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.

[Helms]

Ah yes, those were the daze. When Zeppelin first appeared, the concert goers would literally bang their heads against the stage, walls, etc. Saw Zep. 3x: 1x Schenectady, 2x Syracuse (stayed at the YMCA).

Having said this, Roger Waters "In The Flesh Live" concert DVD gets my vote.

[Steven W.]

The new CD boasts a 25-minute version of "Dazed and Confused," while Bonham drums relentlessly during the 19-minute "Moby Dick."

I think that was in their bylaws ;)

[CyberCowboy777]

young Zep fan bump

[Grando Calrissian]

The Ramones were on the cusp of the 1980's, but you may be right.

The Talking Heads are still played on the radio as much as Floyd or the Stones, and musically speaking, put out some pretty innovative music on par with the "Big 4".

The Beastie's are most certainly not a one-hit wonder, and are actually pretty similar to Floyd. Their albums might not come too often, but there isn't a weak one in the bunch.

[lugsoul]

Actually, they are pretty bad.

[You Dirty Rats]

I missed them in 1977 when I had no $$$$$$ as a senior in high school.

In 1980 I beat the ticket selling procedure in Cleveland -- they announced the ticket sales at 3:30 -- you had to have a bank money order mailed to the Coliseum. I found a drive-through bank open until 4 (rare back then), got the money order, and dropped it off at the Richfield post office just after midnight (had to be postmarked after then). Next day, banks were deluged with Zep fans, but I had the inside track!

Then dude chokes on his own vomit ... at least they think it was his own vomit ... Scotland Yard doesn't dust for vomit you know.

My wife, on the other hand, saw them in 1969 ... she's a little older than me :) -- then she saw them in Philly when Phil Collins drummed for them.

[mallardx]

It's a testament to how much today's music sucks compared to the stuff back then.

Basically very true. However there are some awesome bands still around in the 00's you might want to check out: Blues Traveler, Collective Soul to name a few...

[sirchtruth]

To add depth to the music in his head, Page decided to sit in the producer's chair and amplify Bonzo's drum playing.

Not only was Bonzo's playing spectacular (especially the ghost notes)but the sound of his drums I have yet not heard anyone to match in timbre.

[showme_the_Glory]

I remember 8-tracks : (

My kids listen to Pink Floyd, Jimmy Hendrix, Black Sabbath, but don't seen too interested in Zep.

Doors, Cream, Who, Moody Blues, Ten Years After, Doobies, Grand Funk, Airplane, Rare Earth, Traffic, Deep Purple, Quicksilver, Iron Butterfly........................

[discostu]

The Ramones exploded onto the popular scene when they appeared on Shanana towards the end of the 70s, but they'd been around a while already. Old band.

I still dig the Talking Heads, a remarkable band, but I'm not hearing them having much in the way of continuing airplay.

There might not be a weak Beastie Boy album in the bunch, but they're not stacking up anywhere near the sales and getting little if any continuing airplay.

It's not just a matter of quality it's also a matter of public awareness. Somehow Zep still remains huge, I think the heavy tie-ins to LOTR helps a lot it means fans of one get turned on to the other. But we can't leave out that they're the prototype hardrock with brains band. No rock and roll station or heavy metal station can claim any validity if Zep isn't on the playlist, they embody their genre more completely than any other band except maybe the Stones.

[sirchtruth]

Actually, they are pretty bad.

Oh c'mon! They are at least in a different league, musically creatively speaking.

[Alberta's Child]

Talk about timing. One of the FM stations in New York had a countdown over the Memorial Day weekend of the Top 500 tunes from the '80s and '90s. I hated a lot of that crap, but I was surprised at how many of them I liked.

In my opinion, Collective Soul's "The World I Know" might be the best song of the 1990s.

[jwh_Denver]

In doing this, Jimmy Page inadvertantly created Heavy-Metal music.

There have been 2 groups that are said to be the father of heavy metal, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. IMO Black Sabbath wins hands down.

[Huck]

There have been 2 groups that are said to be the father of heavy metal, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. IMO Black Sabbath wins hands down.

I agree with you. The original headbangers.

[Drew68]

My kids listen to Pink Floyd, Jimmy Hendrix, Black Sabbath, but don't seen too interested in Zep.

If they are not interested in Zep it is because they have not been properly exposed to Zep.

Do your part! If kids do not like Zep then the terrorists have won.

[rambo316]

That is my fovorite band. I have the same disc of their's in my car with Stairway to Heaven and Goin'to California to of my favorite songs.

[Burr5]

Pardek, it isn't. It's EADADE.

Tune to that and strum all six, fingering the 7th fret of the B and D strings.

See? I've been doing Rain Song for twenty years. It's one of the most fun things I play, actually.

[rambo316]

I have this site bookmarked. I don't know how to make the link live but here is a great site with all the Zep lyrics.

Here it is: http://www.led-zeppelin.com/EMl4.html

[Senator Pardek]

It's EADADE.

Impossible. Watch "The Song Remains The Same", and you'll see.

[dfwgator]

I consider Jimi Hendrix the father of heavy metal.