Yes, I met the three of them in Vancouver when they were touring the Walking into Clarksdale album. It seems like yesterday, although many years have passed since then.

Nice story. I met him too (and Robert Plant, and Michael Lee). I spent a fair bit of time with Jimmy, and we had a nice conversation about a number of topics, including his Yardbirds days and concert locations. He was remarkably kind, humble, and pleasant, and was genuinely interested in asking me questions as well. He definitely was not a self centered person from what I could tell, and I cannot say enough good things about him, and the lasting impression he made on me. People rag on Jimmy about various things, and some of it is well deserved, but I can say without any doubt that he is a gentleman if you are respectful to him. Thanks for sharing your story.

I believe, and have said it before, that the 50th Anniversary has come and gone in any meaningful way. The fact that Record Store Day came and went on Saturday, without a contribution from Zeppelin, really belies a significant missed opportunity, especially considering that Page is such a vinyl enthusiast. Had anything been in the pipeline, then RSD would have been a perfect vehicle to prime the fan base and keep the enthusiasm alive. I mean, we still might see a 50th Anniversary Beanie Baby or perhaps a Zeppelin Starship LEGO model, but other than that, I firmly believe that the anniversary is done in any meaningful way, and Zeppelin, unfortunately, screwed it up beyond all reason given the initial statements by Page.

One comment I would make for those thinking of buying, is that the promo images of the shoes that have been released by VANS, and which are all over the net, show the 4 symbols strongly debossed on the side trim of the shoe sole. However, in actual fact, the shoes have crummy little decal transfers applied, which you can barely see and which will rub off in no time. Cheapo.

Got my VANS Sk8 HI shoes today. I was at work and my wife managed to order her size on line and bought both pairs. My size was sold out. She drove to the mall, went into a store, and they had them in a shipping box in the back. None had been put out or displayed yet. She bought my pair and they were waiting for me when I got home, which was a pleasant surprise. Pretty nice shoes, and nice to have, but I have to admit that the Black Sabbath Converse shoes I bought 5 years ago were much better in terms of their overall execution. Anyway, nice way to start the weekend with some geek quotient. The wife was told that all authorized retailers were allowed to order 1 pair of each size only, and nothing more. She got my 10.5s and that’s it for that size at that store. Fleabay is already flooded of course.

Sneakers are not what I was hoping for or expecting, but I’ll buy them anyway. They look nice and I bought 4 pairs of the Black Sabbath Converse runners several years ago, and I enjoy having them. The VANS have nice detail work including on the bottom sole trim.

But of course. 😎

I doubt they will as I have seen other rock movies at this theatre, and they just use the house system. Nonetheless, it’ll be a hoot. I swear that I saw TSRTS and the Jimi Hendrix double bill at least 30 times as a teenager, as it made the rounds from Indy theatre to Indy theatre. It drove my parents bonkers, but at least they knew where I was and what I was doing.

For those in the Pacific North West, and Vancouver in particular, The Song Remains the Same is playing at The Rio Theatre in Vancouver on July 21 at 8:00PM. Mrs TDL and I have pre-purchased our tickets, and this will be a blast from our past, having seen the movie in the theatre many times in the 1980’s. The Rio is a great privately owned theatre and could use the support to fight being bulldozed and replaced by commercial interests. Hope to see some of you there. Tickets are available on line.

I’ll buy it, and I’ll be happy to have it, but really......big whoop.

I’ve always seen this song as a reference to the drugs in the band, and in particular with Page. The most poignant line is: So don’t you let her, oh, get under your skin (ie: heroine via a needle) I could well be wrong, but the song has those undertones in my mind.

Correct.

Wrong. An excellent album from soup to nuts. One of my faves and a solid 10/10.

Few people declare Presence as their favourite album when they first discover the band. I think most people gravitate toward Presence later, as they look for a break from the obvious crowd pleasers. It's an album of deep cuts, and it has less diversity than other albums, but it's still fantastic, in a different kind of way. It's probably their most technically perfect album, and as luck would have it, I listened to Presence while driving in my car today. Oh, it's so good.

Totally agree with Lpman's assessment of the situation. Excluding Coda, for obvious reasons, I give both Presence and In Through the Out Door 10/10. Perhaps the fact that I participated in these albums at the time when they were released helps me to better understand their context within the broader musical landscape, but I wouldn't change a note on either.