Jump to content

Favorite/Best Achilles Last Stand?


Recommended Posts

  • 2 months later...

You rang...

I firmly believe 6/25 is a subpar performance from Bonham. He is clearly off with regard to energy and his playing is a 1/4 step or 1/2 step slow. This is why SA and NQ from this night never get off the ground. I'll be the first to admit that the OOT is the longest known Forum performance (the recording of 6/26 is incomplete) and is an impressive version and the end of Kashmir is quite strong, but overall he is not playing like he should. Plant comments twice the next night that on 6/26 its "nice to have John Bonham back with us" and then later "Bonham was suffering from another case of food poisoning".

ALS from 6/25 lacks the incessant creative fills and overall aggressive pace of the other Forum version. I'm not saying its bad, his playing is still much better than San Diego. But he's off. Has everyone besides Sue listened to 6/22 and 6/26? 6/25 is way way off from those, not to mention 6/21 and 6/23.

I agree completely. 5/28 is another show where Bonzo seems particularly 'off'. The "food poisoning" as away of explaining away the lethargic performance Bonham gives on June 25 is probably another case of, "Well, he'd been partying for days and it was time to crash" (Nuremburg, 1980, anyone?)- another batch of bad bananas...keep in mind Bonham had been in the company of Keith Moon during the L.A. shows- I'm sure Moonie was a great influence when it came to partying :lol:

I've heard 6/22 and 6/26- the 22nd in particular is great (I like "No Quarter" on that one, and I think "In My Time Of Dying" is better than on the 25th). When it comes to the L.A. soundboards, the 22nd and 26th are the only shows I'd give a shit about having!

I still say 6-23 beats them all !

You can't deny the speed metal-like intensity of that version.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...
  • 4 weeks later...

I agree with some of this here.... I think the first Knebworth show was the LAST GOOD performance of the song. I really dont like any of the 80's versions. He doesnt play the drums the same at all! They sound stupid i think. I dont know how anyone can say an Achilles from the 80s tour was THE BEST or their fave. Any of them from 77 are better than the 80s tour, Even Tempe (which i tend to like, And i aint the only one :) ) But i agree with most on 6-23 being one of the best or my favorite, I really dont have a favorite, When it comes to having a fave or picking the best i really can't do that. I have heard and like way to many zep concerts to do that lol. Anyway I like most of the 77 versions. Fort Worth, I really like the Pontiac Silverdome version, I wish there was a SBD or a better AUD recording of it! Also Landover, there are a few good ones there between their 5 concerts there. And some at the Garden NY. I definitely like some from those nights. Anyway, i tend to like, LOVE Zeppelin a lot more than the average zephead.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Hahaha  oh my oh my.   I played this Tempe version and I must say my cat looked at me like I had 3 heads.

lol yea it's not pretty. :lol:

Off the top of my head, the Tempe "Achilles" is quite possibly the single worst performance of a song the band every did. Play it for any member of the "Zeppelin was a lousy live band" faction and you'll give 'em all the ammo they'd need...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Before DVD, I was more of a casual fan, meaning I didn't give anything from Presence-Coda much attention, besides the stuff you hear on the radio. (NFBM, All My Love, Fool in the Rain)

You didn't hear ALS on the radio where you live? It was on heavy rotation on the LA rock radio stations...KMET, KLOS, KWEST.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You didn't hear ALS on the radio where you live? It was on heavy rotation on the LA rock radio stations...KMET, KLOS, KWEST.

No, things don't happen everywhere like they happen in the cultural bubble of Los Angeles. There wasn't a KNAC  or KROC in every town in the 70's, 80's or even 90's. There isn't a Hollywood sign, Hollywood Walk of Fame,or In 'n Out Burger in every town either.

I've lived in 7 states and 11 some towns/cities, including LA, and don't remember ever hearing ALS outside of Get The Led Out. It's a deep cut.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh I'll admit the sound quality of Tempe does it NO favours, but there are parts in the
middle where Bonham's playing somewhere else and well :wacko: Jimmy is heck I don't
know? On planet Pluto ::lol:

If I was introducing A L S to somebody for the first time Tempe definitely would not be it. 
Actually I would let them hear the studio version first so they could hear all the brilliant
layered guitar work of Jimmy - then I'd say have at it with the various live versions!

Edited by KellyGirl
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You didn't hear ALS on the radio where you live? It was on heavy rotation on the LA rock radio stations...KMET, KLOS, KWEST.

Nah, not at all. I hear a pretty good mix as you can see in the 'On the Radio' thread, but I can't remember ever hearing Achilles, apart from when 97.1 The River played the entire catalog to celebrate the release of 'Celebration Day'. I'm sure it's length also doesn't help!

No, things don't happen everywhere like they happen in the cultural bubble of Los Angeles. There wasn't a KNAC  or KROC in every town in the 70's, 80's or even 90's. There isn't a Hollywood sign, Hollywood Walk of Fame,or In 'n Out Burger in every town either.

I've lived in 7 states and 11 some towns/cities, including LA, and don't remember ever hearing ALS outside of Get The Led Out. It's a deep cut.

^This.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with some of this here.... I think the first Knebworth show was the LAST GOOD performance of the song. I really dont like any of the 80's versions. He doesnt play the drums the same at all! They sound stupid i think. I dont know how anyone can say an Achilles from the 80s tour was THE BEST or their fave.

There are two performances of Achille's Last Stand that are in strong competition for the greatest of all time (in my opinion.)  Weirdly enough, you linked to one of them (30 May 1977 in Landover), but the other candidate for me is 29 June 1980 in Zurich.

 https://youtu.be/0i6cxMAnXpU?t=23m52s

The song had a much groovier feel on this tour, whereas in 77 it was almost frantic.  I like both styles, so it's impossible for me to choose which is my favorite.  Anyway, I clearly disagree that every performance was worse than any performance in 77, or that it sounded stupid on this tour.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i clearly disagree that every performance was worse than any performance in 77, or that it sounded stupid on this tour.

I should not have said stupid. The drumming is just not to my taste for the song. I just don't think the song rocked as much on the 80s tour than the 77 tour. See, to my preferences, i would listen to ALS From Tempe 77 than any on the 80s tour lol. And cmon, I think Nutrocker said this in another thread, People have been changing their opinion, the Tempe show isnt really that bad! Most definitely the sloppiest, but not bad!  Look i love led zeppelin, i am a DIE HARD, BLEED ZEPPELIN FAN!!! But for some reason i cant get into the 80s shows that much. At this point in my life and mindset, I'm more into the trippy 3 hour shows that take you elsewhere in the universe! Maybe even out of this universe!! I'm just grateful that there is a bootleg for almost every single concert they ever performed, give or take a few. I didn't live in the 70s but at least i have a time machine!!!!!! Thanks to the tapers! And whoever stole all these SBD's we have! :) (Sorry Jimmy!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

I've been holding off on this thread until I listened to more performances of Achilles Last Stand as this hasn't always been a favorite of mine. It actually took me a long time to grasp this song, but something about it has finally caught my attention. 

1- Knebworth 8/4/1979. I usually try for less typical answers, but this first Knebworth performances comes with a wicked Achilles Last Stand!! 

2- Frankfurt 6/30/1980. Every song during this show is a 10/10 IMHO, just a excellent show!!!!! 

3- LA Forum 6/23/1977. Another typical answer, but hey! People know their Zeppelin here lol. Plus this is a song that requires a good quality recording so you can actually tell what's going on.. I still can't believe someone in the audience that night captured this entire song, though I really wish they could have waited one more song that night...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm gonna be a minority of one here, go firmly against the grain, and state that the original studio version is still  the definitive version for me.  Jimmy can't recreate the famed 'guitar orchestra' live (for obvious reasons), and it's that just incredible wall of sound on said track that lifts it from greatness to realms stratospheric, hairs on end every time and never gets old...

I pity the fool who doesn't embrace the joys of 'Achilles Last Stand'... indeed, or the album it came from.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...