Led Zeppelin Flying High with New Concert Discs

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

[Drew68]

Led Zeppelin Flying High with New Concert Discs

Wed May 28, 2003

By Dean Goodman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - In the words of one of their songs, Dancing Days are here again for fans of Led Zeppelin.

Defunct for almost 23 years, the pioneering English band behind such hard rock classics as "Stairway to Heaven" and "Kashmir (news - web sites)" has cleaned out its vaults to issue eight hours of previously unreleased live material on DVD and CD.

The "Led Zeppelin DVD" contains footage from four tours spanning 1970 to 1979; the CD "How The West Was Won" combines two Los Angeles shows from 1972 to replicate a single concert.

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.

"To actually go through it bit by bit and hear sections of it, you go, 'Yeah, yeah, that's really good' or 'I played really well there' or 'My God, that's embarrassing, that bit I played then,"' Page, 58, said in an interview.

Both the DVD and CD were released this week with Page, singer Robert Plant (news), 53, and keyboardist/bassist John Paul Jones (news), 56, embarking on a publicity blitz. Ironically, Led Zeppelin shunned such chores during its 12-year reign, preferring to let the music speak for itself.

But rumors that the trio would play together came to naught. The band has reunited only twice since breaking up after the 1980 alcohol-related death of drummer John Bonham (news). Page and Plant toured and recorded together in the 1990s, to Jones' initial chagrin. These days, the threesome's relationship is more business than social, Page says.

"MAGICAL ELEMENT"

"There were four very different personalities anyway in Led Zeppelin, very different personalities," Page said. "But when they bonded musically, the four elements joined together, took on a fifth element -- a thing which is totally intangible and it can't be charted, which was that magical element."

Led Zeppelin's members fused folk and blues influences to create a genre known as heavy metal. The group's catalog, highlighted by their untitled 1971 album and 1975's "Physical Graffiti" has sold about 200 million copies worldwide.

But their strength was arguably live performances. They toured incessantly, setting new standards for ticket sales. Songs from the albums were radically reworked on stage.

The new CD boasts a 25-minute version of "Dazed and Confused," while Bonham drums relentlessly during the 19-minute "Moby Dick." Spontaneity was the key, which is why the band decided to call it a day rather than try to feign improvisation with a new drummer.

"You had to be totally, totally involved. It's like a sacrifice you were there for," Page said.

The DVD features songs from London's Royal Albert Hall (1970) and Earl's Court (1975), New York's Madison Square Garden (1973) and England's Knebworth Festival (1979). And that's it as far as live footage is concerned, Page says.

"We didn't have a documentary crew going round with us all the time. What would we do it for? We weren't a television band," Page said.

"A BIT OF A LAUGH"

Similarly, the only other audio footage in the vaults was from a university gig, which was done "for a bit of a laugh." Page vows it will never see the light of day because the band made so many mistakes. (Page did use some computer tricks to fix a few wrong chords on the newly released material.)

These days, Page divides his time between a historic London townhouse and a mansion in nearby Windsor. His post-Zeppelin career has been patchy, with highlights including a tour with the Black Crowes and recording a rap version of "Kashmir" with rapper Sean Combs. He says he's working on something "quite surprising" but declined to go into detail.

[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.