JOHN PAUL JONES VINTAGE NEWSPAPER REPORTS DISCOVERED/ BECOMING LED ZEPPELIN LATEST/ TBL ARCHIVE 1975 SNAPSHOT -PRELUDE TO EARLS COURT/ CAMDEN DUBLIN CASTLE ZEP EVENT/LZ NEWS/GOLDRUSH 1970/ FRANKFURT 1980 BOOTLEG SET REVIEWED/BEATLES MAG/BILLY SHEARS BOOK/L DIARY BLOG UPDATE
John Paul Jones vintage newspaper reports discovered ….
A couple of remarkable John Paul Jones vintage newspaper cuttings have emerged via research by Jeff Norrod in Tennessee.
Firstly from the Lincolnshire Echo Thursday September 10 1953
Under a column marked Commentary from City and Country by the Gossiper – a subsection titled Old Friends it talks of John’s parents meeting up with old friends and also reports the following;
Both Joe Baldwin and his wife are keen anglers: indeed it is the attraction of the water courses around the city that has brought them to Lincoln!
Last week they had a holiday and spent it fishing in Boston. On Tuesday they went to Hartshole Lake and had moderate luck – but were hopelessly outclassed by their seven years old son John! They think fishing around Lincoln is the best to be had in the whole country.
In the Becoming Led Zeppelin film John talks about fishing with his Dad and there’s a photo of him doing so. This report is a clear indication of their angling passion back in the early 1950s.
Fast forward to 1964 for the second vintage cutting…
This is sourced from The Evening Sentinel newspaper based in Stoke on Trent. The issue dated Saturday May 16 1964 as a photo of The Rolling Stones on the front.
Inside there’s a pop column titled In The Groove by Bob Farmer. The young John Paul Jones is interviewed at the time of the release of his 1964 solo single Baja/Foggy Day In Vietnam on the Pye label.
The headline reads ”J.P.J. Would Put Bach on his LP.”
It reads as follows:
Stock answer to the stock question ’’What is the biggest influence on your pop career? used to be meeting Brian Epstein – now it is increasingly meeting Andrew Oldham
Andre Oldham gave us The Rolling Stones which has made him a pretty important person in pop careers and made artists pretty pleased to be signed by him
Such as John Paul Jones, an 18 year old six string bass guitarist who was plain John Baldwin most experienced member of Tony Meehan’s Combo until the group broke up because of the increasing commitment of The Shadows former drummer.
John was associated with such Meehan Jet Harris hits as Diamonds Scarlet O hara and Apple Juice.
Andrew Oldham was the groups publicity manager being something of a supporter. He decided John would do a first rate job on Baja, an instrumental by Lee Hazelwood manager of American guitar star Duane Eddy.
Thus Baja and John Paul Jones I needed a more distinctive name than John Baldwin were born this month with big hopes.
”I’m not afraid of going solo after playing with groups for the two years I’ve been in the business” said J.P.J when we lunched together last week.
”I know I’ve given up security but anybody who enters this business surrenders that anyway. I want to make it as a solo and have lots of hits and lots of money.”
He might have had lots of money if not hits with classical music. ”I nearly went to the Royal Academy of Music when I left Christs College Blackheath. I like classical music and if I ever cut an LP, I intend to leave one track unannounced and then shock everybody by filling it with a Bach fugal played absolutely straight and serious.”
But then J.P.J. fair haired and handsome is full of ideas He favours Ivy League clothes and cant wait to put on a winged collar for personal appearances. It is not however all that offbeat.
I asked him the inevitable question ”What was the biggest influence on your pop career ?” Back came J.P.J.s inevitable answer ”Meeting Andrew Oldham”
They should both go a long way.
Latest on the film – and more great news…
BECOMING LED ZEPPELIN
RECORD-BREAKING DOCUMENTARY EXTENDS UK RUN AT BFI IMAX
NOW SHOWING ON: MARCH 22ND, 25TH, 26TH, 27TH
***** MOJO
9/10 Uncut
**** Financial Times
***** NME
**** Evening Standard
**** Mail on Sunday
**** Louder
“Documentaries of this sort live and die on their archive, and Becoming Led Zeppelin doesn’t disappoint on that front” – Dylan Jones, Evening Standard
19th March 2025 – The record-breaking documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin, the only officially sanctioned film on the iconic rock group that has already become one of the most successful music documentaries this year, surpassing multiple box office records, has extended its run at the BFI IMAX this month after first premiering on 5th February.
This follows on from over 200 additional screenings being booked across the UK this month across major and independent cinema chains, due to popular demand, to give fans another chance to catch this film that has been described as “The definitive origin story for Britain’s most explosive band” (James Mottram, NME) and a ‘must-see’ (Brian Viner, Daily Mail).
The film is available to book now at London’s BFI IMAX on March 22nd, 25th, 26th and 27th. A film made for the biggest screen possible, there’s no better place to witness the impressive sound and impeccable storytelling exhibited in Becoming Led Zeppelin.
Directed/co-written by Bernard MacMahon and produced/co-written by Allison McGourty, Becoming Led Zeppelin explores the origins of this iconic group and their meteoric rise in just one year against all the odds. Powered by awe-inspiring, psychedelic, never-before-seen footage, performances, and music, Bernard MacMahon’s experiential cinematic odyssey explores Led Zeppelin’s creative, musical, and personal origin story. The film is told in Led Zeppelin’s own words and is the first officially sanctioned film on the group.
Following its initial release, Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page described the reaction and feedback from fans as ‘humbling and inspiring’.
The US opening last month saw the biggest ever opening weekend for an IMAX-exclusive music release, and in the UK, was the highest opening for a documentary release post Covid, and the highest for a documentary since 2018.
TBL Led Zep 1975 Snapshot: Prelude to Earls Court…
This week all of 50 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 sounds now…
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 sounds now…
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 sounds now…
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 sounds now…
This Seattle show is simply one of the best gigs of their latter era.
If proof was needed then the opening segment brings it all alive – as it epitomises what a potent three pronged entrance these songs really were. Rock And Roll segueing into the new sheer brutality of Sick Again with Plant teasing ”Do I look the same”, and then the opening speech followed by the ”Beginning of a dream and it starts here (R.Plant -Earls Court May*17) or on this occasion .”What we intend to do is to relive our pent uppedness on stage, and then to relieve it later on after the gig elsewhere. Now the thing is what we intend to do is to give you a cross section of what we’ve been trying to produce and write over the last six and a half years.
As you know the material varies greatly and so you will appreciate that we take it from one extreme to the other….and what better way to start than to gaze out onto the horizon and see what tomorrow may bring”
To quote Hugh Jones ”in those last few sentences Robert Plant may well have encapsulated Led Zeppelin as well as anyone ever has. The physical, the musical, the pretension and the arrogance-all backed up with music as varied and as good as his word for the next four hours”.
So the the regal intro of Over The Hills And Far Away -the Page solo as always flickering and twisting into previously un investigated territory. Then a swirling finale with Plant crying out ”Samantha Samantha” perhaps a reference to the fun they were about to enjoy offstage as he put it And on this night in Seattle it all just burst forth with that knowing arrogance .
There is also a truly remarkable sequence to be heard during the middle section of ‘Whole Lotta Love’ on the night of March 20, 1975, at a show in Vancouver.
In the space of three minutes just before Jimmy Page’s Theremin solo, Robert Plant initially leads them through a spontaneous version of James Brown’s ‘Licking Stick’, which incorporates their own funk rhythm from the ‘The Crunge’. He follows that with a random war cry from ‘Immigrant Song’. And then with equal spontaneity the Jones, Bonham & Page rhythm section interlock for a riff sequence that would be recalled some three years later for the track ‘Ozone Baby’ which eventually saw the light of day on the Coda album.
It was this air of unpredictability within their performances, which made Led Zeppelin such an engrossing live act throughout their career.
To use that old Zep’75 maxim it all underlined the fact that it wasn’t just a case of them being the number one band on the planet…the real point in question was just how far whoever was at number two lagged behind.
Dave Lewis , march 17,2021
More TBL Archive:
TBL Led Zep 1975 Snapshot:
The final few dates of the 1975 US tour..
MONDAY MARCH 24 1975
INGLEWOOD LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
THE FORUM
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)/Heartbreaker.
“Good Evening! My name is J. J. Jackson of KWLOS. We’re all here to welcome back to the LA area… Led Zeppelin!” A mass of firecrackers heralds the band’s arrival on stage.
The Forum has long been one of Zeppelin’s favourite venues and once again they revelled in the surroundings. Plant: “This is the place, this is the one. These are the last three gigs on our American tour and so we intend them to be something of a high point for us. Obviously, we don’t achieve that without a little bit of a vibe, that I can already feel, and a few smiles.”
After ‘Over The Hills’, Robert states: “A gram is a gram is a gram!” Ambiguous and humorous remarks are rife tonight. Plant continues: “Since we saw you last time there have been a few developments in the camp and a few camps in the development – Bonzo decided not to have the sex change after all!” ‘The Song Remains The Same’ is about “places where the red light still shines for two rupees, places where there’s a magical feeling in the air… rather like Paul Rodgers’ bedroom when he takes his shoes off”
Plant describes the Mellotron as “A rather cheap, nasty, improvised version of an orchestra, but unfortunately with the tax and overheads, we can’t afford to take an orchestra with us anymore.”
Plant introduces Billy Miller – “Elvis Presley’s right hand man” – and sings a few lines from ‘Love Me’. After ‘Moby Dick’, Plant comments: “What a wonderful drum solo and a wonderful head job in the dressing room… thank you Ahmet Ertegun!”
‘Dazed And Confused’ is described as “The first thing we had a go at, apart from the secretary” but is rather uninspired in places tonight. ‘Stairway To Heaven’ is dedicated to “All our English friends that have arrived at the Continental Riot House. This is for the foundations of the Continental Riot House and for you people who have made this a good gig.” The whole band performed impeccably on ‘Stairway’ turning in one of the most impressive single performances of the tour.
Plant: “Children of the sun. Good night!”
As far as the press are concerned, the new additions to the set are now beginning to steal the show. Disc reports: “All the newer material was well received, although it seems that ‘Kashmir’ is set to become the star track and another classic. It was also while the group performed this number that I think the lights and effects were used to their best advantage.”
TUESDAY MARCH 25 1975
INGLEWOOD LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
THE FORUM
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. Spanish Harlem – Woodstock)/Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – Lickin’ Stick – The Crunge – Black Dog.
Yet another excellent performance – even better than the previous night.
Plant: “Last night we had a really good time. We had a great concert. It was one of the finest we’ve had in California for a long time!”
‘Kashmir’ is outstanding tonight and Plant describes it as being about ‘the wasted, wasted lands… and it’s not the lobby of the Continental Hyatt either!” ‘No Quarter’ is extended to truly epic proportions, lasting nearly 27 minutes with Jones and Bonham again favouring the jazz improvisation they adopted in Seattle four days ago.
‘Trampled Underfoot’ is dedicated to… “All the good ladies of America who’ve helped us get rid of the blues from time to time on the road… that boils down to about two!” Page’s solo is masterful and commanding. Plant ad-libs “drive on – feels pretty good” and again extends the number with lyrics from ‘Gallows Pole’, even throwing in a few cries of ‘Hangman’.
Bonham is introduced tonight as… “The man who broke every window in room 1019… the man who smashed wardrobes… the man who set fire to his own bed… the amazing man with only two cavities… Mr. Quaalude!”
‘Dazed And Confused’ was another stand out extended to 39 minutes. Page inserts a gentle Spanish sounding passage which leads into Ben E King’s ‘Spanish Harlem’ before running into ‘Woodstock’. ‘Stairway To Heaven’ shines once more. Page’s playing is sharp and decisive as the tension builds with each note. John Paul Jones is superlative.
‘Whole Lotta Love’ once again includes a snatch of James Brown’s ‘Lickin’ Stick’ and Plant ad-libs “Like a sex machine!” Page even includes a few riffs from the never performed ‘Nightflight’ prior to the Theremin section.
Plant: “People of the Forum. We’ve had a good time… It is the summer of our smiles…”
Indeed it was…
THURSDAY MARCH 27 1975
INGLEWOOD LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
THE FORUM
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/Since I’ve Been Loving You/No Quarter/Trampled Underfoot/Moby Dick/Dazed And Confused (inc. Loving You) /Stairway To Heaven/Whole Lotta Love – The Crunge – Black Dog.
Deep Throat porn star, Linda Lovelace introduces the band for the final show of the US tour. Plant returns the compliment: “I’d like to thank Linda Lovelace for coming on and making an appropriate speech about our presence, and we’d like to apologise for being late, but one of the cars didn’t crash!”
Bonham and Page are outstanding during ‘Over The Hills And Far Away’, and although the band seem a little tired in places, overall the concert is a triumph. Plant comments that he’s glad the final show is in LA, because last time the tour ended in New York which is… “not the most pleasant place to be. There’s some nice ladies on 83rd Street. But the rest of it… no!”
During ‘In My Time Of Dying’, Plant ad-libs “please Lord, don’t leave me dazed and confused!” and then adds some of ‘You Shook Me’ before the number falls apart. He speculates that they may end up in the Fall doing a gig in the Sahara desert, due to their love of the East, and ‘Kashmir’ once again is spectacular.
‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’ is a late addition to the set and is warmly appreciate by the crowd. ‘Trampled Underfoot’ is now referred to as ‘Trampled Under Gallows’ due to Plant’s persistent injection of lyrics from ‘Gallows Pole’. ‘Dazed And Confused’ is one of the longest of the tour tonight, with a very spacey middle section as Plant repeatedly ad-libs ‘Loving You’.
This show clocked in at nearly three and a half hours long and completed a run of some of the finest in the history of the band.
“Led Zeppelin At Its Peak In L.A. Forum” reports Billboard. Bob Kirsch writes: “‘Zeppelin has two major strong points. It has mastered the technique of combining musical excellence with mind-boggling volume. And it is able to operate either as a unit or each can move into a subordinate role for whoever happens to be soloing at the time.
“Zeppelin has long been the target of critical barbs for crashing volume and the seeming sameness of its material. Yet in an age when headline acts are often boring, sloppy and create no excitement at all, this British quartet stands out as a masterful example of what rock and roll was meant to be.”
Snapshot Listen – how it sounds now:
The final riot night of the US tour was a mass celebratory affair with the band fully aware that with this tour they had turned adversity into triumph. From the moment Linda Lovelace cutely introduced them onstage to Plant’s ”We’re coming back baby” this was a true prelude to what the UK was about to be served.
They even gave a hint of Earls Court fashion by introducing his Miss Selfridge cut off shirt and Page wearing the Dragon suit trousers that would become such a visual imprint of May 1975.
Their confidence was subsequently overflowing as they attacked In My Time Of Dying, Plant throwing in a few lines of You Shook Me.
”Anybody remember?” he asks at the end as he would a month later in SW5.
The version of Since I’ve Been Loving You was a real bonus and something sadly that Earls Court did not receive.
”A change in the programme- we were gonna do…..but this is a blues and I think this is where we first came in”. An impromptu set revision that delighted the LA audience.
A rare latter day stand alone delivery (in ’72/3 it had been segued with Misty Mountain)) recalling the majesty of Blueberry Hill at this very venue five years back. Rarely played in ’75 they ached their way through the old Led Zepp III standard -Page’s solo as precise and inventive as that night back in September ’70.
On the home straight it was nothing less than a victory stomp. Stairway played as was the case as Earls Court as though Plant believed every word, and the final incendiary Whole Lotta Love/Black Dog medley with the added visual spectacle of that neon lit sign. Images and sounds that London would soon delight in.
Acknowledging their enthusiasm, Plant told the final LA audience ”It’s really nice to know that we’re giving you what you are giving us because after tonight I think we’ve got three gigs in England. I don’t believe well work again for quite a long time, so this has got to be good”.
That last night in LA was indeed good…very good ….and Earls Court awaited…
Dave Lewis – March 19 2024
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LZ News:
Led Zeppelin News Update:
Jimmy Page was photographed with Eddie Izzard in London on March 5.
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Eddie Izzard (left) and Jimmy Page (right) photographed on Wardour Street in London on March 5 (Instagram/Eddie Izzard)
“Met Jimmy Page in London today, at the bottom of Wardour Street,” Izzard wrote on Instagram. “Had a wonderful chat with him about the late great Jeff Beck. Their amazing guitar improvisations inspired many to try to follow in their footsteps.”
Robert Plant
Two new Saving Grace tour dates
Two new tour dates have been announced for Saving Grace: It was announced on Monday that the band will perform in Valencia on July 28 and in Barcelona on July 30.
Robert Plant attended a talk about priest holes and went to see QUILL
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Harvington Hall manager Phil Downing (left) and Robert Plant (right) (X/Harvington Hall)
Robert Plant recently attended a talk about priest holes, according to the social media pages of Harvington Hall.
The Hall uses the slightly more modern term “priest hides” to describe the topic. For those of you who might not be familiar, priest holes were small cupboards or rooms built into houses to hide Catholic priests.
Phil Downing, the hall’s manager who gave the talk, raised £7,500 for charity in 2021 by locking himself inside one of the hall’s priest holes for 36 hours.
On March 9, Plant attended a performance by Bev Bevan’s band QUILL.
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Robert Plant attending a performance by QUILL on March 9 (Facebook/Katie Fitzgerald’s)
John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones performed in Amsterdam
John Paul Jones performed twice at the Kaija Saariaho Festival in Amsterdam this week. As well as his previously announced performance as part of Sons Of Chipotle last night, Jones also played a surprise show with Finnish musician Tuomas Norvio on Friday night.
You can see photographs of Jones playing the piano on Friday night in this Instagram post:
And here’s a photo of last night’s performance as Sons Of Chipotle:
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John Paul Jones (left, playing the piano) performing as part of Sons Of Chipotle in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on March 15 (Facebook/Oscar Zepeda)
More photos of last night’s show are in the below post:
Upcoming events:
- March 18 – ‘Becoming Led Zeppelin’ will be released in Germany and Austria.
- March 23 – The book “75 Years of Atlantic Records”, that contains photographs of Led Zeppelin, will be published.
- April 11 – The box set version of the expanded version of Live at the Greek by Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes will be released.
- April 14 – The signed vinyl version of the expanded version of Live at the Greek by Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes will be released.
- May 3 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Brussels, Belgium.
- May 5 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
- May 6 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- May 8 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Copenhagen, Denmark.
- May 9 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Malmö, Sweden.
- May 11 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Gothenburg, Sweden.
- May 14 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Oslo, Norway.
- May 16 – ‘Becoming Led Zeppelin’ could be released in further cinemas around this date and Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Stockholm, Sweden.
- May 18 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Tampere, Finland.
- May 19 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Helsinki, Finland.
- May 21 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Tallinn, Estonia.
- May 23 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Vilnius, Lithuania.
- June – The book “Rock Visions”, which has a chapter on Led Zeppelin memorabilia, will be published.
- July 10 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace at Festival de Poupet in Saint-Malô-du-Bois, France.
- July 13 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace at the Lucca Summer Festival in Lucca, Italy.
- July 17 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Vienne, France.
- July 19 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Salon-de-Provence, France.
- July 21 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace at the Jazz in Marciac festival in Marciac, France.
- July 23 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace at Festival de Carcassonne in Carcassonne, France.
- July 28 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Valencia, Spain.
- July 30 – Robert Plant will perform with Saving Grace in Barcelona, Spain.
- September 11 – The book “Valhalla!: The A to Z of Led Zeppelin” by Paul Brannigan will be published.
- October – John Paul Jones’ song cycle for Dame Sarah Connolly will premiere in London.That was our 384th email. Have any questions or feedback? Reply to this email and we’ll get back to you.Follow Led Zeppelin News on Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date on news as it happens, and check ledzepnews.com for the latest news.
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TBL ARCHIVE – IT WAS 55 YEARS AGO…
MEANWHILE BACK IN 1970…
Now here’s a story….Goldrush and Stamford Bridge – and a young Led Zep fan in the crowd – 55 years gone:
55 years ago on March 21,1970 , Led Zeppelin flew out for the first date of their fifth US tour.
I was well aware of all this because I’d purchased a copy of Record Mirror the previous day when it came out. Under the front page headline of ‘Goldrush’ and a wonderful colour photo of Led Zeppelin from the previous December’s awards bash, it revealed the bands current plans. Interestingly enough it reported that a film crew would be on hand to capture the tour.
The story read as follow:
‘’Off to America on Saturday go Led Zeppelin. And with the group will be a film production unit which is making a film of the month long tour. The team has been trailing the group since their appearance at the Albert Hall in January. So far in the can are shots of their European tour, Jimmy Page in the studio, and Robert Plant at home on his farm. Not to mention the presentation of gold discs for million mark sales of their albums. The film, which has already been sold in America , is to tie in with the release of their next LP at the end of the year. Which could easily sell another million. And which is why some people are nicknaming it ‘’Goldrush’’.
Film of their European tour? Jimmy in the studio?, Robert on the farm?
A film crew with them in America? There’s no evidence to suggest much of that occurred…but if it did where’s the footage now…?
I digress: On that Saturday March 21st 1970, at the same time Zep were about to wow the audience at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, I was in a capacity crowd of 61,479 (their highest of that season ) at Stamford Bridge watching Chelsea triumph 2-1 over Manchester United.
It would have been nice of course to be down White Heart Lane where Martin Peters was making his debut for Spurs against Coventry (he scored in a 2-1 defeat). Peters had transferred to Spurs as part of a swap deal that took Jimmy Greaves to West Ham (who also scored two on his debut for West Ham that day at Manchester City–I’ve just watched it on you tube!). As it was, my very good friend Dave Corp in Dents Road was where I lived was (and still is as we are still in touch) a big Chelsea fan and I was more than happy to tag along with his elder family friend to see some prime Division One action. It was incredibly exciting to see the 70s superstars of the day in action – Alan Hudson, Peter Osgood, Ian Hutchinson, George Best, Bobby Charlton, Alex Stepney, Denis Law,Willie Morgan etc.,
It was one of those occasions from an impressionable age that remains ingrained on my brain – not dissimilar to the way Zep memories of Empire Pool and Earls Court etc are lodged in there forever.
I can remember so much about that day in detail: the records played over the PA before the teams came on which included hits of the time Brotherhood Of Man’s United We Stand and Steam’s Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye, the atmosphere in the Chelsea paddock where we stood (a fantastic view right in the front side on to the goal) as Ian Hutchinson scored twice in the first half, the pie we had in a café after the game and the hitch hiker we picked up on the A1 going home. 50 years have done nothing to dull the memories of an awesome day for this then 13 year old.
I’ve just searched YouTube and amazingly the match is on the Chelsea TV channel – the original ITV Big Match coverage with the late great Brian Moore commenting and lo and behold imagine my delight and surprise when as the camera pans in for a Chelsea throw – I am in view second on the left with my arm across the barrier as Ian Hutchinson takes one of his then famous long throws. This is in the exact spot where we were – the pic here is a bit blurry off YouTube but that’s me – a young Led Zep fan viewing the action.
Little did I realize that aside from the match programme, three years later I’d have another remnant of that day. This was in the form of the bootleg LP Mudslide that captured highlights of Zep’s Vancouver show of March 21st. In fact whenever I hear the opening drum roll from Bonzo,Jimmy’s guitar warm up and Robert’s ‘’Everybody feel alright!’’ intro, I always think back to that spring Saturday in March 1970 when I was in amongst the then soccer elite in Stamford Bridge.
I of course kept the copy of Record Mirror from that week, and have the trade mark of quality vinyl bootleg of Mudslide. I also have the Chelsea v Man Utd programme.
Looking at those remnants I can almost smell the atmosphere of that day back in 1970. I can honestly say that Saturday March 21, 1970 was one of the pivotal days of my life. A day where my eyes were truly opened to the adult world’
It will all be in the DL memoirs
Precious memories indeed…and now I can now add the YouTube clip to that list of memories – filmed proof that I was indeed right there…the crowd clip with me with my arm on the barrier is at 4mins.44 as Ian Hutchinson takes one of his long throws…
I always remind Dave of this epic day and the memories of 55 years ago t…one day we would both like to go back to Stamford Bridge and watch another match…..
Here’s the YouTube clip link:
Dave Lewis – March 19 2025
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Recent DL Led Zeppelin LP bootleg box set acquisition:
Led Zeppelin In The Evening
Live at the Festhalle Frankfurt Germany 30.6.1980
I am a sucker for these bootleg box set releases and this one is a bit personal.
I was lucky enough to be at this gig with my great friend the late Tom Locke. We had seen the second night of the tour in Cologne on June 18 and were now back to catch the Frankfurt show then two nights in Mannheim and the Munich show on July 5.
There have been various CD versions of this show but I think this is the first occasion it’s come on vinyl. This is a triple set with the whole show and the back cover proclaims
‘’ Included here is a speed corrected and remastered soundboard recording of a fantastic sounding show. Released on vinyl in optimum sound quality.’’
I can certainly testify first hand that it was a fantastic show. The Festhalle was a ten thousand capacity hall and Zep had previously played there a decade back in July 1970.
It was one of the most high profile shows of the tour and important enough to have Ahmet Ertegun in attendance. He stood near us on the side of the stage and at the end of the show promotor Harvey Goldsmith
Back to the box set which is on the rather bizarrely titled The Dinosaur Eats a Frankfurter label.
The cover is four live shots from the 1980 tour presented as film stills in the style of the official 1980 photo which had four shots from the tour rehearsals. In fact they have overplayed the live Over Europe pics onto the poster safety film shots of the original as the numbers 17 A and 8A can be seen – albeit it the other way round.
The back cover is a shot outside the Festhalle advertising the Zep show plus Santana and Frank Zappa -quick aside the Santana show the day after the Zep appearance and Jimmy Page made a guest appearance.
As with these box sets there’s a four page insert which has a spread of photos. Here’s where it gets very personal for me – three of the photos are cribbed from my Feather In The Wind Led Zeppelin over Europe 1980 book published in 2011. These photos were taken by Tom Locke and myself.
They include the following:
A photo taken by Tom at the Intercontinental Hotel in Cologne as the band booked in on the afternoon of June 18 1980 with Robert Plant, Phil Carson (Atlantic Records exec),Rex King (John Bonham assistant), John Bonham and Peter Grant -also in view is tour manager Phil Carlo. This was in preparation for the second gig of the tour that evening at the Cologne Sporthalle.
From the same gig , a photo of Robert Plant smiling and snapped as we watched from the side of the stage at the Festhalle gig in Frankfurt on June 30 1980.
Another one of Jimmy again captured as we stood on the side of the stage -this has Jimmy passing his Gibson guitar to guitar tech Ray Thomas.
It would have been nice if they had asked permission to use them but as we know that’s not the bootleggers way. It would have been nice too if they had bunged me a copy of the set -I could have offered to write some sleeve notes and maybe pass them the photo I have of Phil Carson jamming with them at this gig on a version of Money (That’s What I Want).
It’s not the first occasion TBL pics have been used for bootleg artwork and it probably won’t be the last…
So to the six sides.
Having been overawed watching the young Led Zeppelin in the Becoming Led Zeppelin film we are now ten years on and as we all know this is a rather different proposition. A rather world weary band but on the back of their Knebworth performances determined to move on and re- establish themselves.
Of the 14 dates around Europe this June 30 1980 performance was one of the best.
So here’s how it sounds on this new triple album box set:
The sound itself is the via the rather flat sounding soundboard tape. Much of Robert’s between song chat is retained.
Side One:
Train Kept a Rollin’ (3.42)
Robert’s voice is lightly husky but improves – Jimmy is right on this.
Nobody’s Fault But Mine (5.42)
Vibrant and well delivered – this pair worked well together. That cry of ”Oh Jimmy” delights.
Black Dog (6.18)
Fairly standard performance but always a crowd pleaser.
In The Evening (8.09)
Slightly uneven and Robert get’s a bit lost at one point. JPJ is excellent throughout.
It’s worth noting here that the constant use of a harmoniser to double track Robert’s vocals does grate for me. The harmoniser vocal effect was first introduced on the 1977 US tour and worked well in
Side Two:
The Rain Song (9.02)
The stand alone version as performed at Knebworth. Superb performance.
Hot Dog (4.00)
This number worked well as an on stage stomper.
All My Love (6.22)
Robert is now right on it and this is a fabulous delivery with all of them gelling together. The extended ending is similar to the famous long version outake.
There’s an audience drop in that catches Robert’s introduction to a friend by the name of Cooky.
Side Three:
Trampled Under Foot (8.49)
Fast and furious John Paul Jones is superb on the solo as is Jimmy adding in some scintillating wah wah runs.
Since I’ve Been Loving You (10.17)
Jimmy again very fluent and Robert without the harmoniser effect sounding pure and clear. Nice ad lib of I Cant Quite You Baby at the close. JPJ on electric piano.
Side Four:
Achilles Last Stand (10.50)
John Bonham and Jimmy lock right in from the start aided by that chugging bass from JPJ. It’s a glorious noise.
White Summer/Black Mountain Side (7.19)
Something of an Albert Hall 1970 throwback with Bonzo adding the percussion. All expertly performed. However the crowd are noisy and boisterous prompting Jimmy to stop and proclaim ”It’s noisy out here give us a chance!” he then goes into the Black Mountain Side sequence though this annoyingly fades out.
Side Five:
Kashmir (10.53)
John Paul Jones very much to the fore here and Jimmy’s relentless riffing never fails to lift the arrangement to new heights. Plant is also magnificent. John Bonham’s fills take it all out on a high.
Audience drop in on the intro
Stairway To Heaven (13.01)
Some great ad libs from Plant here -”Does anybody…” ”I keep chopin’ and changin”’ ”Not to roll, to roll, not to roll.”
The sol is a meandering one and perhaps lacks the majesty of Knebworth but overall this is a gracious delivery.
Side Six
Rock And Roll (5.05)
Encores – a manic Rock And Roll marred for me by that pesky harmoniser effect on Robert’s vocals.
Money (That’s What I Want) (4.53)
Phil Carson on bass Mr Philip Carson from London”
Grungy guitar, JPJ on electric piano. Impressive wah wah solo from Jimmy followed by a Jones piano solo.
Whole Lotta Love (14.20)
They are back for a final thrust -Whole Lotta Love – disappointingly they did not retain the revamped arrangement that lit up Knebworth -this is the standard Crunge into theremin section but then switches into the Boogie Chillun’ section which has Plant proclaiming ”This boy’s reached the age of 31”. There’s some lines from Elvis’ Frankfurt Special and then they wind it up with the familiar ”Woman way down inside” exit.
Summary:
Overall a very enjoyable set – it was of course incredibly exciting to watch this unfold at the time from the side of the stage. With the benefit of hindsight some 45 years on there were some sloppy moments
These box sets are not for all collectors but as a souvenir of one of my most memorable gigs it’s a very welcomed package.
Now here’s a thing…
The way it could have been?
Looking back to that Over Europe tour in 1980, it had me thinking of what I would have considered an ideal set list at the time. There’s no doubt that the Over Europe setlist did strip out a lot excess but both the Presence and In Through the Out Door albums were well unrepresented.
So here’s my proposal for how a more balanced set list might have looked -both for the Over Europe dates and to take over to the US for the planned fall tour.
Train Kept a Rollin’
Nobody’s Fault But Mine
I would retain the Over Europe set opening segment as that worked really well.
The Wanton Song (Only ever previously played on a few of the 1975 USD tour dates)
Royal Orleans (Previously unplayed live)
Above pairing played back to back
Intro by Jimmy then into…
Hots On For Nowhere (Previously unplayed live)
Intro by Robert then into..
All My Love (as per the Over Europe dates)
I’m Gonna Crawl (Previously unplayed live)
Trampled Underfoot
Sick Again
In The Evening
Caroulesambra (Previously unplayed live)
Achilles Last Stand
Dazed And Confused – performed in the compact arrangement ala Supershow
Kashmir
Stairway To Heaven
Encores:
Encore One:
Whole Lotta Love – performed in the compact Knebworth revamp arrangement curtailed before the ”Way down inside” refrain and running straight into…
Wearing And Tearing (From the In Through the Out Door sessions Not released on record as yet)
Encore Two:
Communication Breakdown
Rock And Roll
So there it is – my view of how a Led Zeppelin setlist might have looked as they prepared to take on the 1980s…ultimately it was not to be…
Dave Lewis March 19 2025
The Beatles Volume I – 1960 -1964
You never have too much Beatles reading and here’s a newly published a corker –
DL Diary Blog Update:
Saturday March 15:
Saturday is platterday – on the player the Coverdale Page album released on this day all of 32 years ago on March 15 1993 – this is the Japanese reissue from a couple of years back – I have a great affinity with this album -it was a revelation at the time with Jimmy Page on great form – still sounds great..
Saturday March 15:
At the excellent Bedford VIP record fair today with Cliff The Ticket Man Hilliard – if anyone needs tickets for Led Zep at Earls Court we’ve got spares!!
Saturday March 15:
Pics of my fellow record collecting comrades Jerry Bloom, Cliff The Ticket man Hilliard, Ian Avey ,Phil Harris, Keith Harlow, Mat Roberts, Gary Carruthers during a break in the fair, in the building and after the excellent Bedford VIP Fair – a top time was had…
Monday March 17:
Monday March 17:
Update here:
It was great to catch up with a fair few fellow record collecting comrades at the Bedford VIP Record Fair last Saturday -and as can be seen above there was some very good bargains to be had. It has to be said that my Buy Less -Play More mantra has well and truly gone out the window!
Gearing up for a big week ahead – the Zep night at the Dublin Castle featuring the Q and A for the Whole Lotta Love -A People’s History plus Coda live is already selling well and Richard and I look forward to seeing all that can make it along.
Thanks for listening
Until next time…
Dave Lewis – March 19 2025
TBL website updates written and compiled by Dave Lewis
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