I've often thought that it would have been a great show-opener for them. That swirling beginning sound would start softly while the house lights were still on, coming from a pre-recorded tape. The volume would ever so slightly be raised until the house lights went off. Now quite loud. Then, a spotlight picks out Plant on stage with his, "In the eeeeeeeeevening" Then, the stage erupts with those magnesium light-blasts as Page, Jones, and Bonham launch into that famous riff.

Good evidence spotting. I think we can clearly agree that there was at the very least, a lose plan for the jam given that Jimmy definitely brought his guitar and Jones and Plant probably brought their respective items. I tend to think that Jimmy was the most up for it in his never-ending post-Zep quest to reunite the band, with Jason equally up there in his never-ending quest to be in the band. JPJ in his typical shoulder-shrugging self no doubt went along with it, while Robert was probably hesitant, but probably Bonham family pressure in the "do it for John" style got him to perform.

Can someone confirm the issue of the instruments used at the jam please? I have been under the impression that the instruments belonged to the house band hired for the occasion and that Page, Plant, Jones, and Jason, simply used them. This leads me to believe that the whole jam thing was an impromptu event. Thanks.

I like U2, mostly for their spectacular stage shows. However, as for any of the members being able to make it as a solo act, even Bono, there's just no way. It's all or nothing with respect to their appeal either as a band or as individuals. I suspect that they will keep going in a Stones-like fashion, putting out an album every so often, and doing a massive world tour every 5 years.

It was the age before we all started carrying cheap recording devices. It was even before digital still cameras. There were some regular photos of the event which have made their way onto the Internet via scanning. It's my guess that it probably wasn't that great of a performance, due to them not having rehearsed, being somewhat rusty, and a fair amount of alcohol. Am I right in having read that the instruments weren't even their, but that they belonged to the live band that had been hired for the event?

Add to that when Plant did actually go solo and his choice of band members. Some years ago, I read an interview by Robbie Blunt (Plant's guitarist), and Robbie said something to the effect that Plant was trying to get him to play in a way that was very Page, and different from Robbie's own style.

I don't think there is a realistic market left in putting out another live album. Sure, the die-hards would buy it, but not the wider fan base. We already have TSRTS, the remastered TSRTS, the movie TSRTS, BBC Sessions, Led Zeppelin DVD, HTWWW, Celebration Day, and assorted snippets on the companion deluxe reissues (and that's just the official stuff). When Zep broke up, there was only the original TSRTS, which most of us knew was a substandard testament to Zep at their live best. This certainly drove up the bootleg market for a long time. Since then, we have been well serviced with all the subsequent live material that I think the market is now satisfied. No, they are not a Listen To This Eddie or a Badgeholders performance, but due to issues of opportunities and timing, we have what we have.

Ginger is a truly fantastic drummer. Ginger and Jack's attitude towards the likes of Led Zeppelin stems from their anger at Zeppelin's immense success and fame, and particularly their financial success. That generation of musicians received very inconsistent levels of management. On one side, you had many who were blatantly fleeced while the likes of Zeppelin got rich-for-life care. I'm not necessarily saying Ginger and Jack were ripped off, but they didn't receive quite the same level of managerial honesty and the clever strategy that Zeppelin did. Ginger, particularly, ended up flat broke, although I will add that a lot was due to his own life choices. This kind of experience can make you a little testy when it comes to being asked what your opinions are of the musicianship of your more successful contemporaries.

Their late 1980 North American tour dates were already scheduled, with tickets already sold. We've also already read the stories of them wanting to make a heavier "next album". From a commercial perspective, it would seem that there was no indication of stopping the beast. However, what we've come to learn is that Led Zeppelin as a functioning band were in serious trouble at that time, what with substance abuse by Page and Bonham (you could include Grant, but his was largely the result of losing Bonham), and Plant itching to sail his own ship. I think they could have soldiered on had Bonham survived, with an eventual change of pace, where Plant would have been given some freedom to work with other musicians. They would probably have done what the Rolling Stones did, where they took long breaks between tours and albums.

Page's live guitar skills definitely too a hit, beginning with inconsistent performances on the 77 tour. I actually think Plant may have been more inclined to consider a full reunion had Page not been so messed up whenever they played together following the band's breakup. The Atlantic show was the worst, and although blame was shared for Live Aid, I think Page was in bad shape. I think Page was still not yet clean when they did their first Page and Plant tour, with Jimmy still having that drinkers bloat look, and needing a back-up guitarist in the shape of Porl Thompson.

Why the "reunions"? The only man who can really explain that is Robert Plant, and I don't think even he could adequately explain it. It all boils down to a life of extreme pain and pleasure, all mixed up in the mind of a true artist, highly conflicted with immense pride of what he'd achieved, as well as the true artistic desire to seek new frontiers. If you try too hard to figure him out, your head will explode!

When PG was released in the UK, and went straight to number one on the album charts, BBC's Radio 1, the only really accessible radio station for popular music, would have a weekly chart show, which would end up with them playing a track off the current number one album. PG stayed at number one for several weeks, and the track they always seemed to play was DBTS. I recall one week, they played Night Flight instead. I guess the BBC was restricted by song length, so these two songs were probably good fits.

Yes, he was sloppy, mostly during the latter years. It wasn't a case of making variations from the studio records, but a lot of bum notes that made the listener cringe a little. Plant's voice was also shoddy at times during the same period, no doubt due to over use. Still, even on their worst nights, and yes, they had them, they were still damn good. i like Clapton a lot, too, but both times seeing him live, I've gotten bored during the performance. sometimes, technical perferction, which Clapton personifies, can be a little dull.

None of the three remaining members has said much beyond their own re-telling of the official band statement. They've gone a little into the bit about how they gave some consideration to bringing in another well-known drummer, but decided against it. I think the situation then was really no different from the same situation today. Jimmy wanted to press on and probably was the one suggesting the replacement drummer. Jonesy was indifferent and would have gone along with whatever everyone else wanted. Robert wanted out. I think his heart wasn't in it since he lost his son in 1977 and had to be coaxed for those final 3 years. The death of Bonzo was his absolute decision-maker. Without Plant, the band's future was unsustainable and the statement was made. Jimmy likely had little fight in him and likely slunk off into the arms of morpheus. Peter Grant was also in no condition to circle the wagons.

The ongoing Harper case is mostly unknown to people outside of the UK.

On a side note, Roy Harper is currently facing historic under-age sex criminal charges in the UK. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-27262582

I've never noticed that, but I do recall reading Cole's account of that tour and his disbelief at Robert and Jimmy's admiration of Harper. I seem to remember Cole's description of Harper and the rubber gorilla. I guess Cole, not being the artists that Plant and Page were, saw Harper as being just a nutcase, enjoying the first class tour services at Zeppelin's expense.

1970. I was 11 years old and went to an older friend's house. Someone had turned him on to Zeppelin and he had a copy of Vol II which he put on his dad's record player. I'd never heard of them. Whole Lotta Love came out of the speaker and it was like nothing I'd ever heard before. I studied the album, having never seen an album that opens up before. I assumed that all ten people on the cover were the band members. Wow, they sure looked different and quite threatening I thought. These were definitely people outside of mainstream society. The tracks played on and I couldn't stop listening. A few weeks later, I went with my friend to the local record store where he bought the newly-released Vol III, which was at number 1. We went back to his house to play it and he disliked it. He soon changed his listening preferences to Grand Funk Railroad. However, his faith in Zep was restored at Vol IV. I, on the other hand, liked Vol III and never waivered.

1. A big insurance policy. 2. The best guitar techs and personal assistants.

It must have been interesting being a bootlegger/pirate in the USSR. On one hand, a lot of Government restrictions and even outright bans were placed on music that was considered unfit for public consumption, while on the other hand, you were completely untouchable with respect to anti-piracy efforts by western music officials and the likes of Peter Grant.

It may well be that bootlegged footage was used in conjunction with the band's own official footage in the making of the DVD, which could explain the many different angles.

Am I right in thinking that the two Knebworth shows were not actually filmed in the traditional sense? Yes there has been bootlegged stuff, but the "official" stuff that was part of the DVD, was what the Showco video cameras captured that were used for the big screen projection at the events. I'm not sure if this really makes a difference, but I don't believe any official filming was done in the way we see it done with more up-to-date concert filming. I suspect that the live projection "filming" was also what we got from Earls Court 1975.

I do recall reading of an incident at one of Zeppelin's 5 Earl Court performances in 1975. From what I remember, the band was backstage waiting to go on, and in drives a Rolls Royce into the backstage area, carrying all 4 Slade members, which crashes into a stack of something. At the time, Slade was the king of the UK pop scene, while Zeppelin were the biggest band in the world.

Following the death of John Bonham, and the end of Led Zeppelin, Peter became a recluse in the house. He would send staff out to buy sandwiches at Marks and Spencers, and generally spent his time in bed, battling cocaine addiction. The house is very fragile, and required enormous sums on heating and general upkeep. Peter was not regularly pulling in the vast amounts of money that he had been used to when Zeppelin were the biggest band in the world. His marriage crumbled, and he decided to go for a simpler existence by moving to a flat in Eastbourne. Peter eventually managed to get back into relatively good health, shedding a lot of weight, and becoming quite a respected figure in Eastbourne. He was even approached to become a Magistrate, but he declined. He managed to attend Page and Plant's 1995 show in London, but by all accounts, he wasn't impressed with the concept. What a character. They certainly don't make them like that anymore.