was sort of a keyboard “Dazed And Confused”! “The Ocean” was a lovely Bonham stomp piece and it’s got a “Black Dog” delivery where the crowd can get in on the singing on the “la la’s” part just like the “ah ah” parts in “Black Dog”. That’s a Zep fans dream come true if they’re on their way to a Zep show. The whole idea of being one of the ‘Ocean’ of fans singing along with Plant. So every one of the tracks so far is up there for me. On “D’yer Ma’ker”, I did like it. Especially where the song changes gear and get’s more menacing at the dunt-dunt-da-dunt part with “When I read the letter you wrote me ya made me mad mad mad.” Bonham’s drumming is superb on this song. That leaves “Dancing Days”. I love the slide guitar riff. But the real beauty of this track is John Paul Jones’s four bass notes at the beginning. Not a single bad song on the album. The covers inside and out were cool. It had for the first time complete lyrics on lovely white with nice font. The songs were arranged in an awesome order. And it had the ‘obi’ slip-on. I just don’t get it. Compare it to ‘Led Zeppelin’ and “Your Time Is Gonna Come” does not compare with any of those tracks. Not that it’s a bad song. It seemed out of place to me on ‘Led Zeppelin’. That’s why I often compare ‘Led Zeppelin’ with ‘Houses Of The Holy’. “Dazed And Confused” because it was so friggin’ heavy…..saves the day and pushes ‘Led Zeppelin’ above on it’s own weight and the shoebox guitar solo on “Communication Breakdown” pushes it a little higher as ‘Houses Of The Holy’ had no killer guitar tone solo. It would have if it was issued 20 years later when CD’s expanded an ‘album’s length as “Over The Hills And Far Away” would have had a longer extended solo. But I just don’t get it when critics say it was ‘disappointing’. They really lost me on that one.

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