Led Zeppelin Flying High with New Concert Discs

Reuters (via Yahoo) ^ | 05/28/03 | Dean Goodman

[WRhine]

I was too young to care about the snobbishness ..... Credence was my very first favorite band. Man, talk about a hit machine. Fogerty (back then) could write a top-20 FM masterpiece in his sleep. Too many great songs to list. And a very, very tight band with a great and distinctive sound.

No doubt about it. John Fogerty was one of the most prolific songwriters of his time--and his guitar work was always crisp and inventive.

[Mr. Mojo]

Problem with vintage gear is that it's so damn expensive these days, especially the guitars. Pre-CBS (pre-'65) Strats and Teles in decent condition can run you up to $20,000, and I've seen '59-'60 Les Pauls recently sell for as much as $150,000. It's just ridiculous, especially if you plan on actually playing them outside of your home. ...Way too nerve-wracking, unless you're loaded (with either cash or drugs;)

Vintage amps aren't that expensive, but unless they've been cared for extensively and/or they're in prime shape, there's always the concern that they'll give out on stage. I wouldn't play out with one without a backup handy. Without spending many thousands on either a new boutique amp or a vintage (and possibly fragile) masterpiece, a good way to go is to buy a new Fender Reissue (either a Deluxe, Twin, or Super Reverb) and change the circuitry to the original blackface circuitry of the early-mid 60's. (You can do it yourself with a soldering iron and a little guidance). You'll then have a brand new amp that should sound close to the original. And for a further upgrade that'll equal the original, install some new JBL or Jensen speakers into the thing.

.....Of course your warranty would be voided, but you shoudn't need it anyway. ...And Fender customer service pretty much sucks. Definitely drop me a line before you shop.

[Mr. Mojo]

Check out the new Fender vintage reissues

Oh and btw, I played a friend's brand new Twin - not a reissue - about 5 years ago and it was probably the worst amp I've ever heard. ....Shame.

[Helms]

Did Bill Graham run both Filmores(I thought he did). I saw blood Sweat and Tears and Tull at East. I believe that Zeppelin hit majestic and transcendental heights that even the Beatles and Stones did not hit. Now Pink Floyd, that is a different matter and for me picked up where LZ left off.

[Mr. Mojo]

Zep and Floyd, imo, are apples and oranges. I like and respect them both. ...Same with the Beatles and Stones. ....I'd rather listen to and enjoy them rather than measure them against each other. It all comes down to what I'm in the mood to listen to at the time.

Yep, Graham ran both Fillmore establishments.

[Helms]

In 1969 they had three separate tours of North America alone.

And performed at a converted little place in Schenectady called the Aerodrome (either an old bowling alley or indoor skating rink). Page was totally wasted and needed assistance getting on stage. We sat at little tables being served beer w/ phony drivers licenses. It was obvious our elders were smoking dope.

[Helms]

Come on your too pc, who was your favorite and your top five. How about the Boston Tea Party in Boston. Really and if I were to show the youngins today the spirit of my youth-it would have to be Zep. as in 73 Madison Square or Neil Young w/ Crazy Horse circa Rust Never Sleeps.

[Mr. Mojo]

Top 5? Well, how about a top 10 or 15 instead? Bob Dylan, The Band, Neil Young, Hendrix, Allman Bros., Beatles, Cream, Stones, Floyd, Yes, Zep, Muddy Waters, Zappa, Credence, Little Feat.....(in no particular order)

Although the top slot goes to Dylan.

[Mr. Mojo]

....And Buddy Guy, Jeff Beck, and Robert Johnson as well.

[Pagey]

I'd also like to add this fact about Led Zeppelin:
No other band on earth put out their first 4 albums in less than 28 months I believe it was.You can check the release dates online.AND they were on the road most of that time too.In todays music world, this is an impossibility and won't ever happen again,by any 'new' band.

[Pagey]

Reminder to come back and read the whole thread later.

[republicofdavis]

I'd be surprised if the Beatles first 4 albums didn't come out in much less time -- while spending most of their time on the road and making a movie. I wish there was more of that these days

[republicofdavis]

I went and looked it up -- the Beatles first four albums came out in less than 21 months. And their first 6 came out in 33 months. That's working!

[Pahuanui]

You bet. Marshall has a great electric tone that remains quite clear even through moderate distortion. It's the Champ of Amps IMO.

Oh, I don't know... My 120w Matchless Superchief pretty much, for me at least, defines clarity under any circumstances.

Of course, I've never needed (nor do I want to) to turn it up past 3/4's or so, so who knows? But put a Dirtbox in front of the baby and...ouch.

[muslims=borg]

Page was like a composer, to ask that he perfectly reproduce live what he created in the studio is asking a bit much for a band with one guitar player. You're right most Zep songs had at least two guitar tracks some had as many as five and Page would bounce around between the parts which always amazed me like in "Celebration Day", there are five guitar tracks in that song. Page had the magic, no doubt. In many songs there is variation everytime a riff repeats itself which is quite intriguing from a player's point of view. He also had "The Tone", guitar players are still trying to emulate the "Whole Lotta Love" tone.

[muslims=borg]

Yes and LZI and LZII came out in the same year. Two of the greatest. Today you would never see that, bands take three years between albums and they still suck.

[melsec]

Remarkably, the band's leader and guitarist, Jimmy Page (news), who compiled the releases, says he remembers all the concerts as if they were yesterday.BWHAAHAAHAA....I am surprised Jimmy can remember his own name considering the amount of dope etc he was doing.

Mel

[WRhine]

Without spending many thousands on either a new boutique amp or a vintage (and possibly fragile) masterpiece, a good way to go is to buy a new Fender Reissue (either a Deluxe, Twin, or Super Reverb) and change the circuitry to the original blackface circuitry of the early-mid 60's. (You can do it yourself with a soldering iron and a little guidance). You'll then have a brand new amp that should sound close to the original. And for a further upgrade that'll equal the original, install some new JBL or Jensen speakers into the thing.

Mr. Mojo, thanks much for that valuable information. You are lot more in the music/equipment scene than I am. I'll definitely Freep Mail ya when I'm ready to go out shopping for new equipment. Thanks again.

[Drew68]

He also had "The Tone", guitar players are still trying to emulate the "Whole Lotta Love" tone.

No kidding. I'd give anything to know how he got that compressed sound for the lead in "Whole Lotta Love."

I do know that the song was recorded with a Telecaster (as the first two Zep albums were) and not with a Les Paul (as is always assumed).

[muslims=borg]

I can get close to that sound playing a Les Paul Jr through a Sunn T50c. I know thats not what he used but its close. Supposedly it was a Tele through a Supro. Just watched "In My Time Of Dying" on the second DVD. He definitly had the mojo on that one. Watching this made me realize that Bonzo had no peers.