Best No Quarter from '75 US Tour

[Tony Harden]

Opinions?

 

[Dirty Work]

2/28.

[paul carruthers]

2-16-75

[Bonzo_fan]

Off the top of my head:

3/27 LA

3/21 Seattle

3/20 Vancouver

3/19 Vancouver

3/14 San Diego

3/12 Long Beach

3/17 Seattle

3/25 LA

2/28 Baton Rouge

One of my favourite topics--let's get a good chat going!

[Sticks of Fire]

I think there four nights that rate as the best:

3/12 Long Beach

3/17 Seattle

3/21 Seattle

3/27 LA forum

 

[Bonzo_fan]

35 minutes ago, Sticks of Fire said:

I think there four nights that rate as the best:

3/12 Long Beach

3/17 Seattle

3/21 Seattle

3/27 LA forum

 

You aren't a fan of the two Vancouver versions?

[Sticks of Fire]

9 hours ago, Bonzo_fan said:

You aren't a fan of the two Vancouver versions?

I’ll have to give a better listen.  I was one of the first collectors to get the 1973 and 1975 Vancouver audience tapes.   I remember loving the Seattle versions so much that the Vancouver ones seemed a just a c- hair below.  And then when the soundboards turned I was kind of not into Zep for a while.   I’ll have to give them a property study.  Thanks.  

Maybe they played better on the soundboards

[paul carruthers]

Honorable mention to 5/23/75. Don't know if it's better than 5/24, but good enough...

[Bonzo_fan]

5 hours ago, Sticks of Fire said:

I’ll have to give a better listen.  I was one of the first collectors to get the 1973 and 1975 Vancouver audience tapes.   I remember loving the Seattle versions so much that the Vancouver ones seemed a just a c- hair below.  And then when the soundboards turned I was kind of not into Zep for a while.   I’ll have to give them a property study.  Thanks.  

Maybe they played better on the soundboards

Lmao, I see I won't be living that one down any time soon   But yeah, I think both versions sound great on the soundboard.  Also, many of the audience releases for 3/20 had the 3/19 versions of NQ, TUF & Moby Dick on them instead of the 3/20 versions...

[Bonzo_fan]

4 hours ago, paul carruthers said:

Honorable mention to 5/23/75. Don't know if it's better than 5/24, but good enough...

I've never really understood the love for 5/24 NQ.  Also, the title of the thread did specify '75 US/North American Tour, not sure if Tony intended to exclude Earls Court or not...

[paul carruthers]

^^ Oh shit, the North American tour. Well, I never said I knew everything. In that case, maybe some earlier ones like 2/13, 2/14 or off the top of my head, Vancouver again (1st night)...

[JohnOsbourne]

Sticking with just 3, I'd go with 3-25, 3-12, and 3-21.

[John M]

March 25 and March 27 LA Forum

The thing about both these versions that I like most is the way the three instruments interact and play off each other.  They are not just "jamming" - they are creating new music on the spot. 

[JohnOsbourne]

15 hours ago, John M said:

March 25 and March 27 LA Forum

The thing about both these versions that I like most is the way the three instruments interact and play off each other.  They are not just "jamming" - they are creating new music on the spot. 

3-25 is probably my all-time favorite version.  3-27 is very nice, but a bit sluggish at times;  from the LA shows, I think the 24th is better.  

[Boogie Chillen 82]

Current top 10 (this is always subject to change) for my favorite year of NQ:

1. 3-20 Vancouver

...I love the stuff from JPJ during the concerto, love the main jam, love the wah effects from Jimmy, love how at the end of the main jam Jimmy eases off and then all three of them pack a huge punch to finish, love JPJ's extended piano solo after the main jam, love the extra "dogs" thrown in, love Jimmy's outro solo and how he cleanly segues from it to the main theme... so much to love here

2. 3-21 Seattle (this used to be my No 1)

...I love the stuff from JPJ before Bonzo joins in, love the main jam's conclusion with JPJ going off the rails and (intentionally, I believe) doing his own thing for a while before rejoining the band. JPJ owns this version!! This one could easily be tied for the first place

3. 3-12 Long Beach

...extra stuff from JPJ on the FR in the beginning, bizarre gentle start of the main jam by Bonzo, Jimmy goes ballistic during the solo, the whole thing simply explodes at one point, great finish to the main jam. "Give it to me" is great. Outro solo is great. The closing reprise of the main theme is heavy and great. Can we just call it a 3-way tie for the first place?

4. 3-27 LA

...long long long long guitar solo, Jimmy's epic last stand for the '75 NA tour. An outrageously extended solo with several crescendos, some of them really cool ideas. You can tell JPJ is tired by the end of the main jam: there is no transition to the NQ theme, instead he just stops what he was doing and starts playing the main theme. Not the best from this tour but it's the best effort by Jimmy. Love Plant's barks after the final chorus, both he and Page are clearly giving their all on this version

5. 2-13 Nassau

...the TIMING changes! Never gets old, and this is an old school version with only FR (no piano). My favorite '75 FR NQ

6. 2-28 Baton Rouge

...honestly, this could be Jimmy's finest solo from this whole list (but I'm not a guitar player so don't take my word for it), then again there's 3-12 so probably not. I also love that JPJ is playing the piano like it's FR (not quite yet in his March concerto mode). The transition by JPJ from the main jam back to the NQ theme is surreal, he nails it with such authority. I also love how when the final chords fade out there is a lingering wah effect from the guitar and another little FR lick from JPJ

7. 2-14 Nassau

...another timing adventure and another fantastic old school FR version. The main jam is slow at first but really heats up and delivers in the second half

8. 2-8 Philly

...great stuff from Jimmy, another good old school FR NQ

9. 2-12 MSG

...another old school version with some groovy stuff from JPJ and a main jam finish that's every bit as fantastic as 3-21 with JPJ (intentionally, I think) leaving the band for a while. Surreal and awesome

10. 3-25 LA

...another epic solo by Jimmy, though not quite as epic as 3-27

I don't know, this is just scribble by a non-musician so take it for what it is lol. I could easily see other versions cracking the bottom of my top 10, I'd say the top 7 is pretty set though

[Tony Harden]

On ‎4‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 2:36 PM, Bonzo_fan said:

I've never really understood the love for 5/24 NQ.  Also, the title of the thread did specify '75 US/North American Tour, not sure if Tony intended to exclude Earls Court or not...

Honestly, I was excluding the Earls Court Shows.  The Earls Court Shows definitely had their moments but as a general rule I tend to favor the '75 US tour as opposed to the shows at Earls Court.  I am grateful for the film that we have from Earls Court though.

[JohnOsbourne]

2 hours ago, Boogie Chillen 82 said:

Current top 10 (this is always subject to change) for my favorite year of NQ:

1. 3-20 Vancouver

...I love the stuff from JPJ during the concerto, love the main jam, love the wah effects from Jimmy, love how at the end of the main jam Jimmy eases off and then all three of them pack a huge punch to finish, love JPJ's extended piano solo after the main jam, love the extra "dogs" thrown in, love Jimmy's outro solo and how he cleanly segues from it to the main theme... so much to love here

2. 3-21 Seattle (this used to be my No 1)

...I love the stuff from JPJ before Bonzo joins in, love the main jam's conclusion with JPJ going off the rails and (intentionally, I believe) doing his own thing for a while before rejoining the band. JPJ owns this version!! This one could easily be tied for the first place

3. 3-12 Long Beach

...extra stuff from JPJ on the FR in the beginning, bizarre gentle start of the main jam by Bonzo, Jimmy goes ballistic during the solo, the whole thing simply explodes at one point, great finish to the main jam. "Give it to me" is great. Outro solo is great. The closing reprise of the main theme is heavy and great. Can we just call it a 3-way tie for the first place?

4. 3-27 LA

...long long long long guitar solo, Jimmy's epic last stand for the '75 NA tour. An outrageously extended solo with several crescendos, some of them really cool ideas. You can tell JPJ is tired by the end of the main jam: there is no transition to the NQ theme, instead he just stops what he was doing and starts playing the main theme. Not the best from this tour but it's the best effort by Jimmy. Love Plant's barks after the final chorus, both he and Page are clearly giving their all on this version

5. 2-13 Nassau

...the TIMING changes! Never gets old, and this is an old school version with only FR (no piano). My favorite '75 FR NQ

6. 2-28 Baton Rouge

...honestly, this could be Jimmy's finest solo from this whole list (but I'm not a guitar player so don't take my word for it), then again there's 3-12 so probably not. I also love that JPJ is playing the piano like it's FR (not quite yet in his March concerto mode). The transition by JPJ from the main jam back to the NQ theme is surreal, he nails it with such authority. I also love how when the final chords fade out there is a lingering wah effect from the guitar and another little FR lick from JPJ

7. 2-14 Nassau

...another timing adventure and another fantastic old school FR version. The main jam is slow at first but really heats up and delivers in the second half

8. 2-8 Philly

...great stuff from Jimmy, another good old school FR NQ

9. 2-12 MSG

...another old school version with some groovy stuff from JPJ and a main jam finish that's every bit as fantastic as 3-21 with JPJ (intentionally, I think) leaving the band for a while. Surreal and awesome

10. 3-25 LA

...another epic solo by Jimmy, though not quite as epic as 3-27

I don't know, this is just scribble by a non-musician so take it for what it is lol. I could easily see other versions cracking the bottom of my top 10, I'd say the top 7 is pretty set though

Great list that I'm largely in agreement with, although I can't see how you left the sublime version from St Louis off the list.  (Also, I can't say I understand how much love the Baton Rouge version generally gets.)

[Bonzo_fan]

3 hours ago, Boogie Chillen 82 said:

Current top 10 (this is always subject to change) for my favorite year of NQ:

1. 3-20 Vancouver

...I love the stuff from JPJ during the concerto, love the main jam, love the wah effects from Jimmy, love how at the end of the main jam Jimmy eases off and then all three of them pack a huge punch to finish, love JPJ's extended piano solo after the main jam, love the extra "dogs" thrown in, love Jimmy's outro solo and how he cleanly segues from it to the main theme... so much to love here

2. 3-21 Seattle (this used to be my No 1)

...I love the stuff from JPJ before Bonzo joins in, love the main jam's conclusion with JPJ going off the rails and (intentionally, I believe) doing his own thing for a while before rejoining the band. JPJ owns this version!! This one could easily be tied for the first place

3. 3-12 Long Beach

...extra stuff from JPJ on the FR in the beginning, bizarre gentle start of the main jam by Bonzo, Jimmy goes ballistic during the solo, the whole thing simply explodes at one point, great finish to the main jam. "Give it to me" is great. Outro solo is great. The closing reprise of the main theme is heavy and great. Can we just call it a 3-way tie for the first place?

4. 3-27 LA

...long long long long guitar solo, Jimmy's epic last stand for the '75 NA tour. An outrageously extended solo with several crescendos, some of them really cool ideas. You can tell JPJ is tired by the end of the main jam: there is no transition to the NQ theme, instead he just stops what he was doing and starts playing the main theme. Not the best from this tour but it's the best effort by Jimmy. Love Plant's barks after the final chorus, both he and Page are clearly giving their all on this version

5. 2-13 Nassau

...the TIMING changes! Never gets old, and this is an old school version with only FR (no piano). My favorite '75 FR NQ

6. 2-28 Baton Rouge

...honestly, this could be Jimmy's finest solo from this whole list (but I'm not a guitar player so don't take my word for it), then again there's 3-12 so probably not. I also love that JPJ is playing the piano like it's FR (not quite yet in his March concerto mode). The transition by JPJ from the main jam back to the NQ theme is surreal, he nails it with such authority. I also love how when the final chords fade out there is a lingering wah effect from the guitar and another little FR lick from JPJ

7. 2-14 Nassau

...another timing adventure and another fantastic old school FR version. The main jam is slow at first but really heats up and delivers in the second half

8. 2-8 Philly

...great stuff from Jimmy, another good old school FR NQ

9. 2-12 MSG

...another old school version with some groovy stuff from JPJ and a main jam finish that's every bit as fantastic as 3-21 with JPJ (intentionally, I think) leaving the band for a while. Surreal and awesome

10. 3-25 LA

...another epic solo by Jimmy, though not quite as epic as 3-27

I don't know, this is just scribble by a non-musician so take it for what it is lol. I could easily see other versions cracking the bottom of my top 10, I'd say the top 7 is pretty set though

Good list; nice to see some love for 3/20 Vancouver, an overlooked show in general IMO.  All people seem to remember about it is the long and sloppy a capella solo in "Heartbreaker"...there's a fantastic show for 3+ hours before that!

[paul carruthers]

7 hours ago, JohnOsbourne said:

Great list that I'm largely in agreement with, although I can't see how you left the sublime version from St Louis off the list.  (Also, I can't say I understand how much love the Baton Rouge version generally gets.)

 

Yeah, Baton Rogue is a great one I forgot to mention, but no mind. I don't know if it has anything to do with it being the 1st one recorded with Jonesy switching to the piano for the jam, but it's all a matter of taste...

[Jimmy's Dragon Suit]

On 4/14/2018 at 10:39 PM, JohnOsbourne said:

Great list that I'm largely in agreement with, although I can't see how you left the sublime version from St Louis off the list.  (Also, I can't say I understand how much love the Baton Rouge version generally gets.)

I agree about Baton Rouge. I think the whole show is overrated. St. Louis on the other hand is a great unmentioned show. One of my favorite versions of "In My Time of Dying."