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Mudbugclub

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  1. This book is peoples memories of seeing Zeppelin live, and yes sure, as time has passed the memory can get a little fuzzy, but that's what makes these books interesting. Its peoples memories from that moment in time. Most are not Zeppelin fanatics and might have a few facts incorrect regarding set lists but these are that persons memories of that time. Not all the accounts are just about the gigs, but what they were doing in their life at that time. Example here: OAKLAND COLISEUM 2 SEPTEMBER 1970, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA I WAS THERE: THERESA PARSON It was one of those nice summer nights that the San Francisco Bay Area is blessed with every year. Myself and my hippie tribe - Joey, Dave, Robin, Bill and Stephanie - were doing what we did every Friday night, sitting in Tom Lutz’s blacklight, lit with back to back neon posters, swilling cheap warm Olympia beer and passing around a joint. The room was so thick with cigarette smoke that my eyes were watering. We inherited this room every week when Tom’s mom would go spend the weekend with her boyfriend. After playing Led Zeppelin’s self-titled first album through two times, we turned the radio to KSAN, the FM alternative station. This station was like the Holy Grail to its listeners. It played the latest rock albums from both the US and the UK from beginning to end. Every band that came through San Francisco stopped at KSAN for an in depth, call-in interview. The lights on the switchboard lit up like Christmas lights and it was nearly impossible to get on. But if you did, you could find yourself chatting with the likes of Mick Jagger, Jerry Garcia or Bonnie Bramlett. KSAN was always the first to hear about any new concerts that were coming to town. So imagine our stoned and slightly excitement when the deejay announced that Led Zeppelin were coming to the Oakland Coliseum. We whooped and hollered, played the album again and made plans to buy our tickets the next day. When 9am rolled around, we pulled up to Al’s Records and joined the line waiting for the store to open. Our town was so condensed everyone knew everyone in that line! The wait seemed eternal, but finally September 2nd arrived. Us girls spent the day pin curling our long hair and then sat under our mothers’ hair dryers to achieve that curly singlet look. We worked diligently to put together our lace and velvet vintage style dresses, exchanging accessories until we were satisfied with our look. The guys picked us up at 5.30pm. We stopped at Jack in the Box for dinner and lurked outside the liquor store till we found someone willing to buy us beer and cigarettes. Lutz had already secured the weed so we were ready to rock! When we got to the Coliseum, the parking lot looked like a huge tailgate party, so we got out our provisions, cranked up the radio, which was playing nearly non-stop Zeppelin, climbed into the car and joined the fun. We knew we’d never get the beer into the venue so we made sure we drank every drop before we went to line up. The roving drug dealers worked the line, and soon there were joints being passed in every direction. Finally, they opened the door and everybody rushed in looking for their seats. Ours weren’t the best, but we could pretty clearly see whatever was about to go on onstage. As for the PA, we weren’t even worried about that. The band sauntered onto the stage and the place shook with stomping and applause. We were on our feet. We weren’t going to miss a thing! There was Plant with his long wavy blond hair and jeans so tight you could see a perfect outline of his package. And then there was the beautiful Jimmy Page, decked out in a velvet coat that hung over velvet pants and a striking white shirt with an ascot at the neck and ruffled sleeves. The music started as they barrelled through ‘Dazed and Confused’, ‘Immigrant Song’, ‘What is and What Should Never Be’, ‘Good Times Bad Times’, ‘Communication Breakdown’ and ‘I’m Movin On’’ before hitting some covers like ‘Blueberry Hill’ and ‘Long Tall Sally’. Each song was met with wild appreciation and, aside from Jimmy Page, there were hundreds of air guitarists backing him up. John Bonham was a whirling dervish. It was like his sticks were a part of his hands. Running between the bass and keyboard, and playing both flawlessly, John Paul Jones never missed a beat. And Plant. That voice, screaming and growling, then dropping down until he was hardly heard and then throwing his head back and letting go of a guttural primal scream. It was like riding a vocal rollercoaster. By this time we had managed to move a few aisles down. Our goal was to get to the floor, even though it was already blanketed in assigned seated metal chairs. All too soon the show was over and the band filed off the stage. They had brought us to a musical peak so high we couldn’t see down, and we wanted one more ride. In unison we screamed, banged chairs in the floor, lit our lighters and refused to give up. The crowd on the floor had tossed aside the folding chairs. There wasn’t enough security to stop us, so everyone streamed down from their seats and inched closer to the stage. For their encore they did ‘Whole Lotta Love’ and that’s when holy hell broke loose. Hundreds stormed the stage, knocking each other over and crawling over each other’s backs. It could have turned into a tragedy, but fortunately it didn’t. On the way home we put on the Led Zeppelin 8-track. The guys talked about every note, fret and whatever other technical thing that went into the show. They marvelled over the brands of the equipment that the band used. It was all Greek to me. Us girls? What did we talk about? The size of Plant’s package of course! I saw Led Zeppelin again at the all day festival, Day On The Green, in Oakland. The place was packed and the sound excellent, but it couldn’t compare to the first show. I think concerts are like losing your virginity - the first time is always the best!
  2. They are all new accounts from fans around the world.
  3. Just wanted to tell you about a new book coming out on June 16. Led Zeppelin - The Day I Was There. A collection of over 500 eyewitness accounts of seeing Led Zeppelin live. With fans recalling memories of the earliest Yardbirds and Zeppelin shows at UK and European clubs right through until the O2 Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert in 2007. The book contains personal photographs, memorabilia, anecdotes, and fan stories that have never been published before. More info here: https://thisdayinmusicbooks.com/books/led-zeppelin-the-day-i-was-there/
  4. 8th Oct 1971, Led Zeppelin II was enjoying its 100th week on the UK album charts. It was the band's first album to hit No.1 in the US, knocking The Beatles' Abbey Road twice from the top spot, where it remained for seven weeks. When first released the album had advance orders of 400,000 copies in the USA, (the advertising campaign was built around the slogan Led Zeppelin II Now Flying). In 1999, it was certified 12 times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for US sales in excess of 12 million copies. More here: http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/pages/led_zeppelin_ii
  5. 7th July 1980, Led Zeppelin played their last-ever concert when they appeared at Eissporthalle, West Berlin at the end of a European tour. The set included: 'Black Dog', 'The Rain Song', 'Hot Dog', 'All My Love', 'Trampled Under Foot', 'Since I’ve Been Loving You', 'Kashmir', 'Stairway To Heaven' and 'Rock And Roll'. They finished the show with a 17-minute version of 'Whole Lotta Love'. More on John Bonham here: http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/pages/john_bonham
  6. 22nd June 1970, Led Zeppelin appeared at Laugardalsholl Hall, Reykjavik, Iceland on the group's one and only visit to Iceland. It is suggested that Robert Plant was inspired to write the lyrics to 'Immigrant Song' during this trip." More here : http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/pages/hammer_of_the_gods
  7. 22nd Oct 1969, Led Zeppelin II was released on Atlantic Records in the UK. The Jimmy Page-produced album which was recorded over six months between four European and three American tours, peaked at No.1 in both the UK and US, going on to sell over 12 million copies in the US alone, (and spending 138 weeks on the UK chart). The album is now recognised by writers and music critics as one of the greatest and most influential rock albums ever recorded. http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/pages/led_zeppelin_ii
  8. 11th Aug 1979, Led Zeppelin played their last ever UK show when they appeared at Knebworth House, England. The set list included: all the zeppelin classics including The Song Remains The Same, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Over The Hills And Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Stairway To Heaven, Rock And Roll, Whole Lotta Love and Communication Breakdown. https://audioboo.fm/boos/1543269-this-day-in-music-11th-aug
  9. 31st May 1948, Born on this day, John Bonham, drummer with Led Zeppelin, who had the 1969 US No.4 single Whole Lotta Love. The bands fourth album released in 1971 featuring the rock classic Stairway To Heaven, has sold over 37 million copies. Bonham died on September 25th 1980 after choking on his own vomit. http://www.rocksquare.com/community/musicnews/2528
  10. http://audioboo.fm/boos/1370213-this-day-in-music-4th-may 4th May 1973, Led Zeppelin opened their 1973 North American tour, which was billed as the 'biggest and most profitable rock & roll tour in the history of the United States'. The group would gross over $4 million from the dates, flying between gigs in 'The Starship' a Boeing 720 passenger jet, complete with bar, shower room, TV and video in a 30' lounge and a white fur bedroom.
  11. 22nd March 1975, Led Zeppelin started a six-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with Physical Graffiti, the group's fourth US No.1 album. On its first day of release in the US, the album shipped a million copies – no other album in the history of Atlantic records had generated so many sales. Physical Graffiti has now been certified 16 times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for US sales in excess of 16 million copies. From http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/pages/physical_graffiti
  12. 24th Feb 1975, Led Zeppelin released their sixth album Physical Graffiti in the UK. Recording sessions had been disrupted when bassist and keyboard player John Paul Jones had proposed quitting the band, supposedly to become choirmaster at Winchester Cathedral, England, although in reality he just needed time to rest after Zeppelin's demanding tour schedule. More: http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/pages/physical_graffiti
  13. 19th Feb 1972, Led Zeppelin appeared at the Memorial Drive, Adelaide in Australia. A local paper who reviewed the show printed: Singer Robin Plant (sic) overcame an 'Australian bug' in his throat and broke into his own in 'Black Dog' and 'Stairway To The Stars' (sic). Full story: http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/pages/zeppelin_australia
  14. 8th Feb 1968, The Band Of Joy, featuring John Bonham and Robert Plant, made their first London appearance, supporting Edwin Starr at the Marquee Club in London, England. http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/pages/john_bonham
  15. 23rd Jan 1991, John Sebastian, owner and general manager of KLSK FM in Albuquerque, New Mexico, played Led Zeppelins 'Stairway To Heaven' for twenty-four solid hours to inaugurate a format change to Classic Rock. Police showed up with guns drawn: once after a listener reported that the DJ had apparently suffered a heart attack, and later because of suspicion that, this being eight days into the Gulf War, the radio station had been taken hostage by terrorists dispatched by Zeppelin freak Saddam Hussein. From This Day in Led Zeppelin;
  16. 17th Jan 1969, Led Zeppelin I, the band's debut album, was released in the US, coinciding with the band's first headlining US concert tour. It was to peak at No. 10 in the US chart, and at No. 6 in the UK. The RIAA in the US has now certified it as having sold over 10 million copies in the US alone. Full story:http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/pages/led_zeppelin
  17. Good piece here on Mr Jones: http://www.musicroom.com/blog/music-news/features/this-day-in-music/this-day-in-music-john-paul-jones-39310
  18. 8th Nov 1971, Led Zeppelin released their fourth album. With no title printed on the album, and generally referred to as Four Symbols, The Fourth Album or Led Zeppelin IV, it has gone on to sell over 37 million copies worldwide. More: http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/pages/led_zeppelin_iv
  19. 31st Oct 1970, Led Zeppelin started a four week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Led Zeppelin III', the bands second US chart topper. More: http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/pages/led_zeppelin_iii
  20. 8th Oct 1971, Led Zeppelin II was enjoying its 100th week on the UK album charts. It was the band's first album to hit No.1 in the US, knocking The Beatles' Abbey Road twice from the top spot, where it remained for seven weeks. When first r eleased the album had advance orders of 400,000 copies in the USA, (the advertising campaign was built around the slogan Led Zeppelin II Now Flying). In 1999, it was certified 12 times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for US sales in excess of 12 million copies. Read the full story http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/pages/led_zeppelin_ii
  21. 25th Sept 1980, John Bonham, died aged 32 after a heavy drinking session. ‘Bonzo’ was found dead at guitarists Jimmy Page's house of what was described as asphyxiation, after inhaling his own vomit after excessive vodka consumption, (40 shots in 4 hours). During live sets his drum solo, ‘Moby Dick,’ would often last for half an hour and regularly featured his use of his bare hands. http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/pages/john_bonham
  22. 20th Sept 1968, Led Zeppelin (recording under the name of The Yardbirds) started recording their debut album at Olympic Studios, Barnes, London, England. The album took only about 36 hours of studio time to complete at a cost of around £1,782, with most of the tracks being recorded 'live' in the studio with very few overdubs. Led Zeppelin I.http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/pages/led_zeppelin
  23. 12th Aug 1968, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham played together for the first time when they rehearsed at a studio in Gerrard Street in London's West End. The first song they played was a version of 'The Train Kept A-Rollin.' They also played 'Smokestack Lightning' and a version of 'I'm Confused' (soon to become 'Dazed And Confused'). The first live dates they played were as The Yardbirds, and it was not until the following month when they started to use the name Led Zeppelin. http://youtu.be/smUFDvltYrA
  24. 11th Aug 1979, Led Zeppelin played their last ever UK show when they appeared at Knebworth House, England. The set list included: The Song Remains The Same, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Over The Hills And Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Hot Dog, The Rain Song, White Summer/Black Mountainside, Kashmir, Trampled Under Foot, Sick Again, Achilles' Last Stand, In The Evening, Stairway To Heaven, Rock And Roll, Whole Lotta Love and Communication Breakdown.
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