Posted on 05/28/2003 1:00:57 PM PDT by Drew68
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.
Classical: Bach and Vivaldi mostly. ...and the Beethoven Symphonies, especially #'s 2 & 7.
Interesting. I had always thought that Page lifted the "Stairway to Heaven" chord progression from The Theme from Gilligan's Island. The words and melody fit perfectly with Page's guitar.
Funny you should bring up Bitch's Brew. I bought that album in the 70s and after listening to it a half dozen times came to the conclusion it was nothing more than unorganized, random, meandering scales with no musical underpinnings at all. Fast forward 20 years and a guitarist friend of mine that's heavy into jazz was rambling on what a great album that was. So, I listened to it again and arrived at the same conclusion. I've never been able to make much sense out of that music.
I would agree. They look the unit as well.:o)
One of my favorite concerts had to be the Alice Cooper Show (1977).
Nothin' wrong with a show! The best, both musically and entertainmentwise, concert I ever saw was performed by the Tubes. That was a great band before their short-lived pop success with She's a Beauty!
The best Miles album from that period is the live (in Japan) Pangea, which also happened to be the last time he appeared in public for five years. The freak literally locked himself in his Manhattan apartment from '75 till '80, having very few visitors. Most of his time was spent painting and reading, he said. The story goes that Dizzy Gillespie dropped by one day and gave him a bunch of grief for being such a hermit, and finally coaxed him out of his retirement.
Unfortunately, Miles was never the same.
Yeah I first saw this band on a VH1 show a few months ago featuring the top rock bands and their sound got my attention right away. I guess they were able to draft one of the Foo Fighters in their band...not sure if he is still there.
Thanks for that background on Miles Davis. He was a highly respected jazz musician in the 60s and I've heard he was a Strange Cat...but that kinda goes with the territory. His latter day story is reminiscent of John Lennon with the exception that Lennon probably was on his way back if that crazed idiot didn't snuff out his life.
And the 50's as well. I think his best work was with the two Miles Davis Quintets -- the late 50's incarnation with John Coltrane (sax), Philly Joe Jones (drums), Paul Chambers (bass), and Red Garland (piano), and the early 60's outfit with Wayne Shorter (sax), Herbie Hancock (piano), Tony Smith (drums), and Ron Carter (bass). Both bands broke serious new musical ground, and the latter one did a lot to influence late 60's rock.
The three Davis albums I'd recommend are Cookin' (from his first Quintet), My Funny Valentine - Live '64 (from his second quintet), and the famous Kind of Blue (from the transition period between the two bands).
His latter day story is reminiscent of John Lennon
Yep, except Miles' descent into drug abuse happened in the early 50's, 23 years before his self-imposed exile. Lennon's exile happened concurrent with his heroin days/nights.
It was called "GTR", and they had a hit with "When the Heart Rules the Mind."
Not just one of the Foo Fighters, but Dave Grohl, who actually drummed on some the tracks (first time he played drums since Nirvana).
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.