Jimmy Page from Guitar World June 2014: A debate has raged for many years on what electric guitars were used on the first album. It’s hard for people to believe, but I just used my Fender Telecaster for the entire album, except for one track. Somebody was trying to sell me a Gibson Flying V at the time. I don’t what made them think I could afford it, because I clearly couldn’t, but I asked them if I could just try it out. I brought it into Olympic and used it on “You Shook Me.” With those big humbuckers, it was so powerful you can hear it breaking up the amp in the middle of the song. I could’ve tidied it up, but I really liked hearing the amp really struggle to get the sound out. It’s really fighting through the electronics to get out of that speaker. I’m not sure what happened to the guitar. It might’ve found its way to Keith Richards or something, but I really don’t know.

Not really. After thinking about it, I seem to recall thinking that Side 1 had two "heavy" songs & two "acoustic" songs. My thinking this at the time revolves around the many rumors in the months before LZIII was released, that Led Zeppelin was going "acoustic". So, that's how I gauged LZIV. Nowadays, I'd have a hard time choosing between the Stairway solo & the studio Dazed & Confused solo as my favorite. I guess it would depend on my mood at the time.

It's been almost 50 years, but I remember when HHWCID was released. My friend worked in Record World at the time & I think he also got a hold of a copy Live on Blueberry Hill around the same time. I had an 8-track recorder at the time & he hated the "bassy" tone of prerecorded 8-tracks, so he'd buy the LPs, 45s import EPs etc & have me record them. Anyway, I remember LZII as being the hardest to get a hold of at the time. I guess they just didn't expect the rush to purchase it & didn't produce accordingly for initial release. LZIII, everyone expected it to be "acoustic" because of all the rumors flying around all Summer 1970. When LZIV came out, my buddy rushed over to record it during his lunch break from the store. We played Black Dog & R'n'R & nodded our heads in appreciation. As soon as we heard the first few notes of The Battle of Evermore, I looked at my friend & he just said "Uh oh !" thinking "here we go with the acoustic shit again" Can't say as I remember what our reaction was to Stairway's intro. LOL.

You are welcome, annie !

You’re welcome LZ77 ! Glad you enjoyed them !

You are welcome. I'm glad you enjoy them !

You're welcome. It took me awhile to finish the process, had a couple things going on. What a pain in the balls, though.

It was 45 years ago today I was at The Forum to watch Led Zep play

While looking through a box of 35mm slides, I came across a dozen or so stamped "AUG 73". I was at one of the 3 MSG shows, but unfortunately someone decided it was a good idea to eat quaaludes before the show. These are the "best" of the dozen.

Yes, it is amazing. 1970, 71 & 73 were at MSG. 1972 at Nassau Coliseum & 1975 was at the L.A. Forum. I'm gonna go with 9/19/70 Evening Show as the best concert I've ever seen. We sat in the second row behind the stage between Jimmy's amps & Bonzo's gong. It felt like we were almost on stage. My favorite memory is when they played Thank You. I was so used to hearing the "acoustic" version on LZII, that when they played it live, it was so freakin' heavy it just blew my mind.

Good question. I was pretty much stoned every day of the 70s and managed to see every LZ tour except 1977. Which I still can't remember why, because they did like a week of shows in MSG that June.