In general i have no time for musicals. But i do love Grease the movie. It was the soundtrack for my 5th grade romance.

Another great tune featuring Koss...

^Great song.

Kanye didn't surprise me, What surprised me was that someone deserving like Beck was actually recognized.

I kinda thought he was being facetious. Maybe not. But considering how so many in this thread go on and on about the shows not living up the their personal standards, i'm inclined to agree with that advice. All kinds of interesting stuff happened on the Tour Over Europe. But if you can't accept the shows for what they are, you'd be better off just skipping them. Montreaux 1970 is always just a mouse click away (or should be).

I have an interview with Robert from after the Ottawa Show 1970-04-14 where he's asked about his current favorite artists and he singles out Neil.

Blaming Neil Young for Coldplay is way out of line. Especially for a Canadian. But it's clear why this group would be desperate to associate themselves with a musician who has artistic integrity. Long Live The Horse!

I'm thoroughly convinced Neil Young thinks for himself and always has.

Led Zeppelin was not a bigger draw than bands that had more mainstream appeal. It's simple math.

But other than your pretentious personal tastes, what is that conclusion based on? I don't understand how "Duece" is not a R&R classic in the same league as "Satisfaction" or "Communication Breakdown". It has raw, honest energy played by a band with an original sound. How else do you define R&R? Pretty please, with sugar on top, substantiate your claim. Is it really the make-up and flashpots? The Stones used make-up and flashpots. The Stones dabbled in disco. Gimmicks? All three of these bands had gimmicks coming out their asses. What's your actual knowledge of the band and their songs? They're not a great band because you don't like them? That's weak sauce. I bet you can do better. Otherwise you're talking out your ass.

"Abba? Abba? Swedish? I knew them when they were a Lancaster club-dancing trio" Although it pains me to agree with SAJ on anything, it's really not fair to compare Zep and The Stones as attractions in the 70's. It's easier to point out the differences than to compare the similarities. Going back to the sixties, The Stones have always been a part of American mainstream culture. They were a hit machine in the 60's and the 70's, on the radio, and in the mainstream media. Zeppelin and KISS were never mainstream, especially in the seventies. All three bands surely shared some of the same fanbase, but Zep and Kiss likely had fewer casual fans. So it is a credit to these two that they filled arenas with a limited audience. It does make more sense to compare Zep and KISS or The Stones and The Eagles. The truth is all of these bands sold lots of tickets and albums and were very successful. Any respect due Abba (Abba?), a pop vocal group, is most certainly due the producer. I mean, if you like "Dancing Queen", how can you not dig "I Was Made For Loving You"? It's all music for shakin' yer ass, right? As far as the "I hate KISS" badge of honor hogwash, I've got three words for you: "Whole Lotta Love". A three note riff, barely two chords, cheesy lyrics, and a bunch of sound effects. Who's gimmick free? If you think you're too cool for KISS, you ain't. If you don't like KISS, fine. But of you don't get KISS, you don't get Rock & Roll. Very few bands are more Rock & Roll than KISS. They've been successful doing their thing their way for 40+ years in spite of haters and and a lack of support from the mainstream media (kinda like Zep except for the longevity). I'd say that deserves some respect.

Well. maybe he did, for all i know. I'm not claiming to have any secret inside information. It's not like i've seen his x-rays or anything.

There is also something called "making adjustments in the moment". I've played guitar for 30 years and can pick up a strange guitar with high action and make the best of it. But there are also days where my head or heart isn't in to playing spontaneously. I assume that's what happened to JP. He wasn't planning or thinking about playing and was caught by surprise. JP sometimes gets almost zero credit for being human in this forum. Are some of you under the impression that he recorded everything in his catalog in one take?

If the contributions of John Bonham and the chemistry between the four band members doesn't speak for itself, then I guess we're going to agree to disagree.

Fair enough. I do whole heartedly agree 1970-09-19 is a top 5 if not the top Zep show of all. Very special. I'm still not sure it's "easy at first bite" sound wise. But if you can turn somebody on to it, more power to you. And thank you for referencing Providence. It's been a while so I put it on today and it stopped me in my tracks. My new current favorite.

I really like the angle of this thread. Taking the mountain of material we have and narrowing it down to the most listenable performances that define the band's greatness. A challenge for sure with no real wrong or right answers. But it's obvious Mr. K is an informed fan and is looking beyond official releases. Let's review the parameters of Mr. K's challenge. -A list of five separate shows. He mentions this 3 times. -Nothing from 79/80 -Sound quality better than Providence 73 (sorry 1970-09-19!) -Shows with sustained energy, hell-dog perfection, variety, and great Plantations. -Shows which provide a valid explanation for burnt pot roast. My journey started with 1977-06-23. A high generation tape dub with lots of hiss that played fast. I still got sucked in, and for the reasons Mr. K is trying to spotlight. . It appears to me Mr. K is taking it a step beyond official releases and looking to lay some raw truth on someone. He knows what he wants. And if this forum can't help him, who can?

You lost me when you wanted to start comparing 1973 to 1980. If you're going to bother listening to Tour Over Europe, you have to accept it for what is is. It's another, different chapter of Led Zeppelin. I'll never accuse any of the '80 shows of being perfect, but i still enjoy listening to them. I'll also check out a four car pileup if i pass one on the freeway. (No analogy intended, of course) What's that old saying? One man's glimmer of hope is another man's wet book of matches.

1970-03-07 Montreux 1971-09-14 Berkeley 1973-03-24 Offenbach 1975-03-12 Long Beach 1977-06-23 Los Angeles

Contempt for the audience and/or the city? I think he's just disgusted with the acoustics of the venue. Otherwise he's business as usual.

Some of the frustration with Tour Over Europe is that none of the shows stand out in their entirety as knockout performances. This playlist ties some great moments together for a nice listen. My favorite moments are sprinkled throughout the tour, but my go-to shows have become Cologne and Hannover.