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WESTMINSTER TERROR ATTACK/CHUCK BERRY 1926 -2017/DEBORAH BONHAM LATEST/ LZ NEWS/MARCH 1975 SNAPSHOT/GOLDRUSH, MUDSLIDE & FOOTBALL 47 YEARS GONE/ DIARY BLOG UPDATE

23 March 2017 2,311 views One Comment
 
LONDON WESTMINSTER TERROR ATTACK:
I was in London yesterday for a meet with Billy and Alison Fletcher and Dave Linwood. I made my way back across London to St Pancras get the train home around 2.45 pm – this was the time the shocking terror attack in Westminster was taking place. By the time I was back in Bedford in StudioMix working on the Evenings With book, the terrible news of the attack was unfolding.
I am sure I speak for all reading this in offering condolences to all those affected by these senseless actions – particularly the family and friends of PC Keith Palmer who tragically lost his life protecting our democracy.
We also praise the emergency services and police who reacted so quickly to this attack.
The spirit of Londoners remains defiant – standing together . The terrorists will never win.
”We are not afraid”
Dave Lewis – March 23, 2017
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Chuck Berry 19126 – 2017:

Thoughts on Chuck Berry…

‘’You don’t know what you got until you lose it’’ sang the great John Lennon on the track What You Got on his Walls & Bridges album…and that statement is entirely appropriate in the case of Chuck Berry.

I may not have played a Chuck Berry record in a good while – but as his influence resonates in the work of so many of my favourite artists – Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles to name but three, I didn’t really feel the need to.

Now he passed on, I certainly do and listening to all those gems we know so well again – and looking at the YouTube footage, it makes me realise how important he was in forming the backbone of so much great rock’n’roll…and also what a pioneering on stage showman he was.

Chuck Berry what a legacy… his influence it will shine on and on…RIP.

DL

 Led Zeppelin & Chuck Berry:
It’s more than evident that the young Jimmy Page was hugely influenced by Chuck Berry -both in guitar style and showmanship. Robert, JPJ and Bonzo shared that enthusiasm and it transferred itself onstage with Led Zeppelin during the marathon rock’n’roll medlies they performed during How Many More Times and Whole Lotta Love circa 1969 – 1973.
These are the known Chuck Berry songs they performed live – research by Mike Tremaglio:

Back in the USA (Hampton, VA Aug17 1970 and Berkeley Ca Sept 14 1971)

Down The Road A Piece (Osaka – September 28, 1971)

I’m Talking About You (Boston Tea Party, January 25, 1969 and Madison Square Garden second show, September 19, 1970)

Johnny B. Goode (Bath Festival, June 28, 1970)

Little Queenie (Boston Tea Party, January 25, 1969)

Maybellene (Osaka September 28, 1971)

Memphis Tennessee (Memphis April 17, 1970)

No Money Down (within As Long As I Have You medley Fillmore West April 27, 1969 and MSG second show, September 19, 1970)

Roll Over Beethoven (Miami – Thee Image, Feb 14, 1969, Fillmore West San Francisco – Winterland, April 26, 1969)

School Days (Newcastle – June 20, 1969 and San Bernardino – August 8, 1969)

There’s also that wonderful 1973 soundcheck where they reel off several rock’n’roll standards including Chuck’s Nadine, Reelin’ And Rockin’, Around and Around and School Days.

Lasting on stage Zep remnants of the Chuck Berry influence…
DL
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Deborah Bonham Latest:
Here’s a round up of the latest activity from Deb and the band…
Last Friday at their gig at the Huntingdon Hall Worcester Robert Plant joined them for a version of When The Levee Breaks.
Deborah Bonham Band Newsmail March 2017;

‘A powerful rock band steeped in the primal intimacy of the Blues’  CLASSIC ROCK Magazine

Beginning the year on a high with a triumphant ‘Full House’ during London Blues Week at the legendary 100 Club in January, 2017 sees a select series of UK dates to follow the London show and her return to Europe for further sold-out shows, where the French press call her “Princess of Rock”.

 Worldwide festival favourite Deborah Bonham and her powerful band have just been confirmed to accompany the legendary Free, Bad Company and The Firm vocalist Paul Rodgers on his FREE Spirit UK tour, as he revisits his phenomenal catalogue with one of music’s seminal blues-rock bands.

With enhanced versions of all of her albums being released this year through Cadiz Music
‘The Old Hyde’ featuring Jason Bonham and Mick Fleetwood, ‘Duchess’ featuring Paul Rodgers and Jerry Shirley,
and a new ‘Spirit’ CD ‘Complete Sessions Remastered’ featuring Robert Plant – Deborah will be performing many of these songs live,
plus several tracks from her ‘Looking Back At The Moon 1985-92 Sessions’ CD featuring the best of her debut album
‘For You And The Moon’ along with previously unreleased tracks from that period.

You Can Buy SPIRIT Complete Sessions Remastered CD in the ‘Shop’ at www.deborahbonham.com
Over the last few years Deborah has sung on stage with Paul Rodgers (Deborah’s mesmerizing performance at The Royal Albert Hall as his guest received a standing ovation at the sell-out concert), Nazareth’s Dan McCafferty and more recently, Robert Plant stepped on stage unannounced to a delirious crowd at Deborah Bonham’s show to perform Led Zeppelin’s ‘When The Levee Breaks’ with her band and then Johnny Kidd & The Pirates’ classic, ‘Shakin’ All Over’ with Deborah, delighting the crowd with their obvious shared, magical chemistry.
After a rapturous opening set for Foreigner at their sold out London Palladium show, Deborah was invited back on stage for the encore to duet on I Want To Know What Love Is.“She’s quite possibly the most vocally impressive, entertaining and awe-inspiring performer I’ve seen.”
MetalTalkPaul Rodgers Announces the “FREE Spirit” UK Tour May 2017
It was so inspirational playing Free material with Deborah Bonham’s band, led by guitarist Pete Bullick, when we played charity gigs to support Willows Animal Sanctuary and Assisted Therapy Unit, which my wife Cynthia and I plus Deborah Bonham and Pete Bullick are Patrons of, that I promised myself that someday we would tour the UK with this band. Well…that someday has come. Pete will be on guitar, Ian Rowley on bass, Rich Newman on drums and Gerard Louis “G” on keyboards. Special guest will be Deborah Bonham with Doug Boyle (Robert Plant/Nigel Kennedy) on guitar.www.paulrodgers.com/paul-rodgers-announces-free-spirit-uk-tour/Please visit and join in the facebook auction for some great items and help a very worthy cause with your donation
www.willowsanimals.com
Deborah Bonham Touring UK & Europe
11 Mar BELGIUM Frameries (Sold Out) http://www.quefaire.be/deborah-bonham-gallows-pole-757070.shtml
17 Mar WORCESTER Huntingdon Hall http://www.worcesterlive.co.uk/events_review.asp?eid=453059684
18 Mar SCOTLAND Kinross Green Hotel http://mundellmusic.com/live-music/deborah-bonham-backstage/
7 Apr FRANCE Le Climax Club, Riotord (43) https://www.leclercbilletterie.com/fr/manifestation/deborah-bonham-zepset-billet/idmanif/397861
8 Apr FRANCE Le Cornemuse, Arleuf (58) https://www.lecornemuse.com/articles.php?lng=fr&pg=14600&mnuid=13649&tconfig=0
12 Apr UK WIMBORNE Tivoli Theatre http://www.tivoliwimborne.co.uk/event/deborah-bonham-band/
29 Apr FRANCE Le Blues Rock, Moelan Sur Mer (29) https://www.mapado.com/moelan-sur-mer/deborah-bonham-band-live-france-le-blues-rock-au-feminin
5-29 May PAUL RODGERS Free Spirit UK Tour http://www.paulrodgers.com/paul-rodgers-announces-free-spirit-uk-tour/
2/3 June COBSTOCK West Sussex http://www.cobnor.com/node/367
2 Jul FRANCE Against the Wind Festival, Gannat (03) http://www.againsthewind.fr/deborahbonham.html
7 July CHICHESTER Priory Park Festival www.prioryparkfestival.co.uk/line-up/
22 Jul FRANCE Le Havre (76) Festival Mozaïque http://106db.prod.free.fr/deborahbonham.html
1 Sep FRANCE Color Blues Festival de Salindres  http://106db.prod.free.fr/deborahbonham.html

Fri 29 Sep SWINDON Victoria Theatre  http://www.seetickets.com/event/deborah-bonham/the-vic/1078640

The wonderful Jo Burt will be support on many of the shows
www.joburt.co.uk

www.facebook.com/DeborahBonham1

Press and Booking: info@deborahbonham.com

Official YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/bullloaf

Please ‘LIKE’ on Facebook www.facebook.com/DeborahBonham1

T Shirts, CDs & DVDs in the ‘Shop’ at www.deborahbonham.com

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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.
 

Led Zeppelin

  • The “Stairway To Heaven” copyright case is heading towards a federal appeals court. The lawyer for the plaintiff, Francis Malofiy, filed a brief in the ninth circuit federal appeals court (which you can read in full here) in which he claims that the June 2016 trial was unfair. Malofiy claims the trial made an error by not allowing the jury to hear the original recorded version of “Taurus,” the song by Spirit that he claims Led Zeppelin copied. He also claimed that the court’s 10-hour limit for each side was restrictive, and said that Led Zeppelin’s expert witness Lawrence Ferrara should have been excluded because he had previously analysed both songs for Led Zeppelin’s publishing company.
  • The first photographs have been published of “Viva La Revolution,” the promotional disc released by Japanese bootleg label Empress Valley. The disc includes “Heartbreaker” from “Deus Ex Machina,” the upcoming soundboard release of Led Zeppelin’s March 21, 1975 Seattle show.
  • Jason Peterson, the administrator of Led Zeppelin forum Royal Orleans, died on March 12. Peterson, known online as “Presence,” had been diagnosed with stage IV blood cancer Peripheral T-cell lymphoma. You can donate to his family’s GoFundMe page here.

Jimmy Page

The promotional graphic on the homepage of Jimmy Page’s website (Jimmy Page)
Jimmy Page’s website announced on March 13 that Page will release “The Beginning…” an album of tracks originally recorded by Chris Farlowe in 1961. The 1961 studio session was produced by Page and was his first time working as a producer. The 12-song album will be released on Jimmy Page Records on April 30. The album is being released in two editions: A standard vinyl/CD edition with liner notes by Page and Farlowe that costs £19.61, and a deluxe edition signed and numbered by Page and Farlowe that costs £196.10. You can hear one track from the upcoming album, “Money,” here.

Page gave a short interview to Rolling Stone about the release, and a statement by Page was also published on his Facebook page:

“I’m really pleased to be able to make this musical document available for the first time to give an idea of the musical cauldron that was going on in London in 1961 a few years before the Chicago Blues renaissance and The Beatles.”

The SoundCloud page for “Money” also includes an extract from Page’s liner notes:

“The band settled into their recording role immediately and an album was recorded that day. The guitar and bass were recorded by direct injection and the band listened to their progress via headphones … They adapted really quickly to this method, the individual performance exhibits the style and class that this band had and Chris Farlowe’s performance is absolutely extraordinary.”

What’s interesting about this announcement, aside from the album itself, is the prominence placed on “Jimmy Page Records.” This isn’t a new record label (it was used to release the “Lucifer Rising” and “Sound Tracks” releases, for example), but this is the first time that Page has prominently mentioned his record label. It was mentioned on his website’s homepage, which has remained unchanged all week, as well as on his official Facebook and Twitter accounts. Why? Well, perhaps further archive releases are on the way. We know that the Led Zeppelin remasters came out of a project to properly archive Page’s previous recordings. Page may be introducing the world to Jimmy Page Records in advance of future archive releases that will be made available in a similar way to “The Beginning…”

Here’s the full tracklist for “The Beginning…”:

  1. Entry of the Slaves
  2. Spring is Near
  3. What’d I Say
  4. Let the Good Times Roll
  5. Sticks and Stones
  6. Kansas City
  7. I’m Moving On
  8. Just a Dream
  9. Matchbox
  10. Money
  11. Hurtin Inside
  12. Watch Your Step

Robert Plant

Robert Plant photographed with violinist Lizzie Ball after performing with Nigel Kennedy at the Royal Albert Hall (Instagram/lizzieballmusic)
Robert Plant performed with violinist Nigel Kennedy at the Royal Albert Hall in London on March 14. Plant joined Kennedy for two tracks: A cover of “Hey Joe,” and a performance of “Kashmir.” Plant brought along Sensational Space Shifters members Justin Adams and John Baggott for the performance.

The “Kashmir” performance was significant as it was the first time Plant has performed the song since Led Zeppelin’s 2007 show, and also the first time that he has performed it in full without Jimmy Page.

Watch a video of Plant performing “Kashmir” on Facebook here, and the same video on YouTube here. You can also hear our audio recording of “Kashmir” here, and our recording of “Hey Joe” here. Plant shared Rolling Stone’s article on the performance (which featured our audio) on Twitter. He also retweeted a tweet sent by the Royal Albert Hall which included a photo of Plant with Kennedy’s band soundchecking for their performance.

Upcoming events:

April 5 – John Paul Jones’ band Tres Coyotes will have their debut performance in Helsinki, Finland.
April 16 – John Paul Jones will perform at the PRÉSENCES électronique music festival in Paris as one half of the band Minibus Pimps.
April 22 – Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes Live at Jones Beach may be released on vinyl for Record Store Day.
April 30 – Jimmy Page Records will release “The Beginning…”, a 1961 Chris Farlowe studio session produced by Jimmy Page
May – The March 21,1975 Seattle soundboard bootleg “Deus Ex Machina” is rumoured to be released this month.
May 27 – Unrestored footage of Led Zeppelin performing at the Royal Albert Hall in 1970 will be screened there as part of an event about the director Peter Whitehead.
June 23 – John Paul Jones will perform at the Sun Station Vadsø festival in Norway.
June 24 – John Paul Jones will perform at the Sun Station Vadsø festival in Norway.

Many thanks to James Cook.

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

Led Zeppelin News Website:

Congratulations to James Cook on the launch of the new Led Zeppelin News website – it looks fantastic. Be sure to check it out at the link below:

http://ledzepnews.com/

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TBL ARCHIVE: 

 TBL Led Zep 1975 Snapshots:

Prelude to Earls Court:
Olympic feb 7

This week of 42 years ago saw Led Zeppelin on a real high – and thankfully these performances in Seattle and Vancouver have been captured on tape across countless bootlegs…

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

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

Date: MARCH 12 1975

Venue: CIVIC ARENA LONG BEACH CALIFORNIA

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

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

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

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

things together in Los Angeles.

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

They did not get it wrong a second time.

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

MONDAY MARCH 17 1975

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

SEATTLE CENTER COLISEUM

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

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

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

Snapshot Listen: How it sounded today.

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

WEDNESDAY MARCH 19 1975

VANCOUVER, CANADA

PACIFIC COLISEUM

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

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

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

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

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

THURSDAY MARCH 20 1975

VANCOUVER,CANADA

PACIFIC COLISEUM

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

Snapshot Listen: How it sounded today.

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

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

FRIDAY MARCH 21 1975

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

SEATTLE CENTER COLISEUM

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

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

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

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

Snapshot listen: How it sounded today:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

March 21 Seattle Soundboard on the way:

As mentioned in the Led Zeppelin news section above – there is a complete soundboard recording soon out soon titled Deus Ex Machina  – a mouthwatering extract has been featured on the now Viva La Revolution, the promotional disc released by Japanese bootleg label Empress Valley. See YouTube clip below.

I could not resist purchasing the promo and it’s a great compilation of 1975 US tour performances – full review to follow.

  •  

DL

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Uncut magazine with Fairport/Robert Plant track:

The new issue of Uncut magazine has their usual cover mounted CD – this one features Fairport Convention performing a live version of the track Jesus On The Mainline with Robert Plant on vocals – taken from their recently released 50: 50@50 album –top performance it is too…(thanks John P for flagging that one)

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Goldrush, Mudslide and football 47 years gone:
goldrush
 47 year ago on March 21 , Led Zeppelin flew out for the first date of their fifth US tour.

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

The story read as follow:

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

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

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

I digress: On that Saturday March 21st 1970, at the same time Zep were about to wow the audience at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, I was in a capacity crowd of 61,479 (their highest of that season statto fans note) at Stamford Bridge watching Chelsea triumph 2-1 over Manchester United.

Chelsea-programme

It would have been nice of course to be down the Lane where Martin Peters was making his debut for Spurs against Coventry (he scored in a 2-1 defeat). Peters had transferred to Spurs as part of a swap deal that took Jimmy Greaves to West Ham (who also scored two on his debut for West Ham that day at Manchester City). As it was, my friend Dave Corp who at the time lived a few doors down form me in Dents Road was a Chelsea fan and I was more than happy to tag along with his relation to see some prime Division One action. It was incredibly exciting to see the 70s superstars of the day in action – Alan Hudson, Peter Osgood, Ian Hutchinson, Bobby Charlton,  Alex Stepney,  Willie Morgan etc,

It was one of those occasions from an impressionable age that remains ingrained on my brain – not dissimilar to the way Zep memories of Empire Pool and Earls Court etc are lodged in there forever.

I can remember so much about that day in detail: the records played over the PA before the teams came on which included hits of the time Brotherhood Of Man’s United We Stand and Steam’s Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye, the atmosphere in the Chelsea paddock where we stood ( a fantastic view near the pitch) as Ian Hutchinson scored twice in the first half, the pie we had in a café after the game and the hitch hiker we picked up on the A1 going home. 45 years have done nothing to dull the memories of an awesome day for this then 14 year old.

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

I of course kept the copy of Record Mirror from that week, and I have the Trade Mark Of Quality vinyl bootleg of Mudslide. To complete the day’s memories I’ve also kept the the original Cheslea v Man Utd programme. Quite a day and all of 47 years ago…

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DL Diary Blog Update:

Friday treats at the Vinyl Barn – on a rather cold St Patrick’s Day last Friday at the Vinyl Barn, a bit of Bacharach, Sinatra and Blood Sweat & Tears plus an excellent Island Records compilation CD box set – and a couple of original retro seven inch record bags via Darren namely Sound FX and Our Price Records, both of which I would have seen a fair few of when I managed those stores right across the road in the 1980s and 90s. You gotta love a bit of nostalgia! Thanks Darren Harte !

 Another full on week here and after the high of last Tuesday’s Robert Plant appearance at the Nigel Kennedy Royal Albert Hall concert (and thanks for all the great feedback to my review of the night), it was back down to work on the Evenings With LZ book project. Some good progress has been made and we are now nigh on a wrap with 1969 and 1970 now beckons. Mick and I also began initial work on the next TBL magazine – issued 43. This is some months off as yet be we will be chipping away at the mag in between the book in the coming weeks.
 On the player here, loads of great stuff including the Mudslide album (47 years gone), Zep Seattle March 21, Stephen Stills Live and of course quite a bit of Chuck Berry notably the Chuck album on Pye International and The London Chuck Berry Sessions on Chess. Like I said at the start of this update ”You don’t know what you got until you lose it” but what remains is so many masterful original performances from the man and so many great over versions too – three of which can be heard below…
UPDATE THURSDAY MARCH, 23:

As mentioned  above, I was in London yesterday  at The Spice of Life pub where it was great to hook up with Billy and Alison Fletcher and Dave Linwood.
I was back in Bedford at 4pm to do some work on the Evenings With LZ book at StudioMix and began hearing the terrible news unfolding in Westminster…

Our thoughts are with all those affected by these senseless actions…

 
Dave Lewis – March 23 , 2017

Until next time – have a great weekend…

TBL Website updates compiled by Dave Lewis

with thanks to Gary Foy and James Cook

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 And Finally – YouTube clips:
Led Zeppelin sing Chuck Berry..

Reelin’ and Rockin’

Nadine

Led Zeppelin – Heartbreaker -Seattle March 21, 1975


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One Comment »

  • Ed-Washington DC said:

    Best wishes to those affected by the appalling London carnage inflicted by a “British” man who apparently was radicalized on numerous trips to the Gulf region, and Saudi Arabia in particular. It astounds me that Saudi intelligence is unaware of when foreign nationals, especially westerners, are moving about inside of their territory and they have no comment on with whom they are meeting, and also on whose dime they are travelling.

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