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Robert Plant - Pre-Zep History


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Another Slade connection:

Slade has the distinction of being the ONLY band whose members crossed paths with THREE members of Led Zeppelin prior to 1968:

1. Noddy Holder was an occasional roadie for Robert Plant's Listen and also shared the bill with them multiple times.

2. John Bonham was briefly a member of Steve Brett & The Mavericks (one of Noddy Holder's early outfits)

3. Jimmy Page sessioned with The 'N Betweens (which featured future members of Slade) in 1965.

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I'll do some checking on the 1973 date.

Cream played Wolverhampton Civic Hall the 9th June 1967 with The 'Nbetweens and several other groups on the bill but no mention of Listen.

Listen played all around the Walsall /Wolverhampton/Bloxwich area..their was a very good group scene going on and money could be made.

The Willenhall Baths gig is probably the "Autumn 66 " reference..a lot of these things get lost in translation and the mists of time..Willenhall is technically a part of Wolverhampton.

It might be useful to do a very quick geography/history lesson to explain the Zeppelin /Slade connection.

Noddy Holder parents lived on the Beechdale estate in Bloxwich in Gurney Road..their house was approx 200 yards away from "The Three Men in A Boat" where Robert Plant was lodging with the Bonham family..in 1965 Holder was in a group called Steve Brett and The Mavericks who were quite big locally..they released 3 45s and had done the traditional gigging in Germany thing..at the end of '65 Holder left the group and returned home with the idea of forming a group..Bill Bonham remembers jamming with Holder..Holder joined the 'Nbetweens in March 1966

It was about this time that Listen were formed..Plant and Holder got to know each other..this has led to the stories of Holder "roadieing" for Listen..I think the best explanation for that is that Holder had access o his Dad's window cleaning van and when he was at a loose end he helped Listen out..it's also worth remembering that Plant was supposed to have joined The 'Nbetweens as well as Holder but was regarded as not suitable.

Obviously their paths would continue to pass..I'll deal with the great "You Better Run" saga over the next few days.

Meanwhile..from the Wolverhampton Express and Star 3rd Mach 1966

listen002.jpg

This only part of the article..I wasn't looking for Listen stuff at the time. when I go to Wolverhampton archives again I'll get the complete article but it gives a flavour of the group.

Sorry if I'm rabbiting on a bit.

Please don't apologise - this has been fantastic stuff you're sharing!!! Thanks and keep it coming :D

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Slade has the distinction of being the ONLY band whose members crossed paths with THREE members of Led Zeppelin prior to 1968:

1. Noddy Holder was an occasional roadie for Robert Plant's Listen and also shared the bill with them multiple times.

2. John Bonham was briefly a member of Steve Brett & The Mavericks (one of Noddy Holder's early outfits)

3. Jimmy Page sessioned with The 'N Betweens (which featured future members of Slade) in 1965.

Ok.

1.I've discovered several 100 pre Slade gigs between 1962-69 and so far I've only found one occasion when they were on the same bill..however I've only scratched the surface and not every gig was advertised.

2.I asked Steve Brett about John Bonham a couple of years ago..Steve can't remember John being a member of the Mavericks ..I've spoken to several ex Mavericks as well and none of them recalls John playing ..I suspect an urban myth due to the Bonham familys connection with the Three Men In a Boat.

3.According to Bobby Graham and 4 of the original 'Nbetweens Jimmy Page did not play on the sessions..Bobby Graham remembers Jimmy looking in but was not needed.

Hope this doesn't tread on anyones toes :-0

Can anyone clear up the "Little Nightingale" mysytery..recorded by The 'Nbetweens the song is supposed to be a Jimmy Page song but no one seems to able to confirm or deny it..the record label credits Williams..I think it's urban myth time again.

NBpromo.jpg

Edited by Blocoboy
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Ok.

Hope this doesn't tread on anyones toes :-0

Can anyone clear up the "Little Nightingale" mysytery..recorded by The 'Nbetweens the song is supposed to be a Jimmy Page song but no one seems to able to confirm or deny it..the record label credits Williams..I think it's urban myth time again.

NBpromo.jpg

....and you are probably referring to this....(this is what I could find)

The other track, "Little Nightingale," is a generic tune with the same approach bearing the writing credit of "Page"; an educated guess would surmise that this might be then-session man Jimmy Page, who was one of the writers of "You Don't Believe Me."

http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/arti...2525319,00.html

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PlanetPage, YOUR English is great--automatic Google translations are terrible! ("Jim Lea simply destroy your bottom.") :lol: Can you translate the relevant bit for us?

Aqua

...so sorry about this...."My limited expert knowlege".............

Relevant Bit........

"A romance between the Group and Noddy was in the water bath. In 1965 they recorded another EP, this time for Barclay records. The Disc was released in France. They recorded this disc, among others, the song "Little Nighttingale", the Guitarist Jimmy Page, who worked in the studios of Pye in Marble Arch."

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....and you are probably referring to this....(this is what I could find)

The other track, "Little Nightingale," is a generic tune with the same approach bearing the writing credit of "Page"; an educated guess would surmise that this might be then-session man Jimmy Page, who was one of the writers of "You Don't Believe Me."

http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/arti...2525319,00.html

Thanks..I think the word generic is the important one..a case of stick your name on and see if someone objects.

"You Don't Believe me" is credited to Merrell,Page ,Graham and May..I assume Graham is Bobby Graham and I wouldn't be too suprsed if the other 2 were staff members as well.

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Aqua

...so sorry about this...."My limited expert knowlege".............

Like I said, your knowledge of English is better than theirs! :D

It sounds as if Jimmy probably didn't have too much involvement in this song--there were so many in those days that sounded virtually identical, anyway.

Edited by Aquamarine
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Like I said, your knowledge of English is better than theirs! :D

It sounds as if Jimmy probably didn't have too much involvement in this song--there were so many in those days that sounded virtually identical, anyway.

....I do try to make my self clear....You are right, there had to be so many, for this kind of mystery....

just couple more links which lean towards "Page", but still no confirmation:

In early 1965 Bobby Graham who had played drums with Joe Brown & The Bruvvers and now a talent scout, auditioned the N'Betweens at the Le Metro Club in Birmingham. The result was a recording contract for the N'Betweens and the group travelled down to Pye Studios in London to record some songs. Well known session guitarist Jimmy Page was booked to play on the recordings but he was apparently not required although he may have appeared on the N'Betweens recording of Little Nightingale, an early composition of his. The sessions resulted in four songs by the N'Betweens being released on an EP in France but these had no impact on the record charts.

http://www.brumbeat.net/nbtwns.htm

The first recording by the 'N Betweens (John Howells/ Mick Marson/Dave Hill/Dave 'Cass' Jones/Don Powell) to be made in a 'proper' studio was actually released by the French Barclay label. The group had been auditioned at the Le Metro in Birmingham. The record comprised four tracks on an EP, the tracks being Take A Heart / Feel So Fine / Little Nightingale / You Don’t Believe Me. Whilst the record was released by Barclay in France, it was actually made at the Pye studios in Britain. According to John Ogden:

http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/art...imes/Page7b.htm

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Can anyone clear up the "Little Nightingale" mysytery..

Yes, I can. :)

"Little Nightingale" was written by John Williams, who had formed a partnership with Jimmy Page in 1965 -- Williams would write songs, and Page would try to get them recorded by the artists that Jimmy sessioned with. Jimmy convinced Bobby Graham to use 2 of their songs for the 'N Betweens session ("You Don't Believe Me" being the other song).

Jimmy may not have actually played on the 'N Betweens session, but he definitely played on the demo versions of those 2 songs.

As for John Bonham playing with Steve Brett, it has been reported in multiple Zep biographies and it's also mentioned here. But I've never seen confirmation.

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Yes, I can. :)

"Little Nightingale" was written by John Williams, who had formed a partnership with Jimmy Page in 1965 -- Williams would write songs, and Page would try to get them recorded by the artists that Jimmy sessioned with. Jimmy convinced Bobby Graham to use 2 of their songs for the 'N Betweens session ("You Don't Believe Me" being the other song).

....tried to explore Page/Williams connection, as per above...not much came up....true you confirmed, it's Page Composition/written by Williams....

tks...

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Yes, I can. :)

"Little Nightingale" was written by John Williams, who had formed a partnership with Jimmy Page in 1965 -- Williams would write songs, and Page would try to get them recorded by the artists that Jimmy sessioned with. Jimmy convinced Bobby Graham to use 2 of their songs for the 'N Betweens session ("You Don't Believe Me" being the other song).

Jimmy may not have actually played on the 'N Betweens session, but he definitely played on the demo versions of those 2 songs.

As for John Bonham playing with Steve Brett, it has been reported in multiple Zep biographies and it's also mentioned here. But I've never seen confirmation.

If Steve Brett and the 4 other Mavericks I've spoken to have no recollection of John Bonham being a Maverick I'd tend to believe them..I was always amazed that Zep Biogs couldn't get the Walsall gig right..possibly one of the most important events in Zeppelin history and no one appears to have done any research..I think John Bonham may have sat in with them when they played at his uncle's pub.

Steve Brett is well aware of the people who backed him and went on to become famous,Noddy Holder and Dave Holland,so it's unlikely that he wouldn't add John Bonham to that list

Thanks for the Little Nightingale info..great stuff.

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i am still wondering why he ( the original poster ) titled the thread HOBBSTWEEDLE ....... :unsure:

Because s/he was asking about Robert's early band whose name is often cited as "Hobbstweedle" (though as part of the thread discusses, the spelling is inaccurate). The thread then evolved to discuss Robert's early career generally, then Blocoboy arrived with all this great info.

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"Jim Lea simply destroy your bottom."

:hysterical::hysterical:

Gotta chime in too - this info is to most of us at least really interesting, to some ( and for the site) it is very valuable indeed - thanks for thinking about sharing it and taking the time!

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