strutter806 Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 I'd very much like to hear Zep's earliest shows from Scandinavia if there are any floating around. Can someone tell me any info on getting ahold of these or even reviews on what these tapes sound like, sound quality etc.. This is purely for personal listening enjoyment. Supposedly Jimmy recorded all Scandanavian shows to demo to the record companies so they do exist no?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZeppMan93 Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Don't know how legitimate it is, but that is the only recording I've found recorded by a Swedish radio program, there was another video but I don't know where it is. It was the song For Your Love I believe it was played in September '68 as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 ^ That's not from the Copenhagen March '69 radio broadcast show, is it? Nice to hear, nonetheless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZeppMan93 Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Apparently its from September 20th 1968 and its Danish not Swedish. Sounds 1968-ish to me, I could be wrong. EDIT: I just looked up if they played in Copenhagen at that date or even around that date, seems like they didn't. It's probably from early 1969 is my guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 I know that song is listed as played at an FM broadcast from Copenhagen March of '69. I've just never heard it though. Back to the op, I've also heard that Jimmy recorded that tour to shop the band around before signing with Atlantic. SAJ, do you have any proof of this? When were they signed to Atlantic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledzepfilm Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 The earliest circulating recordings of LZ were with PJ Proby, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reswati Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 I know that song is listed as played at an FM broadcast from Copenhagen March of '69. I've just never heard it though. Back to the op, I've also heard that Jimmy recorded that tour to shop the band around before signing with Atlantic. SAJ, do you have any proof of this? When were they signed to Atlantic? It is listed in the Luis Rey book as March 14th 1969, Tivoli Gardens, Stockholm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 You are correct, Res. I was looking at a different source and then just checked the timeline here, they played 3 different venues on March 14th in Stockholm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StringBender Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Back to the op, I've also heard that Jimmy recorded that tour to shop the band around before signing with Atlantic. SAJ, do you have any proof of this? When were they signed to Atlantic? There are some quotes from the book Peter Grant: The Man Who Led Zeppelin that certainly seemed to allude that the first shows were recorded and that is what he shopped to the record companies. I recall us arguing about that on here years ago but to me it was fairly plain that is what he meant from what I remember. And I'm totally not motivated enough to dig that book out of the basement and look for the quote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 I read that book and I believe you are correct with that content. Good memory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingzoso Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 There are some quotes from the book Peter Grant: The Man Who Led Zeppelin that certainly seemed to allude that the first shows were recorded and that is what he shopped to the record companies. I recall us arguing about that on here years ago but to me it was fairly plain that is what he meant from what I remember. And I'm totally not motivated enough to dig that book out of the basement and look for the quote. I have the book about Peter Grant in my room (along with My 30+ other books on Led Zeppelin) and I do not recall reading about Jimmy "recording" the early concerts for the use of "shopping" them to the record companies to secure a recording contract (of course I could be wrong and just not remember reading that). I think that Jimmy Page and Peter Grant were determined to be signed to Atlantic Records from the very beginning. On the Atlantic Flagship label, not their subsidiary, Atco Records. It helped tremendously with Jimmy's numerous session work and success with the Yardbirds and the recommendation of Dusty Springfield regarding the superb and impeccable talents of Mr. John Baldwin that helped the then unknown "New Yardbirds" and the recently named Led Zeppelin to help Jimmy Page and Peter Grant to sign with Atlantic Records and secure them with a $200,000 advance and almost complete artistic control over whatever Led Zeppelin thought were in "Theirs" (and Peter Grants) best interests.Edited to add: I hope that I am wrong as I would love to hear any "live" "New Yardbirds" from 1968. From Their first gigs on the first Scandinavian tour up to the small gigs They did in England just before They embarked on Their first tour of the (Great) United States of America on December 26, 1968 in Denver, Colorado. The only live concert to be "bootlegged" in the year of 1968 (that I know of) happened in Spokane, Washington on December 30, 1968. And here it is: Please, If I am wrong on any of what I have just posted, please clarify and prove Me wrong. I don't mind being proven wrong in this topic/case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted March 23, 2014 Share Posted March 23, 2014 Supposedly Jimmy recorded all Scandanavian shows to demo to the record companies so they do exist no?! False. I've also heard that Jimmy recorded that tour to shop the band around before signing with Atlantic. SAJ, do you have any proof of this? When were they signed to Atlantic? False. They targeted Atlantic Records from the onset and used studio tracks recorded for the first album (not the '68 Scandanavian tour) to secure a $200,000 advance. The recording contract with Atlantic Records was signed November 23, 1968. The earliest circulating recordings of LZ were with PJ Proby, right? Correct. The medley 'Jim's Blues'/'George Wallace Is Rollin' In This Mornin' ' features all four members with Robert Plant playing harmonica and tambourine. It was recorded circa September 1968 so it precedes the Scandanavian tour and the studio sessions for Led Zeppelin's first album. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StringBender Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 False. Since you have no idea what all exists in Jimmy's personal archive of recordings we can put this under the "in your opinion" category. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 False. They targeted Atlantic Records from the onset and used studio tracks recorded for the first album (not the '68 Scandanavian tour) to secure a $200,000 advance. The recording contract with Atlantic Records was signed November 23, 1968. This discussion made me decide to crack open Chris Welch's book on Peter Grant (The Man Who Led Zeppelin) and beginning on page 61 the discussion of Peter trying to find work for the New Yardbirds begins with Peter finding, "much to his chagrin that nobody wanted to book his boys and nobody wanted to sign them to a record label". Recalled Grant bitterly: "Pye Records laughed me out of their office. I went to see their boss Louis Benjamin and asked him for an advance. The figure was £17,500. He just said: 'You've got to be joking.'" He also talked to Mo Ostin at Warner Bros, who at least knew Jimmy from his session work, but was once again shown the door. On page 67, the pursuit of a record deal continued with the following passage: When Zeppelin played at Exeter City Hall for £125 on December 19, their manager was en route to America, clutching the tapes for their first Led Zeppelin album, together with the complete artwork and some 'live' recordings from gigs. His plan was to secure a worldwide deal for Led Zeppelin. According to Mickie Most, "I was up in the office at 155 Oxford Street when I heard the first tracks they had done and they were brilliant. We started making the the album and then Atlantic heard what was going on. Peter got hold of Ahmet Ertegun....Peter went to Atlantic, they gave him a deal and the rest is history". So apparently there were 'live' tracks involved, whether they were from the Scandanavian tour or not seems to be the mystery of the quotient... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StringBender Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 This discussion made me decide to crack open Chris Welch's book on Peter Grant (The Man Who Led Zeppelin) and beginning on page 61 the discussion of Peter trying to find work for the New Yardbirds begins with Peter finding, "much to his chagrin that nobody wanted to book his boys and nobody wanted to sign them to a record label". Recalled Grant bitterly: "Pye Records laughed me out of their office. I went to see their boss Louis Benjamin and asked him for an advance. The figure was £17,500. He just said: 'You've got to be joking.'" He also talked to Mo Ostin at Warner Bros, who at least knew Jimmy from his session work, but was once again shown the door. On page 67, the pursuit of a record deal continued with the following passage: When Zeppelin played at Exeter City Hall for £125 on December 19, their manager was en route to America, clutching the tapes for their first Led Zeppelin album, together with the complete artwork and some 'live' recordings from gigs. His plan was to secure a worldwide deal for Led Zeppelin. According to Mickie Most, "I was up in the office at 155 Oxford Street when I heard the first tracks they had done and they were brilliant. We started making the the album and then Atlantic heard what was going on. Peter got hold of Ahmet Ertegun....Peter went to Atlantic, they gave him a deal and the rest is history". So apparently there were 'live' tracks involved, whether they were from the Scandanavian tour or not seems to be the mystery of the quotient... Thanks Walter for digging that out. Pretty sure that's the paragraph we discussed here years ago. There may have been a quote from Grant too that could've been taken to refer to live recordings. Can't recall now. Bottom line is the only ones who know for sure would be the band. It would be pretty easy for Jimmy to have plugged in a deck to the board to see what the new band sounded like live and throw the tapes in the closet. No one can say for sure, especially the fans on this board with no access whatsoever to Jimmy's closet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledzepfilm Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Of course, there are rumors of recordings from 1968 and I'm sure they exist. For now, the earliest live recording is Spokane 12/30/1968. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sems Fir Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 While the surviving band members could provide insight regarding live recordings from 1968 the recalling of the events from the book could be memory error due to the passage of time. For example, in my possession is what is known in the Zeppelin memorabilia collecting hobby as the Wexler letter. This letter is dated December 10th, 1968 and is signed by Peter Grant. The letter is short and states that the artwork for the Led Zeppelin album is enclosed and that Peter would like the photograph for the reverse side printed in sepia and not in black and white as enclosed (i.e. Chris Dreja's photo). The letter also has tape residue most likely from the artwork being attached to the letter (which was folded in half for mailing). This letter was sent to Jerry Wexler. The letter was pulled from the art department at Atlantic Records years ago. The date of the letter contradicts the date of December 19th. Would Peter overnight or mail the original artwork at such a great risk? It appears so. I don't see why Peter would mail the artwork and then carry another set but anything is possible when shopping the band for a contract.Robertwww.behindthetoys.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 I believe SAJ's statement about the date of signing with Atlantic. But why would their even beza statement about live recordings be made. when enroute to America to sign a deal, if nothing was recorded? The date of signing a contract is precise, that fact of shows being recorded is only speculative until physical evidence is clear. Bur why would it have even been mentioned, it doesn't make the story any better from the book's standpoint? It makes perfect sense for Jimmy to record some of those shows, given the circumstances - especially with the financial aspect taken into account. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I believe SAJ's statement about the date of signing with Atlantic. But why would their even beza statement about live recordings be made. when enroute to America to sign a deal, if nothing was recorded? Those live recordings could have been UK dates in October '68. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StringBender Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 The one early item I've always wondered about is could Jimmy have recorded their very first rehearsal? Imagine hearing the very first notes ever played by the mighty Zep. It's entirely possible he could've wanted to know what this bunch of guys sounded like later. Total speculation and wishful thinking on my part. I've never seen one quote that hinted at such a thing existing though. But back to the '68 shows it is also possible that memories fade and they may not have been live tapes. The line in the book is not a direct quote from Grant which I thought there was a statement from him that seem to verify or allude to it. Might be an item for your Mysteries thread Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Those live recordings could have been UK dates in October '68. Absolutely they could've been, I was only posting that line in response to the earlier post. Sept/Oct/Nov who knows? Hopefully one day WE will, without doubt and speculation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melcórë Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 The one early item I've always wondered about is could Jimmy have recorded their very first rehearsal? Imagine hearing the very first notes ever played by the mighty Zep. It's entirely possible he could've wanted to know what this bunch of guys sounded like later. Total speculation and wishful thinking on my part. I've never seen one quote that hinted at such a thing existing though. But back to the '68 shows it is also possible that memories fade and they may not have been live tapes. The line in the book is not a direct quote from Grant which I thought there was a statement from him that seem to verify or allude to it. Might be an item for your Mysteries thread Steve. IIRC, a discussion about the "first rehearsal" occurred recently over at R-O. Contradictory statements (and/or paraphrasing) by the band has left the issue a little muddy. I can't see any of the 1968 shows as having been professionally recorded -- i.e. via multi-track. At best, there probably were (but might no longer exist) a few soundboards. The fact that no such live recordings were included on the first remaster box-set speaks volumes to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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