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Led Zeppelin Photo Mysteries


SteveAJones

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I've seen this photo of Robert many times and the caption always reads "Robert Plant reading newspaper in bus on tour, America" or words to that effect.

I've often wondered "Did the band have their own tour bus in the early days?" "What did it look like?" "Who drove it?", "How long did they use it?" and a million other questions.

Has there ever been a photo or any documentation regarding this bus?

post-21856-0-86959400-1408767987_thumb.j

Edited by bcarter690
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I've seen this photo of Robert many times and the caption always reads "Robert Plant reading newspaper in bus on tour, America" or words to that effect.

I've often wondered "Did the band have their own tour bus in the early days?" "What did it look like?" "Who drove it?", "How long did they use it?" and a million other questions.

Has there ever been a photo or any documentation regarding this bus?

On the first U.S. tour they traveled in a station wagon driven by Richard Cole and I think there is a photo of them with it. So far as I can recall they never used a dedicated tour bus and once they got into using leased aircraft the ground transport was normally limos, at least in the United States. In '77 JPJ traveled separately for several dates in a Winnebago as he was accompanied by his family.

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Thanks Steve, Good info. And I would love to see the photo of Richard Cole and the band in the station wagon.

But I still wonder how the band would get from each show to the next show if the cities were in driving distance from each other. And I'm referring to the early days prior to them leasing aircraft and having limousines, of course.

So that would cover 1968 to up to just before the pre-Starship days.

If they weren't using a tour bus, certainly they may have had a dedicated van or bus for the band members as evidenced by the Richard Cole station wagon example.

Its odd that there's not been more discussion ( and photos) regarding this topic. I suppose everyone sees Zep and assumes they wee traveling in limousines and jets from early on but we know that's not the case.

On the first U.S. tour they traveled in a station wagon driven by Richard Cole and I think there is a photo of them with it. So far as I can recall they never used a dedicated tour bus and once they got into using leased aircraft the ground transport was normally limos, at least in the United States. In '77 JPJ traveled separately for several dates in a Winnebago as he was accompanied by his family.

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Pete Townshend & John Paul Jones

This photograph is dated 1971. Seeking confirmation of the date and any details pertaining to what the occasion was.

PeteampJPJ1971_zpsb801121c.jpg

APRS Exhibition, May 28-29, 1971

Association of Professional Recording Studios

London

aprs71_jpj.jpg

(Note: The article refers to John Paul Jones as "John Bonham")

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Thanks Steve! I knew it was Robert, Eric and Phil but I didn't know what the occasion or circumstances were for the photo.

I've been told that two of the other gentlemen seen here are Greg Lake and David Gilmour.

Left to right: Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy, Robert Plant, Eric Clapton

January 16, 1980...Robert Plant and Eric Clapton (among others) participate in a press conference and attend a reception for the release of 'The Summit', a compilation album aiding "International Year Of The Child"

Edited by bcarter690
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They attended an Elvis' concert at the Intercontinental Hotel in Las Vegas on August 11, 1969 but did not meet him on this date.

...."That night we had front row tables. It was the first time any of us had seen Elvis perform. And we weren't disappointed.

"perhaps the only dissatisfied person among us that night was John Paul, but it was good natured-despair. Before entering the showroom to see Elvis, we had spent a few minutes in the International's lounge, watching Ike and Tina Turner perform. .....

"He turned to his wife Mo"........

Richard Cole - STH'92 Page 96

They also attended Elvis' early afternoon performance at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, June 10, 1972 but did not meet him on this date.

In the January 1975 photo above, the ribbon Jimmy's wearing is probably a fashion statement as Elvis did not tour from Oct 10, '74 to Apr 23, '75.

I don't show any paths crossing at Baltimore International Airport in '77, but if they did it would have been May 25, 26, 28 or 30. However, given he was performing dates in OK & TX it seems highly unlikely. Elvis did perform in Alexandria, VA on May 30, 1977, but again so far as I know none of the Led Zeppelin band members have ever alluded to having encountered him on the tarmac in Baltimore.

So although they attended more than one of his concerts they only met Elvis once, on Saturday May 11, 1974. Page, Plant, Bonham, Jones and manager Peter Grant spent two hours with Elvis and Vernon Presley at the Presley's hotel across from The Forum. This event is often erroneously reported as them having met him at his home near Los Angeles.

Earlier that evening they had attended his 8:30 pm performance at The Forum; Elvis commented on it from the stage. (Play the link below at 56:10)

Another link of interest:

http://www.elvis.com.au/presley/music/led_zeppelin_meet_elvis.html#sthash.q9nLfv5Z.dpbs

See also post #2819 of the Zeppelin Mysteries Hosted by Steve A. Jones thread for more.

A correction- Elvis played Alexandria, LA March 30, 1977 not Alexandria, VA on May 30, 1977.

Elvis was in the region while Zep was there in May '77. He played in Baltimore on May 29, an off day for Zep. I wonder if they considered going to see him.

He also played the Capitol Centre May 22, three days before Zep started their run there.

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A correction- Elvis played Alexandria, LA March 30, 1977 not Alexandria, VA on May 30, 1977.

Elvis was in the region while Zep was there in May '77. He played in Baltimore on May 29, an off day for Zep. I wonder if they considered going to see him.

He also played the Capitol Centre May 22, three days before Zep started their run there.

Good catch. I'll have to back track to the database I pulled that from and ask them to correct it.

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Here's a photo of Marc Bolan and Robert Plant, speculated to be from year 1977. Did they ever play together, or were they just friends?

Robert Plant never performed with Marc Bolan. There's another much more recent photo in circulation of Robert posing for a photograph with producer Tony Visconti and Marc Bolan's son Rolan, who is also a musician.

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